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Tactical Review: Borussia Dortmund vs Arsenal

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Keith Satuku
 @ September 17th, 2014

Borussia Dortmund tactics

Jurgen Klopp was spot on with his approach in targeting Arsenal’s slow transitions to defensive positions. Manager Jurgen Klopp revealed that he paid particular attention to Arsenal’s performance in their 2-2 draw against Manchester City and that problem was evident.

When looking for possession, the centre forward pair of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ciro Immobile had to lead the pressing for possession from the halfway line. In midfield, Sven Bender and Sebastian Kehl formed a double-pivot close to the defensive line to squeeze the space between the lines.

Kevin Grosskreutz and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the wide midfielders, needed to drop alongside the central midfielders then track back with Arsenal’s full-backs. The defenders had to keep their defensive line deep to deny Arsenal’s pacy forwards the space to run in behind.

The main threat in Borussia Dortmund’s attacking game was supposed to come from the link-up play between their two centre forwards. Since Arsenal have been poor in their recovery runs, particularly in the full-back positions, Aubameyang and Immobile had to alternate, with one striker pulling out wide to receive quick direct balls while the other provided a target in the box.

When they had sustained possession, they could commit players forward with both full-backs, Erik Durm and Marcel Schmelzer, pushing into the middle-third. Bender and Kehl could alternate in pushing forward to support attacks from central midfield.

Grosskreutz had to hold the width down the left flank while Mkhitaryan would make runs inside towards Arsenal’s penalty box to support the strikers.

Arsenal tactics

Arsene Wenger had his side set in the usual 4-1-4-1 formation with Mikel Arteta returning to the starting XI as the holding midfielder. Arsenal still had to build from the back, commit players forward in possession and push their defensive line high.

With the ball, Arteta had to initiate play by dropping into splitting central defenders to collect the ball, then release it to the flanks. Kieran Gibbs and Hector Bellerin had to provide angles for Arteta by pushing beyond the halfway line.

In central midfield, both Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere had to support attacks by pushing forward through the middle while Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez needed to cut inside from the flanks to support Danny Welbeck.

When out of possession, both full-backs had to drop to the defensive line while Ramsey and Wilshere needed to drop closer to Arteta. Ozil and Sanchez had to track back with Borussia Dortmund’s full-backs, leaving Welbeck as a lone striker in a 4-5-1 defensive formation.

Key tactical changes

Everything went to plan for Klopp as he frequently came into his technical area to applaud his side’s efforts. He made the necessary direct changes to keep his side going but kept his 4-4-2 formation. He reshuffled both Mkhitaryan and Durm, with both moving to the left flank as a left winger and a left-back, respectively.

Wenger’s key tactical change came in the second half when he took off Arteta and replaced him with Lukas Podolski. Arsenal consequently completed the game with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Wilshere was the holding midfielder and his central midfield partner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, had the freedom to push on. Santi Cazorla operated behind Welbeck with Sanchez and Podolski flanking the Spanish playmaker.

Those changes weeded out a couple of Arsenal players who were shockingly poor in possession but they were not enough as the Gunners managed just one shot on target the entire game.

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