Background info on Schalke 04: a very tough CL test awaits Arsenal.

TotalArsenal

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The game against Schalke 04 will provide Arsenal with a great opportunity to bounce back, but it will not be easy. Die Königs Blauen, as they call themselves, are without any doubt our strongest opponent in this year’s CL group, and Arsenal will need to be at their very best; fully focussed and motivated and with the strongest team on the pitch, if we want to take all three points from the match tomorrow.

For this crucial CL game, Schalke had, compared to Arsenal, the absolute opposite in terms of preparation: they won their fiercest derby, away against B Dortmund, and will be full of confidence tomorrow.

Huub Stevens is a very good, yet relatively unknown manager. He managed my local, boyhood team, Roda JC, in the nineties, and within a few years he transformed the team to a football machine, which would have won the Dutch championship for the second time in its history in 1995, if it wasn’t for Louis van Gaal winning everything with a phenomenal Ajax team, in the same year.

Stevens brought big successes to Schalke in the late nineties and early years of the last decade (UEFA cup and a couple of German Cups), and is well liked among the Königs Blauen. He has been away for a number of years –mainly due to illness of his wife for who he took time off, in order to care for her – but has recently returned and, like us, had Schalke finish third – and qualify for the CL – last season.

Stevens is a good tactician who installs a strong defensive discipline wherever he goes.  He is very good at getting his team to press all over the pitch; forcing teams to make mistakes and punish them switching the play quickly and using the wings really well. His teams are also good at keeping possession through passing the ball around with, the familiar to us, triangles. His teams tend not to concede many goals, yet score more than enough.

Against Arsenal, I reckon he will let Schalke press us all over the pitch and not allow us to get into our game. However, would Arsenal succeed to win the battle in midfield and start pressurising Schalke around their own box, they will also be quiet comfortable at absorbing the pressure, and try to punish us with deadly counter-football.

Schalke often play a similar formation as Arsenal: 4-2-1-3 (or 4-3-3 if you want), with two more defensively minded midfielders in front of the defence, and a creative midfielder behind the central striker.

The biggest danger for us will come from their counter-attacks. Schalke employ two fast wingers: Farfan and Afellay who are very good at breaking out with speed and making the opposition pay for any loss of possession in midfield. Everyone will have heard about Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, aka The Hunter, who has been described by Van Gaal recently as the ‘best in the box-striker’ in the world. Louis Holtby is their up and coming (22 years old) creative midfielder who plays behind Huntelaar, and can both create and score goals. He is definitely one to watch for us (and is half-English!).

Our FB’s, Jenkinson and Santos(?), are likely to get a big work-out tomorrow and they will need good support from our wingers, central midfielders and CB’s. Our CB’s will get a proper test again tomorrow, as The Hunter is excellent both in the air and on the ground – he is a fox-in-the-box, but also has a good shot from the edge or just outside the box.

All in all, I anticipate a great game of football, and a proper test for our boys, in more than one sense.

COYRRG!

Total Arsenal.

PS tomorrow I will have a tactical look at how Arsenal can best approach our game against Schalke, including the best formation.

58 thoughts on “Background info on Schalke 04: a very tough CL test awaits Arsenal.”

  • To put it Frankly…its becoming crystal clear why you have set up your own site…you simply needed the platform…sometimes more than once a day…let alone once a week.

    Keep up the good work

  • Thats a really in depth analysis of our opponents strengths and weaknesses. Oh shit..you didn’t mention any weaknesses.

    I’m really hoping that the instalment of ‘how we should set up against them’ includes a long list of weaknesses. The thought of two losses back to back sends shivers down my spine.

  • Afternoon Sharkey, thanks for the feedback! 🙂

    Not so sure about clear-cut weaknesses, but the quality of our players should see us through. It is going to be tough though: we need to be focussed and work hard, and take our chances when they come. All clichés, I know, but only that will do it.

  • Agreed. Will we see any changes..eg Miquel in at LB for Santos..?? Would that give us the the width and energy that we missed on Sat..??

  • Sharkey, am hearing Gibbs might be fit again – still a doubt though. Miquel is a good call, but let’s wait till we have full news on fitness of players tomorrow.

    I really like it that you read back posts and comment on them, even though they are a few days old!

  • How do you do it ?. Every day coming up with quality, if only Arsenal were this consistant !
    There are two players that my son has raved about for years, that we should have bought, one was Hazard, the other, The Hunter. That boy can score !.
    This is a tough game. I just hope the right Arsenal turn up !.
    Totals Mission took bloody ages to do, about 2 1/2 hours for just over a minutes worth !. Mind you, an hour of that was getting around the site and practicing. I will continue to give it a try, but will probably wait until after Saturday and hopefully try a match report with it ( the Schalke 04 game will be too soon and I have to get up early the next day for the ” Orc Run ” ).
    To tell the truth, I was a bit worried after I put it up that I might have offended someone. Thats my problem, sometimes I think something is funny and think everyone else has my humour ( as in the case of AA when I got banned ) . I also forgot to put a warning on it !.
    I couldn`t get to sleep that night, as I had so many ( what I thought ) funny Idea`s of what to do on it ! I do look forward to doing another one though, but If you think it get`s a bit too hairy at any time ( even with the warning ) just let me know, as your great little site is more important.

  • TA…I’ve always done readbacks….some of the stuff I find i’m really glad I didn’t miss…and it just reaffirms why I should carry on doing it.

    By the looks of it GLIC was on fine video form that day as well. I’ll have a gander at those tonight

  • Hi Glic, wow 2.5 hours! I did not realise that, but a great product it became.

    I love it that you lay awake at night with ideas in your head: it says a lot about your enthusiasm and desire to make the world a better place. 🙂

  • Great background on Schalke, Total.

    I would be more worried if we hadn’t had such a dismal performance at the weekend. As it is, I think our team will show what they’re made of and bounce back with a win.

    It won’t be easy, but I fancy us to win 3-0 or 3-1.

  • Umm, for someone who is usually organised, I have to confess to being a clot.

    I kept going back to BK and thought everyone was asleep and you (TA) were out because nothing was happening. Then I realised I had not noticed the little sign saying ‘newer comments’ which led me eventually to ‘New Post’. Duh!!

  • TA,

    With Rocky producing a superlative Post over on AA, you have now also produced a very fine BK Post and a great analysis of our next opponents. 🙂

    We are very blessed to have you both.

    Is Affellay the same guy who plays for Real Madrid? If so is he on loan?
    Whatever, he is a very fine player and I would have been extremely pleased if Arsenal had bought him!!

  • It’s not the setting TA, it’s my eyes or brain!! 🙂

    I suppose I have become used to the AA setting, so when it goes quiet and there are no new comments it means just that.

    I am just dopey!! 🙂

  • Thanks TA, I knew if it was the same Affellay it would have been with Barca.

    Just shows the brain is not working this afternoon. I did not get to bed until 2 a.m. last night and up at 5:30 this morning. I have been bleary eyed since about 2 p.m. and have given up working on an accounting matter.

  • It was good to read Sharkey’s comments earlier. He and his friend Frothing Inarticulate Loon are two of my favourite bloggers!! 🙂

  • TA,

    Switching forums for a moment, the term ‘to pick a bone’ with someone means to have a fight or argument. I think it was originally a reference to dogs fighting over a bone. 🙂

  • Hi RA, sorry was away for a bit. 🙂

    Sorry to hear an accounting matter is keeping you from sleeping, or are GLiC and Terry driving you bonkers!? 😆

  • No TA, the accounting wasn’t the problem, I just had to finish something last night, and had to be up early.

    It made my brain weak this afternoon!! 🙂

  • Not exactly fish and chips, but I’ve just had sushi for lunch.

    That is possibly the most boring comment I have ever written. (Please do not provide examples that prove otherwise 🙂 )

  • Hi Herb, agree it is really important, but I don’t think it will be easy. 😕

    Hi Rocky, sushi is very good for the brain too, so they say 🙂

  • Hi TA

    Thanks for the info. I admit to knowing nothing about Schalke, but now youve filled me in i am more than a bit worried. They sound like a very good team and might do very well in this tournement, hopefuly not at our expense.

    I want us to go for them from the start. if we can get an early goal and get the crowd going then we could make it very hard for them.

  • That’s it Terry – we need to be on top from the start, but always remain wary for their counter-football. They can switch the game very quickly from defence to attack, and by doing so they embarrassed Dortmund at the weekend (they could have won by a bigger score).

  • I`ve got my new running machine, a semi pro one. It goes upto 22KPH, has a fan on it, speakers, the dogs do dahs, but the best thing……it has a hole big enough to take the TV remote !. What would we be like without the TV remote control !.
    When the missus goes to bed later, I shall have a little late night run on it whilst watching babe station !. hahaha
    Genius !……I have just invented a new sport version of Dogging . It`s just like Dogging but on a Treadmill . I shall call it Jogging !. hahaha

  • Evening folks – Interesting development in the CL

    Almost a big stunt by Celtic – feel really sorry for them to concede in extra time. They are still in a decent position to qualify for the next round.

    Chelsea lose and instantly look under threat in their group with them still having to go to Turin and Shaktar having a three point lead.

    And how long will the Mancs be able to concede so many goals before they start to lose games.

    The most exciting group of those who were in action today is the one with Bayern, Bate and Valencia: all on 6 points.

    I watched the Barca game and was not impressed with the Catalans, especially in second half. They looked a bit jaded to me, but still got away with it.

  • Thanks for the analysis TA. I like Schalke and have often wished Arsene would raid a number of their players (big fan of german up and comer draxler! the hunter has always been a favourite (tore up man united in the champions league), holtby, and now affelay who would have slotted in nicely in our team).

    The left hand side of defense is what concerns me, especially if Vermaelen is not reigned in. They will get no joy from jenks and BFG but if gibbs is not fit they may just focus their attacks down the left, forcing Podolski to spend more time in defense thus nullifying our attacking options again.

    I also would be tempted to play Miquel at LB just because he is better in the air and will focus on his defensive duties.

    @ RA

    i too was confused about the ‘newer comments’ section, i thought i’d shut the site down with my dodgy comment

  • Morning People, 🙂

    Cautiously optimistic about this evening, but ready for anything in the circumstances!

  • Morning fellow Gooners!

    It’s CL day and we are playing at the home of football! Red and white mighty shirts against blue and white shirts on an immaculate green pitch in a brand new, state of the art stadium. It does not get much more colourful than that! 🙂

  • Hi TA, 🙂

    Your analysis of Schalke yesterday/today set things up nicely.

    I am sure the guys won’t pussyfoot around tonight but will get on with winning this game.

    Oddly enough I am more concerned that they will come out all guns blazing and playing slick attacking football from the start to compensate for last Saturday’s dreadful ‘non-attacking’ display.

    Why is that a problem? Well European football games are different, and going all out to score can be the wrong tactic. The patient, clever approach usually pays big dividends in the CL because the quality of the opposition is so much greater.

  • Morningsky Redders 🙂

    You are so right about remaining calm and organised tonight. Schalke took Dortmund to the cleaners by absorbing their pressure and trying to get the ball of them. I have only seen highlights of that game, but there were a few occasions were Dortmund lost possession in the Schalke half and with two or three moves, the Gelsenkircheners freed up one of the wingers who could then run freely towards the BD goal. Dortmund play similar football to us and we should be wary of the Schalke tonight.

  • Morning all 🙂

    With all this justified bigging up of Schalke and Vac, I think it will be another night behind my Sofa !. hahaha
    Question to myself …..shal I put the sofa in front of the running machine or drag the running machine around the back of the sofa ?. hahaha

  • Hi Glicster, 🙂

    I am beginning to get worried about you!!

    Running machines? Are you a faddish fitness fellow? Perish the thought!!! 🙂

  • @ RA

    GLIC has to be fit as a fiddle because he likes the thrill of the chase. If he wasn’t he’d catch himself too easily out in the field.

  • Hi Ozzy,

    Re your earlier comment: fully agree our left back area is the one where we are most vulnerable. And you are right about Draxler. You have mentioned him before on AA and since then I have had a look at one a few times. Still very young though, but a big up and coming talent. I read somewhere though, he might not have recovered from injury yet.

  • Hi Oz, 🙂

    I hadn’t thought of that. I thought Terry had said he has a face like a fiddle! 🙂

    (Remember, Glic, TerryM said that — go and smack his ass with your mirror!!) 🙂

  • Hi Redders and Oz 🙂
    Chasing that gorgeous bit of stuff in the mirror on my treadmill is exhausting, If I could manage to catch him, I think I would be too roggered to rogger him ! hahaha

  • morning TA.

    Can never have enough promising youngsters. Youthful exuberance is needed and something gnarby showed plenty of against Norwich. He was keen as mustard to get on and show what he was made of. Shame others didn’t show half his fight.

    Ready for a big game, I’ll be there shouting at 330 in the morning! 2-1 with a more polished performance tonight. God knows what the starting line-up is going to look like!

  • hahaha GLIC I’m sure you’d give it everything you’ve got. It’s not often people get to fool around with their dream person. Luckily for you he’s always a reflection away!

  • hahaha Oz
    When you eventually get to the Up Top land , you too can look in my mirror, you`ll be pleasantly surprised !, it`s a gooner thing !. I`d hate to have a Spud mirror !. hahaha

  • They don’t have mirrors GLIC, reality is too scary.

    Terry reckons anyone else who shares that mirror gets beaten to a pulp because that mirror-GLIC is a jealous so-n-so and doesn’t like to share the limelight haha

  • Glic,

    But you only said NEW POST after I said NEW POST!! 🙂

    And now I have said NEW POST after you Said NEW POST after my original NEW POST

  • But Redders, it was I who originally said NEW POST !.
    Lets hope Stretch doesn`t get on here and Blow the Last Post on his telescope !. hahaha

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