5 Things to Watch for in Arsenal's First Champions League Match

It will take some time to adjust to the new-look Arsenal XI that steps onto the Signal Iduna Park (where they get these names, I don't know) pitch tomorrow evening to face Borussia Dortmund.

From the North Londoners' perspective, a positive result will be the expectation, and manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping there is no hangover from the narrow 1-0 victory over Swansea City just three days before.

With Dortmund coming off a loss on their home pitch, having fallen 2-1 to Hertha Berlin Saturday, it may be as good a time as any for the Gunners to take on the 2010-11 German Bundesliga champions.

Wenger will expect his bevy of new signings—Mikel Arteta, Yossi Benayoun and Per Mertesacker, in particular—to exert the kind of stolid, experienced approach that reflects their age.

Mertesacker knows the stadium well from his time as a Werder Bremen defender, and Wenger acknowledged in his pre-match press conference that he has asked the German international for advice in the run-up.

At the very least, the French skipper will be hoping (desperately) that there is no repeat of Arsenal's catatonic Champions League opener against Standard Liege two seasons ago, when the Gunners went 2-0 down before mounting a three-goal comeback on the way to securing a 3-2 victory.

It promises to be an enthralling fixture—Champions League football is noted for producing more open play than cagey domestic fixtures, and all expectations indicate that this match shouldn't stray too far from that script.

Gervinho's Pace Against the Dortmund Back Line

The Ivorian, signed over the summer, has seen his Premier League debut blighted by a three-match ban, but the former Lille winger was massive in Arsenal's two Champions League playoff fixtures against Udinese Calcio, earning raves for his industry on the left flank.

It will take time for him to completely adjust to his new teammates—his final distribution has been somewhat lacking thus far—but once he settles, he could prove to be one of Wenger's most important buys.

He has the pace to put the Dortmund defense under pressure and a keen sense of when and how to use his considerable guile and ingenuity to get in behind the back line, providing service for onrushing attackers or going for goal himself. The former option is something that has been glaringly missing from Arsenal matches in the season's early going.

Having not played for Arsenal since late August, Gervinho should be fresh and must be chomping at the bit to make a mark on the Dortmund match, having seen Andrei Arshavin's (a fellow left winger) positive display over the weekend.

New Boys Mikel Arteta, Yossi Benayoun in Midfield

With Aaron Ramsey ruled out due to an ankle knock picked up in training Monday, Arteta's role takes on even greater import: He will be expected to tie together an Arsenal attack that has looked in danger of coming undone far too often.

The Spaniard (who has yet to earn a senior cap with his country) was bright in his debut for the club Saturday, providing good link-up play and generally spreading the ball well.

While he lacks the dynamism of a Cesc Fabregas going forward, against Dortmund he could well pull the strings from his role as attacking roamer. He must be excited to have Gervinho as another potential option and will likely look to play the Ivorian into dangerous areas in and around the penalty area.

With Robin van Persie often cutting a forlorn figure in his central striker role, Arteta's ability to provide the Dutchman with adequate delivery will be another major talking point.

One wonders, in glancing at the traveling squad for Dortmund, whether Wenger might fancy starting Alex Song and Emmanuel Frimpong as deeper-lying central holding midfielders, and allowing Arteta to roam on ahead, relatively free of defensive responsibility, and thus able to dedicate his considerable acumen to attacking industry.

Given Andrei Arshavin's impressive performance on the weekend, the Russian may get the nod once more over Benayoun, unless Gervinho unseats him. A Gervinho-Arshavin wing combination would be plenty menacing, however, and more creative were Theo Walcott to play.

The Israeli looked good in his 30-minute spell as a substitute and should get another opportunity Tuesday.

Per Mertesacker Shouldering the Defensive Responsibility

The German started alongside Laurent Koscielny in central defense on Saturday, and Wenger will most likely keep that combination for the Dortmund test.

His pace will never win him plaudits, but Mertesacker was calm and composed in his Arsenal debut Saturday and provides a noticeable upgrade in set-piece defense. He is well positioned, uses good technique in his tackling and should provide a good presence at the back against a team he knows well from his time in the Bundesliga.

If the game becomes a fast-paced affair, it might wear on the 6'6" man, but all signs have shown he is more than capable of weathering a pacy affair.

Wojciech Szczesny Dealing with Trash Talk

It was headline news on ESPN Soccernet Monday that Arsenal No. 1 Szczesny had, indeed, been taunted by his Polish compatriots Lukasz Piszczek, Robert Lewandowski and Jakub Blaszczykowski (all of whom play for Dortmund) during the international break for letting in eight goals against Manchester United.

The young Pole has never looked short on confidence in the past, and unlike a certain recently departed Danish striker (who may or may not be on loan with Sunderland), Szczesny has largely backed up his bravado with consistent performances.

He produced a couple fine saves against Swansea on Saturday and looks to have dealt with the playful trash-talking quite well, using it as fuel to stoke his competitive fire.

A good start against Dortmund will do wonders for his confidence, and a strong performance by Szczesny will be a major component of a positive Arsenal match.

The Götze Dilemma

Arsenal have already seen how a talented attacking midfielder can put their defense under pressure, with Udinese's pair of young Ghanaians Kwado Asamoah and Emmanuel Badu Agyemang giving the Gunners defense fits during the two playoff fixtures in August.

The 19-year-old Götze is undoubtedly a notch above in quality above those two, however, and is regarded as one of the premier young European talents. A chance to prove himself against one of Europe's finest clubs will no doubt have him chomping at the bit of intrepidity.

An Arsenal target during the summer transfer window after helping lead Dortmund to the Bundesliga title in 2010-11, Götze is a wily customer with a knack for conjuring the sublime.

How Arsenal deal with him hovering around in dangerous areas about the penalty area will be vital to the fixture.