Arsenal vs. Dortmund: 6 Keys to a Gunners Victory

Arsenal entertain a resurgent Borussia Dortmund side tomorrow evening and a win is vital for Arsene Wenger's team.

Three points will ensure qualification to the group stages and leave Arsenal in pole position to emerge as group winners.

But the Gunners face a daunting task. After a sluggish start to their Bundelisga title defense, Dortmund have been revitalised recently.

They climbed to second in the league after a fine 1-0 victory away to Bayern Munich. Jurgen Klopp's team seem to have rediscovered the cutting edge and resiliency which set them apart last season.

But Arsenal have experienced an impressive revival themselves. The Gunners are steadily getting back on track in the Premiership and have been strong in the Champions League so far this season.

Arsenal played very well in the first meeting in Germany and were only denied a victory by a late wonder strike.

Here are six keys to Arsenal registering a vital win in the rematch.

6. Carefully Marshal Shinji Kagawa

Mario Goetze may be the man to watch in the minds of most, but fleet-footed Japanese wing sensation Shinji Kagawa can provide an equally potent threat.

Kagawa was Dortmund's best attacking player in the first game. His speed, nifty footwork and trickery, tormented the Gunners' back line.

Arsenal will need to do a better job of nullifying Kagawa this time around. It is likely that Kagawa will try and isolate himself against Andre Santos.

Santos has been extremely shaky defensively at times, since signing for Arsenal. The Gunners need to ensure that their own wide forwards are aware enough to provide support to Santos.

Doubling up on Kagawa early on, will force Dortmund into exploring an alternative route to goal.

5. Employ Tight, Man Marking Against Robert Lewandowski

Polish hitman Robert Lewandowski is a crafty forward and Arsenal must be aware of his intelligent movement.

The Gunners should stick rigidly to Lewandowski and keep track of his sly runs. Thomas Vermaelen is the ideal candidate to take on man marking responsibilities against the pacy and cerebral striker.

Lewnandowski specialises in making darting runs to the edges of the box and then spinning in behind a back four.

Keeping a marker close to him will negate his movement and take away the outlet he provides in Dortmud's build-up play. 

4. Fire Plenty of Long Shots and Aim Crosses at Roman Weidenfeller

Arsenal should look to test goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller early and often. The Gunners should reign plenty of long shots and crosses in on Weidenfeller.

The Dortmund custodian has at times appeared shaky when dealing with shots from distance. His decision making in the box can sometimes be dubious as well.

Arsenal should give Weidenfeller plenty of decisions to make. A defensive error led to their lone goal in the first meeting.

Targeting this sometimes erratic keeper could be the quickest way to find the scoresheet in the second meeting.

3. Track the Runs of Mario Goetze

Mikel Arteta and Alex Song must pay close attention to the late runs made by attacking midfield dynamo Mario Goetze.

Song in particular, has the pace and strength to corral the clever young playmaker. Goetze offers a legitimate scoring threat from midfield and the Gunners must be aware of his movement around the box.

Goetze netted the only goal of the game against Bayern Munich and his late runs and technical expertise pose a problem to any defense.

The Arsenal back four must be aided in their efforts to contain Goetze, by the positioning and concentration of Song and Arteta.

2. Play Some Long Balls for Theo Wacott, to Counter Dortmund's Pressing Game

Arsenal should combat Dortmund's tendency to press high up the pitch, by releasing some long balls over the top for Theo Walcott.

One of the main keys to Dortmund's recent success in Munich, was the way they pressed Bayern all over the field.

With players stepping up to harass Arsenal in advanced areas, there should plenty of space in behind for Walcott to exploit.

Utilizing the pace of Walcott will eventually force Dortmund to alter their approach and leave more people back. This should create additional room for Arsenal's midfield to take control of the game.

1. Run the Game Through Mikel Arteta

Arsenal should allow Mikel Arteta to act as the hub of their possession play. Arteta has been outstanding since signing for the Gunners and can dictate the flow of the game against Dortmund.

Arteta's tireless, box to box work ethic has solidified Arsenal's midfield and allowed Aaron Ramsey to occupy forward areas more often.

The former Everton star's composure and calmness on the ball will be crucial against Dortmund. Arteta's efficient and intelligent distribution will knit Arsenal's play together and spread out Dortmund's midfield and defense. Getting him on the ball as much as possible will be vital for the Gunners.

This is a crucial fixture for Arsenal. Confirming qualification to the knockout stages, should provide a huge boost to the squad.

It will also ease the pressure on the players and allow them to fully concentrate on regaining their top four status.