Another chance to smash Bruno Fernandes (well, sort of...)

So, the Europa League draw has turned out well enough for us; we've drawn Sporting CP, whom you might remember from the 2018-19 UEL group stage and who offered 180 minutes of some of the dullest, most-negative football in recent memory. Marcel Keizer is long-gone, as are Nani and Bruno Fernandes. Still, the fact that we're playing against the former club of both players is enough motivation for me to want us to absolutely thrash this side just in case one or both players still hold the club close to the cockles of their hearts. The only factor mediating that feeling is the presence of Héctor Bellerín, whom I must admit I do remember fondly. With apologies, Heccy, I do hope we thrash this new club of yours.

Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea—vote for Player-Ratings and MOTM!

An entertaining first half saw both Arsenal and Chelsea come agonizingly close on several occasions only to come away empty-handed. In the second half, the story was much the same, and Wilshere lashed it home to make it 1-0. However, minutes later, Hazard offered up his best rendition of a man tripping over an invisible wire, and Anthony Taylor took the bait, awarding a penalty that Hazard himself finished, posing fresh question about Čech's record of failing to save penalties. Sloppy defending was to blame on the second goal, allowing Alonso to put Chelsea in the 85th minute. Then, just when all hope seemed lost, Bellerin emphatically belted it home on the half-volley in the 92nd minute to equalise. It's a fortunate result but one well-fought for. Let's get down to the poll!

Time to make Dortmund's UCL form match its Bundesliga misery

We've become quite familiar with Dortmund over the last few years, having been paired in the Champions League group stage three times in the last four, and it feels very much at times like looking into a mirror, whether we consider results, form, transfer-woes, injuries, among other issues. In the eight total matches we've played, each has won three, and there's been one tie. Each side has scored eight goals. Each of us has lost a key playmaker and goal-scorer to a league rival (eventually, if we admit that Fabregas to Chelsea counts) and have struggled to overtake or keep up with our league's giant(s). In the last decade, we've each made it to the Champions League final only to come away empty-handed (Dortmund did win it in 1997). However, rather than sympathy or commiseration, I hope we offer our visitors today the coldest of shoulders, pummeling them roundly to restore our own pride even if it batters theirs.