Should Gnabry start against Dortmund?

By Avenell Dave

They say you should never break up a winning team even though in this day and age, it's inevitable.

I'm having sleepless nights about the team at the moment.  

I know I should be calm, basking in the glory of our elevation to the top of the table but I just get concerned that we will fall away and all this optimism will turn to despair. 

We're in a tough Champions League group and if we hadn't been so cavalier a couple of weeks ago, we could have gone to Dortmund, got a draw and then finished the job at home against Marseilles. 

We know from the first game that we have the ability to take the game to the hosts and that we could come away with something - defeat is certainly unthinkable.

But Dortmund have won the Champions League and reach the final last year through hard work, guile and efficiency.

We have to perform as we did on our last visit to Germany and hope to come away with a victory which will make things feel more comfortable again.

But what we need is pace. 

And that is something we're lacking at the moment. 

That's why I think Serge Gnabry has to come into the starting line-up. He's German, he has performed well every time he has played, he works very hard and he makes things happen. 

He is exactly the sort of player we are otherwise missing with Chamberlain and Walcott unavailable and he is unpredictable. as well as pacey.

Other than that, we could do with a big game from Ozil back in familiar territory. He has been a bit quiet of late so it would be good if he can make his mark in a game of such huge importance. 

If Gnabry comes in, I suspect Rosicky will be the man to step aside - and he would be a good option from the bench with so few other attacking players available. 

Will Gibbs make it? If there is any question mark against him, he has to be rested with United coming up. 

We have to remain as tight away from home as we have done in recent months - a clean sheet for the ever-improving Szczesny would go a long way in what will be a cauldron of intensity. 

As we have been reading this week, Dortmund run harder and further than any other team in the Champions League - they are happy for us to have possession but it is on the break where we can be most dangerous. 

We need a huge game from everyone tomorrow and hopefully we then won't have to go to high flying Napoli needing a result.

As I said on Monday, if we can get though the next couple of games undefeated, it puts us in a great position ahead of the international break. 

Anything else, and we will make it increasingly hard for ourselves. 

Addict XI

Szczesny

Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Monreal

Ramsey Arteta  

Gnabry Ozil Cazorla

Giroud