Tune in at 2:45 PM ET as Arsenal takes on Schalke. Rob Sturney will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
I'm Rob Sturney here with The Score's ongoing coverage of the UEFA Champions League. Today we have a clash between the top two teams of Group B: Arsenal hosts Schalke 04 from the Emirates in North London.
Arsene Wenger has a boatload of injuries. Koscielny's back is good enough to allow him on the bench but not enough to see him start.
Lineups: Arsenal: Mannone, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Jenkinson, Santos; Arteta, Ramsey, Coquelin, Podolski; Cazorla, Gervinho
Schalke: Unnerstall, Howedes, Matip, Uchida, Fuchs; Hoger, Afellay, Neustadter, Farfan; Huntelaar, Holtby
Hola. 'Tis cold and breezy up here. What the doc about exactly?
Wenger has Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Fabianski, Szczesny, Gibbs, Diaby, Rosicky and Sagna out.
Huub Stevens has Metzelder out and Papadopulous unavailable because of chicken pox!
The last time Group B got together Arsenal beat Olympiakos 3-1 and the 2002 Bundesliga champs were tied by Montpellier.
However, the Konigsblauen from Gelsenkirchen beat Dortmund 2-1 in the Ruhr Derby on the weekend, while the Gunners lost to Norwich.
The two teams will play again in a fortnight's time.
Jenkinson is the lone Englishman starting today for the Gunners. He's played for Finnish national squads in the past, but has now thrown his lot in with the English.
Of course, Man City is playing at Ajax today; they must win today's match or they'll be in big ol' trouble.
What an engrossing match yesterday's Barcelona win over Celtic was. Celtic was 30 seconds away from a famous draw, but Barca would not be denied.
Huntelaar, Gervinho and Podolski are all on two goals for their teams in the Champions League this season.
What are your predictions for this matchup?
Arsenal have a player on the bench that I'm ashamed to say I've never heard of: Serge Gnabry. Giroud, Chamakh, Shea, Koscielny, Djourou and Arshavin are also riding the pine.
Whoa! That sounds cool. I'm old enough to remember the NASL and even have an old Vancouver Whitecaps circa 1979 kit from Toffs.
Arsenal are in their traditional red and white kits, with Mannone sporting a yellow jersey with black shorts. Schalke wears all blue and Unnerstall is clad in all light green, almost a mossy colour.
I should remind everyone that Wenger is banished to the stands again.
Cazorla will play just behind the man from the Ivory Coast, Gervinho.
Indeed. A good test at home for the Gunners.
Arsenal will kick us off and attack from left to right in the first half. Left to right.
1 min: As the players find their rhythm, the crowd sings and chants with great gusto.
Gervinho can't slalom through five Konigsblauen and the blue team will throw in.
2 min: Santos sends it back to Mannone to distribute. Arsenal tries to roll up the right flank but are halted at midfield.
3 min: It takes the Gunners a while to advance play and then are stripped of the ball when they do. Schalke can't get far themselves as the two teams feel each other out.
Gervinho was sent clear in the corner but was thwarted there by Matip. Schalke can't really get far with their sequence of passes.
6 min: Affelay ran at the Arsenal midfield but couldn't reach his compatriot Huntelaar.
6 min: Jenkinson send the ball up the right wing for Gervinho but the ball travels out of bounds. On the other side, Schalke foul and now Arsenal throws in over there.
7 min: Arsenal are turned away from the space at the top of the Schalke box and once more head back to their defensive line to hit the restart button.
9 min: Santos came upfield to get involved, but Arsenal sees their effort dribble out the byline for Unnerstall to kick off.
