CL 2015/16 Arsenal vs. Olympiacos : Preview/Live/Post-match

Previous Game: Leicester away, Saturday.
Next Game: Man United @ home, Sunday 16:00.

We are in the middle of a mini-death run, so to speak. A run of games, which would have been usually difficult, was made even more complicated after we completely lost the plot to a Slaven Bilic lead Zagreb and then, surprise surprise, to Chelsea again.

It was critical that our results became more representative of our performances. It was critical that Owen Gole didn't remain the only name on the scoring charts. It was critical to win a derby when we went to play Tottenham. And we did just that. Then, we carried on the momentum in the league to put away an Leicester side unbeaten till then. We finally started clicking as a team. Our strikers started finding their range. Some partnerships that we've been waiting for, finally started materializing. Better late than never!

And now it is time to take that momentum into our CL group as well. It's not an easy group with Zagreb being on the form they're on, and let's not even start on Bayern. We sit third in the group, our opponents for the evening are fourth. After this, we have a double header against Bayern, home and then away. Anything but a win tonight and we might as well write the CL R16 off. Even if we do pull off home wins against Olympiacos tonight, and Zagreb in match day 5, we still have the usual away trip to Olympiacos - that's going to be fun. For a change, we might not be playing youth and reserves there, but that's a talk for another day.

Here's what the gaffer had to say:

on whether it going too far to say it is a 'must-win' game…
Yes, you sum it up well. You have to win your home games if you want to qualify from the group stage, it is simple as that. We cannot afford to drop points now against anyone at home.

on how the Man United game affects selection for Olympiacos…
The game will not interfere with that at all. It is more the games we played before that could have an influence. Some players had two tough games at Tottenham and at Leicester, where they were a high level physically. I will have to analyse that today and make my decisions.

on lessons from matchday one…
I don’t believe it is down to selection at all, I believe that the 20 players I have available can play in every single game. I close my eyes, just take a position and I am confident we have a very strong team. On the day [at Zagreb], basically the same team played at Tottenham and won in the League Cup in a game that was much more physical, so I believe it was just on the night that we didn’t play well.


on if the approach at home is different to playing away…
It is not much different. What changes more is the attitude of our opponent. We always try to play and go forward. At home we face maybe a different kind of problem, teams regroup in front of their box and you need to be penetrative with your passing, with your movement, and clinical with your finishing.

on who is playing in goal…
I have not decided yet.

Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150928/extra-wenger-on-approach-to-olympiacos#fbxdriLcT8dPiMcL.99

on Coquelin returning to training…
He has been back since yesterday and I will have to see how he responds to two days of training, but he looks alright.

on Flamini and Arteta…
Both have slight muscular problems, but I think Flamini has a scan today and Arteta certainly as well.

on Gabriel back but no Giroud due to suspension…
Exactly.

on whether Flamini or Arteta are serious injuries…
No, they are not big injuries. It is a question of days.

Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150928/team-news-coquelin-flamini-and-arteta#mXwAkEwwCXX9tg03.99


Alright, that's about all the time I can take off from work - not enough time to do more research on our opponents. So I'll limit myself to the context and our position going into this, and leave you lads to bring up the rest.

Good work Sri.

No excuses, must win.

I hope to see Oxlade in this game, really need him to step up his game and please no owngoal. Must work hard on is defensive duties and maybe Wenger will start him more.

Coquelin is not fully fit yetm and Chambers would be better choice to start in midfield imo. Would rather start Coquelin vs United.

The pressure to win might force Wengers to play not fit Le Coq, in case he really cant make it though, will be midfield rotation of Santi, Ramsey and Ox, something we've seen b4.

Very good job, Sri

Considering what Wenger said about the game against Leicester affecting our team selection tonight then I guess Ramsey is going to be rested or not if Coquelin is not fit.


I would no doubt prefer Cech to start but it appears that Ospina will be our CL GK atleast until we pass the groups if we do. And Ramsey is set to be rested because he can't play 4 games in 10 days. I believe the others are all fit to start both this game and against United.

Hope Walcott can keep up his good form and Alexis/Özil can add more goals/assists meanwhile we also have to keep a cleansheet for once, Coquelin's return might help in that regard. If Oxlade-Chamberlain starts, these kind of games are the games in which he will hope to make an impression before Wilshere/Rosicky/Welbeck return and his game time is limited further.

Please let's not risk Coquelin. He is the ONLY DM we have now lmao.

Ramsey-Cazorla or Chambers-Cazorla.


We need to win this convincingly

Great team

I dont understand why we not playing Petr Cech? tbh I don't trust Ospina at all.

I would understand if this was a FA cup or Capital one cup, but not CL.

Wenger said Cech has a slight calf problem.

Rotating keepers for the CL is hardly a new thing, in any case.

I just hope it's only for group stages

This is pure pace. But wont be needed as they will park a tractor in their own box so there wont be any space to exploit. We can and should be deadly on the counter.

Think we will build on the weekend.

We have to, and come out with more motivation, before we get our hinds handed to us by the league leaders.

Fack me, that counter was almost orgasmic.

Imagine having Welbeck in there as well, and a bit of finishing *jizz*

Not sure how still 0-0?

They're defending pretty well

Munich 3-0 up already

srigooner wrote:Munich 3 4-0 up already

FFEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Get up and get on with it ffs - acting like someone squished his nutsack. Wuss.

Fack off. Sell Ospina.

Worse than Flappyhandski.

I want Szczesny back.

well so much for rotation huh