Arsenal Vs Olympiakos [Champions League]

Arsenal trains ahead of the match ( lol at gibbs )

Arsenal vs Olympiakos
19:45 BST
Sky Sports 2
Emirates Stadium

Emirates- The Fortress

First CL game at home, And Emirates is a fortress for CL anyways. Apart from man utd, no one has beaten Arsenal at the Emirates since about 2003. Barca Came twice and only managed to get a point. Others couldn't even get that. It is safe to say that We are favourites to win the match, however one must not get complacent at all. We all know Olypiakos will play just like every other team plays at the Emirates. Park the bus and hit on the counter.

Despite that, We have enough quality offensively and Defensively to win the match, with keeping a clean sheet.

Olympiakos' point of view

The away side has never won on english soil. They have conceded 15 goals and scored just 1. if you remember, we met them 2 years back and beat them quite comfortably despite their keeper, Antonis Nikopolidis, being an ass and making great saves every 5 minutes(we had 16 shots on target that game)
Olympiakos will be looking to get a point after losing to Marsielle in their first match. To be fair to them, every team knows that Arsenal can struggle to create chances upfront and will always give u a chance to score the other end. It is up to us to make the night ours and play with no chains.

Arsenal Team News

Arsenal will be without Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Laurent Koscielny for the Champions League tie with Olympiakos.

I am personally hoping RVP is rested, along with Arteta. NLD is more important without a doubt. I would like to see this team


----------------------------------Szczesny------------------------------------------

Sagna-----------------Mertesacker--------------Song---------------------Santos

------------------------------------Frimpong/Coquelin-----------------------------

----------------------Ramsey------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------Rosicky----------------------------------

Oxlade---------------------------Chamakh-----------------------------------Arshavin



Olympiakos

Olympiakos favoured a 4-5-1 formation in their first Champions League tie of the season and given the pedigree of their opponents and the location of the game, it is likely they will do the same again.

--------------------------------------Costanzo----------------------------------------------------

Torosidis-------------------Mellberg------------Papadopolous-------------------Holebas----------------

----Abdoun-------Fejsa------------- Fuster----------- Modesto-------------------- Yeste---------------

---------------------------------------Mirallas-----------------------------------------------------------

Final Say

We should be able to win this, but do expect some dodgy moments. Song n Mertesacker at the back is hardly comforting sight. Despite that i think we will win this with keeping a clean sheet

i rather have Song play in defense then Miguel....and AoC should start not Rosicky...

Was wondering where the thread was.

I'd like Miquel getting a game in defense tbh, kids got what is needed.. And yes to AoC.. Wouldn't mind Song-Frimpong-Arteta in midfield and Park getting a game at some point too..

We are yet to see Park!!

Miquel got injured in reserve game against blackburn but Djourou might be fit cause Wenger didnt talk about him. If not him then we will see Song at the back and Frimpong in midfield.

We might see one of Martin Angha and Daniel Boateng on the bench tommorrow.

Was about to say that Miquel was injured on Monday. That's what Daniel Boateng and Martin Angha were both training with the first team this week. Apparently Wenger liked what he saw with Angha so chances are he'll be on the bench.

I expect to see this squad:


I'm pretty certain that'll be enough to beat Olympiacos. No disrespect to the Greeks, but they're obviously going to come and play for a point.

If AW puts Rozza out wide i wont be happy. You don't spend 18mil on a winger and put a CAM on the wing instead.

Looking forward to the preview RG

A must win here, I'm surprisingly confident with Mert - Song pairing, I think they will work well together. Hope we can put couple in half time so RVP get some rest and Park can come in.

^^ Yup! Score 2-3 quickly and then let Chamakh and Park get some game time.

I think I see flashes of an improving Chamakh. That is vital. So I would like to see him get some more time when we have comfortable leads.

Also Park can feature anywhere along the front 3, so he might come on for Arshavin at the hour mark. That old russian tires in a hour imo.

Rosicky - I think it'd be good to bring him on as a sub to rest Ramsey/Arteta for the derby match.

But we know our team! In all probability, we'll score a goal in the 85th, concede in the 88th and then try and claw home a winner in injury time. [Heres hoping I jinx this right here!]

Anyone tried anti-jinxing?
We're gonna lose 56-0

Urgh, it's at 4:30 am T__TT.

Arsenal haven’t lost at home in the Champions League to a non-English side since September 2003 (0-3 v Inter Milan)

woo!

Samuelj29060 wrote:Arsenal haven’t lost at home in the Champions League to a non-English side since September 2003 (0-3 v Inter Milan)

woo!

Atleast we have been invincible in some aspect! Has any other english team kept such a record??

I'm sorry, I just jinxed it ):

Arsene Wenger is giving serious consideration to resting Robin van Persie and Mikel Arteta for Arsenal's Champions League clash against Olympiakos, Goal.com can reveal.

Wenger is already without 10 players through injury but is ready to gamble with a weakened team for Wednesday's night's match to keep his big guns fresh for Sunday's north London derby.

Goal.com understands that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be handed his Champions League debut and only his second senior start if Arteta is left out, while Marouane Chamakh, who has started only two games this season, is set to stand in for Van Persie.

Arteta has missed only eight minutes of Arsenal's four matches following his deadline day move from Everton, while skipper Van Persie has maintained his prolific form of last season with five goals in eight games.

Wenger is mindful of keeping the key pair fresh, especially given Van Persie's injury history and the long-term absence of Jack Wilshere, which has placed further emphasis on Arteta staying fit.

Arsenal are already without a string of first-team regulars as their injury crisis shows little sign of abating.

Laurent Koscielny, as revealed by Goal.com, and Gervinho were both ruled out on Tuesday, although they should join Theo Walcott in being fit to face Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Arsenal were already without Johan Djourou, Thomas Vermaelen and Sebastien Squillaci, while rookie centre-half Ignasi Miquel was injured during the warm-up before Monday's reserve game against Blackburn Rovers. Midfielders Yossi Benayoun and Abou Diaby are also out.

Alex Song is set to drop back and partner Per Mertesacker in central defence, while Emmanuel Frimpong and Tomas Rosicky will join Aaron Ramsey in midfield.

Source

No, don't do that T___TT.

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:No, don't do that T___TT.

I don't mind it actually.. AOC can handle it.. In fact, I want Park to get game time too.. Arteta and RvP can come off the bench with 20 minutes to go if we are desperate..

RG!!! Preview!!

But I hate having to change my prediction ==

I think the weekend derby must be given more priority.. We cant drop more points and lose the momentum.. That too losing to spuds will put them further forward in the table..
So rest for RVP.. Chamakh to start and Park to assist.. Also want to give Aoc or Ryo a start... And may be Santos for Gibbs...

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:But I hate having to change my prediction ==

Thats why I wait till teams are out before making my prediction

srigooner wrote:

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:But I hate having to change my prediction ==

Thats why I wait till teams are out before making my prediction

But over here, most of the games are at like 3 am ==
I'M WATCHING THIS ONE THOUGH.

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:

srigooner wrote:

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:But I hate having to change my prediction ==

Thats why I wait till teams are out before making my prediction

But over here, most of the games are at like 3 am ==
I'M WATCHING THIS ONE THOUGH.

Good point

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:

srigooner wrote:

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:But I hate having to change my prediction ==

Thats why I wait till teams are out before making my prediction

But over here, most of the games are at like 3 am ==
I'M WATCHING THIS ONE THOUGH.

will have to fight here as Chelsea vs Valencia also at the same time..

You would rather watch Chelsea play than THE ARSENAL?