Here we go. Here comes the game that will not only decide which European track we’re to ride on, but would also speak volumes of our mettle under pressure and expectation.
We’re up against it tonight, no doubt. Even if we were with a fully fit squad who had decimated Sunderland 7-0, getting two against Champions League opposition away from home is no easy task. It’s a task made harder when you realize that our qualification hopes inversely correlate with Olympiacos’ – fail, it’s their gain, and vice versa. Mathematically, the odds are stacked against us, putting the ball in our court.
They have no motivation to take the initiative. Why would they? The 0-0 on the scoreboard when the whistle blows is for paperwork. In reality, unclear UEFA rules have already given Olympiacos a two-goal cushion. Add to that our general unpredictability of performances under pressure, and you really can’t blame the Greeks to take a pragmatic view on things, putting men behind the ball and slugging our passing play.
Make no mistake that we need to move hell and earth to qualify for the Round of 16, though. The notion that the Champions League could be a distraction from a Premier League assault is a ludicrous one. If you’re legislating for calling off our CL case when it’s in our hands, you’re not being ambitious enough. Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho started every season with eyes on the big two. Sure, they prioritized when end times came, but never disrupted the balance as much as to ignore one competition entirely.
We are Arsenal FC, a club with the resources and the players to compete for the Champions League and the Premier League. When we moved to the Emirates Stadium, this was what we were promised. In addition, I’d wager that considering the dire nature of our competition in England, winning the league alone may not be full justification of our potency. But that’s another matter entirely.
In team news, the bulk of the players sort-of pick themselves, and while I’d look to bring in Gabriel Paulista in some capacity, I’d be amazing if the manager thought on parallel lines. And despite the likes of Sanchez, Cazorla, Wilshere and about eighty others knackering themselves, the players we have on display are quality enough to do the job. Joel Campbell, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud seem to be picking form at the right time, Mesut Ozil is bossing it, and Petr Cech is handing out valuable lifelines from the back.
In fact, the only variable appears to be Theo Walcott’s inclusion. Does he start from the bench or be thrust into the starting XI for either one of Giroud, Campbell or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain? The latter was rather patchy against Sunderland, and may be a bit of an attacking liability if starts.
Should Walcott be deemed fit enough to make the cut (which he should, considering how quickly Wenger rushes his players into action), it should be for the Ox. Besides, Chamberlain’s versatility and pace could be a useful weapon off the bench.
More than anything, we need to ensure we get the first goal fast. There’s lesser logic in consolidating a 0-0 in the first half and going for it in the second. We’d tire ourselves out and may not have the legs for the final stretch. Instead, if we come flying out of the blocks and get a couple early on, sitting back and absorbing the pressure could profit the team’s health. It also opens the door for counter-attacking, of course.
There’s a lot at stake today. It will go some way to warrant our seriousness in Europe, and it’s about time. We’ve been on the periphery of the Champions League for too long. It’s an embarrassing indictment on the club’s history, because we all know there’s some untapped potential in there which could add a new dimension to European football.
If we want to exhibit that to the world (which is really what football is all about), then a statement of purpose today is necessary. Let’s drag ourselves to the elite of the elite.
-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]
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