Tonight we play our first home Champions League group game of the season in which we face the Greek champions Olympiacos. Hopefully we can follow up the somewhat fortunate victory over Standard Liege in our first group game with a more accomplished performance, but most of all, another win.
First the team news, and unless he is planning to play two games in one day, it seems Theo Walcott is out after 60 minutes here despite hints yesterday he will be on the bench.
Eduardo is likely to be back in the squad after missing the Fulham game and Bendtner is out after his car crash, which you can see pictures of here along with a badly superimposed picture of Bendtner.
I this we will line up with Mannone, the same back four, Song, Cesc, Diaby, Arshavin, RvP and it's a toss up between Rosicky and Eduardo and I fancy he may just go for the slightly more attacking option in Eduardo since we are at home. I guess Rosicky may be a more natural fit on the right with Arshavin on the left but I just have a sneaky feeling he may go for Eduardo.
As I have said in the past though the line up is tough to predict with this formation but the injuries are making it easier.
I hope we don't rely on the young goalkeeper as much as we did on Saturday but his performance against Fulham was pleasing. It's also pleasing to have a regular, settled back four as I feel a defence improves the more they play with each other, but as I say, hopefully they can protect Mannone a bit more than they did against Fulham. Song and Cesc seem to have their place firmly wrapped up in central midfield but I hope they can be a little less wasteful than they have been at times this season. As for Diaby, well if he doesn't use the next two months to really push for a place in the team then he never will.
RvP has looked sharp this season even when he hasn't been scoring but hopefully he can add to Saturday's strike, because first and foremost strikers are on the pitch to score. Arshavin will hopefully recapture some of last season's stunning form but I can't shake the feeling that he isn't happy with his role in the team. I hope I am wrong. Whoever lines up with these two up front out of Rosicky and Eduardo will just be happy to be out there playing again.
I do think Olympiacos will be dangerous opponents but we should really have too much for them. Here's hoping for another three points to take us closer to qualification.
A little side note, Fran Merida got both goals for Spain in the under-20's World Cup.
Come On You Gunners.
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