Olympiakos vs Arsenal. 19:45 (Live on ITV1 and TV3)

DenMan

Massive game for Arsenal tonight I believe. With qualification secure for the group stages Wenger is resting some of his senior players. Mistake I believe as Arsenal still have an outside chance of topping the group and facing a group runner up instead in February. With confidence at an all time low they need a big performance tonight and carry it through back into the league. Olympiakos are secure a place in the Europa League and will want to go out on a high at home. Arsenal have a terrible record in Greece. I am hoping for a good Arsenal performance but realistically think they will struggle. A resounding home win. 3-1 Olympiakos.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20506696

Team news to follow when available.

Game is live on ITV1 and TV3. Kick off@7:45pm.

HazDanz

It's hardly massive Denman. We are looking at long odds for Shalke to lose and we've left the majority of players who need a moral boost at home. Still it should be entertaining watching Squilaci making an appearance!

DenMan

Paddy Power giving him 500/1 to get a hat-trick tonight!

http://www.paddypower.com/bet/football-matches/champions-league-games/Olympiacos-v-Arsenal-4538000.html

Wolf Club

Rosicky's in the squad I see, it'd be great to see him get a run tonight. He was one of our most effective midfielders last season and while it's difficult to see where he'd fit in with Cazorla in and Wilshire back I think he's stilll a great player to have in the squad.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

DenMan wrote: »

Massive game for Arsenal tonight I believe. With qualification secure for the group stages Wenger is resting some of his senior players. Mistake I believe as Arsenal still have an outside chance of topping the group and facing a group runner up instead in February.
[.

I honestly believe that it doesn't really matter whether we finish first or second. as it stands:

If we finish 2nd = Porto, Malaga, Dortmund, Bayern, Shakhtar or Barcelona.

If we finish 1st = PSG, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Juventus, Valencia, Benfica or Galatasaray

kitakyushu

Roy Carroll is an interesting member of Olympiakos's team.

I wonder, back when he was transferred from Derby to OB, did he imagine he'd one day be Olympiakos's first choice goalkeeper and playing Arsenal in the CL group stages?

extra gravy

Squillachi starts. That's something I hoped I'd never have to say again.

DenMan

extra gravy wrote: »

Squillachi starts. That's something I hoped I'd never have to say again.

Hail Mary...

Francie Barrett

Not sure if this is the Arsenal team or Olympiacos one

Line-up
POS No Name

G
1 Wojciech Szczesny

D
5 Thomas Vermaelen

D
18 Sebastien Squillaci

D
25 Carl Jenkinson

D
53 Jernade Meade

M
15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

M
16 Aaron Ramsey

M
22 Francis Coquelin

M
27 Gervinho

F
7 Tomas Rosicky

F
29 Marouane Chamakh

Substitutes
POS No Name
G 60 James Shea
D 38 Martin Angha
D 48 Sead Hajrovic
D 55 Elton Monteiro
M 23 Andrei Arshavin
F 39 Zak Ansah
F 67 Chuba Akpom

Ed Winchester

No Arshavin??
Can't understand that.

greendom

Ed Winchester wrote: »

No Arshavin??
Can't understand that.

if there was any doubt this confirms that he'll be off in Jan

DenMan

He just announced on TV3 it's the same referee as last year when Arsenal lost in Greece. Come on Arsenal!!!

Mickeroo

Ed Winchester wrote: »

No Arshavin??
Can't understand that.

He was on sky talking about how the team wants to do better funnily enough. Thought it was strange they interviewed him.

We'll win this game tonight, wait and see now :P

Ed Winchester

greendom wrote: »

if there was any doubt this confirms that he'll be off in Jan

It's that he's normally in match day squads at least that I thought he'd get a start here.
Has to be gone in Jan.

Anyone know how long he has left on his contract?

DenMan

Great chance for Chamakh there. Could have done with Frimpong tonight!

Mickeroo

Actually playing reasonably well so far. If it wasn't for the few wayward passes we'd have a goal or two by now.

Soups123

Awful by Ramsey

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Not playing bad. Some woeful stuff there at the end from Ramsey and then Chamakh just there though.


Anyone know if this is a full strength Olympiakos side?

greendom

lucky not to be behind based on the last 5 mins - liking the look of Meade though

greendom

Where was the support Gervinho there ? perhaps no one thought he would keep the ball for so long

Soups123

Ramsey is so slow taking it forward its like he just enters slow motion when moving forward

Mickeroo

Gervinho has no idea what to do apart from run with the ball. Just puts his head down and goes straight into a cul de sac everytime. Would have been the simplest of through balls to Chamakh there.

brianregan09

I love Arsenal but its painful watching Ramsey, Gervinho and to a lesser extent Chamakh out there at the moment

Quazzie

0-1 Tomy Rosicky.

Mickeroo

Get in, lovely finish from Rosicky. Its amazing what happens when a player just looks up from the ball

farna_boy

Nice!

brianregan09

Should have put down Gerv sooner great finish from Rocks

Mr Blobby

Nice finish

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Gervinho nearly messed that up initially but did great in the end to set Rosicky up. Nice goal.

Nemanja91

Surprised Gervinho actually passed the ball.

Gringo180

That Gervinho and Chamakh are absolutely atrocious!

Great finish by Rosicky great to see him back in the team.

Soups123

Nice finish Gerv did well but was ****e just before with the header in when we had two on the overlap

DenMan

Get in Tommy!!!

Soups123

Gringo180 wrote: »

That Gervinho and Chamakh are absolutely atrocious!

Great finish by Rosicky great to see him back in the team.

I'd like to see more of Chamakh, a run of games

jonneymendoza

Arsenal have been superb. a complete different side to last saturday

brianregan09

Now the Arsenal of old would relax sit back and absolutley rape a team like Olympiakos on the counter, Can't see us being comfortable at all in this game,

You can see that we're just unable to keep possesion like we used to before simple reason , Poor standard of players

Mickeroo

Soups123 wrote: »

I'd like to see more of Chamakh, a run of games

Me too, he's the only other striker in the squad ffs. Should be making the bench at least. He'd bag a few goals if he got a run I reckon.

LiamoSail

Decent atmosphere at the game. World of difference compared to the emirates/OT/anfield etc

cgpg5

LiamoSail wrote: »

Decent atmosphere at the game. World of difference compared to the emirates/OT/anfield etc

In a champions league game??? :eek:

I'm no Liverpool fan but the atmosphere at Anfield when they were in the Champs League was unbelieveable

Fuzzy_Dunlop

cgpg5 wrote: »

In a champions league game??? :eek:

I'm no Liverpool fan but the atmosphere at Anfield when they were in the Champs League was unbelieveable

In a fairly pointless group game I doubt it would be.

tayto lover

Not bad, not good. Chamack and Ramsey a bit poor. Gervinho trying hard but getting nowhere until setting up the goal. The backs are doing ok as is Coq and Jenkinson doing well, Rosicky and Ramsey are average. Enjoying the game and hoping we get more goals. Nobody should get carried away with this though.

wonga77

Mickeroo wrote: »

Me too, he's the only other striker in the squad ffs. Should be making the bench at least. He'd bag a few goals if he got a run I reckon.

Definately, making a few runs at least and can compete in the air for a small fella, think he would work well with Giroud

cgpg5

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

In a fairly pointless group game I doubt it would be.

Oh fair enough. Can they not get through instead of Schalke no? Haven't been following group

Fuzzy_Dunlop

cgpg5 wrote: »

Oh fair enough. Can they not get through instead of Schalke no? Haven't been following group

Nah and they can't fall below 3rd either. So it is quite impressive support considering.

Mickeroo

Arshavin is on. Rosicky probably injured for the rest of the season.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Mickeroo wrote: »

Arshavin is on. Rosicky probably injured for the rest of the season.

I'm going to be positive and assume it's because he just came back and Arshavin needs a bit of game time.

Mickeroo

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

I'm going to be positive and assume it's because he just came back and Arshavin needs a bit of game time.

Ah yeah, I wasn't being entirely serious

Quazzie

Mickeroo wrote: »

Arshavin is on. Rosicky probably injured for the rest of the season.

If he was a horse he'd be brought around the back and shot

Nemanja91

Never knew Squallaci was such a bad player!

Mickeroo

What a load of toss, get up of the ground you giant pansy.

brianregan09

Problem being you wouldn't have enough bullets for our squad lol