Morning all.
What a great tie for us, a chance to make amends for last season’s exit. Of course Olympiacos won’t be easy to beat because no team is at this stage of the competition. The tie of the round has to be AC Milan v Man Utd, especially for all the other clubs left in the competition as one of the bookies favourites will be knocked out.
Olympiacos is the most successful club in Greek football both past and present with 45 League titles, 28 Cups including 18 Doubles and 4 Super Cups. That’s some record and certainly one to be proud of but when it comes to playing in the Champions League or Europa, they’ve not done all that well. Their record in Europe as bad if not worse than ours. Honest!
The defending Greek Super League Champions and current table toppers are in the Europa League after coming third in their Champions League Group. Just one win in the nine fixtures was all they could manage. Mind you, Man City and Porto were in their group.
There’s been ten fixtures over the last ten years between the two clubs and it’s honours even but we, Arsenal, have a score to settle for last season. The first of the two legs is scheduled to take place on the 11th March in Greece with the return fixture a week later.
Before then, Arsenal must focus on the PL and an away trip to Leicester tomorrow for a lunchtime kickoff. Brendan Rogers team we’re knocked out of the Europa League in the week so with a bit of luck, they’ll still be feeling sorry for themselves.
When the two sides met at The Emirates, Jamie Vardy came off the bench to win the game for the visitors. Until then, Arsenal had bossed the match as far as possession goes but couldn’t convert any of the twelve opportunities created. Actually, that’s not quite true as Arsenal did get a goal but it was disallowed.
“The game the way it went, I felt we had total control in the first half and restricted them to nothing. We were winning every ball, created a few chances and scored a goal I don’t know how it got disallowed. They defended deeper in the second half, waiting for the mistake and in one moment they did it.” – Said Mikel Arteta after the game.
That’s pretty much been the story of our season so far. At some stage though, the goal scoring opportunities will go in. If not this season, then next and perhaps it might take a different player to get the goals and not necessarily one who’s already at the club. Aubameyang has showed signs of finding the right pair of boots recently with his hat-trick against Leeds and a brace on Thursday but up until then, he’s been a huge disappointment.
Not only do Arsenal need to convert more goal scoring opportunities but individual errors need cutting out too. They’ve been the fine margins between being in the top four and where we are now, 11th. Mikel Arteta can’t be held responsible for individual mistakes but he can be criticised for picking the players who continue to make such mistakes. Will he start with David Luiz tomorrow even though everyone knows Vardy is lightening quick? Leicester in general are quick on the counterattack.
At The Emirates, Arteta opted for three at the back with one of the three being Xhaka. I very much doubt we’ll see a repeat of such a thing tomorrow or ever again with a bit of luck. Maddison misses out for the home team through injury and for Arsenal, Holding is a doubt.
Head to head.
- Leicester have won three of the past four league meetings, including a 1-0 victory at the Emirates last October.
- The Foxes could do the league double over Arsenal for the first time since 1973-74.
- Arsenal have lost their last three Premier League away matches against Leicester, getting more red cards (two) than goals (one)
Two questions spring to mind. Is Leicester City’s squad better than Arsenal’s? If the answer is no, the second question has answered itself, Brendan Rogers is simply a better manager than Mikel Arteta.
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico, interesting question which squad is the strongest. I would probably say that on paper Arsenal is the stronger team but on matches played this season it’s got to be Leicester. Having said that if we play to our full potential which means Tierney, Partey, ESR, Saka, Pepe, Auba are all firing we will win especially as they don’t have Maddison. I think this one is important more for Arteta’s confidence. He and Rogers are in a similar position both fairly new to their respective clubs, but Rogers has lots more experience to pull on that Mikel. So it’s a good master class for Mikel, has he got the organisation and the game strategy right to overcome The Foxes. I think we will win 0-2, partly because they are still licking their wounds from Europa exit and because Maddison is missing.
Morning Mig. I think it’s hard to judge who has the better squad player wise, but performance wise, theirs is definitely performing better. Having a quick and inform front player or two certainly helps.
Morning all.
I’m with Mig! I think we shall win but the score will be 1-2. Vardy for them because he ALWAYS scores against the Arsenal!
As for the Europa comp, we should win both legs but that doesn’t mean we will!
Interesting
Combined best 11?
GK: Kaspar
LB: James Justin / Tierney hard to separate
CB: Evans
CB: Fofana
RB: Ricardo
CM: N’didi
CM: Tielemans
CM: Madison
LW: Barnes
CF: Vardy
RW: Aubeyang
I think Leicester have the better first 11/12. You probably have the stronger squad.
Willian’s reported comments on joining us are not brilliant. If he likes Chelsea so much , pack him off to Fulham , QPR or Brentford.asap.
If Willian wanted to stay at Chelsea that much, he should signed the deal he was offered.
Exactly Wavy, we should, however Arsenal and Europe aren’t the best of friends.
Good afternoon everyone.
‘Of course Olympiacos won’t be easy to beat because no team is at this stage of the competition’…….yes no opponent is ever easy. But if we are at full team the only opponent we need to fear would be ourselves…our attitude…..and lapses in concentration. During this season the only team which I felt it would be difficult to garner any point from was only City. Otherwise I felt that with the right attitude we could have got something from every match.
Olympiakos comes from the Champions League.
No Club is easy when it comes to the Champions League.
I believe, however, that it will be one of the most accessible opponents. He is known, he always plays in the same way and collectively we are superior.
Going by results as much as I hate to say it but Leicester city and there coach are ahead, How ever as An Arsenal Fan I would say that Leicester city coach had a team to work with were Arteta had to rebuild his whole squad
City found West Ham a tough opponent today, we play them soon. That’ll be a really difficult fixture for us.
Afternoon Rico and the House
Another defeat for our U18s.
They lost 3-0 at home to WBA
U23s are away to Liverpool today Lets hope they do better
Afternoon Europans, well I see that Willian has said that he really wanted to stay at Chelsea and let’s be serious here, he was settled there, he knew everyone and was in a comfortable routine. It makes sense that he wanted to stay at Chelsea, as would any of us, it doesn’t really bother me tbh because he won’t be with us beyond next season I reckon and then he’ll leave and we’ll forget all about him…
Moving to Arsenal at his age means moving house, finding new schools if he has children, adjusting to a new routine, training system, playing style, team mates, manager, training ground etc etc. Who would want all that, so then it really makes me question him as a person that he would throw it all away for just one extra year on his contract. It’s that that makes me question him as an individual and his judgement as a professional?
Of course his agent would have been in his ear and David Luiz was probably saying ‘come to Arsenal it’s like a holiday camp after Chelsea, low expectations and no repercussions if we mess up’ – but then doesn’t Willian have a mind of his own?
No, what Willian says doesn’t annoy me, I’m not in some NewsNow click bait rage as the headlines are probably going, I just think that Willian must be a very weak and easily manipulated man who doesn’t know if he’s Arthur or Martha?
Nelson starts . Balogun not even in the squad
Team looks a little short of talent.
Afternoon Rick, the bearer of bad news. Lol
2 down at H/T
Afaid so Rico.
I think I will call it a day and watch the Rugby.
By the way Lee mason is having a stinker at WBA.
How much longer is he going to be allowed to be a Ref??
Willian’s comments – seems like Cech all over again!!
Lee Mason did indeed have a stinker… but fancy Brighton missing both of their penalties! 🤪
And our U23s getting hammered by the scousers…urgh
Lost4-0 Bad day
Good Evening everyone.
Maitland-Niles had another good game today. Infact according to voting he was one of the best two players in the WBA side which beat Brighton. He played in the AM position in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Just been reading about Mason, surely he’ll be demoted after this latest disaster showing.
That’s a bad loss Rick..
Good old Danny boy Sue. Lol
😄 Rico!
Mason looked so uncomfortable.. and rightly so. Absolute shambles!!
Nice post, btw. I’m hoping Zlatan does the biz against the Mancs!! And that Sokratis doesn’t against us haha!
Not looking forward to tomorrow. At least Maddison is out (don’t like him). Vardy will be up all night guzzling red bull, just so he’s in tip top shape, you know how he loves a goal against us!!
Thanks Sue, yep, I bet Vardy will be well pumped up with caffeine by lunchtime.
Arsenal really need to get at Sokratis because he can be temperamental I think. He does like a bit of pushing and shoving too.
I agree, Rico and at one point thought Sokratis was destined for wwe 😄
Ha ha Sue. I liked him though. Just the kind of player we needed at the time I think.
Olympiakos will defend with a deep line against us. They will not defend a high line….knowing that Sokratis is slow compared to Saka and Auba. If they defend a high line it will be suicidal for them as both of our forwards will outstrip Sokratis for speed.
The key will be playing ESR in his proper role not shafted to the left slightly off centre. Because whilst Odegaard has been playing well so far, the fact remains that ESR had to make way for him. It would make more sense to rest ESR for a game or two (introduce him as a sub) so that Odegaard will play. Then reverse that…..ESR plays centrally while Odegaard comes on as a sub.
Shifting ESR to the left smacks of square pegs in round holes.
Couldn’t agree more re ESR, we lose something when he’s shunted left. Why not just put Odegaard out on the left?
Did any one watch the Rugby
Its not only football that has poor refs
that’s what I said yesterday about Willian after reading what he said I wonder if that is why he has done nothing for us because his heart is with Chelsea not with Arsenal and that case he should be told that he has 2 matches to prove that he has something to offer us or he will be sent to the bench until he is sold or his contract runs out
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/02/28/rest-saka/