Champions League action this evening, and a game that could decide the group. Paris Saint-Germain, with their name like a Hilton sister/jazzy house band mash-up, are in town and it’s a winner take all affair.
Both teams have 10 points, and should we take three points we’ll win the group on the head to head rule. If they win, that applies to them. A 1-1 draw would provide us a very decent chance to top the group given our better goal difference, but then it would also come down to what both sides do in their final fixtures.
We know they’re a good side. When we visited Paris we really rode our luck in a big way. Edinson Cavani – although he scored a very early opener, was, shall we say, a big old bag of shite in front of goal that night, and I am appreciative of that to this day. We got a second half equaliser from Alexis Sanchez, before Olivier Giroud got a red card, and all things considered it was one of those points about which you can have little complaint.
Tonight though, after two relative disappointing performances, there’s more of an onus on us to go and win this and show what we’re about. The team news is that there really isn’t any. Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey sat out training today but from what Arsene Wenger said it was precautionary and both of them are in consideration for he starting XI.
One would hope that Granit Xhaka is trusted to come back into midfield, his passing range would be very welcome after a tidy, if conservative midfield display from Coquelin and Elneny at the weekend. The big question is, who does he partner? Will it be Coquelin, Elneny or Ramsey? My bet would be the former, but I’m keen to see how Xhaka and Ramsey might work together, although a night of this importance and intensity might not be the best time to try it.
I certainly don’t think we’ll see Ramsey on the left, where Alexes Iwobi and Oxlade-Chamberlain are in contention, I guess, although if the manager decides to give Olivier Giroud a start up front, Alexis could move there. The French international is clearly frustrated at the moment, his non-celebration at Old Trafford was notable for a player usually so effusive when he scores, and he might also feel like he owes PSG one after the silly but pretty harsh sending off in Paris.
As for Alexis, the manager says the bandages at Old Trafford were precautionary really:
He had a bandage before the game because he had a little bit tightness in hamstring. But he was checked, you know, before the game. I follow the instructions of the medical staff, and of the player, and after I make my decision. If they declare him capable to play and he declares himself capable to play … I never forced any player in my whole life to play.
If you had to guess, would you say Alexis has declared himself capable to play for tonight? Aye. exactly. His decision about who to start up front might well be tempered by the fact we’re a bit short there at the moment in terms of back-up. If you go all out this evening, starting Giroud and Alexis, you don’t have anyone on the bench who might make an impact if you need them. Perhaps that, for Giroud, is the downside of his effectiveness there.
PSG are weakened by the strange story involving Serge Aurier being denied entry into the UK a the last minute, but we shouldn’t expect anything less than a top performance from a team who have proven themselves dangerous against us in the first game.
Anyway, we’ll see what kind of a team the manager picks, but if we can find a midfield combination which works, and we can up the level from the last two games, then hopefully we can have a good European night and end up where we want to in this group. Even if that does leave us open to the possibility of a difficult draw because of what’s happening elsewhere.
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For some extra reading this morning, here’s the manager on Santi Cazorla, while the usually reticent Francis Coquelin sat down and gave a long interview to L’Equipe. We have a full transcript here.
You’ll notice that it’s a particularly early blog, because I’m off to the airport now, heading over for the game, and for tomorrow’s live podcast recording. Last few tickets available here.
Hopefully see some of you in the Tollington later where Amy Lawrence and Stuart MacFarlane are signing copies of their beautiful book ‘The Wenger Revolution‘, and the very last copies ever of Together: the stories of Arsenal’s unbeaten season are behind the bar in there, so if you need some early Christmas shopping, there you go!
We will have a live blog for you later as usual, check back for all the info etc, and I’ll catch you later on I hope.
