Can Arsenal finally win Champions League group?

As usual for an Arsenal fan, I was expecting the worst when watching the UEFA draw for the Champions League group stage. And to a certain extent, we got our usual fair share of bad luck, but compared to last year, I think that the Gunners may have got off pretty lightly.

In fact, with our recent improvement, I reckon that this season offers Arsenal a great chance to at least avoid the really strong teams in the first knockout round by finishing top of the group which includes Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray and Anderlecht.

The Belgian champions are likely to be the whipping boys of the group, just as they were last season with just one point from their six games against PSG, Olympiakos and Benfica. And while the Turkish and German clubs have done fairly well in recent years, both are showing signs of weakening while we are getting stronger.

Dortmund have lost a lot of their best players in the last few seasons, including their main man Lewandowski this summer. They were 19 points off the pace in the Bundesliga and only topped the UCL group above us on goal difference with a bizarre mistake from the Marseille keeper in the last minute of their final game.

Galatasaray were also well off winning the Turkish league last season and would have had to go through the play-offs if Fenerbahce had not been disqualified. I really do think it is ours for the taking this time. Do you agree?

Tags Anderlecht Dortmund Galatasaray

31 Comments

  1. we are still far off from the standard produced by the top teams…..

    3 or 4 world class signings and we are there

      1. we could have had a much worst group, we will be able to get a draw at istanbul and beat gala in london. we will definitely get through and if we manage to sign the couple of players we so desperately need in the remaining days we will be able to win the group for certain.

    1. So many negative Arsenal fans on here. If anything we need one signing and that’s DM. In all honesty I personally think Arteta does a good job there and that Flamini is good enough cover. We would all love a “beast” and if Wenger could buy one I’m sure he would. But seriously, the reason we are playing poor at the moment is because of the team. As soon as we start gelling again we will be unstoppable. Just look at last season. Add Sanchez to the mix, as well as Theo coming back and Champions league top spot is ours no problem. Enough of this, “We need 4 signings” rubbish. Aren’t we supposed to trust Wenger?

      1. Artetta no longer has the legs to play a full season.
        He is too slow for the top teams or any team with fast players who leave him for dead.
        Flamini is a card magnet, he lasted 5 minutes after being subbed on to pick one up.

        Theo is not a striker, Sanchez struggles up front alone, looks like he would be better in a 2 striker system.
        Sanogo not ready, Wenger won’t play Podolski, Campbell or Chuba.
        Nothing to do with gelling, we need a striker!

  2. If we can’t top this group then we don’t deserve to. Would be surprised if we do not finish first. Dortmund are weaker, and gala are a team arsenal should not fear. They should be fearing us.

  3. well we are in an “attitude” momentum, we dont seem glued but we are getting the results,
    but ffs…nothing of that last game squad B

  4. Being positive is great…..but I don’t agree with Bob…..our group is very tricky…. and we will be travelling to Turkey again which I don’t like. All the English teams have tricky groups…. But its all about mentality in the end….and I hope we avoid Real, Bayern, Barca in the last 16 and for this we must earn max points in group stages.
    COYG!!!

    1. Not Chelsea. Pretty easy draw for them.
      Our team does not click yet with new tactics which allow us to see the best of Alexis – Walcott. So better to avoid clash with big teams and long travel for away match as much as possible. The fixture does not favour us again with some big EPL games sandwiched between tough CL matches. Hope the boy will stand up. Big season for Ox and Wilsheres, if they improve like Ramsey last season, we are in for a good position to be dark horse for the EPL title.

    1. Never happy with what we got? Given the scarity of good striker and inflated price of the market, the number of attacking players in our team and most importantly knowing our manager, he won’t spend big on a striker. If Podolski leaves, can see us going for Welbeck and that’s it (Love to see us have a go for Cavani/Falcao anyway but does not want to get any hope up as it is very unlikely)
      Ultimately, Wenger see Sanchez as a striker. Unlike Asharvin, he played as striker for Chile, scored and put in good performance every matches so cannot say he is not a striker.
      Wenger played Henry on the left wing for 6,7 matches before converting him to a deadly central striker. It is not an easy process, the new tactic is probably to get the best out of Sanchez and even Walcott. Injury to Giroud force his hand to fast track the process but it will come. I’m willing to bet money on the combination Sanchez – Walcott to be the SAS of this season. Giroud is a good plan B option.
      What I believe to be the most important for us now is to get a physical DM that has good passing range as Arteta (perfect if he can play CB as well). Missing or not using Giroud mean we don’t have enough height and physical in the box. Without it properly take care of, we will suddenly become as vulnerable in set pieces as the old Arsenal few years back.

  5. Joel campbell playing for u21 where he could play regular football elsewhere…..

    what a waste

  6. Anyone else seen the fixture list well?
    Spurs
    Galatasray
    Than Chelsea.

    Even after the Dortmund match we play United.

    Not as easy as you make it out.

    1. one of you complains we dont play campbell enough.
      the next complains we dont have enough players for dortmund then united.
      how about playing campbell and pod and sanogo and chambers?
      we have enough for two teams if wenger would rotate
      (and please dont play ozil or cazorla on wing; we have campbell and pod biting their nails)

  7. There are no guarantees.
    Gala and Anderlecht on their day
    are very good teams probably
    6-7 in the EPL.
    We underestimate them
    at our peril. I am happy if we qualify
    for the knock out stage.
    We will have to beat Real,
    or Bayern or Barca somewhere anyway.

      1. Your version of spending big is VERY unrealistic judging from your previous comments of yours that I have read… More realistic to see pigs fly

  8. The supporters, pundits and press are urging Wenger to buy a CB, a sitting Defensive Midfield player and a Striker. Compared to Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool we have a very shallow squad. How will this translate in the CL group stages. To me we always underestimate the result of injuries and suspensions. Already we are without Giroud and Arteta. It will be very difficult without a quality striker that is clear. Galatasaray are clearly a level above Besiktas and we struggled against them. The factual truth is Besiktas should have had two penalties. Without a strong, dominant DM and a goalscoring Striker we may have a war on in all the CL group matches, when the extra top quality players could ease us through games instead. A few injuries and we could be struggling in the group and for our position behind Chelsea, Liverpool and City in the League. Wenger MUST buy at least a DM and Striker or he is letting the club, players and supporters down. I certainly do not want to see us struggle for fourth place again.

  9. I think we will sign two players by the end of the transfer window. One will be Rabiot from PSG, one will be a backup CB. That’s it. There aren’t many options at forward that Wenger would pay for. Welbeck would fit, but Manchester will not sell to us.

    Rabiot will become the starting DM and will impress.

    Sanchez will be our lone forward until Giroud returns. He will improve every game. Though I don’t agree that this is his optimal position. (Sorry Wenger, I’m not buying it.)

    Ozil will continue to play mediocre football because Wenger forces him to play out of position and therefore he will struggle every game to justify his 42m price. This is just baffling. It will mess with his confidence. He has basically been relegated to using half of the field and chasing back to defend.

    Wilshire will get significant playing time because Wenger loves him, though he and Ramsey don’t seem to pair up well. Both are box to box and struggle to decide who should be where.

    Chamberlain will learn ball control and better decision making because he will finally get playing time while Giroud is out. The right side of our attack will excite all season.

    We will win the CL bracket because the grit will continue and we will become more cohesive. It naturally happens when you go through so many battles together.

  10. Why, thank you.

    Last season-
    Liverpool
    BvB
    Man U

    and one more
    Everton
    Napoli
    City

    we all know how it turned out. We need to learn from the horrible experiences.

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