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?