When you play for a big club like Arsenal, there is more pressure on your shoulders to perform at the highest level on a regular basis and the fans can get pretty frustrated when you are not doing as well as you should. But there are also major benefits, like more chance of winning things and the chance to experience the thrill of big nights in the Champions League.
That seems to mean so much to players in the modern era, so it would be a fantastic fillip for the Gunners to go at least one better in the tournament this season. Of course Arsene Wenger has worked miracles to keep the club in the competition through the lean years, and the Frenchman has managed to keep getting us through the group stage, but for the last four seasons, that is where it has ended.
Which is why our Spanish international star Santi Cazorla has called on his team mates, as reported by the Daily Star, to produce their best in the home tie with Galatasaray. The midfield maestro is not giving up on top spot, despite the dismal defeat in Dortmund two weeks ago, but he knows that this week is a must win game for us.
Santi said, “It was a bad game in Dortmund.
“Now we are fully aware that we are almost obliged to win the next Champions League game because there may be problematic times for us if we don’t, so we’d better win.
“It’s true that Arsenal have a great record when it comes to the group stage. However, all that history doesn’t count now.
“The most important thing for Arsenal right now is to win the next game and that is going to change the scenario completely. Once we go through the group stage it becomes even more difficult to win games.
“Unfortunately for the past two seasons we’ve faced Bayern Munich, the toughest opponent [in the last 16], but I think that if we carry on and work hard we can go far in the competition.”
As long as Arsenal beat the Turkish side and start to click, we do still have a decent chance of topping the group, because Dortmund are also having problems this season, but anything less than a win and we can forget it.
If you look at it logically though, if we win all our games and beat Dortmund in the return leg, then we will top the group. Let’s be positive eh?
Winning the group, yes we got a chance! Winning the championsleague i want to be realistic here but i can’t see it happening at least not this year!
I will be positive as soon as Wenger puts his players in the right positions. Why have Poldi and Campbell or Ox in the squad if Wenger just puts Ozil or Cazorla on the LW? It rarely works well.
Do we even have a defensive substitute for the bench? That would be nice also.
These are basic things any coach at any level knows and works out, but somehow Wenger cannot grasp the concepts – he seems to be “above” the realities of football.
Man U played with an 18year old defender and he did well. Yes we have so many talented young defenders and I think its high time Wenger put them on the bench. Hayden and Chambers are of the same age, so surely its Wenger’s duty to groom Hayden!
If we can break through the
last 16 barrier into the quarters
that would be very good progress.
We’re a long way off to be talking about winning any silverware. Let’s just win our next match please.
And honestly Santi, you cant say we were unfortunate to face Bayern, and thats why we got knocked out and didnt win… You just said we can go far in the competition. We have to stop getting beaten by every decent team we face. We can’t even do that in our own league though, so how would we be able to do that in Europe? Does anyone even think we have a shot against Chelsea this coming weekend? Its just wayy too soon to be thinking beyond the next performance or two.
The players must put in a good shift today. We know Galatasaray to be a physical side so our players must be willing to get dirty. Getting 3 points against Gala and one point against Chelsea would be a perfect week. And please tell Wenger not to put Ozil on the wing again. Happy independence remembrance to Nigeria. Long live Nigerian Gooners! Long live African Gooners!! Long live G
lobal Gooners!!!
I totally agree, we definitely need nothing short of a win against Galatasaray and lets hope Anderlecht will keep Dortmund at bay and hold them. But of coz, this depends on 2 things, one Wenger (team selection and formation played) and secondly what the men selected will produce on the field of play. This also goes for the Chelsea game…we are proud of The Arsenal, lets hope they do us proud in return
winning the group is very possible but winning the champions league with wenger has the coach is almost impossible, i don’t think he has the tactical awareness to do that.. why do you think he has not even won one after all this years.. just one.