Arsene Wenger has already been sensible enough to remind the Arsenal players that our champions League opponents on Wednesday night will be no pushovers. The Swiss champions Basel have a recent habit of taking points, and sometimes all three, of clubs from England in European competition.
We do, however, have the advantage of having two former Basel players in our ranks and I am sure that Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny will be passing on plenty of advice to their new team mates as well as wanting to shine against their old club themselves.
So with the Gunners on a good run of form we are hoping for a good win on Wednesday against a side that could end up deciding who wins the group and who finishes in second place. I for one am also hoping that the fourth group A club Ludogorets could do us a favour this week, especially with PSG in something of a slump after a second defeat of the season against Toulouse at the weekend.
Ludogorets are at home and they took a point off Basel in Switzerland in the first game. They can also focus fully on the PSG clash because they have not played since the Basel match two weeks ago. It would be a massive bonus for Arsenal if the Bulgarian champions could get something from PSG to put our French rivals up against it.
Or could it be Arsenal that slips up and surrenders the initiative?
Bob.