Arsenal v FC Schalke 04; Champion’s League Match Preview

It’s been four days of reflection and self-flagellation by Arsenal fans. It’s been time to a review the remnants of an on field display that showed Arsenal lacking anything reminiscent of a competitive fire. Well, it’s time to put that aside. It’s Champion’s League and any lingering hangovers from the weekend will have dire consequences.

The team Arsenal face are not the usual group stage fare Arsenal are used to facing. It’s Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, or simply FC Schalke 04. They have an array of talent that will cause Arsenal no end of worries. And they are players that Arsenal and Arsenal fans may be quite familiar with.

Up front they have Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the man who is more and more replacing former Gunner, Robin Van Persie in the Dutch National Side. Schalke also feature – the Englishman who got away – Lewis Holtby. A lot has been mentioned of the growing presence of the youngster with dual English/German citizenry  -what you should know is that like Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla he is quite flexible and has the ability to shoot with either foot. Finally, there is the dutch star Ibrahim Afellay, on loan from Barcelona and once linked with a move to the Emirates.

All in all, Schalke offer Arsenal one of their most stern tests for the group campaign. There may be some assurance to playing at home but Schalke are very comfortable on the road, having yet to lose when away from their home.  However, Arsenal are an impressive run of their own, since losing to AC Milan at home in 2003, Arsenal have only lost twice at home in Champion’s League games.

Huntelaar is the most likely focal point, especially with concerns about Arsenal’s goal tending. Yes, I avoided saying defense because for the most part, the defense has been sound, it’s the keeper that keeps hearts in throats for 90 minutes. At the top of Schalke’s 4-2-3-1, Huntelaar is a predator in the box, who although slow has exceptional positional awareness, strength and the bane to all current Arsenal sides – excellent heading ability. Add to that his excellent link up play and you could see a very busy defense for Arsenal tonight.

The visitor’s attack will likely focus on getting the ball up to Huntelaar  with support coming from the wide play of Afellay and Farfan.  It could also come from one of Schalke’s unsung heroes like LB Christian Fuchs. Fuchs is deceivingly good and gets a lot of claim for being a rock in the Schalke defense. But he also is very good at getting forward. This will be a huge test for Carl Jenkinson who has been one of Arsenal’s most impressive and consistent surprises this season.

Still, Europe is friendly to Arsenal for the most part. Most everyone agrees that the current iterations of the side have seemed more at ease playing in Europe than in the Premier League as it fits their overall style of play. Lukas Podolski looks to have risen to the Champion’s League challenge quite well and has score goals in each of Arsenal’s group matches.

Podolski and Gervinho have seemed to go tit for tat in scoring in the Champion’s League this season offering Arsenal solid options up front.  However, with Walcott AND Oxlade-Chamberlain out, the question remains who goes into the right wing.

John Cross of the Mirror reports that Aaron Ramsey could get that call with Francis Coquelin slotting in alongside Arteta and Cazorla.  Additionally, Cross reports that Arsenal are likely to bench Giroud in favor of Gervinho playing in the false 9 role that has bore fruit whenever used.

Arsenal must move beyond the dismal display of the weekend. There is no sugarcoating it, the way they came out on the field and played for 90 minutes is one of the most lackluster performances of recent memory. A similar performance, at home and in Europe is only going to result in the din of the doom and gloom crowd to get louder (and rightly so.) Arsenal can ill-afford to present themselves in a similar manner tonight. Do it and they will have issues moving to the knock out stages for the 12^th successive season.

How the match should play out:

Do not expect Schalke to be your typical visiting side and sit back and absorb an attack, they are coming in high off of a win over their biggest rival Dortmund. They also are aware of the perceptions of Arsenal’s “wobbly” defense. They will have a proper go at Arsenal and it hopefully will give Arsenal the chance to have the space they need to get some of their own chances. With space to operate we know what Cazorla can do. Schalke have been good going forward but the relative inexperience of some of their players could afford Cazorla opportunities to set the front line free. Overall, I think this is going to be a back and forth affair with the two teams I suspect to still get out of the group. Look for the draw.

Players to watch:

Arsenal: Lukas Podolski. His form in league has been alright (read average) but his play in the Champion’s League has been stellar. Consistently he has been one of Arsenal’s most threatening players in the Champion’s League, both on and off the ball.

Schalke:  Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. It could very well be an Arsenal shirt he is wearing come the turn of the year. And he will look to put the club to the sword to prove his value.

Projected Lineups:
Arsenal: Mannone; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Santos; Arteta, Coquelin, Cazorla;  Podolski, Ramsey; Gervinho

Schalke: Unnerstall; Uchida, Matip, Höwedes, Fuchs; Höger, Neustadter; Farfan, Holtby. Afellay; Huntelaar

Arsenal Injuries and Suspensions:
Szczęsny (ankle) Fabiański (back) Walcott (lung) Gibbs (thigh) Diaby (thigh) Rosický (tendon) Oxlade-Chamberlain (hip)

Leading Scorers (UCL):
Arsenal: Gervinho 2, Podolski 2

Schalke: Huntelaar

Domestic Form (last 5)
Arsenal: WDLWL

Schalke: LDWWW

Head to Head Tournament Stats:

Match Official:
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (SWE)
Assistant referees: Mathias Klasenius (SWE), Daniel Wärnmark (SWE)
Additional assistant referees: Stefan Johannesson (SWE), Martin Strömbergsson (SWE)
Fourth official: Stefan Wittberg (SWE)

Gameday chat (BETA) is open – https://youaremyarsenal.com/gamedaychat

Broadcast Information:
US: FoxSoccer.Tv 2:35 PM EST

UK: SkySports 4 1945 GMT

YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2

Schalke 2

Manager’s Remarks:

Arsene Wenger:

We got over [Saturday’s defeat at Norwich City FC]. I expect us to respond in a strong way, because this team is very ambitious and wants to do well. The players were very disappointed but the only way to deal with it is to put it behind us and focus on Schalke. We have a good opportunity; since we won in Montpellier, our qualifying will depend on how well we do at home.

Schalke try to play good football and build from the back, like all German teams. They’ve just got a very good result in Dortmund; they’re a solid side with good organisation and up front they have [Klaas-Jan] Huntelaar and [Jefferson] Farfán, plus [Ibrahim] Afellay or [Julian] Draxler. They are dangerous on the counterattack.

The Champions League is always a bit cagey. You play against teams that are always well organised, can play good counterattacking football and are used to dominating games in their own championship. Teams do not only come to defend, they come to play their game; possession is much more even, which gives us more chances to score.

What is important is that we want the ball, we concentrate on the quality of our game, express our talent and enjoy playing. We must keep faith in our game. This team has a very strong ambition, and on the pitch we have the quality to justify that ambition. There’s still a lot more to come from this team

Huub Stevens:

The way they have played their home games, they have put lots of pressure on their opponents, and that’s what they will try again tomorrow. But we must focus on our own game and make sure we are prepared.

[Santi Cazorla] is a very good technical player. He has an excellent range of passes and he can control the game. He is very important for Arsenal. But it’s not only Cazorla, they have many good players – you cannot focus on only one.

If we can play against 80,000 in Dortmund then I think we can play here as well. There will be a lot of people in the stadium, but my players are professional and they have to be able to cope with that. This is the type of pressure that comes at the top and we must be prepared. We have 21 players in the squad here. I want to have a fresh team tomorrow. The players make it very difficult for me to choose, but that’s the situation and it’s not a problem.

I haven’t been here [at Arsenal] for a while. I was here ten years ago, when Wenger was already around. It’s amazing that a manager is at a club for such a long time, and he’s done an amazing job. I’m happy he’s still here and I’m looking forward to seeing him.

Match Facts:

• The teams met in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League group stage, when the coaches were as they are today –Arsène Wenger and Huub Stevens. Arsenal won 3-2 at home but lost 3-1 in Gelsenkirchen.
• Arsenal are taking part in the group stage for the 15th campaign in a row. In 2011/12 Wenger’s side departed in the round of 16 for the second season running, having won four of their five home matches, play-offs included. It was the 12th successive time they had made it through the group and only the second campaign since 2006/07 that they had failed to reach the quarter-finals or better.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in 16 UEFA Champions League home matches, play-offs included, since a 3-1 reverse by Manchester United in the 2008/09 semi-finals. That is their only defeat in their last 44 home games in the competition, with the remaining matches yielding 33 victories and ten draws. Arsenal have not lost at home to non-English opposition in the competition in 45 games, since a 3-0 defeat by FC Internazionale Milano at Highbury in September 2003.
•  Schalke are making their fifth UEFA Champions League appearance and when they were last involved, in 2010/11, they recovered from a 1-0 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais on matchday one to win seven of their next nine fixtures, with the other two drawn, before those two losses to Manchester United

All match statistics, manager quotes and facts courtesy UEFA Press Kit and UEFA.com