Match Preview: Arsenal v Anderlecht; Home is where the wins are.

Simply put, win and we’re in. (Unless Galatasaray manage a huge win.) After losing to Dortmund to open the tournament and a lackluster performance against Anderlecht a few weeks ago, you’d be hard pressed to fund anyone who didn’t openly question whether or not Arsenal would get out of this group.

But in two minutes that all changed when Arsenal closed out the away tie versus Anderlecht with two goals in quick succession. Maybe not deserved given the performance on whole, but it is wins like that define seasons.

While the season on the whole has started in fits and stalls, things finally look to be steadily improving. Arsenal have won two successive league matches for the first time this season. Both those wins coming with clean sheets. Against opposition like Burnley, who set up to absorb and deny Arsenal space, the Gunners still looked the most energetic of the season – outside of the Man City and Gala ties.

The hope is that putting the Champion’s League to bed in this match will further show that the season is finally taking on a positive tone. Things haven’t gone as any of us expected, especially in light of the stellar signings that came in and the hope that came from winning the FA Cup. But it hasn’t been that good.

Still, Arsenal find themselves in good position in this tie to go forward to the knock out stages for the 17^th consecutive season and while it hasn’t produced a European title yet, it’s still an impressive feat. They still have one loss in the league season and have already climbed back to their customary top 4 spot in the league. In other words, normal service has resumed.

The key of course will be whether Arsenal can build on “normal service.” Many have their doubts. In Europe any path is likely to require a date with German giants Bayern Munich or the juggernaut that is Real Madrid. Still to be in this position after the Dortmund loss and the way the early season has developed is not so shabby.

No, we’re not glossing over the issues. As a matter of fact the issues can’t be ignored but in spite of the issues the club still find itself in good position when others thought the fits we were in would like deprive us of good position.

The team that takes the field tonight should be more than capable of seeing off Anderlecht, but they cannot take the same staid approach they did in the last tie. We were on the surface wholly undeserving of the win given the abject nature of our attack that night. But good teams find ways to win and a growing story line is Arsenal’s ability to snatch a victory (or draw) from the jaws of defeat.

Players out injured are starting to return and barring any new injuries Arsenal need to get through this match to see substantial recoveries and key players returning after the next international break.

Why is that important? Besides the obvious reason, should Arsenal win this match tonight, get through the weekend with Swansea without any new injuries, Arsenal could see the return of both Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny by the time Dortmund come round to visit the Emirates.

Given Dortmund’s fall from grace in the Bundesliga, that would be a huge boost at a time when the German side will need to decide whether or not to give more focus to their domestic campaign then to Champion’s League.

Right now it all sets up nicely. We can only hope that it all plays out the way we envision it. But first tonight, beat Anderlecht.

Projected Lineups:
Arsenal: Szczęsny; Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs; Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sánchez, Welbeck.

Anderlecht: Proto; Deschacht, Heylen, Mbemba, Vanden Borre; Acheampong, Praet, Tielemans, Najar; Mitrović, Cyriac

Arsenal Injuries and Suspensions:
Wilshere (illness), Debuchy (ankle), Giroud (ankle), Özil (knee), Koscielny (Achilles), Ospina (thigh)

Anderlecht Injuries and suspensions
N’Sakala (knee), Suárez (knee), Defour (calf), Nuytinck (toe)

Head to Head Tournament Stats:

Match Officials

Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA)
Assistant referees: Frédéric Cano (FRA) , Nicolas Danos (FRA)
Additional assistant referees: Fredy Fautrel (FRA) , Nicolas Rainville (FRA)
Fourth official: Cyril Gringore (FRA)

Broadcast Information:
US: FoxSoccer 2 Go 2:45 PM EST

UK: Sky Sports 1 19.45 GMT/20.45 CET

YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal 3 – 1 Anderlecht

Manager’s Comments (courtesty UEFA.com)

Arsène Wenger, Arsenal manager
The squad is exactly the same as against Burnley. We had a lot of long-term injuries, of course, with Giroud, Theo, Debuchy and Özil – and Ospina as well – but they are slowly all getting better and Theo is the first now to come back. I believe that we are at the end of the tunnel.

We have an opportunity [to qualify on matchday four] maybe, because it depends on the result in the other game, but of course we play at home and we have an opportunity to win the game and we want to take this opportunity. We are on a good run and want to take advantage of that.

We respect [Anderlecht] because they gave us a tough game. We had a little bit of a miraculous win because we needed to go until the last minute – but that was also our quality in this game. We are warned, we have learnt a lot from the first game, and now at home we want to win again.

What is important for us is that we had 17 clean sheets last year, and since the start of the season until Anderlecht we could not find that defensive stability – in the last two games we have found that. That is of major importance in the English Premier League.

Besnik Hasi, Anderlecht coach
We’re going to give it a go. I’ve been missing my first-choice central defender for the last six weeks and I’ve not been able to pick my first-choice defence since the start of the season but we’re trying to patch things up and find solutions. We’ve had some bad luck but we’ve also had some average games in terms of performances. I’m hoping to get people back and then we will see what this team is capable of.

The last two or three minutes of the first leg were draining. We were satisfied with the first half, keeping it 0-0. We knew they had a lot of quality and they were going to push hard. We thought if we were organised and kept them out in the first half then we would get more spaces and we could use them. We failed to make it 2-0 or 3-0, though, and some youthful mistakes allowed Arsenal the comeback.

It’s one thing conceding a goal and getting one point; it’s another thing to lose the game entirely – nobody saw that coming and it had a hugely negative impact on my young squad. If Arsenal are better than us then I have no problem congratulating them; but in the first game I don’t think we got what we deserved.

If you want to win a Champions League game from our level, against big teams, you have to be at your best and maybe a bit more; then you need to hope your opponents have an off-day or have some players missing.