Match Preview: Arsenal v Olympique de Marseille; No time for underestimating an opponent

The old adage is “beware of sleeping dogs” or something like that. And as Arsenal prepare for this next to last match of this season’s Champion’s League group stages, its an adage they’d best keep in mind.

When the groups were drawn, the group containing Arsenal, Dortmund, Napoli, and Marseille were immediately identified as the group of death. For Marseille it has been just that as they have yet to register a win in the group. As for Arsenal, a group that many pegged as being difficult for us to get out of has proven rather “easier” than expected.

Easier in that the matches against Napoli at home and Dortmund away were pegged as difficult matches and possible stumbling blocks. So far it’s only been the Dortmund at home match that has been a stumbling block and in fairness there was very little between Arsenal and the German side.

Arsenal can secure a place in the knockout stages today in the following manner – Arsenal must win and the Napoli must either win or draw with Dortmund. Basically it’s been explained as, Arsenal must better the German’s result.

Draw seems to be the best possible hope for us. But really what we should be concerned about is winning. And Arsenal can win but they can’t look at this match lightly. They have to view it with the intensity of the first few match ups.

Sure, Marseille is not on par with the other three teams but they are going to want to make a statement and what better statement could they make then upsetting Arsenal’s apple cart? What is making it difficult to gauge here is what kind of squad are the Ligue 1 side going to roll out. Marseille knowing they are already out of the Champion’s League are more focused on their upcoming LIgue 1 ties and fixture congestion. They could roll out with a very weakened side. They are already dealing with a string of injuries to key players. So we can only speculate about the team.

Still it shouldn’t take away from Arsenal taking the task in hand and making an emphatic statement. Statements are the key word for the season. Each game is statement.

Noone gave Arsenal much chance in any competition this season and even though we tanked in the Capital One Cup we are very much in it with regard to the competitions that really matter. Arsenal have looked very good in all their Champion’s League matches. From qualifying to the group, Arsenal have hardly looked labored or out of their depth.

Even in the loss to Dortmund you felt or at least I did, that Arsenal deserved more than the scoreline showed. Arsenal played as equals to last year’s runners up and took that to Signal Iduna park and were better than their hosts with the result showing a resounding professionalism we haven’t seen in years.

We’ve been criticized of wanting to be in the Champion’s League without any desire to win it. If you haven’t gotten that ditty from your local Liverpool supporter you don’t know what you are missing.

That charming point wildly misses the point about Arsenal and the program of austerity that has led them to this point. Still, winning the Champion’s League may still be some time off as Bayern are still looking the cream of the crop. But we’ve been there before and we know what that takes, but I am getting ahead of myself here.

The point is, as impressive as Arsenal have been in their league play, they’ve been equally impressive in the Champion’s League. Their domination of Napoli and their rugged performances against Dortmund suggest that Arsenal are arriving and whilst they may not win it, they certainly may be more difficult to play against then a lot will give them credit for.

But that is the bane of our existence as Arsenal supporters. We love and support a team that not many want or will give credit too. That’s why it’s important for them to keep going out and keep doing the business. They have to make everyone outside of Arsenal believe that they can do this.

I mentioned before how this season reminds me of a scene from the Baseball movie Major League. In one scene after just hearing that their own owner wants the team to fail so she can move the team out of Cleveland and to Miami, they decide they must piss her off and win the whole damn thing. I sometimes wonder if Wenger in the early days of the season told his charges that no one is giving us the respect that is due so great a club and that the only way to do it is win the whole damn thing (put your respective competition here.)

The striking thing about this team this season is a sort of “fuck you” kind of mentality. Pardon the French but it does seem to be the prevailing attitude I sense from the manager and to the players and they are taking absolute delight in it.

But every match has to be played and every match requires a focus and purpose. That is why when Arsenal take the field tonight, regardless of Marseille’s injury status or possible weakened squad, the Gunners must come out as their high flying selves and act as unmerciful to them as if they were in a dog scrap with Bayern Munich or United or even Tottnum.

Players to Watch:

Arsenal. Olivier Giroud. Many focus on Aaron Ramsey but the Frenchman is my standout of the season so far. He is strong, combative and even possesses a touch that Cesc would love.

Marseille. Florian Thauvin. Word is the dynamic youngster will be getting the start against a club that admittedly said it wanted him. Let’s see if he was worth the consideration.

Projected Lineups:
Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs;  Flamini, Ramsey, Wilshere;  Özil, Cazorla; Giroud

Marseille: Mandanda, Abdallah, N’Koulou, Diawara. Mendy, Cheyrou, Thauvin, J. Ayew, Romao, Valbuena, Gignac

Arsenal Injuries and Suspensions:
Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) Podolski (thigh) Diaby(knee) Sanogo (back)

Head to Head Tournament Stats:

Match Official:
RefereeAntonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Assistant refereesPau Cebrian Devis (ESP) , Javier Rodriguez (ESP)
Additional assistant refereesCarlos Gómez (ESP) , Javier Estrada (ESP)
Fourth officialTeodoro Sobrino (ESP)

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

UK: ITV 1 1945 GMT/20.45 CET

YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 3

Marseille: 1

Match Facts (courtesy UEFA Press Kit:)

• The Gunners are in the group stage for the 16th season in a row. For the sixth time in eight campaigns they had to negotiate a qualifying round, dispatching Fenerbahçe SK 5-0 on aggregate in the play-offs with Ramsey scoring three times.
•  Last year Arsenal departed in the round of 16 for the third season in a row, losing 3-1 at home to FC Bayern München and then bowing out on away goals despite a 2-0 success in Munich. It was the 13th successive time that they had made it through the group.
• Marseille are in their ninth UEFA Champions League campaign with last season’s absence ending a run of five successive years in the competition. The quarter-final appearance two years ago was their first since becoming the tournament’s inaugural winners in 1993.
• In last season’s UEFA Europa League group stage, OM lost at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach (0-2) and AEL Limassol FC (0-3) and drew 2-2 at Fenerbahçe S
• It is the third successive season that Arsenal have faced Ligue 1 opponents in the UEFA Champions League. A year ago on matchday five they beat Montpellier Hérault SC 2-0 to register their first win in the competition at home to Ligue 1 sides.

• In the four previous UEFA Champions League games Arsenal had lost two and drawn two, although their overall home record against French visitors is W4 D3 L2.

• Marseille have only recorded one victory in 11 visits to England, beating Liverpool FC 1-0 in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League group stage. They have lost six of the other ten games

• Their game at Arsenal in 2011/12 was their third visit to England in 15 months. In the previous campaign they lost 2-0 away to Chelsea FC and 2-1 at Manchester United FC in the round of 16.

Manager’s Comments (courtesy UEFA)

Arsène Wenger, manager

We’re starting to be consistent. It is always a must-win game and tomorrow’s game is again, against a very difficult opponent. We just want to keep going now.

We know what is at stake and we want to qualify and know that tomorrow is a very big game in that final stage of the qualifiers. We have an opportunity to do it at home – 12 points might not be enough, it’s true, but it might also be enough and it might be enough tomorrow – so let’s get the 12 points.

When we speak about losing three of the last five at home we are talking about losing to Bayern, who won the Champions League last year and who we beat at their home, and Dortmund, who we beat away as well. These kinds of games are very, very tight. But overall, if you look over a number of years we have been very strong at home.

Of course [Marseille] have nothing to lose and that always makes the French teams very dangerous. They have quality, Marseille, and they are in a better period because they won their last two games and that makes them a dangerous team to play against of course. The quality of our concentration and our focus will be vital

Élie Baup, coach Marseille

We are a group that has a lot of experienced players, but also a lot of young players who are just discovering the Champions League. This experience will help their development. In terms of the table and the points then obviously things are not going particularly well, but it is up to everyone to put in a good performance.

We have always tried to play our game and be at the right level against teams that are better than us from the start. As soon as you heard the draw, of course, everybody put us as fourth in the group. Against Arsenal in the first game we performed well for an hour or so. But they were able to exploit the moment that we were not doing so well and that is what a top-quality side can do to you.

We do not want to end up with no points – we need to put in our best possible performances in the final two games of the group. In my mind [Arsenal] are a team that have both ability and are also very balanced. They can manage difficult spells in the game and when they are having a good spell they can be decisive.

The proof is already there in terms of the league – I think they are the best team in our group and there is no problem for them in the UEFA Champions League. They have very good attacking quality. They also have great technical players and a great spirit within the team.