ARSENAL MUST PUT THINGS RIGHT TONIGHT

PREVIEW:-

 

Olympiakos go into Wednesday’s Champions League Group B clash at the Emirates Stadium tonight without leading goalscorer Rafik Djebbour and defensive lynchpin Vasilis Torosidis.
 

They face a determined Arsenal side desperate to get back to winning ways following defeat against Chelsea last Saturday.

 

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will know all about Wednesday’s Champions Leagues opponents after being pitted with the Greek champions for the third time in four seasons in Europe.

 

Last season’s fixture in north London saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain net his first Arsenal goal, while the reverse game in Piraeus finished 3-1 to a powerful Olympiacos side.

Leonardo Jardim

Leonardo Jardim, a managerial arrival from Braga in the summer, has major selection problems at the back following the news that Tasos Papazoglou won’t be fit for the game.

Added to that, defensive powerhouse Avraam Papadopolous and right-back Vasilis Torosidis are on the long-term injury list, as is Ljubomir Fejsa.

 

Rafik Djebbour is Olympiacos’ top goalscorer and key man since the departure of Kevin Mirallas to Everton, but the Algerian is another player who isn’t fit enough to be involved on Wednesday night.

 

Former Manchester United ‘keeper Roy Carroll could start against the club he knows very well from his days in English football, although Balasz Megyeri is Jardim’s preferred choice in Europe.

 

Tricky winger Djamel Abdoun could pose Kieran Gibbs problems on the right hand side, while 29-year-old David Fuster is expected to support Kostas Mitroglou in attack.

Spaniard's David Fuster

Olympiacos struggled to cope with the power of Schalke’s midfielder in their first Group J match and it’s expected that new signing Drissa Diakite could feature as the protector of the weakened back four.

Possible starting XI (4-2-3-1 formation):

Carroll (GK), Holebas, Contreras, Manolas, Modesto, Diakite, Maniatis, Ibagaza, Abdoun, Fuster, Mitroglou.

Star man: David Fuster

The Spaniard bagged his first goal of 2012/13 against Atromitos on Sunday and scored in the two fixtures with Arsenal last season.

An experienced attacking midfielder, Fuster will need to be at his best if Olympiacos are to get anything out of Wednesday’s game.

This season’s form

Five out of five league wins doesn’t tell the whole story of Olympiacos’ start to the season. Their performances have generally been underwhelming with signs that they’re missing former centre back Olof Mellberg in defence.

 

However, their first loss of the season was in the Champions League after Schalke conquered the Karaiskakis Stadium with a typically dominant performance (1-2).

The Piraeus-based side are still proficient in attack and without Djebbour up top, high expectations will be placed upon front-man Kostas Mitroglou who scored 16 goals in Greece last season.