The Winner Takes All. And So, It Has Come To This

Match Preview: Olympiakos vs. Arsenal - Champions League - 09.12.2015

Those seven words can add drama to any situation. It's also a really fun game to play with your friends. Reply to any question or statement with 'And so, it has come to this' in the most somber voice you can. "It's Sandra's birthday next week, do you fancy chipping in for her gift?" "And so, it has come to this". "Have you heard Taj is getting married?" "And so, it has come to this". "My cat died last night" "And so, it has come to this". There is literally no time this response doesn't work on some level and it's hilarious to watch your friends perplexedly attempt to work out exactly what you mean.

The reason I am blathering on is because there isn't much to say about tonight's match expect "And so, it has come to this". Arsenal need a big win tonight and they need to achieve it with a depleted squad. The Europa League isn't an option for the Gunners. No-one expects us to win the Champions League but we would be expected to win the Europa League and Arsenal doesn't have the squad to cope with fighting on three fronts.

Right now Arsenal are doing pretty well in the league. Despite some really shoddy results over November we've not just managed to keep in touch with our rivals but overtake them. Leicester are a fine team and are playing out of their skins but let us not forget that they've barely played any top teams and the ones they have played have held them to draws or, in Arsenal's case, beaten them. In their next 12 matches they face off against 7 "top" sides and it would be unrealistic to expect them to hold onto a top four spot let alone first place by the end of that run.

The Gunners are ahead of Manchester City and could be even further ahead if they hold them off later this month. They have a real chance of going into the New Year top of the tree with a host of players coming back to fitness and an open transfer window and the cash to bring someone in. They can't afford to bring in 4 new players in January and that's not a financial statement. The Europa League would distract from our best chance of winning the league in years and for that reason the lads must do whatever they can to avoid dropping into it tonight.

Olympiakos know that a draw will see them through, as would a narrow one goal defeat, so all they have to do is sit back and defend. Does Arsenal have enough to force the issue? I'm not sure. I believe in our players but we sometimes find it hard enough to unlock a determined defence with our best players all fit.

If we can score early we can rattle them into making enough mistakes to force a second goal and I fancy us to play a quick forward line and try to draw them out to him them on the counter.

Last 3 Meetings

• Arsenal 2-3 Olympiakos (29.09.2015)
• Olympiakos 2-1 Arsenal (04.12.2012)
• Arsenal 3-1 Olympiakis (03.10.2012)

Factfile

• Olympiakos are aiming to reach the last 16 for the second time in three seasons
• Arsenal have drawn one and lost four of their last five away games in Greece
• The Gunners have won seven and lost four of their last 13 away fixtures in the Champions League

Injuries

Cazorla joins Coquelin, Wilshere and Welbeck as a long term absentee and Alexis' layoff is undetermined.

Possible Starting XI

Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Özil, Campbell, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Expect a scrappy match with Arsenal seeing more of the ball than they would like to operate a counter-attacking formation.

Goonersphere's Prediction

3-1 to Arsenal. And so, it has come to this.

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