Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Brice Coffer 
Date:Tuesday September 29 2009
Time: 7:25PM
UK time is: 13:52:24
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Team News: Arsenal v. Olympiakos
Arsenal welcomes Greek opponents, Olympiakos, to Ashburton Grove for Arsenal's first 2009 Champions League group match in North London
Some interesting, yet unfortunate injury news was revealed yesterday. Our young Dane, Nicklas Bendtner, will not be involved in today's match because of a car accident. Thankfully there was no alcohol involved, and, besides a few bruises, nobody was hurt. Tomas Rosicky will replace Nicklas in the starting lineup. Arsene, also, reluctantly disclosed that Denilson will be out for a minimum of eight weeks with a fractured vertebra.
However, there is some good news. Theo Walcott played in a reserve friendly today against the Olympiakos reserves, so he will be back in contention soon. It is clear Arsene does not want to rush him back. Theo will be given a delayed, but proper preseason. Eduardo returns to the squad after recovering from a small problem that kept him out of the weekends match. Though, the Crozillian does not get a spot in the first eleven. Eboue comes in to give Sagna a rest, while Senderos replaces Silvestre on the bench.
Starting Lineup: Mannone, Eboue, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Fabregas, Rosicky, van Persie, Arshavin
Bench: Scczesny, Sagna, Senderos, Eduardo, Vela, Ramsey, Gibbs
The match will be shown on Sky (SSX) in England, and Fox Sports Net in the States.
Our next game is at home to Fat Sam Allardyce's Blackburn at lunchtime on Sunday.
Enjoy the match everyone. Cheers!
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Your Comments
We're attacking so well but it does look like one of those games doesn't it..?
GoonerLou
I don't know Lou, we got so many shots on goal, i'm confident a goal will soon follow...
TPowell
CSKA Moskov anyone? anyone? Beuller?
Ozi Gooner
Very frustrating, Lou. I was looking forward to this game because I love Zico and was worried that we'd humiliate him. Well it doesn't look like he has to worry about that right now. Depressing to see his only tactic is to put his ENTIRE team behind the ball.
jaelle
I mean their keeper's doing well too. But yeah I'm confident goals will come.
GoonerLou
It takes something special to break down such a stubborn team. I'm wondering when Arsene will send on Edu (hopefully for Diaby, not for Tomas) cos his finishing could be it.
GoonerLou
Eduardo's warming up now as I type. Yes, PLEASE get Diaby off.
jaelle
Vela's warming up too. :-)
jaelle
Rosicky off, Edu on. Don't like that choice at all, but I guess AW's concerned about overplaying Rosicky right now.
jaelle
We miss Bendtner
jaelle
we don't miss Bendtner, have just forgotten our finishing boots, and again had a keeper play an immense game against us
Ozi Gooner
nothing in Bendtners history of poor finishing tells us he's the player we're missing tonight, actually i'd say given the chances we've had the player we miss is Eduardo
Ozi Gooner
FINALLY YES!!! FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY!!! Edu to RVP!!
jaelle
and as i type that he puts the ball on a plate for Robin :)
Ozi Gooner
Ozi, I'm not talking about Bendtner scoring -- if that's the only way you look at what Bendtner does for us then you're not watching what else he does for us.
jaelle
ROBIIIIIIINNNNN!!!!
GoonerLou
What a through ball from Cesc, what a cut-back from Edu, what a goal!!!
GoonerLou
granted, he serves other roles, but we've actually played exceptionally well for 90% of this game, it's not for lack of creativity or otherwise we're only 1-0 up, it's simply for lack of quality finishing. Robin has been immense tonight, MOTM besides Nikopolidis, Arshavin although he's drifting out of the game in the 2nd half was terrorising them in the first, as was Rosicky. Diaby is the only attacking player whose influence has been questionable, so unless you'd plan on playing Big Nik in Abou's position I don't see where we've really missed him.
Ozi Gooner
Fair enuf, Ozi, agree with most of what you say -- I think at times we missed Bendtner's excellent link-up play, his ability to get on the end of crosses and high balls. But it's true we definitely missed a finisher like Eduardo. Now why AW took so long to put Eduardo on is beyond me. And Arshavin's looked very tired in the last 15 mins or so.
jaelle
cheeky stuff from AA... was offside, but who cares!!
TPowell
Yes, he has, but it's funny what a goal for the team can do. Everybody seemed to come out a little flat after half time, the second the first goal goes in, they're playing like it's the first 15 minutes of the game again. As for Bendtner, i rate his link up play, i really do these days, but I think Robin has put in an impeccable display, and I honestly doubt if Bendtner, even at his very best, would've been an improvement on RVP tonight.
Ozi Gooner
Yes, he has, but it's funny what a goal for the team can do. Everybody seemed to come out a little flat after half time, the second the first goal goes in, they're playing like it's the first 15 minutes of the game again. As for Bendtner, i rate his link up play, i really do these days, but I think Robin has put in an impeccable display, and I honestly doubt if Bendtner, even at his very best, would've been an improvement on RVP tonight.
Ozi Gooner
Arsh was way off but still sweet finish
ajwb
AA's first European goal for us!!! Hehehe he's a bit offside isn't he.. shhh... :D
GoonerLou
2nd Lou. He scored the third against Celtic.
gunnerkid107
Hehe yeah I was thinking the competition's proper stages. Quite a few of us predicted 2-0 and got it. :)
GoonerLou
I dont think goals count from qualifying so this is his first CL goal
ajwb
draw in the group's other game, we're well in control of the group already
TPowell
Yeah TP, thanks to our good draw. Look at Liverpool. :P
GoonerLou
So just as I type that about Arsh being tired...he goes and scores! That was planned on my part -- he needed a diss from a NY gooner for him to score! Just HAD to be offside, of course, but who am I to argue with the ref??? ;-)
jaelle
And a huge congratulations to Fiorentina! :-D
jaelle
Goals in qualifying don't count for the competitions golden boot award, but for the club this is his second European goal.
gunnerkid107
Hey guys, Theo played in RW of the front 3 for 60 mins against Olympiacos reserves today, delivering an assist for Sunu's opening goal. :) http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/0910/post/reserves/reserves-friendly-arsenal-3-1-olympiacos?tab=report
GoonerLou
It's great that we just kept going and going, and got the result in the end!
Well Done The Arsenal!!!
hackneyval
Liverpool has a mountain to climb qualifying from this group as Lyon won at Rangers 1-4. Guess the officials liked the move leading to Arshavin's goal and just couldn't allow such go to waste. Something for the match highlights.
Naijagunner
Only great players would even bother trying what Andrei did. Im so glad we have him with us.
Sajit
Also, thought Song and Eboue played really well tonight.
Gooner_Vin
Eboue! The Cult hero!!
Naijagunner
quick question, why is it that for our CL games, Cesc always has the 'C' backwards on his armband?
TPowell
van Persie was ace tonight, as was Song. Tell me this, had Song been signed this summer, would anyone complain about that position?
Tom14
Song was everywhere, even the fouls he made were perfectly timed, almost all made within our offensive half, a very important thing to do in a game where the only real danger of conceding came from the counter attack.
Ozi Gooner
He was visibly shattered at the end though. He really needs Denilson to come back.
Tom14
Or Nasri/Rosicky for that matter, even Ramsey I suppose.
Tom14
This game epitomised all that is wrong with the CL and this is no fault of yours I understand. But the extreme gulf in class between the Greek CHAMPIONS and the fourth placed prem team was ridiculous! Never seen such a one-sided affair since Real Madrid were severly demolished at Anfield! Stoke would've done better than Olym. did today! Much better!
ForeverUnited
Sry nothing wrong with CL, I meant European football
ForeverUnited
FU the gulf between first and fourth isnt that great - u only beat us because of that moron diaby in a game that we outplayed you.
Will-i-am10
foreverunited there is nothing wrong with european football.apart from the top 4 the other english teams are hopeless in europe.arsenal will not have it so easy in greece anyway.
dwight schrute
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