Team News: Olympiacos vs Arsenal

Jenkinson has to return to his more forward looking self. He appears to prefer passing backwards to his centre-back as soon as he has any pressure.

I know Gervinho just set Rosicky up for 1-0 but how rubbish have him and Chamakh been?

All things considered that's actually a decent half of football. We've looked more threatening today than we have for a while. Not as tight as I'd like in defence, but hey, Squillaci is playing.

Schalke have just scored at Montpellier. So much for Giroud getting his mates to do us a favour. We still have to get a result at Olympicos first, though.

This game really shouldn't matter considering the line-ups, but after all we've seen recently it's just adding to the feelings brought on by Arsene Wenger's sleeping-bag of doom.

The African cup of nations can't come quick enough for that pair of hapless fanny flaps.

These boys look like the need a kick up the backside; a right barracking would do them a world of good, you'd think. They just appear too uninterested and unconvincing every game. Difficult to keep on watching this display.

Shame our midfield went off at half time. Was he injured again? Rosicky made the difference and we looked far more fluent than we had for some time in the first half. He was making the play, setting the tempo, keeping possession in tight spots, using the ball well and making others play. All the things you'd want from a genuinely world class midfielder. Coquelin tried to break things up and Ramsey tried hard to dictate the play without getting anywhere near doing so. Ox was pretty anonymous and Arshavin and Gervinho were equally poor.

Unfortunetly, Southgate is dead right.

We shouldn't kid ourselves. Wenger won't buy anyone. He doesn't believe there is anyone of any quality usually available at that time. The ghost of Arshavin past also haunts the training ground.

He also said only desperate teams buy in January Wyn, I'd say that sums us up pretty tidily. Ordinarily I'd agree but I think Wenger knows how precarious himself and Arsenal are at present. 'Til January', why not the rest of the season? Because he knows serious reinforcing is essential for any chance at getting back to a top 4 place, as there is no chance with the squad as it stands.

TR's substitution looked like it was planned that way. I was surprised he was started. To be honest and thought he handled himself well as he drove the team forward, also urging the midfield to press the game at times. Other than the advantage of playing at your home ground in the reverse, I have not been one to gripe too much about topping the group as looking at all the teams that qualified, there are no easy teams in there. Indeed, with our form at the moment, we would have done well if we were to beat any of the teams

Despite what he says, I wouldn't be so confident that Wenger will invest heavily in January. And even if he does, I don't have that much faith anymore that he'll buy the right players. It will probably largely be driven by our league position come Jan 1.

Olympiakos played very well and deserved the win. Rosicky was very good, and it gives us another option instead of Gervinho or Ramsey, or even in the middle when Cazorla needs a rest. Meade showed some good flashes. But it was disappointing from Chamakh, Ramsey, Arshavin & Gervinho, who are supposed to be showing they are worthy of a starting place.

That might be true of Chamakh but apart from time out injured Gervinho has played in every CL and PL game starting in all but 4 of the 16 he was available for. You really need to check some facts before jotting down whatever random disjointed thought comes into your head.

Gervinho has played with Podolski, either on the left with Podolski playing centrally, or centrally with Poldo on the left or playing right or left with whoever. You don't really have an opinion about Gervinho or anyone else from AFC that is formed from anything other than some random idea you've picked up. You then invent an opinion to fit the idea. It's quite clear that you haven't reached any conclusions from any real observation other than the internet or fleeting highlights programs. Yours is all pretty bogus opinion really.

Other than the games he has missed when injured Gervinho has been a regular pick. Whether he deserves to be in or not is another matter but other than what you've picked up from comments here you're in no position to make an objective judgement. But despite that you can 'see' that he's 'switched off' and 'counting next weeks wages'. You haven't seen anything of the sort - you've invented an opinion on a player you know next to nothing about. Whatever Gervinho's shortcomings are, and there are some, neither lack of effort nor engagement are among them.The current malaise isn't deep at all. It's pretty superficial really but its resolution will never be quick enough for supporters.

Interesting development over so few posts. You've gone from 'Gervinho ...will not be trying for a starting place' to 'whether Gervais plays regularly or not is not significant'. Pretty pointless exchange that. The rest of your post is equally trite. When results aren't going well the players find it harder to 'express themselves' freely and fans get frustrated!!! Really??? No ****!! Who would've thought that could happen??? Even more perplexing that a spud supporter should be one making such an observation.

cut it anyway you want boyz, the fact is Gervais isnt really that bothered when he's on the pitch - just my opinion of course. I'll say again, Pod is 1st choice on left, Giroud at centre and Walcott or Oxlade on right; Gervais knows it, rest know it.... no bigname players I'm afraid Naija, but then we have a TEAM that doesnt need the illusion of 'bignames' to sustain us.... we leave that to Arse. maybe a bigname will end your staleness come January.... why don't you all hold your breath on that one, eh peeps..

Viyyash, you've just got to make your mind up about the quality of your squad and what your gripe is with ours. I recall you crowing about how your squad has more quality (read big name) players than Arsenal's. Now, you come on here to suggest you don't need big names to sustain you. You have to decide which it is.

Naija.... I meant that we do not need to BUY these overhyped 'bignames' to improve our team... i January I'd be very surprised if we spent more than 5m on players, if that.

Ah! 'we do not need to BUY these overhyped "bignames" to improve...'. I recall how you grovelled all over the Etihad for Adebayor whose wages you couldn't even afford; all in a bid to come close to having a big name player in your side (even better that he was an Arsenal reject. Yes; you went for Bentley too for the same reason). You held on to Modric and Berba even when it was clear your club was too small for them then you went for top money to convince yourselves you 'did well'. Lately, your club has gone into "partnership" with Madrid (as the inferior 'partner', mind you). Why is that so? Obviously to have some semblance of a relationship with a big club so that when they come for Bale, you can negotiate for one of their kids or aging stars in return for being a 'good boy'. You don't have the money for the really big players or you will be mentioned in the hunt for them. Please continue with your basement bargain shopping and don't come here to amuse us. When you are ready to shop in 'Harrods', we will all see it. You can't desire Harrods type players but be only able to pay Primark style wages. Get it? You won't always have City to pay half of such a player's wages. Ciao.

Dammy, not about aggregate goals scored and conceded is it... its about winning games and securing pts, which mean managing the dynamics of each phase of the game: whether drawing, winning or losing.... Naija, you do make me laugh so please continue. you and the majority of fans aka. sheep will always moon over buying as many bignames as possible and long may that continue.... even Utd are coming around to knowing the value of a balance between bignames, homegrown and squad-players. Arse will now jump at the chance for a quick-fix to current ills... good luck.

Completely deluded spud tosh. Rubbishing the Arsenal for a policy that they've never pursued and show no sign of doing so now while celebrating premature 'dominance' is a characteristic of the strange planet of Spud. One that they've indulged in every season over the two decades since they last ended above us. In that time, and on their planet, they've always had better systems, better players, better managers but have never felt confident enough to wait until the end of the season to tell us so. Yet they're so in need of attention and the acceptance of their far, far more successful neighbours that they have to spend an inordinate amount of time in the early part of every season telling us how this will be the year. Even by their standards their 'sheeplike' dependence on the law of averages proving them right one day is wearing thin.

So, why do you feel the need to be so nice as to 'disclose' the future (yet again, albeit wrongly, as always for 20 years or so) to us? Or, is there a need for you to have the last word, even when you know you are talking tosh? Give it up, mate.

or maybe.... this is supposed to be a football-forum and I've just restated that Arse have been hugely superior to Spuds over the last 50yrs, but that since 11/12 season that is no longer the case... I think youre all in for a hard and meagre 3-4yrs ahead. try and draw strength from it and learn to control your expectations abit better. it'll hurt alot less..

I don't really hurt over things like a football team... even when Spurs were bottom-midtable I was quite content to see our brand of entertaining footy. recently its become an auction for titles and the only true thing you can take ownership of is how you appreciate your team's efforts in regards to the outlay theyve made... relative to the net-outlay since 2005 or so, I've been reasonably pleased with the team's ability to entertain me within the progression achieved.

Viyyash you need help, you post on here more than any Arsenal fan (you're actually at the top of league for posting on here). You're an obsessive troll and your behaviour is slightly disturbing. You obviously have very little else going on in your sad and empty life. You're not here to have an intelligent debate otherwise you would not keep repeating your amateurish analysis and prediction a million times. I really hope you get some help soon before you cause yourself or anyone else any harm.