Marseille v Arsenal
UEFA Champions League
Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 19:45
_______________________

Wenger - Marseille matches will decide fate
By Joe Brewin, Monday October 17th
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archiv ... ecide-fate

Arsène Wenger believes his side’s fixtures against Marseille will decide their Champions League destiny. Arsenal travel to Stade Veledrome on Wednesday to face the French outfit in their crucial Group F clash. Wenger’s side have already taken four points from their opening two group fixtures and the manager has set a specific target from the forthcoming double-header.

“The two games against Marseille will decide our qualification,” the Frenchman said. “If we take four points then we will qualify. They have a similar run to us - a disappointing start in the championship and they have done well in the Champions League. It is exactly the same. They are a team who has potential. It is their football place in France because it is a part of a culture in the city - the culture of the city turns around Marseille. It is a massive, massive football place in France, the biggest."

Wenger admitted Marseille’s impressive 3-0 victory against Dortmund on Matchday Two had surprised him and says they will be no pushovers. “They have potential,” he said. “They have a good midfield and have players like Lucho Gonzalez, Benoit Cheyrou, Stephane Mbia. You look at the names and they have a good team. It was a complete surprise to me that they beat Dortmund [so comfortably] because I was impressed by them. Marseille can be dangerous because they are good on the counter-attack. I think at home they will try to play like that against us.”

A draw here (at least) would put us in a great position to progress, a situation that I doubted a month ago.

Doubt Rosicky will be selected as he can't play twice in such short succession, hopefully then Ramsey starts, although my preference would be Song and Coquelin with Arteta advanced as a midfield three.

I'd advocate starting Chamberlain over Walcott, or anyone really, the boy isn't playing well even for his standards, a few games off might rejuvinate him.

Marseille may not be doing well but are still a quality team in general, a bit like ourselves. Their result against Dortmund showed that.

I would go;

Szczesny
Jenkinson - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Santos
Song - Coquelin
Ramsey
Benayoun - Van Persie - Gervinho

Not a great team by any means but I think several players need a rest and it would be a team with lots of energy but also decent ball retention.

To be honest I wouldn't mind seeing Arteta in for Gervinho but I feel that may leave us lacking in pace a little.

Marseille havn't started the season very well but they've got some dangerous players. It should be a decent game.

I'd go with that, perhaps Gervinho will fancy it back in France? He blows hot and cold, needs to put some consistency together else I fear he'll be another Walcott.

Ramsey and Gibbs doubtful according to the Guardian.

Santos and Arteta to start for me. Would rather Benayoun did as well as he has a quality touch and adds something to our game that others dont, the ability to retain the ball AND unlcok a packed defence.

In my view, it would make sense to give van Persie a little rest in this game. He cannot play every game, that's the reality we have to face. Chamakh and Park are both used to play in France, so this could be a good opportunity to give them some time on the pitch. I would certainly prefer to see them tomorrow than against Stoke, Bolton or Chelsea. We need a fit van Persie in those games.

And besides that, if we have only one striker we can rely on, if playing number two and three not even crosses our mind, we are in serious trouble.

Of course there is always last season in mind, where we bottled the group, so making sure we finish the group at the top is a very valid argument. I'd still prefer to play Chamakh and/or Park tomorrow.

4-4-2 Jules?

makes sense and it might of been why Chamakh wasn't included on Sunday firing him up for the trip to France.

I'd be absolutely stunned if we went to 4-4-2 and probably faint if either Park or Chamakh were to be used from the start tomorrow. Its just not going to happen.

When I said Park and Chamakh I meant one (probably he former) as a substitute for the other (probably the latter). I am not saying that it's likely, but it would make sense to give the captain some rest and play those that know the opponents well.

Park hasn't travelled, neither has Oxlade-Chamberlain. Ramsey has and I expect he'll start.

Eighteen-man matchday squad in full: Szczesny, Fabianski, Jenkinson, Santos, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Djourou, Rosicky, Arteta, Song, Walcott, Gervinho, Benayoun, Coquelin, Arshavin, Ramsey, Van Persie, Chamakh

I see your point Jules, but I think if we were to rotate we should have done it against Sunderland. This game is more important.

At least we've got some defenders in that 18 now.

The squad looks strong enough to give a good go at this, if we were able to get by against Udinese we should be able to handle Marseille, even if we're no longer a 'should-be-top-team'.

Disappointed Wenger didn't even take Park (why sign if you won't play him?), I expect Robin van Persie to start and hopefully that won't be too many games for him.

Very surprised that neither Chamberlain or Park have travelled, especially the latter who you'd have thought might be a useful asset to have given he's playing a side he's bound to know fairly well. In fact, I find it shocking that neither have got a place in the squad at all. I'm even begnning to wonder if we'll ever get to see Park for any length at all. Chamberlain is a tad more understandable perhaps given we've 4 wide players in the squad tonight but given the form he's had recently I'd have been tempted to take him even if it were only for a cameo role late on in the game.

Two changes from saturday, Santos comes in for Gibbs and Arshavin in for Gervinho.