Arsenal Must Put Their Champions League Falter Behind Them

On Wednesday Arsenal kicked off their 18th consecutive Champions League campaign against reigning Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb. It should be common knowledge that any club participating in the CL is the very best of the best in European soccer and each fixture should be approached with utmost intensity and determination. Apparently the Gunners missed that memo.

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The Gunners got off to an incredibly flat start against the home side, who utilized a commonly used strategy against the North Londoners. Zagreb sat deep and absorbed heaps of pressure, allowing Arsenal to retain huge sums of possession and then sought to punish the visitors on the counter. Arsenal were utterly outplayed in the opening 45 minutes and it seemed that they were simply unprepared for the intensity and scheming of the courageous Croatian club.

Olivier Giroud was sent off before half time after picking up two yellow cards and from there the Gunners could not find their way back into the game.

There were a litany of issues on the pitch for Arsenal. Once again missed chances early on in the game undermined the team’s attacking intent. Arsenal have no trouble creating chances but they continue to have trouble putting said opportunities away. This allowed Zagreb the ability to grow into the game and get their crowd behind them. Also. when Arsenal miss these early chances their passing game tends to stagnate as their opposition is able to regroup and keep their defensive shape. This is a problem that has plagued Arsenal for years now.

Among other issues was the clear lack of stability that Mikel Arteta supplied at the base of midfield. The Arsenal captain was once one of the best names on the team sheet and he continues to be great ambassador for the club, but the Spaniard was dreadful on Wednesday night.

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This only draws more attention to the importance of Francis Coquelin and the need for reinforcements in the holding midfield position. I could go on and further discuss the issues which Arsenal faced during their first taste of the most prestigious football tournament in Europe, but why bother?

The players know they were terribly sub par. The manager has to realize by now that his team is laughably predictable. And we the fans are just plain tired of this constant faltering in Europe. So why even dwell on this issue, especially when we have a huge game against Chelsea this weekend?

Right now it seems that Arsenal are sputtering to find their rhythm. The squad fell flat on it’s face against West Ham to open up the season and this defeat to Zagreb was even worse. However the chances are still being created, and the players still have the potential to put forth dazzling displays. Per Squawka, Mesut Ozil and Santi Carzola have created the most key passes in the Premier League so far, which shows that the ability to succeed is there.

What Arsenal need to focus on is snatching a win or even a draw at Stamford Bridge this Saturday. Chelsea are struggling to kick their season into gear and are currently wallowing at the bottom end of the table. Arsenal need to show ruthlessness when they visit their rivals. The Gunners need to keep their eyes fixed on the future rather than harboring any ill effects from this recent setback.

“After these five games a lot of scrutiny is going to be on the players and manager”- Ray Parlour

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour told Sky Sports just how important the next few games will be for the North London outfit. “The next five are all difficult, but London derbies are very difficult: Chelsea away, Stamford Bridge is always a tough place to play.” Parlour said. “Leicester are in great form at the moment, they’ve been the surprise package of the season so far, so that’s a tough game. Olympiakos – they should win to get their European campaign on the way. And then Manchester United is another tricky game. After these five games a lot of scrutiny is going to be on the players and manager.”

Chelsea just punished Israeli upstarts Maccabi Tel Aviv 4-0 to gain their first win of the Champion’s League tournament, but the Gunners can not allow them to gain any fluidity or confidence. Arsenal need to do everything they can to wipe the results from Wednesday out of their minds as well as their opponents.

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The Gunners need to forget their embarrassment in Croatia and also stifle any momentum the reigning English champs may be garnering. It may be an obvious point to make but the players and coach simply do not have the luxury of licking their wounds. Mental fortitude is crucial right now because the fixtures are going to begin coming thick and fast for the Gunners, with Premier League and Champion’s League competitions intensifying.

We are going to learn a great deal about the character of this Arsenal side. It is up to them to step up and prove that they are a club to be reckoned with. I have a strong feeling that this will be the game that will set the tone for the rest of the season for Arsenal. Win and the Gunners could finally attain the ignition they so badly need. Lose and this could be the beginning of a very inauspicious skid.

Next: Joel Campbell slacking in his Arsenal opportunities

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