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Where Should Arsenal Finish Their Champion’s League Group?
After two match days in the Champions League, Arsenal look like they are the least likely of the English teams in the competition to qualify for the round of 16. A second-place finish is mathematically possible, but highly unlikely if the Gunners cannot win at least one of their next two games against Bayern Munich.
Going into the group stage, Arsenal fans were disappointed that the 2015-16 Europe campaign was likely to be more of the same. A decent group stage leading to a second-place finish in the group, followed by a disappointing knockout in the round of sixteen. Being in a CL group with Bayern Munich often means one is doomed to a second-place finish at most, but Arsenal might not even make it that far.
Losing to Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia was far from the end of the world after match day 1 was over. Olympiakos had been brought to the sword by the German giants, and a rebound victory against the Greek champions two weeks later would have brought Arsenal on level points with Zagreb, in pole position to qualify. However, in classic Arsenal fashion, Olympiakos snatched a 3-2 win at the Emirates thanks to an Alfred Finnbogason winner with twenty minutes to go. Now, Arsenal are in the lurch.
With their backs to the wall, there are scarce options as to what the Gunners can do that will benefit them. Whether fans will admit it or not, Arsenal will not win the Champions League with this team. That being said, it seems pointless for Arsene Wenger to use his best team in Europe from here on out.
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There is no use in playing Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil midweek if they are going to miss an important game in the league now. In fact, it is better for Wenger to rest the key players. The league is a far more realistic goal this season. Though pundits speculate every year about whether Arsenal can win a title, it is genuinely possible this season. Arsenal only have to deal with two other title contenders.
If Arsene Wenger does not start his best team in Europe, that means Arsenal could fall prey to two consecutive defeats to Bayern. I am all for optimism, but there are many factors at play here – and all of them point to two Bayern wins. Pep Guardiola has Die Bayern playing at a ridiculous standard right now, and Arsenal have lost home and away in the CL already.
This leaves three possible future, but one of them – sadly the most likely future – must be avoided. A second place finish looks the furthest from likely at the moment, which leaves third place and last in the group. To the proud Arsenal fan, finishing bottom of the group when you have been drawn with Dinamo Zagreb sounds like a fate worse than death. However, this is the best option.
Arsenal FC
Finishing third would mean that Olympiakos finish second and Dinamo fourth. If every team wins and loses the games they are supposed to win and lose, that looks the most likely result right now. Wenger must stop this from happening. The huge problem with finishing third is that it qualifies a team for the round of 32 in the Europa League.
The Europa League is notoriously bad for a team’s domestic season, and if Arsenal want to compete for a Premier League title they cannot be involved with the Europa League. The sad part is that even though Arsenal are better than most teams in the competition, it will weaken their squad considerably for Premier League fixtures and ruin their momentum.
Manchester City have a dangerously good team. While they are beatable, they are also far deeper in squad size than Arsenal are. A league title challenge is well and truly on this year. There is no way Wenger has not thought about throwing in the towel in the Champions League altogether. A fourth place would not dignify the men from North London very much in terms of European credentials, but a Premier League title certainly would.
Next: Arsenal vs. Watford: Could It Have Been Any Easier?