Arsenal: What To Watch For In Round Two Of Euro 2016

For the most part, Arsenal players enjoyed success in round one at Euro 2016. Here’s what we can expect to see from them in round two of the competition.

The first round of fixtures at Euro 2016 are in the books, and it is safe to say that overall, the Arsenal players representing their countries at the tournament have fared well thus far. Incidentally, each player has helped put up points for their nation, either with a win or a draw.

Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil all recorded a win in their opening match, while Jack Wilshere and England settled for a draw in their first fixture. Hector Bellerin’s Spain side defeated Petr Cech’s Czech Republic, and as the only Arsenal player not to take points in the first round, Cech will undoubtedly look to bounce back.

With round one over and done with, here is what you can expect from Arsenal players in Round two at the Euros.

Romania v Switzerland: Granit Xhaka had a stellar first game for Switzerland in their 1-0 defeat of Albania on Saturday. Arsenal’s new transfer signing had a strong game at the heart of Switzerland’s midfield, and produced a man-of-the-match performance. It is clear that Xhaka will also play a similar integral role against Romania, who were defeated by France in their opening fixture.

France v Albania: Olivier Giroud impressed by scoring a vital goal in France’s 2-1 win over Albania, and you can probably expect more of the same against Romania tomorrow. The Frenchman has enjoyed phenomenal goal-scoring form for his country as of late, and it doesn’t look like he is about to stop anytime soon. Albania doesn’t have the best defence at the tournament, so this could be a great opportunity for Giroud to up his goal tally in pursuit of the Golden Boot.

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England v Wales: Probably the most enticing game of round two for Arsenal fans. Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere are both likely to start for their countries, so it will be interesting to see the battle in midfield between the two. Wilshere will be looking to help England record their first win of the tournament all while making his first start at the Euros. Ramsey will not have as much pressure on him, however. This game looks as though it will be won in midfield, which means Wilshere and Ramsey will be at the forefront of the match.

Germany v Poland: Mesut Ozil will face his toughest opponent of the group stage on Thursday, when Germany faces Poland. The German had a strong game against Ukraine in round one, recording an assist on Bastian Schweinsteiger’s late goal. We can expect more of the same from Ozil, but he must make his presence felt even more against a Poland side that is far superior to Ukraine. Ozil was a bit passive during the game at times, but he can afford to have any lapses in concentration on Thursday.

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Czech Republic v Croatia: Petr Cech will be disappointed that he gave up a late winner against Spain on Monday, and faces an equally challenging opponent in Croatia in Round two. Cech will be wary of the offensive threat that Croatia poses, especially with the talented likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. Modric did score a spectacular long range effort to win the game against Turkey, so Cech will need to be on top of his game to keep a clean sheet. Tough, but possible for the former Chelsea man.

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