%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal: Lucas Encore Most Exciting FC Basel Headline
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal will be facing down FC Basel in their second Champions league fixture and three points are needed. That said, Lucas’s encore is ripe with excitement.
Arsenal‘s compendium of forward options are all healthy (bar Danny Welbeck) and as such, there will be plenty of debate pertaining to who starts against FC Basel at midweek on Wednesday. It is very likely that Olivier Giroud makes his way back onto the pitch in an attempt to make a claim for first team action, but there is also the very real possibility that Lucas Perez starts.
Related: 5 Things We Learned Against Chelsea
The Spaniard will be starting on the wings, most likely and we should be incredibly excited for the chance to see how he follows up his tremendous showing against Nottingham Forest.
FC Basel are not to be taken lightly, so it will take all hands on deck from a rotational squad to put the Swiss side away.
Lucas is going to play a major role in that task. He may not be starting up front, but as we saw with his partnership with Chuba Akpom, he has the capability to rotate into the middle and back out wide, depending on the flow of the match.
One thing that we should be keenly aware of is the way that Lucas finished against Forest. Through the early parts of the match, he was slightly incognito as he struggled to get involved, but the later the game went, the more potent he became.
More from Pain in the Arsenal
- 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
- 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
- 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
- Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
- 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
It got to the point where he was the engine behind this attack. Everything went through him and everything he tried came off brilliantly.
It would be incredibly convenient if that momentum carried on from the start in the following match. As mentioned, Basel is not going to be an easy customer. They are a prideful team that isn’t accustomed to losing, so getting out of the gates fast is an important part of the match, especially with the Gunner’s needing three points to keep pace with a PSG side that will likely take care of Ludogorets.
It may be a rotational squad, but the quality will still be there to capitalize on. Giroud and Lucas will be the highlights, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will also be rampaging around and Mohamed Elneny will be holding down the center of the pitch.
Next: 30 Best Players In Arsenal History
That in and of itself should be enough to handle the task.