Arsenal Vs CSKA: Aggression, not conservatism, the key

Arsenal travel to CSKA Moscow on Thursday night to play the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final with a 4-1 advantage from the first leg. For the Gunners, aggression, not conservatism, is the key.

Arsenal’s season is on the line. That will be the case with every Europa League game that they proceed to play between now and the end of the year. Starting with Thursday night’s second leg against CSKA Moscow, then, it is important that the Gunners are able to put together a series of excellent performances.

Catch the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal podcast right here

And this particular fixture comes under the context of a 4-1 advantage that the team earned in a blistering first-leg display. That will inevitably change the way in which this game is played. CSKA need to score at least three; Arsenal could play a little more defensively, happy to protect their lead.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 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
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

But if they are too conservative, I believe that they could encounter trouble. Thankfully, it is something that Arsene Wenger and his players are seemingly aware of. When asked about how he will set up his team with such an advantage, Wenger had this to say:

"“We have an advantage, the best way to build on the advantage is to try to win the game, we play with our best possible team, have a positive attitude and try and win the game.”"

Certainly, it is crucial that Arsenal are positive in their play. They cannot play in a too defensive manner, inviting pressure onto them, attempting to simply sit on their lead. It could lead to individual errors — an early CSKA goal would totally change the landscape of this tie — and may allow complacency to creep in.

Complacency is something that Shkodran Mustafi was especially keen to highlight, who brought up the example of Barcelona as a clear warning sign for he and his teammates to heed:

"“You have to be very careful how you show up and I think the game we saw yesterday [Barcelona’s loss to Roma] was perfect timing for us to show us that we have to be really focused and really concentrated to finish off the job we did in the first leg.”"

The best way for this team to be both positive and attentive, avoiding complacency and naivety, is to be aggressive and attacking. That does not mean that they should play recklessly. Obviously, there is a crucial balance that they must find. That goes without saying. But they cannot allow themselves to grow conservative and protective. An away goal kills this game completely. That is how Wenger and his players should be thinking about this game.

Next: Arsenal Vs CSKA Moscow: Predicted starting XI

Thankfully, it seems as though they are. That is good to see because if they throw this away, there will be hell to pay. The Europa League is the be all and end all. It needs to be attacked, not rested on.