Arsenal vs Olympiakos predicted XI: Easier than last time?

Arsenal will take a 1-0 lead into the home leg against Olympiakos and we’re hoping for an easier match. Here is how they should line up.

When Arsenal traveled to Olympiakos, I asked for an easy match. We didn’t necessarily get that. Too often, in the pelting rain, we were left clinging to hope that this defense could hold out and not put the Gunners in an awkward place for the return leg.

In the end, we scraped out a 1-0 win, despite some pretty poor attacking play and that aforementioned frantic defensive work, but the result is all that matters. Now, we look forward to the second leg at the Emirates, with the hopes that it can be a little bit easier.

That said, We also desperately need some rotation. There were tired legs out there against Everton. Thankfully we got the result we needed and the tired legs didn’t bite us in the arse. But we have to be thinking ahead here. We are still alive in the race for the top four, but we can’t afford any dropped results. That means keeping our best legs out there, nice and fresh, week in and week out.

Surely Mikel Arteta knows that though, and that’s why I’ve got some pretty heavy rotation lined up for the second leg against Olympiakos. Or at least, rotation where it’s possible. Unfortunately injuries are getting in the way again, so we’re a bit short-staffed, but in no way are we incapable of fielding a capable team full of fresh legs while also spotting out Premier League starters a bit of a breather.

With an away goal in hand, defending the clean sheet becomes crucial, but getting out to an early lead would work wonders to inspire a bit of confidence and avoid any sort of pitfalls that may sneak up and grab us.

As always, I’m predicting a 4-2-3-1, and this is the personnel we’ll likely (hopefully) see. Starting in goal.

Keeper

Thankfully, keepers don’t really get tired legs, so we can send Bernd Leno out there just like every other day. It sucks for Emiliano Martinez, but we have to be ruthless to reach the heights we need to be at.

Defense is next