Arsenal have a pretty big test today away to Olympiakos in the Europa League. The Greek side dropped out of the Champions League after finishing third in group B behind Tottenham and Bayern Munich. And just looking at their stats and results, Arsenal can’t think of this as an easy game.
I didn’t watch any of the group stage matches with Olympiakos because I can’t stand watching Bayern or Tottenham and while Olympiakos only won one match in their group I think the fact that the Greeks scored two goals each against Spurs and Bayern in their home games should serve as ample warning that this is a team which can do some damage.
In the Super League, they have an incredible record as well. They have scored 50 goals and conceded just 9. And while their Champions League campaign saw them concede 14 in just 6 matches this is an organized and experienced football team who want to control the ball. So, unless Arsenal show up and dominate possession they will potentially be in trouble.
I don’t think they are going to “park the bus” against Arsenal because I don’t think that’s their preferred playing style. But I also don’t know how well they can win the ball back or press. This match may be dictated more by game-state than playing style.
One thing to look for is the fact that they have a lot of older players – especially up front. I think Arsenal best chance is to put them under pressure, test their defenders in possession, and run them off the pitch in the final 30 minutes or so.
One player to look out for is Konstantinos Tsimikas. The left back is head and shoulders Oly’s star player. He lead them in tackles (2.8/3.7), interceptions (2), blocked passes (1.2), crosses, and key passes (1.7). He’s also 4th in dribbles. He will be matched up against Nicolas Pepe, in a fascinating battle down the Arsenal right.
The other player who may catch the eye is their “DM”, Camara. He’s 22, a lively tackler, and also has a good dribble on him. I won’t be surprised to see Arsenal supporters wondering if we can buy him after the match. Especially because…
Out of possession, Greek reporters are suggesting that Oly will play a five man midfield. This will put a ton of pressure on Ceballos/Xhaka/ Willock/Guendouzi in Arsenal’s midfield. I’m worried about that middle of the pitch area and our ability to get through their lines. Without Ozil’s exceptional quality on the ball, there really isn’t much in terms of an outlet up top nor can someone like Ceballos go it all alone. I wonder if Arteta will play Ceballos in the Ozil position or how we will lineup at all. We could have a very uncomfortable viewing today with lots of misplaced passes and frustration on social media and in the comments section here.
Unless they pick up an early red card I am putting my expectations for a slick passing performance or domination of the shooting ratio VERY low today.
I can’t watch live, and I have a dang Dentist appointment today, so I will be incommunicado until later this evening. Have a good one.
well for a fan like me I will travel to Greece to watch live arsenal will win 2-1. the team has become solid under Arteta
You’re traveling to Greece now? You only have about 3 hours to get there from Kenya!
I’m Kenyan too. We run fast. Apparently 🤣. Even those without running genes.
fast faster festus
Thanks for the briefing, Tim. I know nothing about Olympiakos so today’s post is really helpful, since I am planning to watch the game if I can find a decent stream. I’ll try to spare a thought for you, stuck in “The Chair”. Hopefully we’ll both have a painless experience.
I’m intrigued as to team selection for this game. Arteta hinted that he won’t be resting players after the recent break, so aside from the absence of Ozil and Torreira, does he field the same team from Sunday? I reckon Sokratis might get a start, given the venue, but then again Mikel doesn’t seem like the sentimental type…
Stuck in a meeting the entirety of the match. Data mapping. Pfff.
Seeing a lineup of:
Laca
Auba-Willock-Martinelli
Xhaka-Guendouzi
Saka-Luiz-Papa-#20*
Leno
Willock is s frustratingly head-down player. And a ball hog. Men free left and right? Lemme hang onto it 5 seconds too long, and watch the door close.
Terrible miss by Laca. Sums up his play this season.
Xhaka’s f/k was surely going in, but for the accidental intervention of Martinelli
Surprised that Arteta isn’t giving Martinez a run out
Great goal by Auba and Saka and Laca did well to meet the ball for the simple tap in. Classically terrible Arsenal 1st half, Olympiakos had some terrible misses but our resilience made the difference in the 2nd 45.
With the away goal, a draw at home sees us through. Sweet.
if you haven’t seen the game, don’t put yourself through that misery. what an awful game of football…boring!!! especially compared to the psg/dortmund game. now that was a show.
first, i do not understand why niles can’t get a game. sokratis is far from a right back but that’s the second time arteta has played him there and left niles on the bench.
second, for all of the ozil haters, that was a display of what arsenal looked like without him. joe willock was dreadful in the cam. he couldn’t show for the ball, win the ball, keep the ball, link play in the final third, and all the other things mesut does that we take for granted. with ozil in the side, that game last night is easy work. instead, arsenal had lacazette dropping super deep and the center backs carrying the ball into the final third, looking lost, and a lot more clownery. i’m not throwing willock out with the bath as he’s only 20, but he’s no mesut backup… and neither is smith-rowe, who arsenal sent on loan.
We haven’t lost all year! What do you mean it’s only February? Of our last 9 undefeated matches over 3 competitions, 5 have been clean sheets.
Thank you Mikel Arteta.
This was the away leg in Athens in the knockout stages of a cup we really need to win to get into Europe next season. Arteta approached it as such. If you’re looking for flair or entertainment then you’re in the wrong place. It’s all about batten down the hatches and get the job done. Hopefully nick an away goal, which we did.
Willock was selected presumably because Mikel had a specific defensive job for him to do. He didn’t set the world alight, but that wasn’t what he was being asked to do. A young kid in that atmosphere? He did pretty well, considering. I’ve seen senior players completely wilt and disappear. No names, no numbers.
For a sporting country that produces so many fine marathoners, it’s amazing why hardly any good ballers come from there.
The glass half-full view is that the team went out to “do a job” against a good team in a difficult environment and they got that job done, with a clean sheet to boot. The team selection was clearly conservative with three CB’s across the back line and Willock at the tip of midfield and the performance mirrored that. With Sokratis at RB and Auba in an unfamiliar right sided role ahead of him, Arsenal had nothing going down that flank in an attacking sense. For their part, the Greeks didn’t exactly contribute to a spectacle either. They fielded three big, physical midfielders and dropped into a flat back 5 when Arsenal had the ball. Predictably, with both teams opting for conservatism, the football on show was less than first rate.
Things opened up after the substitutions though. Dani Ceballos was brought on to link play and tried his best to make things happen. He was not terribly effective on either side of the ball though and it’s worrisome how easily he loses out on physical duels despite appearing to try his best to compete. Nevertheless, Oly took off two of their clunky midfielders in favor of more attacking options and that opened things up for Arsenal just enough to create the chances for a goal, predictably once again through the excellent Bukayo Saka. In an open game, the attacking talent Arsenal has was always going to make the difference and so it proved.
Shout out to Shkodran Mustafi who put in another outstanding display. As against Newcastle, we dealt well with the set piece threat in no small part due to his excellent heading of the ball (won 6 of 7 aerial duels). It’s incredible how quickly he has turned from a liability to an asset under Arteta. Speaking of CB’s, I liked the look of Ruben Semedo on the other side who seemed to possess a good combination of power and mobility.
Pretty much sums it up. They had a couple of good chances early on, when we could have gone behind, but we survived. The longer the game went on, the more comfortable we started to look. The away goal was a massive plus. We’ve lost games like that in the recent past, so you’ve got to be pleased. An early goal next week and I’d feel pretty comfortable about going through. Picking Leno in goal suggests to me that Arteta is making this competition a priority. Quite right, too.