Napoli vs Arsenal: Champions League Preview: 11th Dec, 2013

Arsenal head into the game against Napoli needing only a point to top the so called “Group of Death”. Many thought Arsenal would struggle to qualify from this group but not only do Arsenal top the group they would need to lose by 3 goals to drop into the Sp*rs Cup. It also says something about this group with 2 teams on 9 points and 1 on 12 points, just look at Dortmund, unbeaten and occupying first place in last year’s “Group of Death” containing the likes of Real Madrid and Man City but found it difficult this year because of the resolve and competitiveness of this current Arsenal team that have made silencing their critics a hobby.

I don’t see an upset here as the complacency we had come to expect in recent times is all but gone. Arsenal are flying high in Europe as well as domestically whereas Napoli are having a mixed season. Napoli are sure to give us a tough fight and their atmosphere is going to be very intimidating but it’s not something we haven’t faced before.

Napoli need to win by 3 goals to qualify for the round of 16 if Dortmund win their game, so their game plan is going to be attacking us from the first minute and trying to score first. I think this will work in our favour and if we get the first goal it subsequently puts the game out of their reach.

Napoli are heading into this game with several key players injured in Reina and Hamsik making the ever so difficult task even more difficult but they do have Higuain back who missed the first leg due to injury so we have to wary of his threat.

Arsenal just has to play like they did in the first leg, isolating their forwards, not allowing them in the box and attack them with the view to wrapping up the result in the first half. If we can do that then we would be able to make several key substitutions in the 2nd half with one eye already on the Man City game.

In the past we’ve suffered in Europe, and subsequently domestically, because of finishing second, facing a Barca/Bayern and failing to qualify to the next round.

It is vitally important for us to finish first as a nice run in the Champions League will boost the confidence of a team that is already high on it. One thing is for sure, this game is going to be a cracker.

Last 2 Meetings

Arsenal 2-0 Napoli

Arsenal 2-2 Napoli (friendly)

Factfile

Napoli must win by a three goal margin to secure a place in the last-16, regardless the result of the other game.
Mesut Özil has scored only once in an away game in the Champions League – at Allianz Arena, back in April 2012.
The Partenopei haven’t kept a single clean sheet over their last 12 games between Champions League and Europa League.
The Gunners have won five of their last six Champions League fixtures between this and last season.