Anderlecht vs. Arsenal: Key Issues That Will Shape Champions League Game
Arsenal do not have much time to recover after a disappointing weekend, as they get back to action almost immediately against Anderlecht.
The Gunners will travel to Belgium with high expectations and poor form. Having failed to dispatch of Hull City at home, they will need to get three points from the worst opponent in their Champions League group to have any chance at winning it.
As always, the game will come down to a limited number of key issues. Here are a few.
Emiliano Martinez's Debut Performance
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Emiliano Martinez has represented Arsenal at senior level a few times before, but he does not have a single minute of experience in the Champions League.
Yet due to David Ospina's injury and Wojciech Szczesny's suspension, the young Argentine will get his first taste of top flight European action.
While Martinez has been perfectly fine in the few cup chances he has been given, this will be an entirely different class of opponent. Anderlecht will no doubt try to test him with crosses and long shots, and he will have to maintain firm command of the defense throughout.
The Patchwork Defense
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In the absence of Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Debuchy, one can expect Arsenal's defense to look like this:
Bellerin—Mertesacker—Chambers—Gibbs
It's unacceptable, obviously, but that's just what Arsenal have to deal with. Each member of this unit has very little experience playing with the others, so it will be very interesting to see if they cohere.
It is vital for Arsenal that they do, because the team's defensive foundation was found severely wanting on Saturday. Bellerin looked good, but he is raw and 19 years old. Chambers has showed promise, but he has to work with Mertesacker in an unfamiliar position.
If Anderlecht find joy on the counterattack, Arsenal will be in serious trouble.
Attacking Equity
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Alexis Sanchez produced both of Arsenal's goals virtually by himself against Hull, with hardly any no support from the rest of the attack. That is both unfair to him and detrimental to the rest of the team.
It is no surprise that Arsenal keep stalling right outside the opposition's penalty area and repeatedly fail to penetrate. Everyone just passes the ball indirectly, without making piercing runs or causing havoc on their own.
If every player was as energetic as Alexis, the Gunners would not look so staid. Hopefully the grandiosity of a Champions League stage will give the rest of the attack extra impetus when they so desperately need it.
The Formation
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As Andrew Mangan of Arseblog rightly pointed out, Arsenal have played best—and been at their most fluid and threatening—when Arsene Wenger has reverted to the 4-3-3 formation he used last year.
That setup (and a rock-solid defense) was the basis for the Gunners' success and near title victory. Despite the fact that the team seems so obviously less comfortable in Wenger's new 4-1-4-1, it is a wonder why he keeps using it.
Perhaps Arsenal will finally click, but that seems to be a fairly hopeful proposition at this point. If Wenger allows his team to revert to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, we might well see a resurgent side.
Ultimately, though, it's down to the players to go out and get the three points.
