Galatasaray vs. Arsenal: Issues That Will Shape Champions League Game
There's no time for Arsenal to dwell on their humiliating loss to Stoke City at the weekend, as they face Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Unlike their last few games, the Gunners will not be under a tremendous amount of pressure in this one. They have already clinched a place in the round of 16, and Gala have nothing but pride to play for.
However, Arsenal can still secure first place in the group with a win and a Borussia Dortmund loss to Anderlecht. While that is an improbable outcome, the possibility gives Arsenal something to play for.
Will Arsenal Have Their Confidence Back?
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After winning three consecutive games, it looked as if Arsenal were getting a bit of their old mojo back.
However, Stoke's three first-half goals dashed any hopes of a resurrection.
Capitulating in humiliating fashion obviously doesn't do wonders for a team's confidence, and Arsenal have been prone to collapse this season. Making matters worse, they are often toothless in attack.
The Gunners will need to play with the handbrake off, to borrow one of Arsene Wenger's favorite expressions, if they are to be successful during this extremely busy period of the season. Any unconscious hesitation will be glaringly obvious.
Arsenal might take comfort in the fact that they easily dispatched of Galatasaray 4-1 earlier this season in their best display of the campaign so far.
Arsenal's Ability to Contain Wesley Sneijder
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Wesley Sneijder is Galatasaray's most important attacking player, next to Burak Yilmaz, and his ability to find pockets of space will largely determine how successfully the Turkish side breaks down Arsenal's defense.
With Mikel Arteta still out, the task of harrying and pressuring him will largely fall to Mathieu Flamini, but the entire team will have to collectively take responsibility for containing Sneijder's creative and scoring threat.
He is a dangerously dynamic player. Even a foul right outside the box could easily become a goal due to the Dutchman's superb ability to strike a dead ball.
If Sneijder is frustrated, Galatasaray will see their chances begin to dry up.
The Stability of Arsenal's Defense
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Arsenal will be without Laurent Koscielny for the second straight game, as Arsene Wenger declared that he will not risk his best defender in a relatively meaningless game, according to the club's official website.
The Gunners have had a soft defensive underbelly all season due to Wenger's inexplicable failure to sign a defender to replace the Frenchman, who went into the season with tendonitis in both ankles.
Their inability to maintain a stable back line has been the root of their problems. Per Mertesacker looks ineffective without his partner next to him, and Arsenal are constantly sliced open on the counterattack.
If Arsenal remain unable to shore up the weakest part of the team, they will get burned.
How Arsenal Fares Without Alexis Sanchez
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Alexis Sanchez has understandably been run into the ground in recent weeks. He has a hand in virtually all of Arsenal's successful attacking moves and scores a disproportionate amount of the team's goals.
Arsene Wenger almost never rests him, and imagining the team without his influence is a scary thought indeed.
We won't have to merely consider this possibility any longer, though, because Wenger will almost certainly rest his star man in this almost meaningless game.
The likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck will have to step up to fill the void. Perhaps they will rise to the challenge, since there will be no easy passing outlet this time.
Then again, maybe that's just too optimistic a view about this Arsenal side at the moment.
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