Gunners look for morale in Greece

ATHENS - Agence France-Presse

Arsenal’s German forward Lukas Podolski (R) vies for the ball against Drissa Diakite of Olympiacos during the two teams’ first meeting in London. Podolski had a goal for the Gunners in their 3-1 win over the Greeks on Oct 3, 2012. EPA photo

Arsene Wenger has told his Arsenal stars to banish the fear factor as the struggling Gunners try to secure a first place finish in their Champions League group.

Wenger’s side travels to Olympiacos tonight in desperate need of a morale-boosting victory after weekend’s 2-0 home defeat against Swansea left the north London club teetering on the brink of a full-blown crisis.

Arsenal, languishing in 10th place, have made their worst start to a Premier League season in Wenger’s 16-year reign and the sense that their club is in decline has prompted a furious response from Gunners fans.

Some supporters staged a protest march before the Swansea match to underline their frustration at the Arsenal board’s failure to back Wenger in the transfer market, while many more unleashed a torrent of abuse at the Frenchman and his players after the final whistle.

In the circumstances, Arsenal could do with a win in Athens which, combined with a draw or defeat for Schalke at Montpellier, would allow Wenger’s men, who have already qualified for knockout stages, to snatch top spot and secure a potentially easier draw in the last 16.

Solid mental approach

But to achieve that goal the Gunners will need a stronger mental approach after crumbling too easily under pressure in recent weeks.

“At home, we look like we play a little bit with the handbrake. It is not fluent, there might be a psychological component in there as well,” Wenger said.

“There was no movement or speed in our passing and we looked labored, not sharp.

“We had a lot of possession, but they created more chances than we did. We have to find a solution to this because we turn teams around without hurting them.”

While Wenger would love to finish top of the group, he acknowledges that Schalke is likely to win its tie against a Montpellier side already eliminated from the tournament and, he may not send out a full-strength team against Olympiacos.

“There are many players who need a rest, because they are on the verge of getting injured and some played with knocks,” Wenger said. “But we hope that we get a good performance because it is important for us.”

However, Gervinho, the Ivorian striker, claims winning the group is not that important.

“Whether you finish first or second, there will always be some big teams in the next round,” he said.
“If a team has qualified for the last 16, it’s because there is a lot quality in it, so the further you go in the competition, the tougher it gets. Our objective is to finish top of the group, but if we finish second, it won’t be the end of the world either.”