Arsenal v Napoli Preview

Arsenal v Napoli, Tuesday 1st October 7.45pm, Champions League Group Stage, Emirates Stadium, Sky Sports 2


Group F

P1 W1 GD+1 3pts
P1 W1 GD+1 3pts
P1 L1 GD-1 0pts
P1 L1 GD-1 0pts


Gunners look for 9th successive win

September 2013 has been one of Arsène Wenger's finest months as Arsenal coach. It began with a home win in the north London derby and the addition of Mesut Özil. It ended with an impressive win away to Swansea and the Gunners topping the Premier League. It would be quite staggering if the hierarchy at the Football Association didn't name Wenger and inform midfielder Aaron Ramsey as the Premier League manager and coach of the month. "Aston Villa was an accident that can happen," the Frenchman, who celebrated his 17th anniversary as boss last weekend, insisted. "If you put that into perspective it was just one single game that we lost in 21." Saturday's victory in Wales made it 8 successive wins in all competitions for the club, and, standing in the way of a ninth consecutive success are Rafael Benítez's excellent Napoli side, blessed with a combination of youth and experience, skill, lightning counter-attacks and a potent strike-force. "Benítez is a top-class manager," Wenger said at Monday's press conference, "when you're confronted by his teams, you always know it'll be difficult."


Napoli head to London with confidence

7 games, 6 wins, 1 draw, second in Serie A, it couldn't have gone much better for Benítez and Napoli so far this season. The only blip, a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Sassuolo, was a surprise, but this has been overshadowed by victories against Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan. The summer spending spree in Naples - around £86m was spent - which saw the likes of Real Madrid trio Gonzalo Higuaín, José Callejón and Raul Albiol arrive, as well as PSV winger Dries Mertens and Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, has more than made up for the loss of talismanic forward Edinson Cavani, who departed to PSG in July for close to £55m. Though, it's perhaps 22-year old homegrown Italian forward Lorenzo Insigne who provides the greatest threat for Arsenal at the Emirates. "We know him very well, but Bacary Sagna will take care of him," a confident Wenger lauded on Monday, though, the 63-year old will be fully aware of the potential damage the Italian could do in London. After three years out on loan in the lower leagues, Insigne was promoted to Walter Mazzarri's first-team squad in 2012. And, although his goal return isn't eye-catching - 5 league goals in 44 appearances for Napoli - it's the  Frattamaggiore-born Italian international's speed, dribbling, movement, intelligence and skill which make him such a danger from the left-hand side in his side's 4-2-3-1 formation. Indeed, he has already netted at the Emirates this year in pre-season.

"It's very similar to Liverpool here," Benítez told reporters at his pre-match press conference, "That is why it has been easy for me. The players work very hard, so there is a lot of positives now."


The view from Naples

Written by @MikaeelMathews

"Since the 2008/2009 season, Napoli has been climbing the ranks in Italian football and regaining its name as being a force in European football. With largely limited funds and resources, Napoli still remained a club with rich tradition and a very positive football philosophy. However, more recently after a magnificent second placed finish last year behind the dominant Juventus, with greater investment into the club and extended ambition, Napoli has now firmly embarked themselves as contenders for the Scudetto title. Despite losing their best player and one of the most prolific strikers in Europe, they used the recouped finances very well by bringing in well established talent to build on an already strong core as Napoli enjoyed a rather shrewd summer transfer window beating Arsenal to one of their top targets, Gonzalo Higuain. With Napoli enjoying an equally spectacular start to the season as Arsenal, already beating Milan at the San Siro and brushing Borussia Dortmund aside pretty comprehensively, there certainly will be a cause for optimism around the Stadio San Paolo. From a Napoli point of view, there is not much to be mulling over but there are a few areas of concern which Arsenal could exploit.

This Napoli side is blessed with immense technical qualities and pace but at times desperately lacks defensive discipline especially in the full back regions. Zúñiga and Mesto are superb going forward but do not always provide sufficient defensive cover and are often caught out. Arsenal possess an amazing work rate right throughout their team for a full 90 minutes, something that Napoli might have a problem with as many player’s performances seem to deteriorate as the game wears on and this is shown with some very sloppy goals being conceded. The midfield, nevertheless, is Napoli’s best weapon with an abundant supply of guile, creativity and penetration. Insigne and Hamšík are by far Napoli’s most dangerous players. Despite Higuaín’s well known ruthlessness in front of goal, it is those two that will provide the game-changing effect. Also due to the directness and use of pace of players such as Pandev and Callejón, Napoli are lethal on the counter-attack.

If Napoli can soak up pressure and play at a high intensity for the full 90 minutes, I would be pretty confident they could nick it."


Match Facts

* This will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides.

* Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in each of their last five home games against Italian sides, qualifiers included (4 wins, 1 draw).

* The last Italian team to beat Arsenal in London were Inter Milan, 10 years ago in the Champions League group stages (17 September 2003).

* Since that game, Arsenal have only lost 4 of their 46 home games in the Champions League (32 wins, 10 draws), but two of those defeats have come in the last three games.

* Napoli have never won an away game in England, in all competitions (1 draw, 4 defeats).

* Arsenal have made it past the group stages in the last 10 seasons but have been knocked out at the last 16 stage in the last three campaigns.

* Benitez has won 54% of Champions League games as manager (45 out of 84). A better ratio than Wenger (46%).

* Benitez has never managed a winning side away at Arsenal losing five and drawing four of his visits as a coach.


Team News



Rosický returns to the squad after injury, but Cazorla (ankle), Walcott (abdominal), Chamberlain (knee), Podolski (hamstring), Sanogo (back) and Diaby (knee) all remain out.



Higuaín is unlikely to be fit, with reports on Monday evening that the Argentine has already been ruled out. Albiol is also doubtful.

Need to make sure we don't commit too many forwards because Napoli are very good on the counter attack. Insigne, Higuain, Pandev,Hamsink can do some serious damage if afforded space. I think going forward we can hurt them, their centre halves are a bit suspect. This would have been another game where Theo would have cause problems ffs

Any of our natural wingers could've caused problems, Napoli's weak link - their fullbacks.

Really need a clean sheet, if Napoli score early in the first half you can pretty much count us out - they will hurt is in the counter when we push our fullbacks trying to score.

As you can tell I'm not feeling positive about this game, but then I wasn't against Swansea either so there'a chance the boys surprise me again and I really hope they do.

Fantastic preview Sam.

This will be our toughest match of the season so far. Napoli are a side with immense quality in every position and a manager who knows how to utilise that quality efficiently. Benitez will set the Napoli team in a way which he knows will get him the victory however Arsene probably already knows how Rafa will set up and he has been working on the team to play to counter his tactics while playing our own game. This is why i think tomorrows game will be tactically ever so important.

We have enough quality to win the match. But it will require patience and intelligence to do so. Mistakes in the CL will hurt you more than in the PL. And without our key players in Walcott and Cazorla. It will be down to our 1st team to do the job without being required to look towards the bench.

I really wish we had Walcott for this match. He puts fear in the oppositions and they don't bomb down the flanks as easily as they would without him. I suppose Gnabry will play and he is good enough to play but he isn't Walcott and he will have to work his ass off defending on the flanks while attacking.

Thankfully we have Flamini who is a player with quickness and aggression that helps with the counter attacks. Ramsey is in great form and has energy to defend and attack. Ozil can initiate our own counters pretty well too.

It will be a good game between two attacking teams. We really need to get the 3 points as away to Napoli will be twice as difficult.

Great Preview Sam.

We are facing a tough team at home, they can hurt us on the counter attack. Theo would have been great but I think we can still hurt them with the players we have.

One of the best games of the tournament, hope we can walk away with all 3 points. I think we need Arteta to start this game, not sure who he will replace, Jack maybe?

Good work Sam.

Dis gon be good

i would be more confident with walcott in our side, because of injuries i think to win this we need a bit of luck. hopefully we get that and gather all 3 points.

I'm pretty sure that Serge Gnabry didn't get picked for the Champions League squad. He doesn't qualify for the B list because you have be under 21 and you have to be at Arsenal for at least 3 years and he hasn't been at Arsenal for 3 years. Zelalem also doesn't qualify for the B list because he hasn't been at Arsenal for 3 years but he there was one space left in the A List and Zelalem got picked over Gnabry

According to this, Gnabry is in the squad but Diaby and Bendtner are not

http://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/zelalem-included-in-arsenals-champions-league-squad-but-diaby-and-bendtner-left-out/

this match will be won the midfield

great preview.. and some very good points shared and discussed..
will be a tough match without Walcott.. but hope we can win all the 3 points.. this team has shown that we can churn results even when we are not playing at our best.. it is not good that we are playing without wingers on both flanks, which takes out the pace on counters makes the play narrow.. we are short on pacy wide players, but have quite a few options in midfield.. i hope Wilshere is fit enough to start on LW.. and Rosicky and Ozil to play RM and CAM.. or we may even play Arteta and Flamini together, playing Ramsey and Wilshere in the flanks.. so the only way i expect to play is by dominating possesion and winning the midfield.. and someone from midfield needs to do make runs and do the scoring.. and needless to say our defence and FB need to be at their best today..

Can't watch, will be in class when its on :'c

Any points at all will do honestly. Hoping Ramsey scores to make it 9 in 10 games lol

Why not 10 in 10? .

@RealGunner That squad was for the play offs against Fenerbahce. As you can see the likes of Ozil and Flamini aren't there because they weren't at Arsenal during the Play off games. This is the squad for the Group Stages. I can't post links for 7 days so put the dots where it's necessary.

arsenalyouth(dot)wordpress(dot)com/2013/09/04/ozil-and-bendtner-make-arsenals-champions-league-squad-but-gnabry-misses-out/?

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2014/clubs/club=52280/squad/index.html

Nope, he's definitely in the squad.

Welcome to the forums Serge, tell us a bit about yourself! I am especially curious to know about the nickname

Well to me, it looks like he signed up just to tell us he thought Gnabry wasn't in the squad?

Or maybe...

Alright Thanks, but he wasn't on the bench against Marseille but Hayden Miyaichi and Akpom were. Surely Wenger wouldve picked Gnabry ahead of Miyaichi but as it's on the Uefa website i guess he's in the squad. So glad he is. Yeah I signed up to tell you that Gnabry wasn't in the squad. No journos or people from twitter were mentioning it so I wasn't sure if he was in the squad or not.

i think Arsenal will win 2 - 0 good luck Arsenal

I didn't know you had such injury worries. You are missing 3-4 first-teamers and another 3-4 who would be main back-up.

SergeGnabry wrote:Alright Thanks, but he wasn't on the bench against Marseille but Hayden Miyaichi and Akpom were. Surely Wenger wouldve picked Gnabry ahead of Miyaichi but as it's on the Uefa website i guess he's in the squad. So glad he is. Yeah I signed up to tell you that Gnabry wasn't in the squad. No journos or people from twitter were mentioning it so I wasn't sure if he was in the squad or not.

Well now that you're here, I hope you stick around

any updates on the team news..?

Wonderful preview Sam

As already stated, Napoli will feck us on the counter attack if we're not careful enough. This is a big match. The home games in this group is so vital. I've been looking forward to this one all day long and time just can't seem to pass by quicker.

If we win I personally can't see why we won't make it outta this group. It'll be a tough match and Napoli will be hungry and they'll be pacey and they'll be going about it their way, so I hope the lads turn up and match their pace (at least)

A draw won't be bad, but as said home games are important in this group so nothing less than a win will be accepted.
C'mon Arsenal!

El Gunner wrote: I've been looking forward to this one all day long and time just can't seem to pass by quicker.

+1!