Tonight is a must win game

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
16 Sep	7:45 PM	CL	Standard Liege (A)	3	2	Win

Arsenal return to Champions League action tonight, in the first match of the group stage against Standard Liege. It is the most important game of a season only a few weeks old, not only because it is vital to get off to a good start in the group stage, but also to turn all the recent good performances back into wins.

Despite the two recent back to back loses the new 4-3-3 formation is working, Denilson, Song, Diaby and even Bendtner have all improved on last season and Vermaelan has settled in very well but all this could be thrown into doubt if the result does not go the way of Arsenal tonight. Lose and doubts begin to arise, loses against the two Manchester sides can be tolerated because they were both good perfromances and they were losses against pretty good sides, Standard Liege do not fall into that category.

On the other hand, a win or better, a convincing win, means the whole season could turn around, the next five fixtures in the Premiership are Wigan (H) Fulham (A) Blackburn (H) Birmingham (H) and West Ham, (A) all are winnable games and a boost in confidence tonight would send the team towards these fixtures with renewed confidence in both themselves and the formation.

Going into tonight, injuries are once again back and back in numbers, Manuel Almunia, Denilson, Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Samir Nasri, are all out of tonight, in such a crucial match it's typical that yet again, the star players are not available. With Almunia out, it means young Vito Mannone will start between the posts, while Almunia hasn't impressed in recent games culminating in an own goal against Manchester City, he is still the only real goalkeeping choice we have and Gallas and Vermaelen will have to try and keep Mannone from being too busy tonight or I worry there will be problems with an untested goalkeeper.

While Standard Liege should be beaten tonight, it will be another test for the new formation and team, in a hostile stadium and a team that will be similar to a Everton or Fulham, who will work hard, close down and probably go in early for tackles.

The correct decision to overturn Eduardo's two match ban, will be very useful tonight, because of injuries Eduardo is likely to start tonight and it will be interesting to see if Tomas Rosicky or Wilshere get a place in the starting line up, Rosicky still light on match fitness may not be risked from the start which will likely leave his place for Wilshere, who would join Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner in the front three.

While Arsenal will be favourites tonight and surprisingly with the amount of injuries, can still put out a dangerous front three, it would be stupid to write this off as an easy result, as Liege are Belgian champions and did give Liverpool a very stern test in the Champions League a few years ago, and at home they will bouyed by a lively crowd. So while a win would be massively helpful, a draw away from home may still go down as a decent point but it does then put more pressure on to win at home. It is for sure a very big game tonight and hopefully the team will come out and reflect just how bigger game it is with another great performance.

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