UEFA Champions league Preview: Partizan Belgrade vs Arsenal
Arsenal will be without a host of key players for their match against Partizan Belgrade. The most notable absentee in tonight’s game will be Manuel Almunia. The keeper managed to pick up an injury, following his abysmal performance,
over the weekend against West Brom. The Spanish goal keeper was the only person to blame for Arsenal conceding three goals at home.
As a result of Almunia's injury, Wenger will now have to turn to Lukasz Fabianski, to take over in the goal. This news even though, at first, might seem like good news to most who read it, is nothing but a disaster for Arsenal.
Despite Almunia being as poor and bad as he is, the only keeper on the world who can actually make him look any good is, Fabianski. Arsenal fan's will strongly be hoping that the defence can absorb all the pressure in tonight’s game and prevent the keeper
from being tested even once.
The Arsenal manager, for some off reason, seems to have blind faith in his keepers. The manager was caught saying the following in the build up to the match, regarding Fabianski: ''For Fabianski, it is another big chance
- but you want a goalkeeper or any player to grab the chance when you get it.
''As a manager you can give a chance to a player who is good enough and I believe in his talent.
''He gets another opportunity to show how good he is. I want him to show how good he is.''
Despite the fact that Arsenal are having some major, goalkeeper issues they will still be looking to take home the three points from the match.
However their Serbian opponents on the night have plans of their own. Belgrade have vowed to extend Arsenal's terrible form in the Champions League, when it comes to away games.
Belgrade, will however have to urge their fans to calm down. The team has already been in hot water in the past, due to poor conduct and behaviour from its fans and was even dropped out of the 2007-2008 UEFA Cup as a direct
result.
Wenger, when asked about the violent crowds at Belgrade responded and said: ''We are always inside the stadium, so I do not know what is happening outside, I leave that to UEFA and to the Serbian authorities. I am sure they
will do that very well''
Belgrade, will be looking for their first ever Champions League victory in tonight's game, in what would be their eighth match in the tournament. The team has managed to lose four of the last five games that it has played
against opponents from England and will be looking to put a rest to that record.
Arsenal on the other hand have lost three of the last nine games that they have played in the Champions League and have managed to win only one of the last nine away games that they played. Arsenal will have a lot of work
on their hands, if they wish to improve that record by coming away from tonight’s match with a win.
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