please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal take on French champions Montpellier HSC at the Emirates this Wednesday night as the Gunners seek a win that could see them qualify to the last 16 of the champions league. Montpellier have no chance of getting to the last 16 after managing to only win a single point in their four previous games in group B. But with some help from Arsenal and Schalke, they could still come third in the group and secure Europa League football, so all is not lost for Montpellier. Arsenal will go into this clash having secured a brilliant win against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby. Spurs took the lead through Emmanuel Adebayor who then got himself sent off after a terrible tackle on Santi Cazorla. Arsenal took advantage and put three goals past Hugo Lloris before the half-time whistle was blown. Santi Cazorla extended the lead before Gareth Bale pulled one back for Spurs but Theo Walcott put the finishing touches for Arsenal on another emphatic win against Tottenham Hotspur. This was a win that Arsenal so badly needed and Arsene Wenger will be hoping that this result gives them the confidence that the Gunners so badly lacked going into the game against Tottenham. Montpellier go into this game having held on for a point against Valenciennes despite being down to ten men for most of the second half. The French champions have not won any of their previous four games and have been in dreadful form for most of this season. With Olympiacos breathing down their necks in group B, Arsenal will have to win here or face the possibility of having to get a result against Olympiacos in Greece, and the Gunners having lost their previous two games in Greece, will not relish that task. But if Arsenal win against Montpellier and Schalke beat Olympiacos, then both teams go through to the last 16. Having already beat Montpellier, Arsenal will be looking to get another win over the French champions and in doing so take them one step closer to progressing to the last 16. In winning Ligue 1, Montpellier completed a remarkable fairy tale. Just five years before their title win, they were trying to get promoted from Ligue 2 under the management of Rolland Courbis. After finishing second in Ligue 2 in 2007, they did indeed achieve their promotion but Courbis was replaced by René Girard thanks to various different reasons. Before the start of Ligue 1 last season, everyone expected PSG to sweep the league. PSG, backed by Qatari investors splashed the money in the transfer window and made their statement of intent. But they did not envisage little old Montpellier crashing the party, who under the watch of Girard, built a team who would play as a team compared to the individuals of PSG. In defence, Montpellier had the rock that was Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa who had an outstanding season and he was very unlucky to not get into the France squad for Euro 2012. He is a player that has attracted the interest of big European clubs like AC Milan and Arsenal. Younès Belhanda was the stand out player for Montpellier and the attacking midfielder was the man that was running show from midfield last season and providing the bullets for their forwards. One of the guys who converted those chances was Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud. Before coming to Arsenal, the Frenchmen made his name at Montpellier. He bagged 24 goals for them in all competitions and was the top scorer in Ligue 1. Arsene Wenger took note and paid £13 Million for his services. Without Giroud, Montpellier have struggled for goals, so far they have not been able to find any sort of forward capable of replacing Giroud. Rémy Cabella has arguably been the stand out player for the French champions so far this season. An attacking midfielder that has an eye for goal and has already scored three goals from midfield. Cabella was outstanding against Arsenal when they played the gunners in the Stade de la Mosson and Arsenal will have to try and do a much better job against the tricky Frenchmen. Not many expected Montpellier to repeat their miracle act of winning the league from last season, but Montpellier have simply not been the same team from last season. They currently sit in 14th place and only have three league wins from thirteen games. Montpellier have yet to achieve their first ever win in the Champions league and only have a point to their name. They managed to win that point against Schalke in the Veltins-Arena, so despite being rooted to the bottom of Group B, they have shown that they can go and get a result in a tough away game. When they played Arsenal in the first game of the group stages, Montpellier made history. It was their first ever game in the champions league and after taking the lead against the Gunners, everything was going like a dream for the French champions. But Arsenal fought back and turned the game around thanks to goals from Lukas Podolski and Gervinho. It was a harsh introduction for Montpellier and they have since found out how difficult the champions league can be. In their last home game in the Champions league, Arsenal lost for the first time against foreign opposition at the Emirates. But, Arsenal fared better against Schalke in Germany after taking a point. But, the Gunners will have rued the fact that it was only a point because Gunners raced to a two goal lead only to throw it away. But, that point could prove to be crucial in the end if the Gunners can beat Montpellier at the Emirates. Olivier Giroud had a disappointing game against his old club when Arsenal took on Montpellier in France and he will be looking to make amends in the return game. Giroud has scored five goals in his last five games and he has started to show the sort of form that he was displaying last season. It also can’t be just a mere coincidence that Giroud found his scoring touch as soon as Theo Walcott was reinstated to the Arsenal first team. Walcott has provided Giroud with three assists and he has started to form an understanding with the Frenchmen. Walcott himself has been in the goals and has scored nine goals in all competitions this season, in doing so he has already matched his goal scoring tally from the whole of last season. Walcott is certainly a player on the up and Arsenal will again need his pace and end product against Montpellier on Wednesday. Santi Cazorla scored and provided an assist against Tottenham last Saturday and was starting to show his best form again. Cazorla has become the key player in this Arsenal team and when he plays well, the whole team clicks. In defence, Arsenal continue to struggle and they continue to make do with Thomas Vermaelen at left back with Kieran Gibbs still injured. Wojciech Szczęsny made his first start since September when he lined up against Spurs on Saturday and if the Pole can get back to his best, then he might bring that reassuring calm to a shaky Arsenal defence. After the derby win, Arsenal fans will hope to see their team kicking on and produce wins with their brilliant football again. On Wednesday, the Gunners have the chance to potentially secure their place in the last 16 and the Gunners have to turn up and get the job done like they did against their old rivals last Saturday. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image - Younès Belhanda please log in to view this image - Jamel Saihi please log in to view this image - Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa Previous Meeting: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Group B: please log in to view this image First Round Results: Montpellier HSC 1 - 2 Arsenal Olympiacos 1 - 2 Schalke 04 Second Round Results: Arsenal 3 - 1 Olympiacos Schalke 04 2 - 2 Montpellier HSC Third Round Results: Arsenal 0 - 2 Schalke 04 Montpellier HSC 1 - 2 Olympiacos Fourth Round Results: Schalke 04 2 - 2 Arsenal Olympiacos 3 - 1 Montpellier HSC Fifth Round of Fixtures In Group: Arsenal vs Montpellier HSC Schalke 04 vs Olympiacos Managers Views: Arsene Wenger on the obstacles Olivier Giroud has had to overcome to establish himself at the Club: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
No bigger incentive than a home win and qualification I think we'll do well in this game. We've got some confidence back and we're finding the net again. But we'll need a good start and we must make sure that we don't invite pressure.
They are in dreadful form this season, if we can really get at them from the start, I reckon they will fold. Apart from a long shot at getting third in this group, Montpellier have nothing left to play for.
Nothing more than a win will do I'm afraid. And we will stay have to win in Greece to be assured of top spot.
A win is the only result. Worrying that there can't really be any rotation. I'd like to start that team, be 2 up after an hour & rest Cazorla, Giroud & probs Podolski for Ramsey, Chamakh & Oxo.
This is a very big game for us, we HAVE to win this, if we fail to win and Olympiacos find someway to win, it will be out of our hands and we'd have to go to Greece getting a win, or let's say both us and Olympicos draw, that will make for a tense game in Greece, so let's do the job and finish Montpellier off.
My team: Shezny Santos Vermaelen Mertesacker Sagna Arteta Wilshere Cazorla Walcott Giroud OXO We have another big game just 2 days later, followed by another big midweek game against Everton, so there has to be some minimal rotation, and I think these minor rotations won't hurt.
Yep, could see AOC getting a start. He has not started a game for ages and needs the game time. He looked pretty good when he came on against Spurs.
We should win comfortably. As the OP said, Montpelier are a vastly different side to the one they were last season. The confidence and belief has gone, if we don't win by at least 2 i'll be surprised.
From the other CL games this week, I am looking forward to watching Juve vs Chelsea tomorrow. That is going to be a cracker.
