Arsenal to continue their rapid rise in the Europa League game: Arsenal vs. Rapid Vienna

It’s yet another night of Europa League football for Arsenal, but this time, they need just a point to secure the top spot in Group B. Arsenal needs the victory to boost their confidence ahead of this weekend’s north London derby against old-time rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal were 2-1 Victor in the reverse fixture back in Austria. They would hope to extend their perfect winning record in Europe tonight after falling to another home defeat in the Premier League match last weekend against Wolves, a match marred by a clash of heads between Arsenal’s defender David Luiz and Wolves Striker Raul Gimenez.

TEAM NEWS:

ARSENAL FC

Arsenal will be without David Luiz after the defender suffered a tear to the head in last weekend’s encounter against Wolves. Though he continued the game after the incident, he was taken off at halftime, and he would have to sit out this one to ensure that his injury undergoes a due healing process. Arsenal will still be without Marquee’s summer signing, Thomas Partey, with the midfielder still yet to recover from an injury he suffered against Aston Villa before the international break. Gabriel Martinelli and Calum Chambers are still long-term absentees. Sead Kolasinac should return to the team after finally testing negative for Covid-19.

Possible starting lineup (4-3-3); Runarsson, Soares, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Smith-Rowe, Pepe, Lacazette, Nelson

RAPID VIENNA

For the visitors, midfielders Dejan Petrovic and Dejan Ljubicic are nearing a return to full training, but this game will come too soon for them. Total squad changes are unlikely, but Fountas made an appearance from the bench in last weekend’s derby, and he will be dreaming of a second goal against Arsenal this week, so I expect him to get back into the starting Line up.

Possible starting lineup (4-3-3); Gartler; Stojkovic, Hofmann, Barac, Ullmann; Grahovac, Knasmullner; Schick, Demir, Fountas; Kara

Are the young Guns ready?

Arsenal vs Rapid 2

on the lack of goals…

“Well, there are many factors, if you compare the Premier League with the Europa League, it’s different. If you look in the last few years, how the team has shared the goals in the Premier League, it’s been quite limited. That’s not an issue that is happening now, it’s an issue that’s been happening for years. That has to be resolved. To put almost 80 per cent of that responsibility on one man is not fair. As a team, we have to resolve that. As a team, we get into a lot of situations and sometimes the service is not right, sometimes the timing is not right, sometimes the last execution is not right but as a team there are certain things that we have to do better. Again, it’s coming from a long way. We’ve been winning matches producing similar numbers but we’ve been very efficient. That sometimes is a state of energy, a state of mind, a state of confidence that you are doing everything right. When it gets to the moment you hit [the ball] and it doesn’t hit the post, and if it does hit the post, it goes in. That’s the difference. Football in the end is about the cohesion and the energy and belief of the team. When you lose games that gets touched and that’s one of the beauties of this sport, how you react against that adversity.

~ Mikel Arteta

WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW!

Kick-off Time: 9:00 pm (W.A.T)

OUR PREDICTION:

Giving Arsenal’s recent form in Europe where they have won 4 out of four this season, scoring 12 goals in the process and conceding just two, and the visitor’s poor form on the road, I expect Arsenal to take all 3 points today with a high goal margin.

Arsenal 3 – 1 Rapid Vienna

COYG!!!

Match Preview by Patrick Alexander