Arsenal’s win against Milan on both legs has given me and Arsenal fans the impetus to hope.
Even Danny Welbeck has given the chutzpah to believe that at some point in the competition we wouldn’t have to resort to playing Nketiah upfront considering the goal drought and subsequent injury of Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang not being able to play.
Now we meet CSKA Moscow on April 5 and 12 respectively with the hope that maybe their defence which according to reports have an average age of 37 implode under the speed and creativity of our midfield and attack.
The odds are a little bit stacked against CSKA Moscow on Netbet UK seeing that there’s a seeming lack or want of fluidity in their movement in the middle of the field and in the final third. They seat at third on the Russian Premier League table and have lost one and won two of their last three matches.
We do, however, need to take note of certain players who can spring surprises on a chilly night in Moscow (fancy that for the title of the next James Bond movie: Chilly Night in Moscow).
The Israeli midfielder has scored four goals and made assists of the same number. Also having a high pass completion rate (81.8%) according to Whoscored.com, he’s their very own Özil and Ramsey combined. He’ll need to be closed down so he doesn’t get those passes anywhere near…
As Brazilian as they come, this striker’s got eight (8) goals and four (4) assists to his name, their own Alexis Sanchez perhaps? The Brazilian also has one of the highest pass completion rates in the team (82.4%), which is, something he apparently does better than Alexis Sanchez.
Vitinho doesn’t seem to do well aerially so our concern should rest more with stopping low crosses or defence-splitting passes from the likes of Bibras getting to him.
Other players worth mentioning are the Russian Alexandr Golovin whose done four (4) goals and two (2) assists and the Dane, Pontus Pilate Wernbloom whose got four (4) goals and three (3) assists to his name.
As a Nigerian, I guess I have the God-given right to say Ahmed Musa should pose no threat as he’s very much Gervinho with no goals, at least in the English Premier League. It’ll take him till next season at least to get back the form that led to his Leicester purchase.
Rest for Arsenal is key especially as I think Özil and Elneny are a bit tired. It’s refreshing to see that we have no games until 1st of April, hopefully, tired legs are rested.