Arsenal new boy, Per Mertesacker, has sky-high hopes for the Gunners, despite a difficult start to the season, which has seen the Londoners lose four out of their first nine games.
The German international, in a conversation with Sky Sports News, told of his desire to “go through” in the Champions League with Arsenal. “I'm very confident, I think we can do this”, the gigantic (6ft, 6in) defender said.
Mertesacker's team are certainly on track to qualify from Group F of the competition, after securing narrow victories over Olympique de Marseille and Olympiakos, and drawing with luminous Europeans, Borussia Dortmund. People following the FA Cup betting will know Arsenal are still fighting on four fronts though, so things could be tough.
Arsenal currently stand in pole position in their diminutive league, at the halfway point of the group stages. However, any hint of collapse could permanently ruin their Champions League campaign.
Wenger's team are only one point ahead of Marseille, and just four points from third place, Olympiakos. Dortmund, pending a dramatic fightback, appear doomed, with just one point from three fixtures.
The Gunners will play Marseille for the second time in just under a fortnight, on November 1, in what promises to be a crucial tie for both sides.
Marseille, despite losing 1-0 to Arsenal, last week, are no pushovers. The Phoenicians, as the French side are known, crushed Dortmund 3-0, at the end of September, a result that extended their unbeaten run in Europe to two games.
Returning to Mertesacker; the defender intimated that Arsenal will be forced to use upcoming games as a surrogate pre-season, given that most of the Gunners' new arrivals turned up late in the transfer window. People following the Carling Cup betting will know this.
“We have no time to do lots of work together, but we have to use games and work hard as a team”, the 27-year-old said. “I think we are doing well."
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