AS Monaco vs Arsenal - Competition: Champions League − 2014/2015 − Round of 16 (second leg)
AS Monaco welcome Arsenal to the Stade Louis II with a
commanding lead after conquering the Emirates Stadium 3:1 in dominant
fashion. The Red and Whites could seemingly do no wrong on the day, as
they tactically outmaneuvered the Gunners while playing with more spirit
and confidence on such a grand stage. They have now won 5 of their last
7 matches in all competitions and were very comfortable in their 3:0
win over Bastia on Friday in league action. Rising star Anthony Martial
bagged 2 of their 3 goals on either side of halftime, and despite his
tender years he could get handed another start here in the UCL. But it has been the defence that has frustrated so many
opponents this season, as the hosts have conceded just 2 total goals
through 7 UCL matches in this year’s competition.
Furthermore, they have allowed in just 1 goal in their last 12
competitive fixtures at the Stade Louis II, and there’s plenty of reason
for optimism for their survival here. However, they would be wise not
to overlook an Arsenal side that can score goals in a flurry, and in the
end they could find themselves holding on for their Champions League
lives. It may be important to point out that Kondogbia is questionable
to play and Jeremy Toulalan is suspended, possibly leaving a gaping hole
in the middle of the park.
Arsenal team refused to hang their heads after falling to a
catastrophic 1:3 defeat in the first leg, instead bouncing back with 4
consecutive wins in all competitions. That stretch included a massive
2:1 road victory over Man United in the FA Cup, and after their
impressive 3:0 win over West Ham United on Saturday, the Gunners will travel
to France with a head of steam and a camp full of confidence. The return
of Aaron Ramsey provides the Londoners with a much-needed extra
goalscorer, and the Welshman was superb last time out. However, the big
question mark coming into this match is Olivier Giroud, as the Frenchman
enjoyed a wonderful performance over the weekend but had an abysmal
display against AS Monaco in the first leg. Furthermore, he doesn’t have a
good goalscoring record against the hosts (played for Montpellier in
Ligue 1), and the boss must make the right decision between the
Frenchman and Danny Welbeck. Wenger has seen his side come close in
recent years in overturning these kind of results, as they have defeated Milan (3:0) and Bayern Munich (2:0) while also tying the German
champions 1:1 last season. While all of these second-leg results
ultimately eliminated the Gunners, it points to a fighting spirit in
this team and they will come out with confidence on Tuesday evening. An
early goal would see the nerves of the home fans spike to severe levels,
and if the visitors can avoid any catastrophes at the back, they should
exact some revenge here whether they manage to overturn the deficit or
not.
Probable lineups:
AS Monaco: Subasic – Toure, Abdennour,
Carvalho, Kurzawa – Toulalan (Fabinho), Kondogbia – Dirar, Moutinho,
Ferreira-Carrasco (Martial) – Berbatov.
Arsenal: Szczesny – Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal – Coquelin, Ramsey – Sanchez, Ozil, Cazorla – Giroud.
Match date: Tuesday, 17 March 2015
Kick Off Time: 19:45 GMT - 8:45 PM
Venue: Stade Louis II (Monaco, France)
