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Champions League Preview: AZ Alkmaar - Arsenal
Fourth host first in Group H...
| Bet: | Returns: | Milan £19.50 | Draw £32.50 | Arsenal £36.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Milan £20.50 | Draw £34.00 | Arsenal £36.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Milan £20.00 | Draw £32.00 | Arsenal £35.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Milan £19.50 | Draw £34.00 | Arsenal £40.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Milan £19.90 | Draw £32.50 | Arsenal £34.50 |
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Oct 19, 2009 11:40:13 PM
By Graham Lister
'Dutch Arsenal' aim to spike Londoners' guns
Champions League debutants AZ Alkmaar take on last season's semi-finalists Arsenal hoping to secure their first win in the competition, while the Gunners are looking to extend a 100 per cent start to their Group H campaign. The defending Dutch champions - who won the Eredivisie title by an 11-point margin over runners-up Twente last season - have endured an unhappy and somewhat unlucky start to their Champions League adventure.
On Matchday 1 they were undone by a Vassilis Torosidis header 11 minutes from time in Piraeus as Olympiakos triumphed 1-0 in a game dominated by the defences, while Matchday 2 saw Mounir El Hamdaoui put them in front at home to Standard Liege on 48 minutes, only for Moussa Traore to conjure a 91st-minute equaliser for the Belgians in a game AZ had looked like winning after enjoying territorial advantage. So they might well have had four points to show for their efforts instead of just one.
Meanwhile Arsenal - who had to qualify for the group stage by defeating Celtic 5-1 on aggregate in a play-off, came from two-down against Standard Liege to win 3-2 in Belgium on Matchday 1, thanks to goals from Nicklas Bendtner, Thomas Vermaelen and Eduardo. Then at the Emirates they finally broke the stubborn resistance of Olympiakos with two goals in the last 12 minutes - from Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin - to make it two wins out of two.
The two sides therefore clash at AZ's DS Stadium with the Gunners top of the group on six points and the Kaaskoppen (Cheeseheads) propping up the table with one.
Those positions also offer a fair reflection of the respective sides' current form: AZ have lost five of their last eight matches in all competitions, winning only two, and despite scoring twice in a 3-2 defeat at Eredivisie leaders Twente on Saturday, they have netted only four goals in their last six matches in league and Champions League. In contrast, Arsenal go into this fixture on the back of seven straight wins in all competitions, and beat Birmingham City 3-1 at home over the weekend to confirm their status as the Premier League's top scorers (with 27 from eight games) and maintain a remarkable average of exactly three goals per game in their 13 league and cup games since the season started.
Nevertheless, AZ defender Kew Jaliens - who feels the team's attacking style, as well as their similar jerseys, makes them the 'Dutch Arsenal' - believes they can derail the Gunners on Tuesday. Jaliens, 31, told UEFA's official website that if AZ go into the game with a positive mental attitude they will have a good chance of upsetting the form book. "Everything is still possible in our section," he said. "I am feeling optimistic. We didn't feel we were the weaker side in the two previous games and we need to prove that in the remaining fixtures. In terms of points it is still completely open."
Jaliens added: "We are a footballing team of the Dutch school; we have good positional play, create chances, play an attacking kind of football. In a way we are the Dutch Arsenal. We play football well and like to get as close to the goal as possible to cash in on the opportunities we create."
Domestically, AZ have been struggling so far this term, having already lost five of their ten Eredivisie matches. Coach Louis van Gaal, who guided them to the title last season, left in the summer to take over at Bayern Munich, and his successor Ronald Koeman has not been able to effect a smooth transition. Goal.com international's Dutch expert, Stefan Coerts, explained: "Their biggest weakness is the lack of aerial power at the back. This has cost them more than once already this season. Furthermore, Mounir el Hamdaoui and Moussa Dembele are not yet in their best form either up front." However, he warned: "Their biggest strength is their ability to open up a defence out of nowhere with some quick combination play or an intelligent through pass."
Koeman, of course, has a reputation as something of a bogeyman for English football. It began when he was still playing, and his professional foul on David Platt in a 1993 Netherlands-England World Cup qualifier saw him escape a red card card before firing Holland in front from a free-kick at the other end as the Three Lions failed to make the cut for USA 1994. And since he became a coach, Koeman has plotted the downfall of more than one English side in European competition. He was in charge at Benfica when they knocked Manchester United and Liverpool out of the Champions League in the 2005-06 season, and was PSV's boss when they knocked Arsenal out of the tournament in 2006-07. Koeman was also Ajax coach in 2002-03, and his side held Arsenal to two draws as the Gunners failed to progress beyond the second group stage.
Ahead of this latest clash against Arsene Wenger's side, Koeman explained to uefa.com: "Maybe for us it will be easier to play against such a good team. We all know football can be a funny game, in which anything is possible. It starts with belief, then we all have to be at the top of our game and they must not be. If we let them play their football then we will be in deep trouble, so this is where our task lies.
"We have to be well organised, but also have to be good individually, and be very sharp in covering their top players. But they also have their weaknesses. I saw Arsenal live against Blackburn, and Blackburn had four chances to score. Maybe Arsenal had 14, but still ... They are a joy to watch, but they also suffer defeats every now and then in the league and Champions League."
His adversary, Wenger, believes passionately in the quality of his team, and is convinced they can win silverware this season. Now in his 14th year as manager of Arsenal, he has also stressed that if he is truly to leave his mark on the club, he must lead them to glory in the Champions League, having been a beaten finalist (2006), semi-finalist (2009) and quarter-finalist (2004, 2008).
He told uefa.com: "I think this team has a big future. We've improved but haven't won anything yet – we will try to change that this season. AZ have more of a balanced team than Standard de Liege, and are better on the ball, but it is never easy to beat a team in the Champions League. It's never easy to beat a Dutch team either, but tomorrow is a good opportunity to do that."
The two clubs have never met competitively before; their one previous encounter was in a pre-season friendly - when Arsenal were the first-ever visitors to the DS-Stadium on 4 August 2006. Gilberto Silva scored the first goal at the new stadium, and further strikes from Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie, the latter from the penalty spot, clinched a 3-0 victory for the Gunners.
FORM GUIDE
AZ Alkmaar
17 Oct (League) v FC Twente (A) LOST 2-3
03 Oct (League) v NAC Breda (H) WON 1-0
29 Sept (Champions League) v Standard Liege (H) DREW 1-1
26 Sept (League) v FC Utrecht (A) LOST 0-1
22 Sept (Cup) v Jong Ajax (H) WON 2-0 (aet)
19 Sept (League) v NEC Nijmegen (H) LOST 0-1
Arsenal
17 Oct (Premier League) v Birmingham City (H) WON 3-1
04 Oct (Premier League) v Blackburn Rovers (H) WON 6-2
29 Sept (Champions League) v Olympiakos (H) WON 2-0
26 Sept (Premier League) v Fulham (A) WON 1-0
22 Sept (League Cup) v West Bromwich Albion (H) WON 2-0
19 Sept (Premier League) v Wigan Ath (H) WON 4-0
TEAM NEWS
AZ Alkmaar
Koeman has at least one advantage over Wenger going into this match, in so far as AZ have no injury worries at the moment.
Squad: Didulica, Heijblok, Romero, Jaliens, Moreno, Pocognoli, Moisander, Boelee, Copier, Van Huizen, Mendes da Silva, Schaars, Martens, Klavan, Poulsen, Wernbloom, Luijckx, Van der Velden, Holman, Swerts, Holland, Nielsen, Alberg, Rienstra, Sigthorsson, De Vogel, Lens, Ari, El Hamdaoui, Dembele, Pelle, Ali Messaoud.
Last starting XI (v Twente): Romero; Swerts, Jaliens, Moreno, Pocognoli (Poulsen 70); Elm, Mendes da Silva, Schaars (Pellè 76), Martens (Lens 61); Dembélé, El Hamdaoui.
Possible starting XI: Romero; Swerts, Jaliens, Moreno, Pocognoli; Holman, Mendes da Silva, Schaars, Martens, Dembele, El Hamdaoui.
Arsenal
Theo Walcott is out for three to four weeks with knee ligament damage sustained in a rugged challenge from Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell at the weekend. Also out are Tomas Rosicky, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson, Eduardo, Lukasz Fabianski and Johan Djourou, though Gael Clichy's ankle injury has cleared up enough for him to make the trip to Holland. Lukasz Fabianski will return from injury together with Samir Nasri when Arsenal's reserves tackle Wolves this week.
Squad: Mannone, Almunia, Vela, Van Persie, Gallas, Sagna, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Silvestre, Clichy, Arshavin, Merida, Wilshere, Ramsey, Fabregas, Eboue, Diaby, Song.
Last starting XI (v Birmingham): Mannone; Eboue (Wilshere 90), Gallas, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Fabregas, Song, Diaby; Walcott (Arshavin 33), Van Persie, Rosicky (Sagna 72).
Possible starting XI: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Arshavin, Van Persie, Vela.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
AZ Alkmaar
Mounir El Hamdaoui has had his fair share of criticism so far this season, although he has scored AZ's only Champions League goal to date - and also netted an outstanding goal against Twente in the Eredivisie on Saturday. He could well be the thorn in the side of Arsenal's somewhat brittle defence unless the Gunners are at 100 per cent concentration.
Arsenal
Robin van Persie returns to his homeland in fine form. The Dutch striker has scored in each of Arsenal's last four matches - and three of the goals were superb clinical finishes. Van Persie has now scored 68 goals in his Arsenal career, putting him joint 29th on the club's all-time scorers' list. Coincidentally, he and AZ's Gill Swerts (an international colleague of Thomas Vermaelen's with Belgium) were team-mates at Feyenoord in 2003-04. And as children, El Hamdaoui and Van Persie played football together in Rotterdam.
PREDICTION
AZ have lost only once in 34 home games in UEFA club competition, a sequence that began in September 1977. Another English club, Everton, punctured the unbeaten run in a December 2007 UEFA Cup tie, but AZ will still draw confidence from an impressive statistic. On the other hand AZ's overall record against English clubs in Europe is played 10, won two, drawn three, lost five. Arsenal have played Dutch teams competitively 16 times, winning six, drawing six and losing four.
However, more pertinent than history is current form, which would suggest an away win for the in-form Gunners. Koeman has, though, proved a shrewd tactician against Premier League opposition, and will surely have made plans to try and stifle Arsenal's fluid attacking instincts while noting certain vulnerabilities in their defensive set-up. This could be a fascinating battle of wits between the two coaches and their players, but the Gunners might just edge it.
AZ Alkmaar 1-2 Arsenal
Tuesday 20 October 2009 - 20:45 CET (19:45 BST)
DS-Stadium, Alkmaar
DS-Stadium, Alkmaar
'Dutch Arsenal' aim to spike Londoners' guns
Champions League debutants AZ Alkmaar take on last season's semi-finalists Arsenal hoping to secure their first win in the competition, while the Gunners are looking to extend a 100 per cent start to their Group H campaign. The defending Dutch champions - who won the Eredivisie title by an 11-point margin over runners-up Twente last season - have endured an unhappy and somewhat unlucky start to their Champions League adventure.
On Matchday 1 they were undone by a Vassilis Torosidis header 11 minutes from time in Piraeus as Olympiakos triumphed 1-0 in a game dominated by the defences, while Matchday 2 saw Mounir El Hamdaoui put them in front at home to Standard Liege on 48 minutes, only for Moussa Traore to conjure a 91st-minute equaliser for the Belgians in a game AZ had looked like winning after enjoying territorial advantage. So they might well have had four points to show for their efforts instead of just one.
Meanwhile Arsenal - who had to qualify for the group stage by defeating Celtic 5-1 on aggregate in a play-off, came from two-down against Standard Liege to win 3-2 in Belgium on Matchday 1, thanks to goals from Nicklas Bendtner, Thomas Vermaelen and Eduardo. Then at the Emirates they finally broke the stubborn resistance of Olympiakos with two goals in the last 12 minutes - from Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin - to make it two wins out of two.
The two sides therefore clash at AZ's DS Stadium with the Gunners top of the group on six points and the Kaaskoppen (Cheeseheads) propping up the table with one.
Those positions also offer a fair reflection of the respective sides' current form: AZ have lost five of their last eight matches in all competitions, winning only two, and despite scoring twice in a 3-2 defeat at Eredivisie leaders Twente on Saturday, they have netted only four goals in their last six matches in league and Champions League. In contrast, Arsenal go into this fixture on the back of seven straight wins in all competitions, and beat Birmingham City 3-1 at home over the weekend to confirm their status as the Premier League's top scorers (with 27 from eight games) and maintain a remarkable average of exactly three goals per game in their 13 league and cup games since the season started.
Nevertheless, AZ defender Kew Jaliens - who feels the team's attacking style, as well as their similar jerseys, makes them the 'Dutch Arsenal' - believes they can derail the Gunners on Tuesday. Jaliens, 31, told UEFA's official website that if AZ go into the game with a positive mental attitude they will have a good chance of upsetting the form book. "Everything is still possible in our section," he said. "I am feeling optimistic. We didn't feel we were the weaker side in the two previous games and we need to prove that in the remaining fixtures. In terms of points it is still completely open."
Jaliens added: "We are a footballing team of the Dutch school; we have good positional play, create chances, play an attacking kind of football. In a way we are the Dutch Arsenal. We play football well and like to get as close to the goal as possible to cash in on the opportunities we create."
Domestically, AZ have been struggling so far this term, having already lost five of their ten Eredivisie matches. Coach Louis van Gaal, who guided them to the title last season, left in the summer to take over at Bayern Munich, and his successor Ronald Koeman has not been able to effect a smooth transition. Goal.com international's Dutch expert, Stefan Coerts, explained: "Their biggest weakness is the lack of aerial power at the back. This has cost them more than once already this season. Furthermore, Mounir el Hamdaoui and Moussa Dembele are not yet in their best form either up front." However, he warned: "Their biggest strength is their ability to open up a defence out of nowhere with some quick combination play or an intelligent through pass."
Koeman, of course, has a reputation as something of a bogeyman for English football. It began when he was still playing, and his professional foul on David Platt in a 1993 Netherlands-England World Cup qualifier saw him escape a red card card before firing Holland in front from a free-kick at the other end as the Three Lions failed to make the cut for USA 1994. And since he became a coach, Koeman has plotted the downfall of more than one English side in European competition. He was in charge at Benfica when they knocked Manchester United and Liverpool out of the Champions League in the 2005-06 season, and was PSV's boss when they knocked Arsenal out of the tournament in 2006-07. Koeman was also Ajax coach in 2002-03, and his side held Arsenal to two draws as the Gunners failed to progress beyond the second group stage.
Ahead of this latest clash against Arsene Wenger's side, Koeman explained to uefa.com: "Maybe for us it will be easier to play against such a good team. We all know football can be a funny game, in which anything is possible. It starts with belief, then we all have to be at the top of our game and they must not be. If we let them play their football then we will be in deep trouble, so this is where our task lies.
"We have to be well organised, but also have to be good individually, and be very sharp in covering their top players. But they also have their weaknesses. I saw Arsenal live against Blackburn, and Blackburn had four chances to score. Maybe Arsenal had 14, but still ... They are a joy to watch, but they also suffer defeats every now and then in the league and Champions League."
His adversary, Wenger, believes passionately in the quality of his team, and is convinced they can win silverware this season. Now in his 14th year as manager of Arsenal, he has also stressed that if he is truly to leave his mark on the club, he must lead them to glory in the Champions League, having been a beaten finalist (2006), semi-finalist (2009) and quarter-finalist (2004, 2008).
He told uefa.com: "I think this team has a big future. We've improved but haven't won anything yet – we will try to change that this season. AZ have more of a balanced team than Standard de Liege, and are better on the ball, but it is never easy to beat a team in the Champions League. It's never easy to beat a Dutch team either, but tomorrow is a good opportunity to do that."
The two clubs have never met competitively before; their one previous encounter was in a pre-season friendly - when Arsenal were the first-ever visitors to the DS-Stadium on 4 August 2006. Gilberto Silva scored the first goal at the new stadium, and further strikes from Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie, the latter from the penalty spot, clinched a 3-0 victory for the Gunners.
FORM GUIDE
AZ Alkmaar
17 Oct (League) v FC Twente (A) LOST 2-3
03 Oct (League) v NAC Breda (H) WON 1-0
29 Sept (Champions League) v Standard Liege (H) DREW 1-1
26 Sept (League) v FC Utrecht (A) LOST 0-1
22 Sept (Cup) v Jong Ajax (H) WON 2-0 (aet)
19 Sept (League) v NEC Nijmegen (H) LOST 0-1
Arsenal
17 Oct (Premier League) v Birmingham City (H) WON 3-1
04 Oct (Premier League) v Blackburn Rovers (H) WON 6-2
29 Sept (Champions League) v Olympiakos (H) WON 2-0
26 Sept (Premier League) v Fulham (A) WON 1-0
22 Sept (League Cup) v West Bromwich Albion (H) WON 2-0
19 Sept (Premier League) v Wigan Ath (H) WON 4-0
TEAM NEWS
AZ Alkmaar
Koeman has at least one advantage over Wenger going into this match, in so far as AZ have no injury worries at the moment.
Squad: Didulica, Heijblok, Romero, Jaliens, Moreno, Pocognoli, Moisander, Boelee, Copier, Van Huizen, Mendes da Silva, Schaars, Martens, Klavan, Poulsen, Wernbloom, Luijckx, Van der Velden, Holman, Swerts, Holland, Nielsen, Alberg, Rienstra, Sigthorsson, De Vogel, Lens, Ari, El Hamdaoui, Dembele, Pelle, Ali Messaoud.
Last starting XI (v Twente): Romero; Swerts, Jaliens, Moreno, Pocognoli (Poulsen 70); Elm, Mendes da Silva, Schaars (Pellè 76), Martens (Lens 61); Dembélé, El Hamdaoui.
Possible starting XI: Romero; Swerts, Jaliens, Moreno, Pocognoli; Holman, Mendes da Silva, Schaars, Martens, Dembele, El Hamdaoui.
Arsenal
Theo Walcott is out for three to four weeks with knee ligament damage sustained in a rugged challenge from Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell at the weekend. Also out are Tomas Rosicky, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson, Eduardo, Lukasz Fabianski and Johan Djourou, though Gael Clichy's ankle injury has cleared up enough for him to make the trip to Holland. Lukasz Fabianski will return from injury together with Samir Nasri when Arsenal's reserves tackle Wolves this week.
Squad: Mannone, Almunia, Vela, Van Persie, Gallas, Sagna, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Silvestre, Clichy, Arshavin, Merida, Wilshere, Ramsey, Fabregas, Eboue, Diaby, Song.
Last starting XI (v Birmingham): Mannone; Eboue (Wilshere 90), Gallas, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Fabregas, Song, Diaby; Walcott (Arshavin 33), Van Persie, Rosicky (Sagna 72).
Possible starting XI: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Arshavin, Van Persie, Vela.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
AZ Alkmaar
Mounir El Hamdaoui has had his fair share of criticism so far this season, although he has scored AZ's only Champions League goal to date - and also netted an outstanding goal against Twente in the Eredivisie on Saturday. He could well be the thorn in the side of Arsenal's somewhat brittle defence unless the Gunners are at 100 per cent concentration.
Arsenal
Robin van Persie returns to his homeland in fine form. The Dutch striker has scored in each of Arsenal's last four matches - and three of the goals were superb clinical finishes. Van Persie has now scored 68 goals in his Arsenal career, putting him joint 29th on the club's all-time scorers' list. Coincidentally, he and AZ's Gill Swerts (an international colleague of Thomas Vermaelen's with Belgium) were team-mates at Feyenoord in 2003-04. And as children, El Hamdaoui and Van Persie played football together in Rotterdam.
PREDICTION
AZ have lost only once in 34 home games in UEFA club competition, a sequence that began in September 1977. Another English club, Everton, punctured the unbeaten run in a December 2007 UEFA Cup tie, but AZ will still draw confidence from an impressive statistic. On the other hand AZ's overall record against English clubs in Europe is played 10, won two, drawn three, lost five. Arsenal have played Dutch teams competitively 16 times, winning six, drawing six and losing four.
However, more pertinent than history is current form, which would suggest an away win for the in-form Gunners. Koeman has, though, proved a shrewd tactician against Premier League opposition, and will surely have made plans to try and stifle Arsenal's fluid attacking instincts while noting certain vulnerabilities in their defensive set-up. This could be a fascinating battle of wits between the two coaches and their players, but the Gunners might just edge it.
AZ Alkmaar 1-2 Arsenal
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