Slavia Prague (a) - Champions League Preview

This evening’s match in Prague is one hopes, the commencement of a process where the squad players can gain much needed European experience, to stand Arsenal in good stead should their services be required in the knockout stages. The importance of that should not overshadow the basic output when the referee signals the end of the ninety minutes, namely Arsenal have obtained the necessary point to progress out of the Group phase.

It will no doubt not be the pushover this evening that some believe. A squad already shorn of van Persie now omits Toure, Rosicky, Hleb and Fabregas due to