Olympiakos vs Arsenal: 3 reasons why the Greek outfit can cause an upset in the Round of 32 | UEFA Europa League 2019-20
The Europa League 2019-20 Round of 32 draw took place at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon on Monday and offered some interesting clashes between clubs across Europe as reigning Eredivisie champions Ajax are set to take on Getafe, Serie A toppers Inter Milan will look to eliminate Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets and Manchester United will play Club Brugge.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, who managed to finish at the top of Group F courtesy of a 2-2 draw away at Standard Liege, are scheduled to take on Greek outfit Olympiakos in a tricky fixture. The first leg is set to take place at the Karaiskakis Stadium on February 20 and the second leg is slated to be played at the Emirates Stadium on February 27.
The fixture could prove to be an immensely difficult test for the flaky Gunners who are not only faced with a long-term defensive crisis but are also currently without a manager. The north London giants were lucky to have qualified for the next stages of Europe's secondary competition following mediocre displays in their group games, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt and drawing against Vitoria and Standard Liege.
Having said that, we take a look at three reasons why Olympiakos could cause an upset and eliminate Arsenal from the Europa League Round of 32.
#3 Arsenal's never-improving defensive crisis and declining standards
Miserable reminders of Arsenal's decline appear to show themselves at every game as the north London giants devastatingly come to terms with the loss of their identity and purpose. In the last decade, the Gunners faithful have witnessed neither style nor structure from their beloved team and the narrative has continued much in the same vein even after Arsene Wenger's much-anticipated departure.
Arsenal's never-ending defensive crisis is at the forefront of their problems and is highlighted by the fact that they have already conceded 39 goals in all competition in the current season. Unai Emery himself failed to find a settled combination for his back-line having unsuccessfully switched from a back four to a back three on multiple occasions. These frailties continue to be exploited under Freddie Ljungberg, who has failed to spark an upturn of fortunes during his short stint at the club.
Olympiakos will surely capitalise on the Gunners' vulnerable defence as Pedro Martins' attack-minded approach will allow the likes of Youssef El-Arabi and Mathieu Valbuena to run riot against the Premier League giants. The Greek titans netted two goals against Bayern Munich and four against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League and will likely add more to their tally when they face Arsenal.
What could cause further problems for Arsenal is the massive lack of balance and depth in their midfield. Their defence may have taken much of the blame for the team's crisis but the lack of mobility and any defensive mindset with the likes of Granit Xhaka has also left the back-line completely exposed to attacks. Olympiakos will surely waste no time in taking advantage of the lack of cover and will look to disrupt their opponents' flow in midfield every chance they get.