Arsenal’s Official 18-Man Squad To Face Olympiacos Announced

By Gooner Mac Published: 3rd December 2012

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has named his 18-man squad for our Champions League encounter against Olympiacos on Tuesday.

We head to Greece to play Olympiacos off the back of Saturday’s disappointing 2-0 defeat to Swansea at the Emirates and the boss has responded by leaving several first team players at home.

The likes of Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla, Per Mertesacker, Kieran Gibbs, Lukas Podolski, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud have all been omitted giving a chance to some of the younger squad members to shine on the big stage.

Five players come into the squad who could make their first-team debuts – Zak Ansah, Sead Hajrovic, Elton Monteiro, Chuba Akpom and James Shea, and Arsene told Arsenal.com that some of the more established names simply needed a rest:

“Some players needed a rest because they were a bit on the fringe of injury, and some players are injured,”

“When I count the injured players I speak about Podolski and Walcott. We needed to rest Wilshere, 100 per cent, and Cazorla, Arteta and Mertesacker played many games recently. They have been rested.

“It is [to avoid fatigue], and we have one luxury, that we can do it. But we have as well one necessity, to win the game tomorrow night. I tried to find the right balance between resting some players and as well having a competitive team tomorrow night.”

Arsenal squad to face Olympicos:

1 Wojciech Szczesny
5 Thomas Vermaelen
7 Tomas Rosicky
15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
16 Aaron Ramsey
18 Sebastien Squillaci
22 Francis Coquelin
23 Andrey Arshavin
25 Carl Jenkinson
27 Gervinho
29 Marouane Chamakh
38 Martin Angha
39 Zak Ansah
48 Sead Hajrovic
53 Jernade Meade
55 Elton Monteiro
60 James Shea
67 Chuba Akpom

We have already sealed qualification to the knockout stages after a 2-0 win over Montpellier two weeks ago, but risk missing out on top spot in the Group if we fail to pick up all three points on Tuesday, which will be a tall order for this young squad.

Has Arsene made the right decision in resting the first team players? Get involved in the comments section.

crispen says:

Is Djourou tired also?

3:56 pm on December 3, 2012

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- Goonerboyo says:
  
  Ssshhh don’t wake him up!!
  
  6:31 pm on December 3, 2012
  
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ben says:

uh-oh!! Squillaci and verm the only experienced Cbs in squad!!
thats a loss then..

4:00 pm on December 3, 2012

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jumo says:

Where is Eisfeld?

4:01 pm on December 3, 2012

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Bermy Boy says:

That line up goes to show you that Arsenal are lacking in a deep QUALITY second team… A club as big as Arsenal has to call in Reserve Team players? Olympiacos is going to have a field day with us! Oh and obviously Squillaci is going to partner Vermaelen in the centre back positions… Mercy!!

4:13 pm on December 3, 2012

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Bermy Boy says:

1. Sell all our WORLD CLASS Players
2. Don’t replace them with like-for- like quality…
3. Equals a worst team every season!!

Van Persie and Song were the last of the players that really made Arsenal tick… We do still have quality like Sagna, Walcott, Cazola, etc… but we have gotten rid of too many KEY CORE players that make Arsenal play the “Arsenal Way” that we have been used too! An inquest really needs to happen to whomever (Wenger or the Board) is to Really be blamed for the blatant lack of funding being spent on Top Quality Players to ensure that Arsenal are competing on a SERIOUS level, for all cups and the League!! This will be the season where enough is enough!!

4:23 pm on December 3, 2012

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Mike says:

The doom mongers are out again. Don’t act like sheep and belive a few brainless fans and the anti-Arsenal media.

4:34 pm on December 3, 2012

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- Rob M says:
  
  What…and believe the AKB’s like you that have help drive this club into what it has become……a team to be ridiculed by every Tom, Dick and Harry. If you cannot see this, and maybe in some perverted way, enjoy it, then that is your prerogative, but Sunshine, it is not mine. Hope you achieve some mental strength soon. Love and Kisses!
  
  6:51 pm on December 3, 2012
  
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mark says:

Mike, Even a brainless fan knows that squillaci is not good enough FACT!! and chamakh, santos, etc etc…….. and a fan with a brain knows are squad depth is severely lacking, and this all will continue until the fans relise how poor things are, your all happy watching passionless football and rigid and predictable formations, I have been an Arsenal supporter since 87, The current team is really lacking character and leaders, lacking power in the middle, and flair, pace and power up top, the defense is susceptible to counter attacks, it may sound great telling a team to play without fear, I just see that leading to silly football and us again being caught on the counter, we have to see so much needs fixing on the field!!

4:48 pm on December 3, 2012

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TIMSGR8 says:

Where is Eisfield and Gnabry if u are sincere with that action Wenger? This is just another Calculated plan to

4:53 pm on December 3, 2012

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TIMSGR8 says:

Where is Eisfield and Gnabry if u are sincere with that action Wenger? This is just another Calculated plan to fail the club the more

4:55 pm on December 3, 2012

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bronx says:

Where is eisfield and gnabry it shows wenger has lost his touch

4:57 pm on December 3, 2012

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vantricee says:

Another loss,since RAMSEY is in there and he will definitely start,just pray d gaol will not be much,4 goals to zero wil bi ok but anytin more than that will be an insult!

5:09 pm on December 3, 2012

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young gunner says:

Finally arsenal need to use the energy and excitment these young players have this could set off a spark that arsenal so desperately needs but still could use gnabry and eisfield

5:09 pm on December 3, 2012

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Foolishgooner says:

Woj
Jenk Squillici TV ?

TR Ramsey Coq Gervinho

Arshavin

Chamakh.

Lord have Mercy! We must go 4 4 2 or this will rival the most f’up lost we have ever had. I see lots of goals, that team is wrong it might just work. I know Chamakh and Gervinho will put better defensive performence, and i’m hoping Tomas Rosicky and Andrey “mad russian” Arshavin’s class shows up. I fear Ramsey’s willingness to get the ball from his teammates feet (instead of making runs)! and the given odd mistakes of TV and looming failure named Squillaci. No matter the result, i love my gunners.

5:41 pm on December 3, 2012

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Ronald says:

Wenger is old enough to coach

5:50 pm on December 3, 2012

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Ike says:

I ve no other club than arsena, but we should tell our selfs the truth we are not trying. Look @ d like of manu, chel, are d ones playing arsenal brand of football.

5:54 pm on December 3, 2012

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bc says:

People please learn the rules

eisfeld cannot play in this seasons champions league. because he hasnt been at the club 2 years he is classed as an a list player. we are only allowed to name 25 a listers so players like him iliev olsson toral and martinez were left out. wenger did however choose gnabry who is only missing because he has an injury.

6:02 pm on December 3, 2012

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bc says:

Even this team should be able to cope

szcesney
jenkinson squillaci vermaelen meade
coquelin ramsey
chamberlain rosicky arshavin
gervinho

however if it were up to me i would not risk szcesney jenkinson vermaelen chamberlain or gervinho instead i would go with this team

shea
angha hajrovic squillaci meade
coquelin ramsey
ansah rosicky arshavin
chamakh

6:14 pm on December 3, 2012

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Hassan suleman says:

Dont mind them there are after money therefore if u suppurt arsenal u suppurt if not change how many years We tropless.

6:14 pm on December 3, 2012

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Goonerboyo says:

Play them all, we may need more than 11 on the pitch to win a match unless Olympiakos have a player sent off.
Or
Pick the guys who care and are passionate about the club, the result is irrelevant

6:35 pm on December 3, 2012

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ken says:

Where is Eisfield and Gnabry what is ramsy doing there

6:52 pm on December 3, 2012

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- Goonerboyo says:
  
  More important academy and carling cup games coming up of course.
  I think Wenger should play the weakest team with all the useless players we all want to leave and have a simultaneous auction.
  Clubs could buy the players during the game. They, put in a successful bid the the payer is pulled off put on a plane for their new club and replaced with another player for sale.
  Reckon that would work?
  
  7:14 pm on December 3, 2012
  
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bolaji says:

Eisfied and gnabry cant play bcos they are already playing n d nxt generation series-a champions league 4 u-21…….so dont blame wenger cos are nt legidible 2 play…….bt arsenal really nids serious reshufflement and reconstructing….the players lacks the winning mentality n club like man u…..and d never say die spirit is died among the clubplayers…..the backline nids serious attention likewise d attack.

7:15 pm on December 3, 2012

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bolaji says:

Both players-Eisfied and gnabry cant play bcos they are already playing n d nxt generation series-a champions league 4 u-21…….so dont blame wenger cos are nt legidible 2 play…….bt arsenal really nids serious reshufflement and reconstructing….the players lacks the winning mentality n club like man u…..and d never say die spirit is died among the clubplayers…..the backline nids serious attention likewise d attack.

7:18 pm on December 3, 2012

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Muvic says:

God av mercy!!! What has gne wrng wif dis man…Anoda loss!

7:56 pm on December 3, 2012

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The font says:

Mark and rob m what a pair of twats which way do you want it wenger useless manager worst team ever well this team finished above the European champions last year and only had the zillions of city and the biggest club in the world Manu in front of them not bad for a crap team and a useless manager I suppose you want pep or Jose well do you think with this team they would be able to overcome the mancs no I did not think so

9:59 pm on December 3, 2012

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kem says:

Where is Eisfield and Gnabry ?

11:01 pm on December 3, 2012

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Adah says:

Giving some of the first team players rest is a good call. But my guestion is, can’t we buy better players so that anytime we are playing we fans can be rest assured we will have a good game and win even if the reverse is the case. One major thing that gave rise to all these protests is that we lost our special breed of football and we are still losing games. Self appointed analyst like Shearer once said we can’t play beautiful football and win competition. It is now I know that himself and cohorts were only jealous of what we were enjoying despite not winning competitions.

2:05 pm on December 4, 2012

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