Napoli vs Arsenal: Three tactical battles that will decide the game

Premier League leaders Arsenal fly to Italy to take on Rafa Benitez’s Napoli, hoping to avoid a defeat by three goals or more in order to advance in the knockout phase of this year’s Champions League. Arsene Wenger’s side are more than capable of toppling the Partenopei, but a travel to Stadio San Paolo has always been daunting for any side on this planet.

The Group of Death has lived up to expectations and tonight’s encounters in Group F means any two of the three teams among Napoli, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund can qualify. As of now, Arsenal are the best placed to qualify but then again anything can happen in the mad scramble for the quest of qualification.

So here at the three tactical battles which will eventually decide Napoli’s huge encounter against Arsenal:

The Napoli front line against Arsenal’s defence:

As things stand, Arsenal’s right back Bacary Sagna is expected to miss out on this crucial tie which means young Carl Jenkinson will fill his place on the right. This might just give the likes of Lorenzo Insigne or Dries Mertens whoever plays on the right to have a go at the Gunner’s back four.

Jose Maria Callejon will be also up against the equally pacy Kieran Gibbs but the game might just be decided in the final third as Higuain and Pandev are expected to go up against Mertesacker and Koscielny. To their credit, Arsenal have been brilliant at the back albeit the French-German pair, but make no mistake it will come under a huge test against a hungry Napoli outfit who will look to score three goals in order to qualify.

The Arsenal triumvirate against Napoli’s vulnerable defensive midfield:

The Arsenal midfiled is perhaps the best in England if not in the whole of Europe at the current moment. Knowing that Rafa Benitez will have to hand out Gokhan Inler and Valon Behrami the toughest job on the pitch, breaking out the Gunners weave of passes by playing in between Arsenal’s deep channels.

If they are to give any time and space to Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey near their penalty box, it will be curtains and match might just be decided in the spur of the moment.

Moreover, Marek Hamsik will also miss this lip-smacking of an encounter, meaning the likes of Behrami and Inler will have to double up, if Napoli are to have any chances of progressing through to the knockout stages.

Rafa Benitez vs Arsene Wenger:

It’s the master tactician against the grand ol’ Frenchman. No doubt, it will be one of the best matches of recent times. Even though Arsenal just blew away Napoli at the Emirates in the first fifteen minutes of that encounter, expect Benitez to have a more rugges and subtle style in order to dictate the play.

Napoli will press Arsenal incessantly from the first whistle but winning by a 3-0 margin at this point of time looks improbable given Napoli’s recent run of form and Arsenal’s midfield dominance.