Sky Sports pundit foresees intriguing tie in Turkey for Arsene Wenger's stuttering Gunners
Tuesday 9 December 2014 10:41, UK
The Champions League group stage concludes this week and Sky Sports will bring you 15 live games with qualification for the knock-out phase still up for grabs. Graeme Souness previews Liverpool's crunch game with Basel and Arsenal's trip to Galatasaray...
Liverpool v Basel
This will be an electrifying night at Anfield, knowing the way the supporters are and what this means to them.
It’s really hard to predict what Liverpool will do this season. They are doing the worst thing you can do in football, which is not scoring enough goals and conceding daft goals. But I still want to believe that with the crowd behind them they can get the result they need.
That’s my heart speaking. I believe the passion of the night will get them through.
This game is what European football is all about. It will be an electrifying night at Anfield, knowing the way the supporters are and what it means to them. The passion on the evening will get Liverpool through it.
Liverpool were lucky in both of the games against Ludogorets, especially to get the victory in the last minute in the first game. It’s not turned out the way they thought it would turn out or the way they wanted it to turn out. We thought Ludogorets and Basel would be the whipping boys but it hasn't been like that.
As far as Basel are concerned, I don’t think that even the most disciplined teams can set out and say, ‘we’ll go there and play for a draw’. I think you risk everything by doing that. Basel's attitude will be to go there and get a feel for the game and see how the games goes. But they will be trying to score a goal.
There is too much risk attached to saying, ‘we will go there, defend and nick a draw’, too many things can go wrong with that. They should go there and tell their midfield players and full-backs not to be too adventurous and just get a feel for the game and see what happens.
But this game is what European football is about. Sometimes you have to go and chase the game because you need to win it but at the same time you’ve got to keep the back door locked and I would suggest that Liverpool, at times this season, haven’t been good at either of those things.
It’s a dangerous game for them but I still have to believe that the passion on the evening will get them through it.
Galatasaray v Arsenal - 7pm,Tuesday, Sky Sports 5HD
Arsenal are not in the position they want to be in. If they had been going well in the league Arsene Wenger would have fielded his strongest team against Galatasaray as he would want to finish top of the group, because that has cost them dearly in the past.
But he’s now in a situation where qualifying for the next round is good enough. They’re not going to win the Champions League so he’s got to concentrate his thoughts now, he’s got some decisions to make because they’ve got to finish in the top four.
He’s got to strike a balance and get the best out of the group over the next two games because they’ve got to start winning games in the Premier League.
That's why he isn't fielding his strongest team and thinking he’s got to win in Turkey. Even though Dortmund are poor in their own league you would expect them to beat Anderlecht - and that means Arsenal can't win the group.
Galatasaray have changed their manager and had two or three really good results since Hamza Hamzaoglu took over so they’ll be playing with a bit of belief.
It’s a game in which the Turkish side will want to win to save face. Their players will have something to play for after a disappointing campaign so it really boils down to what Arsenal do.
I don't blame Wenger for having one eye on the Newcastle game at the weekend.
