Joel Campbell says Wednesday’s Matchday Six showdown with Olympiacos will be like a ‘cup final’ for Arsenal.
The Gunners travel to Athens knowing they must win by two clear goals or secure a victory scoring at least three goals if they’re to qualify from Group F at the expense of their hosts.
Speaking after Saturday’s win against Sunderland, Campbell – who spent the 2013/14 season on loan at Olympiacos – told Arsenal.com that his teammates will need to produce their best form to secure safe passage to the knockout rounds.
“We have to prepare mentally and physically for Wednesday’s game because it will be very difficult.
“We already played against Olympiacos at Emirates Stadium. They are a great team, a great rival and especially because they play at home.
“In the Pireo (Karaiskakis Stadium) it is very difficult to get points but it is the last game of the group stage and we will give our best.
“It is the most important game of the season so far. It will be a cup final and we have to win to continue in the Champions League.”
To underline the challenge we face on Wednesday it’s worth remembering that Arsene Wenger’s men have been beaten in their three previous visits to the Karaiskakis Stadium.
It’s not just us that’s suffered in Athens, Olympiacos take great pride in their home form in Europe. Last year the Greeks beat finalists Juventus at home and in over the past decade they’ve also recorded memorable wins over Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United (against whom Campbell played and scored), Benfica and Atletico Madrid.
Also we’re wearing our terrible third shirt.
It’s one of those shirts that would be improved by a mauling in the washing machine.
Just score enough goals to win the game and we won’t need a washing machine. More importantly, that would banish the jinx forever. FOREVER! COYG!
That shirt should be killed by fire before it lays eggs!
My heart says we should go all out for a 2-0 but my mind says we should just focus on avoiding any more injuries to the paper thin squad!!:(
Not optimistic at all for the CL, but we’ll have a better chance in the league if we play a depleted team in the Europa League and try to win the league. We deserve to be top of the PL now (Mike Dean) and have a great chance to be top going into the New Year – compare Leicester’s fixtures v ours.
Totally agree. If we end up in Europa league, put the youngsters in for experience and focus on the PL instead. In this league, we actually have a great chance of winning with everyone being so inconsistent.
Worth throwing all the eggs in the big basket!
Getting knocked out from the Champions League would have its negative mental impact too though.
I was looking at the champions league groups..with a fit squad (hahah) I look at the teams in it and it’s really only bayern and barca that are scary..psg and Madrid maybe to a lesser extent..the rest I think we could actually have more than a fair chance against..
I really hope United and Chelsea don’t top their groups, as that would give less chance of getting Real or Barca, and getting Porto or Wolfsburg would be great. Still, at least we can’t get Bayern this time.
I feel like if we can do the job against Olympiakos and get through the round of 16, then by the time we get to the quarterfinals we might just have a mostly fit squad that can beat anyone on a good day.
Oh no not the third shirt – or should that read the “turd” shirt!!! Anyway I suspect Joel’s previous experience at Olympiacos will come in handy – go Joel score some delicious goals!!
Not the Europa league, not the Europa league, not the Europa league…
Thursday night channel 5
We have to avoid Spursday night football at all costs.
It’s a great opportunity for the likes of Campbell to establish their credentials.
Even Welsh Jesues in his preferred role.
I hope Wenger rests the Boss or Mertsacker a bit rather than playing him in most games they are available for. Even if it’s not against Olympiacos.
Joel carries a Baby’s pacifier in his shorts, sucks it when he scored then returns it to the lair that houses his genitals.
Just thought I’d remind you of this.
I’m not surprised very few players celebrate with him when he scores.
I don’t care if he keeps the Arsenal christmas dinner in his pants if he helps us win on Wednesday.
My only issue with his celebration is it takes forever to take out the pacifier. Very anticlimactic. If he does score our first goal against Olympiacos and waists time to get the damn pacifier out though, I can’t say I’ll be happy with that!
He should switch it up a bit, maybe wear a big nappy underneath next time and pull down his shorts to reveal them upon scoring.
Haha
You so hornsey indeed haha.
If we don’t qualify will he do a bawling tantrum throwing baby non-celebration I wonder..
Somebody should introduce him to velcro.
I sure hope he doesn’t take a blocked shot in the ‘pacifier’.
Yeah any sort of goal celebration that include literally sucking on a childs dummy are big no no’s for me. To be honest any sort of celebration that clarifies to the whole crowd / viewing world that the player has knocked up his girlfriend totally cringe me out to the extent where I almost stop celebrating. Some of my biggest cringe out celebrations are; the stuffing of the ball under the shirt obviously representing his girlfriends baby bum, or who could forget the old standing still hands gesturing a baby crib whilst they swing it side to side (sometimes team… Read more »
Baby bump* that should read.
Agreed! That thumb sucking is moronic. To pull an actual dummy from your pants and suck on it is beyond moronic!
Yeah it just makes me cringe out so hard when I am watching those types of celebration.
You’re a footballer, train hard, play well, show passion, respect the club and the fans…
Leave your private life at home.
Is it time to start the abbreviation “LACF”
Does that stand for “LACtating Forward”?
Win 2-0 away unexpectedly? It’s up for grabs now…
I’m a big fan of Joel. Not terribly consistent but I love his attitude and he’s no slouch when it comes to ability, on his day. He seems like a great back up for years to come and when you look at someone like Jamie Vardy, it shows that its never too late to improve. He’s only 24 so who knows, maybe we’ll be seeing a first team regular later on in his Arsenal career. Wishful thinking I know but still. Let’s hope he does his part and we get the points. PS: We need to break the curse of… Read more »
Arsenal could win every cup final going in that shirt, and it wouldn’t alter the fact that it’s an abomination of a kit. The fact that someone was paid to ‘design’ it makes me very cross indeed.
And it’s not just that someone was paid to design it, it’s also that someone else was paid thousands of pounds to look at all the choices and say “Yep, that’s the one.” Boggles the mind.
Next time we need a third kit put together, let’s at least hire people to do it who have some knowledge of Arsenal rather than a pack of boggarts whose only desire is to annoy supporters.
Joel Campbell is 23 years old.
Whoops! Even better 😉 lol sorry
That dummy goal celebration was a bit dodge, Joel!
Campbell has re-discovered his scoring instincts.
Even his wife can not keep his ‘shots’ from entering anymore.
UP THE ARSE.
Olympiacos, here comes Joel Campell.
She’s pregnant, his ‘shots’ can’t have been entering
UP THE ARSE.
Maybe they do things differently in the Campbell household.
Well, not exclusively. Always good to vary your game.
Their impressive home record doesnt worry me too much even if it should , and being reminded weve lost on our last 3 visits to Olimpiacos did not dampen my spirits at all . But on reading we will be wearing that fuck awaful 3rd kit my heart sank .
We’ve gone into away matches recently having to score goals against an opponent trying to protect a lead and in both cases (Bayern and Monaco) we scored two and just couldn’t get the third one we needed. This time all we need is two if we can keep them off of the board.
Here we go again with two ‘clear’ goals… Do goals exist as unclear events? They either are or are not.
They should play every game like a cup final. Even when we have teenagers in the team. I get what he means considering the magnitude of the game. But ffs, this is the Arsenal. The first two games showed us we have to cross over one last hurdle (mentality) to be considered among the best in Europe. All in good time I suppose. Whatever the result, the EPL title seems the most achievable at the moment. (Am assuming winning the FA Cup is just a formality these days). Seriously though, every game needs to be given 100%… No more defensive… Read more »
Give me Sanchez, Cazorla and Coquelin and I would’ve said job done already. Now with all the injuries, I’m less sure. Still, if we go into Europa, we better not fuck this up. We better play the kids exclusively.
Just get the job done lads please, and I must say that Joel’s celebration after scoring takes forever and a bit boring.
You always aim high. The sort of mentality that espouses aiming for Europa instead is defeatist. Had our players had similar gumption last season or the season before, we would be aiming for the league cup instead of say the FA cup which we retained. There is no significant advantage to playing Thursday nights and it has similar impact to PL (if not more). Going further in the CL is still more useful for the team than winning the Europa. You are playing at Europe’s top table and measuring your abilities by a higher yard stick. Granted we will likely… Read more »
Campbell may have a pivotal role to play. He had a successful loan spell with the Greeks and will know them well (vice versa they will know his qualities too) He has been industrious, shows good ball retention and good use of the ball. Ox looks still a bit rusty so I would think Campbell is a good option for us on one flank and likely Walcott on the other. Giroud should start as the Greeks will likely sit deep awaiting the counter. Rammni and the back four need to be very cautious and discipline. We are chasing goals and… Read more »
Let’s just put 3 or more in and make sure they have less than us. I don’t want to fuck around with goal line scrambles at 2-0.
Oh no, not that fucking shirt.
Not a big fan of the “cup final” cliche, but it seems we’ve mastered the art of winning Cup Finals now.
I believe if we do what’s required and we qualify from this group, we’d make it to at least the quarter finals, except of course we’re drawn against Barcelona in the next round. That Barca team is out of this world.
Oh no, not that abominable shirt again! Would give Puking Pastilles by Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes a run for their money…
Campbell can celebrate however he wants when he scores and if we fall into Europa then let’s with the Damn thing just to put one over that lot who got a cock on a ball.
Win
The could be…win the game (like we do when we need to), and then get knocked out early doors (if our squad is still too thin) and then do the double..simples??
The “plan”
Based on form and the season so far, Campbell should be ahead of Ox on the pecking order atm. I would like to see Theo and Campbell out wide with Ox to come in at 70 min mark for Theo.
Hey, Puma, you get the point yet? You get a job like this you need some CLASS in the designs. Take the fucking design responsibilities away from your interns and drunk design directors, because they’re not flying with this club!
Honestly when the kits were ‘leaked’ I thought the third kit was a color test patch sample. Unbelievable it is actually being worn. It boggles me to think Puma paid all that money to put THAT on display.
Have you noticed Santi has also lost his scoring touch since we switched to Puma?
Yeah Puma needs to dial back on their designs. The Arsenal kit is a classic and does not need much interpretation. KISS.
Campbell has been improving since starting regularly. His decision making is a strong point and if he continues to get familiar with the rest of the cast, he can continue to chip in with goals imo. Also Flamini. Again I don’t want tos ound like his agent because clearly he has lmitations but OTOH, I feel many imagine him to be a poorer player than he is. You will find 7amkickoff the stats armchair enthusiats construct an argument that Flamini got passed twise in the game (Coquelin gets passed too if he bothers to be objective) I thought Flamini was… Read more »