Why Arsenal can shock the world and win the Champions League

By Steve Stammers

Published 09:29 08/09/10

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Maybe, just maybe Arsenal's time has come in the Champions League.

European football's premier club tournament is launched next week and Arsene Wenger's men should have few problems emerging from a group that contains Sporting Braga, Partizan Belgrade and Shakhtar Donetsk. Not easy - but it could have been a lot worse.

Arsene Wenger has bolstered his squad shrewdly in the summer. The decision of Cesc Fabregas to stay almost counts as an added bonus after the summer of speculation and though the failure to land a top-class goalkeeper could cost Arsenal the Premier League title, Wenger may have enough in the armoury to fill the one void left on his impressive CV - the European Cup.

What he needs this season is the commodity that has eluded him in recent seasons - luck. Luck with decisions, luck with injuries, luck with the draw.

But if the playing field stays level, Arsenal have little to fear. The central defensive options are now impressive. Thomas Vermaelen had a major impact in his first season and Wenger can now choose between the two Frenchmen he signed in the summer to partner him - or indeed each other. Laurent Koscielny has looked impressive while Sebastien Squillaci has immense experience with both France and Seville. Johan Djourou continues to improve so Wenger should be able to mix and match with some confidence.

At full-back, Kieran Gibbs is already pushing Gael Clichy and more can be expected this season from Samir Nasri. But it is up front where Wenger now has re-inforcements which may well enable him to consider that the Champions League trophy is a tangible prize.

He has firepower at his disposal that will be able to penetrate the most organised defences in Europe. Andrey Arshavin - if he can stop moaning about London traffic for one minute - is a maverick talent who can explode with devastating effect. Robin van Persie can only get better and thrive on the service from the likes of Fabregas while Nicklas Bendtner's contribution will be valuable if he can lose some of the arrogance and concentrate on using his strength and power.

Then there's Marouane Chamakh. He has yet to reproduce on the Premier League stage the promise he showed in pre-season but that will come. Deep down, Wenger must regret his failure to cough up the £10 million Bordeuax wanted a year ago as he preferred to wait 12 months to sign the Moroccan on a free transfer.

Given the front-line problems Arsenal had last season, that proved to be something of a false economy as Arsenal's resources were stretched to the limit and the European charge faded while the Premier League title campaign melted.

Now Wenger has strength in depth. With a top quality goalkeeper rather than the very good one he has in Manuel Almunia, a Premier League-Champions League double would not have been out of the question.

But European glory is the realistic target and a final against Real Madrid at Wembley - provided the draw keeps them apart - would pit Wenger against his old adversary Jose Mourinho. An interesting clash at the very least.

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