Wenger: Maybe this is Arsenal’s lucky year

Arsenal had needed to overturn a 3-2 defeat at home to Olympiakos earlier in the season when they faced the Greek champions away in a Group F showdown.

Olivier Giroud took the penalty, and he calmly placed it into the corner of the goal to complete his hat trick.

Arsenal are used to making their lives hard in Europe, but instead of their seemingly annual heroic failure, this time they – inspired by Giroud, a man blamed for previous exits – were faultless.

Arsenal, who finished second in group standings behind Bayern Munich, can now get Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Zenit St Petersburg, Wolfsburg and Barcelona in Champions League draw.

But England forward Walcott believes Arsenal are a hard proposition for any of those sides so long as they do not fall into the same trap which saw them eliminated by Monaco at the same stage previous year.

“I am pleased as it was a good test for us”.

Many supporters urged Wenger to sign Benzema las summer, yet the Arsenal boss explains his side have no need for him, with Giroud proving more than capable at the Emirates.

“It will make us stronger and strengthen the belief of the squad”, he said. How he needed them. They can not face Manchester City or Chelsea (who topped their respective groups) as teams from the same country are kept apart in the Round of 16 (no such restrictions apply in the latter stages).

“That is what you want going into this Christmas period because during it, it is where it pans out where you are going to be in the Premier League at the end”.

Wenger hailed his team’s character and suggested that fortune could be favouring them in this season’s European campaign. It is just the way it is now.

The Frenchman is clearly trying to keep the minds of his players sharply focused on the job in hand and the way he is doing that, an Arsenal.com report reveals, is to target those final four EPL games, starting today with the visit to bottom club Aston Villa.

He said: “The sort of attitude we had in the dressing room was “never give up”.

He added: “We obviously don’t want Barcelona as they are a top team but for the rest, we will see”.

“Nine times out of 10 you are out (after such a poor start)”. Not many people gave us a chance. Wednesday was one of his best performances on all fronts. Recently he has come back with an improved game in his finishing and link play.