SOCCER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Olympiakos v Arsenal Venue: Karaiskakis Stadium Kick-off:Tonight, 7.45pm On TV:Setanta Ireland, Sky Sports 4 IN ONE tweet that derided Samir Nasri over his decision to swap Arsenal for Manchester City, Emmanuel Frimpong did more than forge new linguistic frontiers. Which is a speciality of his, incidentally. The 19-year-old midfield firebrand advertised his streetwise confidence and his refusal to bow to reputations.
Anyone who watched him tear a strip off Andrey Arshavin, Arsenal’s seasoned Russia international, for not tracking back in the win against Swansea City in September would have had the impression reinforced. It was only Frimpong’s fifth appearance for the club. And last week there was the tunnel bust-up with Nasri after the League Cup defeat by City.
Frimpong is a young man in a headlong hurry to impose himself. Perhaps there is the desire to make up for lost time, after he missed virtually the whole of last season with cruciate damage.
There is a raw energy and intensity to his game and he stepped over the line on his full Premier League debut against Liverpool when he was sent off for two late tackles. He recognised that he cost his team that day and, in the hothouse of Olympiakos’s Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, he will be presented with the latest staging post in his development.
Arsene Wenger will start him in an experimental team, having earned the right to rest his established stars, as history has repeated itself in the Champions League. In 2009-10 Arsenal visited Olympiakos in their final group tie in an unassailable position and they have once again travelled here assured of advancing to the last 16 as group winners.
In December 2009 the manager named the youngest team in the competition’s history. They lost 1-0, a result that allowed Olympiakos to confirm their qualification. This time out, the Greek club need a positive result in order to stand a chance of overhauling second-placed Marseille, who play at Borussia Dortmund.
Frimpong will not be the only young gun desperate to impress. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to start on the right wing and Wenger’s travelling party also included Ignasi Miquel, Nico Yennaris, Francis Coquelin, Craig Eastmond and Oguzhan Ozyakup.
“When I got my injury last season, I thought I would never get my chance for Arsenal,” Frimpong said. “I thought players like (Abou) Diaby, (Alex) Song and (Aaron) Ramsey would all be back from their injuries before me. But you cannot predict anything in football. I just have to keep trying to force the issue.”
It will be a test of temperament for Frimpong as much as anything else; an opportunity for him to show his strength of character, which was forged in a tough neighbourhood in Tottenham, to where his family emigrated in 2000 from Ghana. Frimpong, who played for Broadwater Farm FC, from where he was recommended to Wenger, aged 11, was born in Ghana and his pride at his roots has seen him declare for them, despite having represented England at under-16 and under-17.
In many ways, Frimpong is the typical London lad but his talent has set him apart. He was a big noise in junior football, where his imposing reputation invariably preceded him and he is determined for it to do likewise at senior level. This tie is anything but dead for him.
Guardian Service
PERMUTATIONS
Marseille would guarantee their place with a win in Dortmund and a draw would be enough if Olympiakos do not beat Arsenal. Olympiakos need to beat Arsenal and hope Marseille do not win. Borussia must beat Marseille by four goals and rely on Arsenal to beat Olympiakos.
However, there is another scenario in which Dortmund beat Marseille and Olympiakos draw, leaving all three teams on seven points. In this case, goal difference would decide.
