Many believe Arsenal's away form in Europe has become a joke, and Arsene Wenger confirmed as much yesterday. Asked before the flight here to recall the last time he was happy with a performance on a Champions League trip, the manager paused. "Have you got a history book?" he replied.
Beneath the joviality, Wenger knows results must improve, starting tonight. His side have suffered five away defeats in a row since February, scoring once, and cannot rely on Highbury again.
The Frenchman looked relaxed at the start of a fortnight which could go some way to determining Arsenal's season. Manchester United visit on Sunday, Juventus in the next Champions League game on Tuesday week. The good news was that Thierry Henry came through training on his suspect ankle last night, but Martin Keown remains a doubt.
The Spanish champions and league leaders twice defeated United in the first phase, and their swift, skilful counter-attacking will surely bring more pain for Wenger unless his team show greater verve than has become customary on European trips. He admits his players performed at Panathinaikos like men with a mental block, but he is not worried by the losing run.
"It doesn't really bother me and this is a big night for us to show I'm right not to be bothered," he said. "I believe the team has the character and determination to do the same. We achieve good results away in the championship and there's no reason we can't do it in Europe."
Too often Arsenal have been passive. Aware that tonight could set the tone for the rest of the campaign, Wenger wants his team to perform "without the handbrake".
Henry will be on the bench if he suffers a reaction today, leaving the starting roles to Nwankwo Kanu and Sylvain Wiltord, who seems likely to shake off a knee problem.
"It's a relief Dennis Bergkamp isn't travelling," said Deportivo's coach Javier Irureta. "If Henry doesn't play, all the better."
With Keown (rib) given only a 40 per cent chance of playing, Gilles Grimandi could stand in at centre-back to face a Deportivo side which have scored in all their league and European games this season. Sol Campbell, having survived bottles and abuse at Tottenham on Saturday, must deal with the more subtle threat of Diego Tristan, who got two goals at Old Trafford.
"It will be easier mentally but technically more difficult for Sol," said Wenger.
In goal, Richard Wright must wipe memories of his late error at Spurs. He responded to a poor display against Charlton by keeping a clean sheet against Manchester United in the English League Cup.
Christian Vieri and Ronaldo will miss Internazionale's UEFA Cup third-round, first-leg match against Ipswich tomorrow.
DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA (4-2-3-1, possible): Molina; Scaloni, Donato, Naybet, Romero; M Silva, Emerson; Victor, Valeron, Amavisca; Diego Tristan.
ARSENAL (4-4-2, possible): Wright; Lauren, Campbell, Keown/Grimandi, Cole; Ljungberg, Vieira, Van Bronckhorst, Pires; Kanu, Henry/Wiltord.
