How Arsenal can beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp

1. Arsenal have scored on every Champions League visit to the Nou Camp

Another positive statistics for Arsenal.

On the three occasions they have visited the Nou Camp they have registered a goal. They need two at least, and to not concede if they are going to have a chance of winning.

Arsenal to not concede? Tall ask. But they could well score.

2. Start Welbeck; drop Giroud

Down the flanks, Arsenal need players who can carry the ball and exploit the space in behind Jordi Alba and Dani Alves, and Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott are all better fits in the wide areas. They have the speed and energy to shut down Barca and cause Luis Enrique's side problems by hassling their back four.

Upfront, Olivier Giroud doesn't have the speed across the ground to trouble Barcelona's defenders, but a fast, energetic threesome - like Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott - could be the perfect tonic.

Welbeck can start upfront, so Walcott can operate from the right with Sanchez on the left.

3. Be organised, discplined and forget about possession

Arsenal need to be responsible defensively, keep their organisation, be intelligent with when to press, who to press, and when to retreat to rediscover their shape.

Barcelona will always deploy their favourite 4-3-3 formation - pushing full-backs high, dominate the ball, dictate everything. But they place a lot of strain on both the two centre-backs and the midfield anchorman from a defensively, and leave space to exploit.

What is then important to Arsenal is that when they get the ball back, the first pass should be a good one: it needs to be vertical and accurate.

String two or three good, vertical passes together and the Gunners will soon find themselves in a position of promise.

4. Make the most of set pieces

Arsenal should make good use of their set pieces and make it count. Whenever they earn a free-kick in a dangerous area, the delivery needs to be precise. Corners must not hit the first man nor be plucked from the air by the goalkeeper.

Barcelona are set to have just two six-footers in their starting XI - Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique - but with the likes of Per Mertesacker/Gabriel Paulisa, Laurent Koscielny, Olivier Giroud/Danny Welbeck, Arsenal have a definite height advantage.

5. Luck

The best team doesn't always win in football and, while Barcelona have more quality, the reason we like this sport is that it doesn't offer them any guarantee of success.

Cross your fingers, Arsene.