Source: Daily_Mail
Top Guns! Youngster Tom Cruise set for Arsenal debut in trip to Olympiakos
For a manager who has faced criticism of late over the height of his side, Arsene Wenger's decision to hand a first-team debut to a player by the name of Tom Cruise could be viewed in some quarters as a risk. [LNB]The 18-man Arsenal squad that travelled to face Olympiakos - Theo Walcott and Alex Song aside - were devoid of many first-team regulars. [LNB]But the inclusion of Cruise brought inevitable gags about star quality. [LNB] Fab four: Cruise (right) in training with (left to right) Walcott, Silvestre and Wilshere[LNB] Arsene Wenger open to offers for Arsenal youngster Jack Wilshere, with Rangers, Celtic and Middlesbrough all interestedTop Gunner! Tom Cruise set for debut as Wenger makes a Maverick choiceBarcelona ready to reject Arsenal's moves for striker Bojan KrkicSpurs refuse to lower Roman demands - but agent jokes ace could join Arsenal! Wenger even joined in the fun when asked if the 18-year-oldIslington-born left back was ribbed about his name. 'You're used toit,' replied the Arsenal manager. 'For me, there's only one Tom Cruise- and he is the one who plays for Arsenal!' [LNB][LNB]Although Arsenal have already qualified from the Champions League'sGroup H as table- toppers, the match will still be some baptism forCruise and the other teenagers on their first senior appearances. [LNB]Olympiakos's Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium will provide a dauntingatmosphere. It will also be a good yardstick for Wenger to assess theprogress of the next generation of talent off the Arsenal productionline. [LNB]Jack the lad: Wenger will listen to loan offers for Wilshere [LNB][LNB]Discussing Cruise, who featured throughout Arsenal's victorious FA Youth Cup campaign last season, Wenger said:[LNB] 'If you're in his boots you don't think for a second at the startof the season that you'll play in the Champions League. I believe he'sa very good footballer.' [LNB]The average age of the squad here has been boosted to just 20 by theinclusion of 32-year-old France defender Mikael Silvestre. Walcotttravelled after recovering from a hamstring injury and joined the likesof Fran Merida, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey. [LNB]Wilshere, in particular, will be in the spotlight. Wenger will allowthe 17-year-old midfielder to go out on loan in January on the provisohe is granted plenty of action. [LNB]The manager said: 'I'd prefer a team in the Premier League for him, but a top club in the Championship could be interesting.' [LNB]Wenger will be hoping his side can erase the memory of their defeatto Manchester City in the Carling Cup last week, but he has hopesbeyond that for the likes of Luke Ayling, Kerrea Gilbert, FrancisCoquelin, Kyle Bartley and Gilles Sunu against Olympiakos.[LNB] 'It will be a good experience for them and a chance for them to show their talent,' said the Frenchman. [LNB]'We have to show away from home with a young team that we can be solid defensively, and we will be judged on the result.' [LNB]Standard Liege will be keeping a close eye on the result of thiscontest, too, but may not share Wenger's sense of anticipation againstthe Greek champions. [LNB]A point will be good enough to see Olympiakos progress ahead of theBelgian side, who must beat AZ Alkmaar to stand a chance of making theknockout stages. [LNB]Wenger, however, insists he is showing full respect to the integrityof the competition and made no apologies for the sweeping changes inpersonnel in view of the trip to Liverpool on Sunday. [LNB]He said: 'The most important thing is the quality of our game, thatwe are committed and fight to win. If Standard Liege are in thisposition, then it's because they couldn't win the games before.' [LNB]Wenger, meanwhile, is adamant Andrey Arshavin will not have beeninvolved in pre-match drinking after the Russian FA launched a probeinto claims of misbehaviour at a Moscow hotel in the run-up to theWorld Cup play-off against Slovenia last month. Russia failed toqualify for the finals over the two-legged tie. [LNB] Arsene Wenger open to offers for Arsenal youngster Jack Wilshere, with Rangers, Celtic and Middlesbrough all interestedTop Gunner! Tom Cruise set for debut as Wenger makes a Maverick choiceBarcelona ready to reject Arsenal's moves for striker Bojan KrkicSpurs refuse to lower Roman demands - but agent jokes ace could join Arsenal![LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People:Jack Wilshere, Andrey Arshavin, Alex Song, Tom CruisePlaces:Liverpool, Russia, France, Slovenia
