Volz in line for Arsenal start

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger is ready to throw teenage rookie Moritz Volz into the Champions League deep end tonight if his side’s defensive injury crisis does not ease.

Volz, 19, has previously started just one first-team game. That was against Ipswich Town in the Worthington Cup two year's ago.

However, injuries to Oleg Luzhny, Lauren and Ray Parlour as well as a suspension to Kolo Toure mean that the German was an emergency call-up to the squad for tomorrow's tie at Roma at the start of the second group stage.

He was even taken off at half-time in the club's reserves game at Watford last night as a precaution and could now be lining up against the likes of Francesco Totti and Argentinian Gabriel Batistuta.

Wenger is still hoping that Luzhny will recover from the hamstring injury which has prevented him from training but rates him as having only a 20% chance of playing.

''I will wait as long as possible for him as I do not have that much choice at right-back. Apart from him and Moritz Volz, our only other solution is people who are not used to playing in that position,'' he said.

''Apart from the Worthington Cup, it's always a very difficult decision for us to give a chance to one of the younger players as you are always playing in very important games.

''It's not the Worthington Cup tomorrow night but I have no doubts about Moritz Volz.''

Volz's only other first-team experience was a recent substitute's role in the Worthington Cup against Sunderland.

Wenger, who is also without Martin Keown, Dennis Bergkamp and Kanu, has another doubt over David Seaman.

However, he gives the goalkeeper a 90% chance of recovering from a recurrence of his groin injury.

The fitness situation is still worrying for the Arsenal boss, especially ahead of a game which is likely to set the tone for the rest of a tough group, which also contains Valencia and Ajax.

''In a very difficult group, this game is a big test. To win this one would put us in an ideal position,'' said Wenger.

''It's vital for us to do well away as our home performances will almost certainly not be enough.''

Wenger expects a stern challenge from Roma despite defensive problems of their own, having lost 3-0 at Parma on Sunday, leaving them ninth in Serie A and nine points adrift of leaders AC Milan.

''They have certainly a lack of defensive consistency but we know it will take an outstanding performance from us to win, without speculating on any defensive weakness from Roma,'' he declared.

''It will be a special game against a team with big players. They will be fired up and highly motivated in a very hostile atmosphere.

''They are not at their best level of confidence but it looks like their best chance is in the Champions League.''

Wenger, who believes that Roma's strengths lie in the spine of their side most notably, Brazilian Emerson and playmaker Totti has not been surprised to see the re-emergence of Italian teams in Europe.

Having struggled in comparison with English and Spanish teams over recent seasons, four Italian clubs have made the last 16 of the Champions League this time.

''I was always convinced they would come back and, through their national team, they have realised that they had to come out and play more than they did before.

"They have the quality there,'' he explained.

''Financially, they are stronger because clubs can sign individual television deals.

"Italy is a capitalist country in the extreme. Juventus have a huge contract and Chievo have almost nothing.''

Arsenal, despite their patchy recent form, nevertheless arrive in Rome with seemingly their best chance of making a real impact on the Champions League.

Now they must turn that potential into reality.