Reid out to catch Arsenal cold...
BILLY Reid is aware that the rest of Europe believes that Ostersunds FK have no chance of beating Arsenal in the Europa League last-32 first leg clash tonight.
However, the former Hamilton Accies manager is convinced his Swedish side can pull off the biggest shock of all time in Europe’s second competition by turning over Arsene Wenger’s stellar cast.
The Scot, who is assistant to English manger Graham Potter, is hoping that the sub-zero temperatures in Sweden will inspire another Nordic football fairy tale.
Ostersunds knocked out Galatasaray in the qualifying rounds and won their group ahead of Spain’s Athletic Bilbao and Germany’s Hertha Berlin.
Now Arsenal will visit the Jamkraft Arena and Reid feels the sellout 9000 crowd and artificial pitch will work in the Swedes’ favour.
“We had the BBC cameras here to film us last week and it was -18 when we trained,” said Reid. “I don’t think they could believe we were working out in that cold. Arsenal have played in Russia before but I still think they will get a shock when they see our place.
“We’ve had a lot of heavy snowfalls in northern Sweden in the last month. The club had to clear the pitch a couple of weeks ago and before our Swedish Cup tie with Trelleborg.
“It should be -5 at match time which is fine for our players. They know how to play on a synthetic surface on those temperatures but it will take a bit of time for Arsenal to get used to it.
“It will be a bit like an FA Cup tie for Arsenal at a small club. Very unfamiliar.
“We’ve had two training camps, in Tenerife and Marbella, where we faced Lokomotiv Moscow and Dynamo Kiev, so that’s been a great help. We fear no-one at home.”