So, apart from the inevitable absence of the phobic Dennis Bergkamp, Arsene Wenger has chosen to rest only 3 regulars. Jens Lehmann gets a well-earned break between the sticks, giving Mart Poom a rare chance to sit on the bench, and ever-presents Kolo Toure and Gilberto have also stayed at home. Wenger has been quoted as saying that all 3 have "minor knocks" but hopefully he's just saying that for form's sake.

Wenger has said that "maybe" Alexandre Song will start the game, and a good few previews are taking this to mean that he'll be playing alongside Cesc Fabregas in central midfield. But he's also said that he thinks that Mathieu Flamini will play. So, unless he's thinking of trying Song in defence, it looks like Cesc will start the game either on the right or on the bench. Personally I'd prefer it to be the latter. While a relatively pressure-free game such as this is a good experience for the youngsters, Freddie Ljungberg needs to keep playing so he can recover the kind of form that could help transform our season (he had a quiet game at Wigan at the weekend).

Song, on the other hand, sounds like a grafter ("He has a good knowledge of how to use his body in a fight," says Wenger). So perhaps Cesc would be needed alongside him to provide the craft to go with that graft.

Wenger has also said that Jose Antonio Reyes will probably start the game. He was given day off on Saturday following the international break. The same is therefore likely to be true of Philippe Senderos, and of course it's to the defence that most Arsenal fans' eyes will be turning. Will Pascal Cygan be used at left back again? Frankly, let's hope not. He was caught out of position regularly on Saturday. Wenger may consider him the best option for the league, but he must know that he needs a better option, and tonight gives an opportunity to try to discover one. Emmanuel Eboue is available again after a groin problem kept him out at Wigan, and he could be the answer perhaps at right back with Lauren switching sides to cover for the broken-footed Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy. Having said all that, some sources are saying that Cygan is set to continue at left back. Wenger switched Freddie and Bobby on Saturday in order for Freddie to be available to cover for Pascal on the left (didn't seem to work particularly well, so I'm not sure we can blame Freddie's performance on his adidtional duties). So one wonders what effect whatever decision he makes in defence for tonight's line-up will affect the midfield line-up. For example, an inexperienced left-back might lead one to suppose that if Reyes does start, it'll be up front rather than on the left wing.

Speaking of the strike-force, both Arturo_Luploi and Nicholas_Bendnter have travelled, and I'd expect at least one of them to get a role, thought probably not from the start. Arsenal skipper Thierry Henry should break yet another record tonight. His 70th European appearance for the Gunners will break the club record set by David Seaman.

There are no players suspended for tonight's match but Thun have 3 who are one booking away from a ban: Jose Gonçalves, Nelson Ferreira and Selver Hodzic. Arsenal have only one player in that position. But it's Kolo Toure who isn't playing.

Thun are 5th in the Swiss league and, despite their good performances in their first ever Champs League season, are not doing too well overall. They've lost 4 of their last 5 competitive matches, including a 3-2 reversal at home to Neuchatel Xamax on Friday (after being 2-0 up).

Thun will be missing their captain Andreas Gerber, after it was confirmed that he won't play again until the new year, because of persistent Achilles tendon injuries. We have no other team news on the opposition, but it doesn't matter because no-one knows who any of them are anyway. Arsenal.com does have an interesting factfile on the club and their players, though.