Arsenal hope to continue good run in European opener against Montpellier

After a frustrating start to the season, Arsenal appear to have hit form just in time for today's trip to competition debutants Montpellier in their opening Champions League fixture.

Held 0-0 by Sunderland and then Stoke City in the Premier League, Arsenal kick-started their campaign with a 2-0 win at Liverpool on September 2 before routing promoted Southampton 6-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Gunners endured a turbulent summer with captain Robin van Persie and Alex Song leaving the club. Manager Arsene Wenger has been thrilled to see his side find their feet ahead of a testing run of fixtures in the weeks ahead.

"We have a big week coming up because we go on Tuesday now to Montpellier," said Wenger, who is bidding to lead his side into the knockout rounds for the 13th consecutive season.

"On Sunday we play at Man City [in the Premier League] and we have two interesting weeks coming up because we play Chelsea as well.

"We will know more about our team then but there is a positive energy in this team, a desire to play well together, and real team play. It is very exciting."

Wenger will watch today's game at Stade de la Mosson from the stands as he serves the first match of a three-game ban for confronting the referee following last season's Champions League elimination by AC Milan.

His absence from the dug-out for the group B fixture is likely to provide only scant comfort for his opposite number, Rene Girard, however.

Today's match will represent Montpellier's first-ever appearance in Europe's top club competition but the French champions have had a terrible start to their domestic season, losing three and drawing one of their first five games.

The Mediterranean club have shipped eight goals already, despite having boasted the meanest defence in Ligue 1 last season, and Girard accused his players of defending "like juniors" in Friday's 3-1 defeat at promoted Reims.

"We need to wake up quickly," said Girard. "Because if we don't, we're going to fall from a great height on Tuesday."

Olivier Giroud makes his return to the club he left in the summer to join Arsenal, and Girard can only hope that the France international striker continues to fire blanks.

Giroud's 21 goals last season spearheaded Montpellier's unlikely title success but he is still waiting to get off the mark for Arsenal after four matches without finding the net.

"I want to score in every match, but if I score against Montpellier I will keep the celebration small," the 25-year-old striker told the Arsenal website.

"That is normal for anybody, for the club and Montpellier fans. It will be out of respect to my old club."