Who are Hangzhou Greentown?

The second and last leg of Arsenal's Asian Tour take us to China, where the Gunners will take on Chinese Super League side Hangzhou Greentown. But who are Hangzhou? Hopefully this blog will give you a better indication of who we'll be facing come July 16th.

The team was formed in 1998, however they didn't have a senior level team until a year later. After many years of knocking at the door, they were finally promoted to the CSL in 2006 after finishing 2nd in China League One, 4 points behind Champions Henan. For the next couple of seasons since they battled to stave off relegation, and found themselves relegated at the end of the 2009 season, only to be spectacularly saved because two teams (Chengdu and Guangzhou) were found guilty of match fixing.

Having been saved from the drop the season before, Hangzhou made sure that this second chance would not go to waste and it sure didn't. Greentown finished 4th, with the race for the last Champions League place going down to the very last day of the season. Hangzhou needed to avoid defeat, which they did winning 1-0 against Qingdao Jonoon.

Hangzhou has had several international players don their shirt, the Honduran trio of Mauricio Sabillon (32 caps), Emil Martinez (57 caps), Jerry Palacios (13 caps), Macedonian midfielder Slavco Georgievski (20 caps) and Cameroon's Bertin Tomou (20 caps).

The Chinese Super League season is currently in full flow and Hangzhou currently sit in 8th place, out of 16 teams. They have played 16 games so far this season, having won 6, drawn 5 and lost 5.

Their biggest win of the season was 3-1 against Beijing Guoan. Their biggest league defeat is also the same scoreline against current league leaders Guangzhou. Hangzhou are currently a staggering 17 points behind the leaders, but are only 6 points behind last year's Champions Shandong Luneng who currently lie in the 4th and final Champions League place.

Their main striker, 22 year old Maimaitiyili Bali, hasn't lived

up to his display last season where he netted 13 times in 16 games. This season he has struggled to show anywhere near the same kind of potency, only managing to find the back of the net 3 times in 14 games.

Their top scorer this season is the former Real Mallorca Uruguayan midfielder Paulo Pezzolano Suarez who has scored 5 goals in 15 games. Followed by Honduran international midfielder Luis Quioto has scored 4 goals in 15 games.

Look for Quioto and Suarez to create most of their chances, especially Suarez who is their playmaker. However they shouldn't cause any real trouble for our defence who should keep them at bay.

Hangzhou have played against English opposition before, in 2009 they took on a travelling Manchester United team amidst their Asia Tour. Man United went on to thrash them 8-2.

Will we repeat Manchester United's score from two years ago? I doubt it, not because we're not good enough, because we are, but because when we storm to a big lead Wenger makes sure we take it down a peg or two so we don't embarrass the opposition.

I expect us to at the very least equal our score against Malaysia, hopefully my boy Ryo Miyaichi finds his way onto the score sheet as maybe if he has some senior level goals for us, his work permit might be allowed. One thing is for sure, the Wilshere and Ramsey combo will tear their defence to shreds.