Morning all.
It’s honours even as we go into tonight’s match against Bayer Leverkusen with a place in the Champions League quarter-finals at stake.
Not sure there’s much to say/write about the opposition really as it’s already been said or written. In the away fixture, it was clear to see how organised and dangerous the German club are and I’m sure they’ll be the same tonight.
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:
Hujlmand uses a 3-4-2-1 that expands into a bolder 3-2-5 with the wing-backs pushed on high and wide, while out of possession it reverts into a 5-4-1.
They pop the ball around all over the pitch with Garcia pulling the strings. This confidence in possession means Leverkusen are also happy to play out from the back, taking risks in a bid to slice through the opposition press. They also like to move the ball wide as often as possible, stretching the game out.
Left-sided Alejandro Grimaldo is capable of scoring from free kicks or from long range, while Algerian youngster Ibrahim Maza takes up lovely positions in pockets of space between the lines, and carries the ball with authority. In the first leg they retreated behind the ball for much of the contest, keeping a very disciplined shape. Their mid-to-low block is not easy to break down, so it is vital we move the ball around with speed and intensity. However, after the league phase Leverkusen had conceded more shots from high turnovers than anyone else, so, if we press well there is every chance we can force mistakes.
Since the two clubs met in Germany, Bayer held Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw at home. Mind you, Vincent Kompany’s side were down to ten men just a few minutes before halftime and nine with around ten minutes to go.
Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino remain on the sidelines and now Jurrien Timber has joined them but at least his injury seems to be nothing serious. The way he was celebrating Max Dowman’s goal would suggest he’ll be back sooner rather than later. Thankfully, Ben White is fully fit now, as it Leandro Trossard.
Bayern are without Seghir, Arthur, Bade, Vazquez and Flekken.
During his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta was asked what his team needs to do to be better than they were in Germany:
Especially in the first half, and especially a lot of actions that we didn’t even finish, and we allowed counter-attacks there, which is the worst thing that we can do against them as well. We will step up, we will make better decisions for sure, and be more of a threat in that intention.
A lot of factors will contribute for us to be in the quarter-finals tomorrow night after the game, and we need to put every single element that we have to be in our favour to achieve that. They have a lot of quality individually in a lot of areas of the pitch, and as every team they have their strengths, their weaknesses, and we will try to target them.
Captain and central defender Andrich is a clumsy player who on another day with a different set of officials, could have been sent off. Saying that, a different set of officials might not have awarded us a penalty late in the game. I know I wouldn’t have if I was the one operating VAR. My point though is our front players need to put Andrich under pressure to see if he bites, just as we should have done in the first leg after he’d been booked and then warned shortly afterwards. I’m pretty sure Viktor Gyokeres will return to the starting eleven tonight and if he does, will it be Kai Havertz or Ebe Eze behind him I wonder.
For the stats fans, history is on our side as Bayer Leverkusen have lost 8 of their 11 away games against English sides in this competition, however, they have improved that record slightly of late with a victory at The Etihad against earlier in the competition. In general, Bayern seem to do well on the road this season so this game is going to be tough for Arsenal, especially if the opposition sit back. Arsenal players need to find their shooting boots tonight that’s for sure because scoring opportunities might be few and far between.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico,
If Saka starts it makes sense to also start Ben White as the pair have an enduring, almost telepathic, understanding.
As to Eze or Havertz? It’s a no brainer, Havertz!
A question has been asked in The Telegraph this morning, should Max Dowman go to the World Cup this summer? A similar question was asked in 2006 when Sven-Goren Eriksson was selecting his squad. He took a sixteen year old Theo Walcott and we all know how that turned out.
My personal opinion? Emphatically no!
I would play Havertz over Eze tonight but would consider at some point bringing Saka inside and using the wings for early crosses and was proven against Everton we only have one player that reacts quickly in the box when there is a loose ball.
We should have a settled defence but should not be afraid to keep shuffling the attacking alternatives and keep giving them different problems to solve.
Bringing fresh players on should help with keeping intensity on them , waiting until the last ten minutes might not be enough .
Morning Cicero, Potter, all.
I mentioned the same yesterday about Max and England and it’s a bit fat no from me too. It’s ridiculous for it to be suggested at this stage of his career/life.
White tonight I hope rather than Mosquera for the very same reason, see if he brings the best out of Saka again.
A roam in the New Forest awaits, catch up later..
Potter, I agree we should play a settled defence but Timber is injured so we are looking to choose between White, Mosquera and Salmon, as I said there is an affinity between Saka and White which could be vital.
The “Bench Cam” stuff was brilliant, Rico … as always, actually.
Gyökeres deserves to start indeed; there was more than met the eye in his latest goal. The way he moved inside the tiniest pocket of space, and … felt, before anyone else, what the exact spot was, where the ball would end up rolling gently for him to tap it in, is a reminder of what the greatest CFs did on a weekly basis.
The 2 examples that come to my mind are Gerd Müller in 1970 against England (sorry if that still hurts – it just might) when the Bayern all-time great just … knew exactly where Seeler would head the ball:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efGR8i2-OH8
the other one is Trézéguet for Juve against Real in 2005 (a bit of the same, Ibrahimovic heads the ball into the 6-yard-box, and David does his usual, brilliant stuff; can’t find a proper video of it, though) – but the list is neverending, of course.
It so happens I didn’t think our Swede has such instinct in him. That, with some (very) heavy touches, made me doubt him a lil’. I know I’m in the tiny minority (alone on my island?) here; I was very wrong.
So … I’d love Mick to go full Gung Ho tonight. Just as I’m convinced Martin Ø and Eberechi can play together, so can Eberechi and Kai imho …
Will we be treated to:
Gyökeres
Madueke-Rice-Eze-Havertz-Saka
Calafiori-Gabriel-Saliba-White
Raya
???
Just do it, Mikel!
COYG
If calafiori starts on the left then you have to have Mosquera on the right.
Start Martinelli and Noni on the wings.
We need to go after them early.
Totally agree,I don’t care how we win tonight or even the score,just win please.
Our next 3 games are all in knockout competitions,if we are still in all 3,plus the Premier league at the end of that lot the pressure will ramp up even more.
I think Arteta really likes Eze so expect him to start with Havertz,if we start with Gyokeres though a decision will be needed,I’d go with Havertz.
I’d also start with Trossard,you probably get more defensively from Martinelli but Trossard is more likely to score or play a killer pass in the final third. These are all difficult decisions for Arteta !
Although I said I don’t care how we do it,I have a feeling we could win 3 or 4 nil.
COYG
I would pick
Raya
White Saliba Gabriel Hincapie
Saka Rice Martinelli
Havertz
Gyokeres.
If all goes well and we have a decent lead to protect then Zubimendi and Calafiori come on for Saka and Martinelli .{f however it ‘s all gone pear shaped Eze and Madueke make their entrances and panic sets in.
For what it’s worth, I think Arteta will go with Hincapie and White.
It was Lg, Arteta running around in circles was nearly as funny as watching Dowman not really knowing how to celebrate his goal.