Too much damage done in London, or can Wenger get one over Pep?

Just two days short to the day, exactly one year ago, we travelled to Germany needing three goals to knock-out Bayern Munich. We managed two but couldn’t get that final goal to see us through.

We return to the same ground tonight needing at least two goals to give us a chance…. And of course, we mustn’t concede.

Giroud slotting one past Neuer a year ago...
Giroud slotting one past Neuer a year ago…

The teams’ performance that fateful night in Bavaria was deemed the ultimate failure steeped in honour and glory. After that victory, we went on an amazing run during which we dropped just 4 points, against Everton and Manchester United, out of a possible 30 to ensure we ended up with the trophy so craved by our ambitions board and manager for the 17th time.

But when the draw was made for this stage of the Champions League against the defending champions of the competition, we looked destined to perish at the same stage of the Champions League and against the same opponents as last season.

However, Senor Guardiola was quoted as saying “I have never won here, “I learned that you can never dominate Arsenal for 90 minutes. You can dominate for 30 minutes, to half-time, for 75 minutes, but for 90 minutes it is impossible. Arsenal, with these quality players, you always have a problem.”

That was the respect arguably the best club team and football manager in European football had for us going into the game on the 19th of February. Some may argue that Pep was just paying lip service to our egos but looking at the team sheet just before kick-off, I was perplexed to see how cautiously the Bavarians were going to line up with only 3 attacking players in Gotze, Mandzukic and Robben as compared to the 4 very attacking players we fielded if we consider Wilshere as a defensive minded player.

Not surprising we started the game very positively as we did the previous year by testing Neuer on 2 occasions within the first few minutes. We even won a penalty on the 7th minute but we all know what transpired…

The general consensus by most Arsenal fans after the game was that the sending off of Wojciech Szczesny in the 37th minute was the turning point in the game. I am not so sure that was the case as leading up to the penalty that Alaba missed we had only had 3 shots on target and that included Ozil’s penalty save by Neuer.

Following Ozil’s penalty, Bayern attempted 4 attempts on goal before Szczesny was sent off without us making a single one.

In my view, the tide had turned against us more than 15 minutes before Nacho Monreal replaced Gibbs who I thought had been overloaded relentlessly by Gotze, Rafinha, Kroos, and Lahm on our left hand side. This is not questioning Gibbs ability by the way but rather the lack of protection afforded him on numerous occasions.

Before the game, most of us had identified the potential defensive weakness of our left hand side. Wenger on the other hand decided to throw caution to the wind and continued with his naive trend of not providing any protection to our fullbacks against some of the most lethal wingers in world football.

It was therefore no surprise that Bayern set out to exploit that side and compounded by Monreal’s sudden introduction into the game and going a man short as a result of the red card which was perfectly ‘orchestrated’ by Robben, it was bound to be a long night with our backs against the wall.

So the big question is do we stand a chance or will the damage which was done in London prove irreparable?

Going back and referring to the build up to the corresponding game a year ago, the club was in a bad state; our ability to finish 4th in the league was under great scrutiny after losing to our noisy neighbours 2-1 away from home at White Hart Lane. Moreover, Blackburn had beaten us 1-0 at home in the FA Cup just a few weeks before.

On this occasion we have just beaten a very strong Everton outfit convincingly with our record signing showing all the signs of the flair and ingenuity we all know he is capable of. Although our league position is not as secure as it was going into the first leg, there is a positive sense and air of expectation amongst the faithful.

Our opponents FC Bayern Munchen are smoothly sailing in all competitions they are involved in. Last weekend they racked up a record 16th successive Bundesliga win after coming from behind to beat VfL Wolfsburg 6-1 at the Volkswagen Arena. Their best player, Ribery who missed the first leg is back from his most uncommon of injuries with a superb performance and goal.

In fact it looks like the Bavarians’ who are unbeaten in a staggering 49 Bundesliga matches have no weakness for our toothless attack to exploit. But I beg to differ. As I mentioned before the first leg, I believe their centre-halves have a weakness against strong old fashioned strikers like Giroud. Even young Yaya Sanogo was able to cause the two defenders a few head-aches in the first legs.

As in most top-tier games in recent times, I believe we always ‘shoot’ ourselves in the foot by not doing the basics very well until we have gone behind. Maybe it is either due to nerves or a lack of tactical nous from our veteran manager or simply a lack of quality amongst the ranks. Some may say our line-up is always so predictable that it makes our opponents’ job very easy. Whatever our individual views and arguments are, I believe that the boys have to be mentally prepared and focused to work hard for at least 120 minutes if we can’t do the job in the initial 90 minutes.

In the ideal world I would like Wenger to change tact for once and play Serge, Ozil and Oxlade-Chamberlain in a 3-5-2 set-up so that we can match Bayern’s dynamic midfield in numbers. This will offer us the opportunity to press and stop Bayern from playing from the back.

However, I suspect Arsene will go with Giroud on his own upfront with three of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil and Rosicky behind him. Then play the experienced duo of Arteta and Flamini in a fluid formation which may translate to 4-2-4 if we score very early on in the game to mimic the performance against Napoli at the Emirates’ last year.

I am not so sure playing a back 4 which translates to a back 2 or 3 at best when we are on the attack is the best way to claw back a two goal deficit in the Allianz Arena. It’s clear that our fullbacks are unrealistically expected to provide both the width we need to have a good performance as well do their primary defensive duties.

Although playing our usual way on paper has an attacking edge, on this occasion we will be gambling on the clinical prowess of Ribery and Robben who will give Sagna and any deputising left-back another torrid time on the flanks. There is also the issue of the likes of Muller, Kroos and possibly Lahm playing in the area right in-front of our back four, thereby outnumbering our defensive midfielder for the night.

Our club captain may find himself thrown into the deep-end as Gibbs’s replacement since both our first choice Left-backs will be missing this crucial tie. I strongly believe that this injury gives us an ideal opportunity for Arsene to play a back three of Sagna, Per and Koscielny. Vermaelen, Arteta and Flamini should then be deployed in midfield with a dynamic front four of Ozil, Giroud, Alex and possibly Podolski or Rosicky.

If we are to inflict a defeat, similar to the one that ended Bayern’s 6 months winning streak at home when we won away in Bavaria last year, Arsene will have to dust off all his managerial manuals or go back to the drawing board.

Since in football anything can happen, my wish is that Dante and Neuer end up getting sent off in the first half giving us every opportunity to eliminate Bayern in order to continue the trend of no club being able to retain the Champions League trophy in modern times…

Finally, as the saying goes, there is no harm in dreaming and adding to the fact the ‘football gods’ somewhere smiled on us last weekend and allowed Wigan to defeat Man City in the FA, it is sane to say anything is possible so far as we are prepared to put in the shift during the entirety of the game…

Come on you gunners!

Written by Tsgh

0 thoughts on “Too much damage done in London, or can Wenger get one over Pep?

  1. rico says:

    Not sure what’s happened to the text in the first two paragraphs, that happens to me sometimes…..

  2. ArsenalDK says:

    morning all. Wenger is a fool if he fields our strongest side. A top 3 finish in the league and of course an FA cup win should be our priority now. Forget the CL. we dont have the squad depth for 3 tournaments

  3. rico says:

    Loic Remy won’t be signing for Newcastle:

    “I’ll play for one of Europe’s big five, or a very big club at least.”

    Just sayin…. 😉

  4. ArsenalDK says:

    I agree rico, but if he fields a weaker side, and we lose, it won’t effect squad morale that much IMO.
    We need to be at 105 % against the spuds!

  5. Scott from Oz says:

    Morning all.
    Nice read, Ginge….
    We just need to walk away with our pride and confidence intact ,in my opinion.

  6. rico says:

    Totts is the match on my mind Adk, I’d rather we concentrate on getting 3rd in the PL at least and getting that FA Cup..

  7. snaparse says:

    good read ts morning Rico…..I think we should go with a back 4 IMO I’m hoping for a spirited performance from the boys……coyg

  8. rico says:

    Morning snap. We’ll play a back four, can’t see AW trying anything different, especially in this game..

  9. Scott from Oz says:

    Just watching he replay of Everton….Barkley is the player they have that i’d grab tomorrow.
    He is Arsenal, all over.

  10. rico says:

    Totally agree Scott, Adam and I had a conversation about him after the last time we played. He was very very good that day too.

  11. Scott from Oz says:

    He has class, and brilliant technical ability.
    Rico, if you and Adam agree with me, i have been overestimating you 🙂

  12. snaparse says:

    to think Moyes played him as a DM last season Scott the boy is going to be a star if properly coached IMO and yes I would have him at arsenal too but I think the ox is a much better player but he isn’t allowed to express himself as much as Barkley does maybe that has to do with the fact that he is in a bigger club I guess

  13. Scott from Oz says:

    Snap, Moyes may have done that as part of his education??
    Just a guess, as i rarely watch any non Arsenal games.
    Ox is different, and i won’t compare them, but Barkley is a ripper.
    Ok, Ox is an out and put superstar in the making 🙂

  14. snaparse says:

    maybe Scott re Moyes using him in dm…..I see draxler rumours are back again if it boils down to draxler or griezmann who would you rather have Rico?????

  15. Adam says:

    Morning Rico and all. As long as we come home with an excellent performance under our belts and no injuries I will be content. When Pep has had enough of eating Schwein in a humourless society he can come and take over from Arsene.
    Das ist sehr gut.

  16. snaparse says:

    Lol Rico stop been greedy am sure even keV would chose only one Lol….how about we buy Remy draxler and a sq DM in the summer??? is that too much to ask? knowing we have the money

  17. rico says:

    Those three would be good for starters snap, but with the money we have, maybe we should be aiming higher than Remy?

    Although at least he’s shown he can ‘do it’ in the PL on a regular basis and for an average side…

  18. Adam says:

    Pep over Martinez for me Rico. Though, as you know, Martinez is a particular favourite of mine. 🙂
    Morning Snap.

  19. Scott from Oz says:

    There are going to be plenty of great options available in he summer, and plenty of cash to send.
    Let us hope there are not plenty of excuses.

  20. Adam says:

    If this story about Wenger’s demands for autonomy over transfers is true, which I doubt, then who knows what happens next?

  21. snaparse says:

    “I never practise tricks. I play very simply. That’s
    what it’s all about,” he once said. “The solution that
    seems the simplest is in fact the most difficult one…wise words from cryuff

  22. rico says:

    ARSENAL have tied down the future of their latest whizz-kid Gedion Zelalem after the teenager agreed a new £30,000-a-week contract.

    £30,000 for a 17 year old, the world has gone mad….

  23. Scott from Oz says:

    30 grand.
    Shit……Sean is on a plane over!!!
    Adam, i will corner him and offer some “friendly” advice.
    Have a great day, and enjoy the game guys.
    Work will interfere, so i won’t see a bit of it.

  24. rico says:

    Because that’s his 1000th game Adam and many in the media believe that’s the day he will confirm he’s staying…

  25. snaparse says:

    zalalem on 30k?????for being a whizkid??? you see Rico 100 grand for sagna is not that much is it???

  26. AndrewH says:

    Another game so soon? I’m still smiling from Saturday (and Sunday) and don’t want anything to spoil it.

  27. Wavy says:

    I’ve looked in the crystal ball but its still all cloudy so no predictions from me. However, I think I’ll just go and have a sit on the fence!
    Hate to say it but I think Bayern will win, not by many but just enough. Like a lot of other postees so long as we play well and test them I shall be reasonably happy.

    COYRRGS

  28. BrainwashedKev says:

    Afternoon All…

    Afternoon Rico, Adam, Lee, Scott et al….

    Very good post Ginge, a big improvement on your last one… 😛

  29. BrainwashedKev says:

    Zelalem signed until 2017…

    I just have this feeling that young Gedion isn’t gonna hang around too long…

    His Father is his Agent, and something just tells me that he knows the price of everything and the value of nothing…
    No proof, just a hunch… 🙁

  30. BrainwashedKev says:

    Santi signing a new three and a half year contract is fantastic news…

    Santi the Genius is a wonderful technician, a favourite of mine, who’ll now see out his career as a Gunner…

  31. BrainwashedKev says:

    Ah, it’s Mick the Muncher from the Emerald Isle…

    In the pub tonight Mick, to watch the game with all those plastic Mancs?

  32. Micko says:

    Funny you say that kev, i need to cut down on my snacking.

    It’s on the box here so it’s gonna be feet up with a few beers, the knackers are a lot quieter these days, can’t think why.

  33. Wavy says:

    Did you really mean “knackers” and if so whose were you refering to?
    Quotemhappy with the home and beer! Sounds perfect. If we win you celebrate, if. Lose you drown your sorrows…..sorted!

  34. tsgh says:

    ThanksLewis, Micko and Kev… the real kev btw… 😛

    Man Utd have opened talks with Sporting Lisbon for highly-talented midfielder William Carvalho. Fee £29m apparently agreed.

  35. stevepalmer1 says:

    Evening all. That was a long post Ginge, Not sure which way you think the game will go though, Or perhaps its me. Just flicked through some of the comments and it seems that some feel we should turn up kick the ball and hold our hands up, jump on a plane with our tails between our legs and try and get ready for the neighbours. What the hell are you talking about, 20 teams try and get into champions league from this country every year some make most dont, This is the biggest competition in Europe and you think we should throw it so we can play spuds, never heard anything like it. Were in this competition because we bloody well deserve to be there, Were in it to win it and we have come close in the past. FA cup looks a possibility but its not the European cup is it. I want to see my Arsenal busting a gut tonight and giving it everything they possibly have Fcuk spuds the weekend, one game at a time thats what we do. Show a bit of respect for the club. COYRRG’s

  36. tsgh says:

    we have gone 4-1-4-1 as expected

    Arsenal team v Bayern: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Ozil, Podolski, Giroud

  37. tsgh says:

    Neuer – Dante, Thiago, Ribéry, Martínez, Mandzukić, Robben, Götze, Lahm (K), Alaba, Schweinsteiger

    No kroos or Muller thanks?

  38. tsgh says:

    very surprised Pep is starting with 2 out and out DM whilst we only have Arteta…

    As Dixon and a few stated recently MF20 was quite poor in the first half… He covered the ground a lot but I thought in the first 30 minutes he was found out for for lack of tactical know how at the top level…

    Still both ARTeta and MF20 would have been better…

    MF20 being saved for shite harte lane next I guess…

    Common Gunners!

  39. BrainwashedKev says:

    The Germans look very, er, German, or confident…

    That’s to be expected…

    But what I’d like to see is how confident they look if we score?

    Yes Rico, a Bayern red card would be astonishing, but very welcome. 😉

  40. rico says:

    And he’s still a long way to go Lewis, we need to make sure he stays with us because he’s something quite special….

  41. BrainwashedKev says:

    Anyone notice how every time an Arsenal player breaks forward, that Andy Townsend goes ‘go on’….
    Too late Ethel, we know your game Townsend…

  42. rico says:

    Rather annoyingly, the headache I have had all afternoon has got worse so I’m off to say hello to my pillow…

    Night all…

    COYRRG’s. Be proud……

  43. agirlagunner says:

    Good one, ginge. 🙂

    Feel better, rico!

    Is this ref blind? Too many niggly fouls from BM players are going unpunished. Grrr.

    I fancy Poldi to score! COYRRGs!!

  44. agirlagunne says:

    Boo, Kev. I reckon it is tactical. He didn’t look up for it and BM are just all over our midfield

  45. BrainwashedKev says:

    Whatever the score tonight, I am proud of the team, they’ve put in a great great effort…

  46. agirlagunner says:

    Boo Kev. Howdy? Done tiling?
    Agree with you. Proud of our boys.

    Ginge, he dives at every opportunity. Bar a missed a trick not signing him. Haha.

  47. tsgh says:

    lol… NF20 has a nice rest with Ox, Ozil etc to face the spuddies on the weekend… Long break between now and then and no travel to the noisy neighbours…

  48. tsgh says:

    Wenger never learns…in the first leg you go tight especially at home as away goals counts for a lot…
    Good performance from the boys…
    night Agag,Kev and all

  49. BrainwashedKev says:

    You know, we should have won that game, not enough quality up front…

    Adam is right, we need a Costa leading our attack.

    To me Cazorla was fantastic, he never stopped working, defending, attacking, creating, major performance by Santi…

  50. agirlagunner says:

    Good night, ginge and all.

    Well, done Flappy. The three most hateful players in Bayern had an awful game tonight. Robben, Muller, Mandzukic, and that makes me smile.

  51. agirlagunner says:

    That match had Theo written all over it, Kev. 🙂 Dante and Alaba were there for the taking. I thought, Cazorla apart, we weren;t creating enough chances for our strikers. In retrospect, maybe AW would realize Poldi is a big match kind of player and is more likely to deliver the goods than a too-green Sanogo.

  52. bob john says:

    These slags will be even worse with Lewandowski. Really are on a par with the chavs and Barca in the pus stakes!

  53. Adam says:

    The only thing that was missing this evening, apart from some luck, was some cumupence for that diving piece of excrement Robben.
    I was hoping that a rabid German Shepherd, enraged by the never-ending play acting and cheating of the Dutchman, broke free of his handler and further sickened by Robben’s peculiar, shining skull, ran full bore across the pitch and launched himself at him. Purposefully, the great dog would line up the offending cranium and twist his great mouth sideways with white, razor sharp teeth glinting in the floodlights. As Robben hit the deck for the 1000th penalty claim, Wolfgang, because that is what I shall call him, with the full savagery of a dog whose honour had been offended, his canine brain full of hate would time his leap with murderous precision and simply tear Robben’s throat out before ripping him to shreds on the pitch.
    Well, we can dream can’t we?

  54. potter says:

    My first thought when Flamini came on was that he could have the same sort of cult hero status as Grimandi got for his decking Davids had he gone for Robben and cut him in two. Sadly he didn’t.

    Someone is going to get a good keeper when Fabianski goes

  55. Scott from Oz says:

    Adam, as always, i am not so eloquent.
    The said dog was just going to bite him on the balls in me dream 🙂

  56. ozgunner says:

    great effort guys against the favourites to the title again. Plenty of guts on display and i agree with Wenger having a pop at Robben – shameful. They are a very very good team, we did well.

  57. Lee says:

    He really fucking winds me up Adam, I’d love to nut him!
    Another major injury! I looked at the bench last night and there wasn’t anyone who could massively influence the game on there. We also only had 6 subs as Miyachi wasn’t registered. The squad is short of uber quality….especially up front! I see that shit player Costa got a brace last night.
    Did you watch the Wrighty programme?

    Morning btw.

  58. Adam says:

    I agree Lee but we don’t need Costa as he is shit. I thought that BM were incredibly cynical with a series of what people call Professional Fouls throughout the game that just slipped under the ref’s radar. Schweinsteiger in particular could have been booked three times. On the evidence of the two games I have seen from BM this season I don’t think they seem as ‘complete’ as last season. I thought Martinez used to be a cultured player but he seems to have developed into a destroyer. Overall and as you suggest, the two ties highlighted once again our lack of squad depth and quality. But Robben is representative of the worst kind of player. Like Drogba and many others, cheating is endemic in his game. Cheating and a lack of respect for the opposition. Some might say he is clever. I think he is a cnut.
    I recorded the Wrighty thing as I watched episodes 6 and 7 of Breaking Bad’s series 4.
    Got time for a nibble next week as I am leading the bachelor life?

  59. Lee says:

    For this team to push on, we need a world class striker, a pacey winger, a defensive midfielder, a CB if TV fucks off and a RB if Sagna does the same. Someone will be picking up some fucking good players in Sagna, T.V & Fabianski……

  60. Adam says:

    Lee. That is so strangely synchronous as I have been playing a borrowed Manodolin this week. You are welcome to use it though. 🙂

  61. agirlagunner says:

    God, I haaaate Robben to the nth level. The thing is, refs never wise up. If they don’ give him anything, he’s not as likely to do it… Although RObben is a different breed of awful and is well… likely to do it in any case.

    Morning, all! 🙂

  62. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. I hope you are feeling better this morning.
    I remember Graham Poll’s attempts at refereeing, particularly the night he fixed the game against Newcastle at Highbury. The man is the walking definition of incompetence and cowardice.

  63. ozgunner says:

    bet you a cuppa they don’t ha! Even with barca not in great form they will know how to get it done and can’t see them loosing three unanswered goals – the danger to all of them now is Mourinho, like him or not, he is a winning manger and has been here and won a few times now. He will win the league again as well regardless of City IMO

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading