FIVE lessons we learnt from Arsenal’s defeat by Bayern Munich
The Gunners were beaten yet again 1-5 by the Bavarian giants Bayern Munich in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League tie at the Emirates to the dismay of the watching fans and English Football at large.
The host (Arsenal) came into the top match against Bayern on the eve of the 3-1 Liverpool defeat at Anfield at the weekend which prompted so many questions to the Arsenal side and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in particular as regards to the contract extension at the end of the season.
Before the game it all looked clear that Arsenal were out of the competition but many expected a top side like Arsenal who had top guns like Alexis Sanchez, Mustafi and Granit Xhaka to put up a strong fight to cut the deficit at least by the smallest margin but it was not to be as Bayern hammered Arsenal 5-1 and 10-2 on aggregate.
Following this 5-1 defeat of the Gunners against the Bavarians we take some lessons from the game into consideration.
Here are five lessons we learnt from the Arsenal 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich.
ARSENAL SHOWED EARLY INTENT
The host were in need of something positive going into the game as they were 5-1 down on aggregate coming into the fixture. At the Emirates the fans expected at least a draw or a win and they got the hope they needed through Theo Walcott who breezed past the German defence in a flash to give Arsenal the lead in a sumptuous fashion.
With the goal at the Emirates the home supporters were ecstatic as they celebrated with the hope of a possible comeback, which was not to be, as Bayern Munich had their own plans in the second half of the game.
Walcott showed pace and flair on the right to skip pass the Bayern defence in a jiffy to cause an undeniable havoc to give Arsenal the much deserved lead which they held on till the half time whistle as the Gunners grew in confidence following Walcott’s breakthrough goal in the game.
ARSENAL BATTERED AGAIN
It was no surprise as the Bavarian giants came into the game to show the stuff they were made off as they took Arsenal to the cleaner after the intermission. Goals from Robert Lewandoski (Penalty) and Arjen Robben set the tone for Arsenal routing as more goals came from the duo of Douglas Costa and Arturo Vidal later in the game to compound the woes of the Arsenal side.
The Gunners began to fade as soon as Bayern got an equalizer prompting some lack of concentration and indecision at the back from Alexis Sanchez(who lost the ball just outside the box) to gift Arjen Robben the chance to slot the ball pass Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Ospina to set the tone for a big win at the Emirates.
The Arsenal side were really battered in front of their home fans as Manager Arsene Wenger appeared disillusioned and out of Ideas as Sanchez and Petr Cech were spotted by the Camera fuming on the bench on what might have been for another regrettable season for Arsenal possibly without a single trophy.
MOMENT OF CERTAINTY
With Arsenal losing 1-2 at home following goals from Robert Lewandoski and Arjen Robben in the second half, Bayern sent on their Brazilian threat in Douglas Costa who came on to rub salt on Arsenal’s wound. With the visitors leading 1-2 in the game and 7-2 on aggregate they gained a kind of ascendance over Arsenal in the game as the likes of Robben and the substitutes Costa were becoming more menacing in the game.
This threw Arsenal off balance as they allowed the aforementioned duo Robben and Douglas Costa invaded the Arsenal’s final third with a level of certainty to score the third goal in transition as Costa made no mistake just outside the area with a curling effort around the second bar to give Bayern a 1-3 lead and a 2 goal cushion in the game.
It was a moment that Arsenal let themselves lose (down) to concede two further goals from Arturo Vidal as the midfielder enjoyed moment of inconsistency and instability from Arsenal defence in the latter stages of the game.
BAYERN WERE THE SUPERIOR SIDE
The Bavarians were terrific on the night as they made Arsenal pay for the early goal scored from Theo Walcott. The dominance was clear as the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Arturo Vidal marshalled the German midfield in great aplomb against an Arsenal side who looked feeble at times in the decision making and in their final balls. It was all Bayern to lose as the major job was done in the 5-1 win at the Allianz Arena.
The likes of Alexis Sanchez, Oxlade Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey showed intent but it was too little too late as the Bavarians capitalized on some slack defending to nail Arsenal in the two legged affair.
The Bavarians (Bayern Munich) now march on to the next round/stage of the competition full of warning and confidence ahead of the next possible opposition in the quarter-Finals stages.
ARSENAL LOSING REPUTATION
It was a night where many hopes were shattered and confidence diminished as the season draws gradually to a close, with nothing concrete for the Gunners to really show their fans. Even the FA Cup possibilities lies on a single thread despite the obvious prospect of Arsenal beaten Lincoln FC at home.
The Gunners were a total let down to the 2004/2005 invincible that had the likes of Thierry Henry, Mars Overmars, Freddie Ljungberg and midfielder enforcer Patrick Viera to name a few.
It was a game where the young ones who did not see the glory days of Arsenal Football can hardly believe that Arsenal are among the best sides in the European game as the Bayern Munich side thrashed the host 5-1 in a very bizarre scenario to say the least.
Only one knows how this may soil the chance of English sides in terms of slots for Champions League Football/places as Arsenal did not do themselves favour with a dismal 10-2 loss on aggregate in the entire contest against Bayern Munich.
No mention of koscielny’s red card in this entire article which was the tipping point of the game. I understand that bloggettas aren’t really journalists but at least try to give all the facts.
The only lesson you can take from this blog post is that the author is a moron. As a previous poster noted there is no mention of a red card against Laurent Koscielny. The sedning off, which also gave Bayern a penalty, ended the Gunners hops of a comeback. Until that point the game was very even.
The corruption of the Champions League is so obvious, but no one ever mentions how time after time the mainland European clubs, particularly Bayern Munich and the two Spanish teams, Real Madrid and Barcelona, are favored.
PSG was cheated out of well-earned victory by an obviously fixed match. Two cheap penalties; the one awarded to Suarez should have the referee banned for life; are what delivered victory, not anything Barcelona did. Every time PSG started to assert itself, the referees intervened. It was off fouls, one free kick and two penalties, that the Catalan cheaters concocted a win that was neither earned nor deserved.
While Arsenal’s road to a spot in the quarter finals was always going to be bumpy, the minute they created a chance for themselves with Walcott’s goal and two other excellent chances, the referee shut them down. Koscielny was sent off on a pathetic penalty and Arsenal collapsed.
All sorts of vitriol has been aimed at the manager and the players over this collapse, but being demoralized is natural when you’ve been cheated so often. So many Arsenal defeats in the Champions League have been engineered by match fixing. dubious penalty after dubious penalty has derailed Arsenal’s progress, not to mention brutal draws every single year.
The really sad thing is how easily people who follow football are conned by these cheats. The reaction over the Barcelona/PSG game should have been outrage, not celebration. If I were the PSG owner I would file a suit for fraud over the results and demand a match fixing investigation.
A lot of these types of obviously fixed matches would be eliminated by video review of penalties and red cards, but FIFA and other corrupt football bodies refuse to implement obviously needed reforms because they are manipulating the rssults to keep Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid as the world’s top clubs.