How to solve a problem like Bayern Munich
With the return of the Champion’s League our good friend and sometime contributor, German Gunner takes a look ahead to next week’s tasty tie against Bayern Munuich.
With our Champions League tie against Bayern Munich around the corner it’s time to take a closer look at our German opponent.
The facts speak for themselves:
- Two time finalist in the last four years in which they were unlucky to lose both (especially against Chelsea last year),
- Winners in 2001 and 22x time German Champions and
- Several German Cup wins to add to that.
If you’re not scared already let’s take a look at this seasons statistics. Bayern has only lost one game this season with 3 draws and 16 wins to their account so far. They scored 51 goals and conceded only seven of which they conceded just one away from home. Munich is always among the favourites to win the competition but this year they have to be named as the favourites (+Barca) to repeat their 2001 win.
Having been heavily beaten by Borussia Dortmund in the last two seasons Munich strengthened their squad over the summer and keep winning ever since. Dortmund are still the only team at Munich’s level in this years Bundesliga season. But 12 points clear at the top of the table is a massive gap. Having played Dortmund twice in last seasons Champions League all Arsenal fans should still know about the quality of their squad.
But what makes Munich such a force this year? As mentioned before they did a good job in last summers transfer window. They added Martinez who is and excellent box to box player who wipes out their former weakness in central midfield. They brought in Dante in central defence which was a risky transfer as he “only” played for Gladbach but it has totally paid off. They added Shaqiri in midfield and Mandzukic up front to get more quality in depth. Those transfers combined with players like Schweinsteiger, Müller, Neuer, Robben, Ribery, Gomez, Kroos, Lahm… is pure dynamite. As Munich has a core of German internationals they are used to playing alongside each other which makes building a certain rhythm easier.
I know that sounds a bit terrifying. However, we should face the fact that Arsenal will have to be at their best if not more to beat this Munich side. So where is there soft spot? Even if they have only conceded seven goals all season they have to rotate their defence against Arsenal. Badstuber is out injured and Boateng is suspended. I think they will play Alaba or Rafhina instead which in case of Rafhina would be a soft spot for Theo and Santi to push.
Arsenal has to make sure that they close down and pressure Munich’s strong midfield, especially Schweinsteiger and Kroos. At the heart of Munich’s midfield they pull the strings to get players like Ribery and Müller in place for their deadly runs. It goes without saying that Arteta and Jack will have to track them down all game long. I think it’s best to put Diaby in central midfield position alongside Jack and Arteta to give Jack some space to be influential in attack. By closing down Schweinsteiger and Kroos, Ribery (or Robben in case he starts/ he doesn’t even make the starting XI at the moment) won’t be that effective on the flank which gets him frustrated easily and the engine starts to stutter.
Speaking of the Bayern attack. Defensively for Arsenal, we will be facing a situation where Gibbs might not be fit in time and Nacho is not available for the Gunner for Champions League so we’ll probably end up with Vermaelen as left back and Kos+Mertesacker in central defence. They have to be spot on in both games. Munich are scoring for fun this season and their strikers likely won’t miss even the slightest chance. We need to be aware of that. Individual errors as we saw in matches against City or Liverpool recently will be punished and will equal elimination. It’s as simple as that.
Arsenal’s way to successes can only be based on a solid defence, early pressing and ruthlessness in front of goal. We need to break their rhythm. Arsenal will never be a defensive minded team and we don’t want them to be. We like fluid attacking football and that’s what we are known for in recent years. If we manage to combine both factors we have all chances to go through. If we act carelessly at the back as we did against many top teams this season we will crash out without a doubt.
Arsenal are no favourites to go through to the next round but as seen in many Champions League matches in recent years that’s not always necessary. Our squad is without a doubt still missing two to three signings but with a solid team performance and the recent spirit within the squad we can beat every team in Europe. We did beat Barca and we can beat Munich.
So come on you Gunners
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Trying to broaden my football perspective (in preparation for where Arsenal could be headed next season….) I watched a little Thursday football (Europa League round of 32….) and saw Oscar come on and immediately win the match for Chelsea at Prague. I also saw that we must not foul Spurs players in lefty free kick areas as Gareth Bale is in fine form from the set piece. Open play was not a problem but carelessness in injury time (1st and 2nd periods) was Lyon’s undoing. And, finally, I must wonder why Atletico Madrid always play so poorly when I watch them. Adrian was invisible/useless, Arda Turan just a hair better and Falcao got off one nice shot (and nothing else…) but only drew crossbar. Finally, at half time of the two legged tie (94th min), the (backup) keeper goes forward to try to equalize at the death (from a corner) and gets caught out by 10 man Ruben Kazan who double their lead!!! Sorry, but Arsene Wenger (as stupid as you all might believe he is….) would not have made THAT call….
Anyhow, next year, perhaps…..At least we’re in with a prayer (even Stag says so!!) in the big cup on Tuesday. Blackburn first, of course…..
If we have our best starting 11 and play up to our full potential we can beat Bayern on any given day. However, the only thing consistent about us currently is our inconsistency. The closest we have come this season to a complete 90 minute performance was the 1-0 at Stoke and even then, we were wasteful in front of goal.
Yes, we can beat Bayern over 2 legs. Will we? I rather doubt that. Anything less than a draw at Bayern next Thursday should doom us to elimination. If we can play tight and compact in the first leg and try to hit them on the counter we may be able to come away with a draw. If we don’t draw and go to the Emirates needing to score at 2 goals without conceding, they have the potential to carve us to shreds.
It should be business as usual. Squeak through the group stages, get knocked out in the round of 16, fight for 4th in the EPL so we can get knocked out again next year this time.
Full of poo as I may be (see below)…. I’m pretty sure we host Bayern at the Emirates next tuesday with the return leg in Munich on Weds, March 13….
Am afraid I am the one not only full of poo, but with egg on the face. You are absolutely correct.
Really can’t like our chances against a team as solid as Bayern Munich.
It is very likely, our poor defending will rear its ugly head over two matches, and 4 halves of football.
I’d say our chances of advancing, are about 5% or less.
This is the best team in Germany, very solid defensively.
We need LUCK. We need a big break, a sending off, a lucky bounce, an early fluke goal… something to turn the tie on its ear.
Can’t see it happening.
Hoping we beat Blackburn, and get on to the next round.
It’s our best chance to actually win a trophy…
(besides the fictitious one Wenger created, called 4th place = loserville)
Steve… just wow… Lame duck manager and under performing gomez/ribery/robben? Your so full of shit its unreal and you clearly know nothing about bayern or the bundesliga.
Considering arsenal had an unbeaten season, genuinely close to being a great team then throwing it all away at every level within the club, the best you can hope for is scraping into 4th one last time before spurs overtake you.
Please lets talk about lame ducks
Hey man, interesting article, enjoyed reading it. I had been looking for something like this for the past few days as I must confess my ignorance of German football is even worse than usual.
Just a few questions:
-What formation have Bayern been playing?
-How has Martinez been playing in Germany? (He is a worry, but I can remember him being schooled by Cazorla a few years ago)
-What do you expect their starting team to be?
-I can just about guess the defense and the midfield, but the attack is a bit more tricky… how one accommodates, Mandzukic and Gomez, also whether Shaqiri or Mueller play.
Just curious. Kind regards.
-They play 4-2-3-1.
-Martinez is playing good and getting a lot of game time.
-Line up Probably is Neuer,Lahm,Dante,van Buyten,Alaba,Mueller,Kroos,Ribery,Madzukic/Gomez.
Well, I thought CK’s thread deserved more discussion, but I thought the same about the 1-nils vs Stoke and at Sunderland. I guess that’s the great thing about football, something new is always coming atcha….
Gotta agree with James, I don’t see the relevance of “winning” half a tie. Additionally, those feel good goals were scored by RVP and Arshavin (on a move started by Nicky Bendtner with a key long pass from Cesc)…. The make-up of the squad has changed a bit since then….
In these recent (tight) matches (including Brighton in the FA cup) you could say we’ve gotten lucky. We’ve made chances (a bunch more at Sunderland and Brighton than vs Stoke) and we’ve converted more than the other team did. Stoke was playing for nil-nil, Sunderland was more desperate at the defensive end given that we had the early goal and were down to 10 men. I got the feeling in that match, as I did with the Wigan (away) match, also a 1-nil, that the other team just wasn’t going to score. At some level that’s the true test of quality: can you put away your chances can you score and get the result?….
It’s hard to say that (this season) we’re that sort of team, though it’s getting better. We started with the nil-nils and while we’ve occasionally been flat-track bullies, we’ve looked nervous all too often. Giroud looks bad (audacious and out of control) when he misses, Santi’s shots always seem chancy and from distance, while both Theo and Poldoski can be seen as players who aren’t wanted to lead the line by the big money clubs in their respective countries. To beat Bayern, these guys, particular the latter two, will need to want those chances in front of goal and, more importantly, convert that desire into success. If they can do it it’s a springboard to the future with both club and country. If not, well, that’s why we’re heavy underdogs…. (Similar business gets going today in Madrid with Ronaldo and RVP in the marquee spots, but guys like Benzema and Rooney stand in with similar opportunities).
In truth, the CL is more about defense and you just can’t ship goals (esp. at home). Obviously, we’re super shaky in that realm. Bayern is also a much more solid team than the one led by longtime under-performers Gomez, Robben and Ribery. The younger Germans move the ball faster and actually look (sometimes) to pass it. We need to do likewise. Midfield seems an area where we could be slippery (if Jack and Santi both come to play) but we could also be overrun with the power of their guys. The away goal rule SHOULD make things cagey, but non-coach Wenger and lame duck Heynckes will probably let the boys play. Shipping more than a single goal in London would be too much, I think…
Anyhow, I’m looking forward to it. There is, however, the small business of getting past Blackburn in the FA cup while rotating to preserve freshness and build confidence. One step at a time would seem a useful mantra…..
Here we go again, Arsenal didn’t beat Barca – they lost over two legs. The result of the first leg was irrelevant because it was only half-time in the match. When you play a two-legged tie, teams adjust their game. If it was a one-off game, it would have been a completely different match. It’s only Wenger that plays every single game the same way, because he hasn’t a clue what else to do.
which i’m sure u have a clue!!
what did he say that wasn’t accurate? I know, its tough to accept the facts…