Arsenal v Bayern Munich 1st Leg Preview

Arsenal v Bayern Munich, Wednesday 18th February 7.45pm, Champions League Last 16 1st Leg, Emirates Stadium


Gunners look to avenge last year's loss to Bavarians

Arsène Wenger was adamant on Tuesday afternoon. "We are in much better shape than a year ago," the Frenchman told reporters during his press conference. "We are really determined to win this game." Arsenal's home defeat to Bayern Munich last season came after a dismal FA Cup exit to Blackburn, this time around, the gunners enter the Champions League last 16 tie with the German champions on the back of a spirited cup win against Liverpool.

Yet, the problem is, Bayern have also improved. Pep Guardiola has replaced Jupp Heynckes, and the treble-winners have started the campaign in more imperious form than they did the last. Possession and pass completion rates are up, the formation has been altered and both Mario Götze and Thiago Alcântara - two of the finest young midfielders in Europe - have arrived. Philipp Lahm, arguably the world's most finest full-back, has been moved into the holding midfield role - and, predictability, the man labelled by Guardiola as "the most intelligent player I have ever coached" has flourished.

Bayern sit 16 points clear in the Bundesliga, are through to the German Cup semi-finals and will go into Wednesday night's game at the Emirates Stadium as favourites.


Match Facts

* Bayern Munich are unbeaten in 46 Bundesliga games (P46 W40 D6 L0 F127) but lost their last Champions League game, 3-2 v Manchester City.

* Arsenal last beat Bayern at home in 2005 (1-0), but did beat the Germans at the Allianz Arena last season (2-0).

* Arsenal have already won in Germany this season, winning 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund.

* Guardiola's team have a record 59 points from the opening 21 rounds of the Bundesliga.

* Guardiola is yet to win in his 2 visits to the Emirates Stadium, both with Barcelona (P2 W0 D1 L1 F3 A4).


Big Battle


Olivier Giroud v Dante

Since joining Bayern Munich from Borussia Mönchengladbach for a bargain £4m in 2012, Dante has matured into one of Europe's most highly-rated centre-backs. The tall Brazilian turns 31 this year, but continues to improve and Olivier Giroud, the Arsenal forward, will need to be at his very best if he is to add to his 14 goals this season. Dante isn't flawless, however, and errors - notably in the build-up to Borussia Dortmund's penalty in the Champions League final - are evident, although, these are rare. Giroud scored the opener at the Allianz Arena last season, and the likes of Mesut Özil, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and Tomáš Rosický will all need to support the Frenchman, when Arsenal get the ball off their prestigious opponents.

Team News

Arsenal

Rosický replaces Arteta (suspended) in the squad, whilst Vermaelen (knee), Walcott (knee), Diaby (knee) Ramsey (thigh) & Källström (back) are all unavailable.

Bayern

Ribéry (buttock), Badstuber (knee) & Shaqiri (thigh) are all out.


  

Great job Sam as always.

If the reports about dropping Oxlade for Rosicky true, we might as well forfeit the game. I love Rosicky and dont mind him starting but dropping Oxlade would be a huge mistake. Without speed Arsenal is useless against top teams.

We need a strong line up and anyone other than Giroud would do for me.

I have a good feeling about the game, will be a top game to watch.

Giroud is a big man now, everything he does now is eye catching.

We need the winger combo of ox need podolski in this game, not rosicky or santi on the wings

Nice preview Sam. So nervous... Hopefully we go with this

--------Giroud--------

Podolski-Ozil--Oxlade

--Rosicky---Flamini--

Gibbs--kos--Mert-Sagna

l think that gives us our best chance at a result

Agree with Rapz. Ox needs to start. We need that pace for counter attacks, as well as his dribbling and directness.
Same can be said about Rosicky, he can also give us directness and of course hardwork across the pitch. That's why I'd put Cazorla on the bench and start Rosicky.

-------------Szczesny
------Mertesacker- Koscielny
Sagna------------------------Gibbs
---------Flamini--Wilshere
--------------------------------
---------------Ozil
Chamberlain----------------Rosicky
---------------Gnabry

Gnabry with a hat-trick.    

Yeah..........no............

Gnabry needs to stay off the pitch tomorrow

   

VivaStPauli wrote:I'd play Podolski, always scores against Bayern, even with bloody Köln.

Tell Wenger that.  

All he does is score but Wenger hates that he loves players who shoot at the stands not at the goalie.  

Great Job Sami

i wanted Rosicky to start
but agree with ppl about Poldi+AOC on either wings

they will control the ball
we need to offer counter attacking threat so those are better option on transitions
plus Poldi can benefit from space if someone goes down on the other wing and stretch so more space for him inside to attack

VivaStPauli wrote:I'd play Podolski, always scores against Bayern, even with bloody Köln.

This.

Seriously wenger come on. Not playing podolski will be a travesty

Whoever doesn't start tomorrow will play Sunderland (ie, Poldi, Cazorla, Gnabry maybe, Monreal etc.)

Great preview Sam.

Easily our biggest game of the season. Not surprised to see everyone pessimistic. Bayern are the favourites and the pressure is on them. We have nothing on our shoulders. This is why we should play with no fear and just play our game.

We know how Bayern will play and we just need to keep our defensively stability and shape like we have in recent times(apart from the Anfield game obviously). No Arteta so Flamini will shield the back 4. He is more mobile than Arteta so we have that advantage with him but he isn't as good with the ball as Arteta is.

For me, Wilshere is our key player. He is the best with the ball under pressure (also the 2nd worst sadly) and hence he has to carry the ball from midfield for Ozil. I don't want Rosicky to start at RW and I'd really prefer it's Oxlade or Gnabry. As bold that is. We can't have 4 midfielders and Giroud because there will be no option to break and the game will end up like United game. We need either Podolski at LW or Oxlade at RW. Granted 5 midfielders will help keep the ball better but do what with it?

Bayern should keep most of the ball. I am glad Martinez isn't playing though.

We got this.

Clean sheet is important even if we don't score ala our 2006 CL run, easier said than done against Bayern so we need a heroic performance defensively... I hope our players are prepared for this from the first minute, no getting into the game in the 2nd half please.

UTA!

Play like the way we battled Dortmund away! whatever the result is, I will be happy.

As said before, in the context of the whole tie, a clean sheet is the most important thing. Be it 0-0, 1-0, or whatever, taking the away goal(s) out of the equation makes the second leg a whole lot easier to manage.

Naturally, that's not going to be easy, but doing so would probably give us our best chance of going through to the next round.

Before we even consider how to approach the game tactically, though, we need to ensure our attitude is right. Last year, we gave Bayern way too much respect and never really turned up at any point during the game. This time, we should have a better idea of what to expect, and so shouldn't be as overawed. We did the same against Barcelona; the first time in 2010 we struggled badly and only had 20% possession in the first half, but the second time we competed with them, got at them and actually won the game.

Tactically, well, it's best to keep it basic. Bayern are good enough to assert their playing style against any opposition, so chances are we'll be seeing long periods without the ball. As Wenger said, the key for us is keeping it tight at the back and limiting the chances they create. After that, it's about using what possession we have effectively. Players like Wilshere, Rosicky and Chamberlain will be important because they have that ability to drive forward with the ball and get the rest of the team up the pitch. Even if the possession we have in their half doesn't result in any chances, it's still possession they won't have and therefore becomes another way of defending.

That sounds negative, but this isn't a one-off game where you can just go for it, nor is there any need to go for it straight away. We tried that against Dortmund and were punished. We tried that against Liverpool in the league and were punished.

Of course, we don't want to be too conservative, otherwise we run the risk of being penned in our own half, unable to get out. We need to carry some form of attacking threat; make sure we get tight to their players, win the ball in midfield and break on them with Ozil and Chamberlain.

Team-wise, I'd probably go with this:

I am not opposed to Jay's lineup, but yeah I really think that Poldi is our most likely scorer. The only reason I can see us not playing him, beyond Arsene's apparent lack of confidence in him, is if the tactic is to have more midfielders and control the play, but we need to be clinical with the chances that we do get so I'd love for him to play. Cazorla rarely performs against top sides and isn't always very direct, despite being a goal threat, so I hope he starts on the bench and maybe comes on later, although tbh I fully expect him to start.

If we had everybody fit, and obviously this is the story every feckin season, I would be confident. In the league for example, we can still win even without key players as long as we perform well enough to keep top teams from beating us and defeat the teams below us, but missing guys like Ramsey, Walcott, Abou Zidane, etc all together hurts you when you're facing a team that is going to exploit every little weakness.

We need a massive performance and a lot of belief. Hopefully the Emirates is rocking and the boys play with no fear. On their day, the guys we will be fielding are all class, so we can do it. COYG 

I'd only choose Rosicky because he's better defensively than Podolski and Cazorla, and I'd trust him to track the runs of Lahm/Rafinha more than I'd trust the other two.

Cazorla and Podolski gives us two excellent options from the bench to change the game, if need be.

Giroud must drop deep and help over load the midfield, the second we get possession, play up to Ox and Rosicky who have the pace and intensity to break out.

Flamini and Wilshere supports the full backs and provide midfield pressure and should play the ball up to the 4 players further afield.

NERVOUS!!... EXCITED!!:::

      

Hapless_Hans wrote:NERVOUS!!... EXCITED!!:::

      

I dont know why, but for the first time I am not nervous about us in a big game. I think it will be a great game and we just might walk away with a 2-1.   

that Scrub Gervais would probably lead the line if he was still here

I think if Arsenal play well defensively, they will be rewarded with a PK shootout in the 2nd leg