Thing is, it's not guaranteed goals. The team has to work very hard (10 men do the work of 11) just to feed him chances let alone to each other. Bayern's game last year was based around him and it showed when they played poorly. You can't keep such a high tempo for years and years. They're playing better this year so it's not really an argument for them. Anyways, I'm not here to rub it in (I'm a Liverpool supporter anyway) but I have a few questions. A) Is Wenger going to stay? There was talk that if he pulled something off today he would probably get more chances, but as you're almost certain to finish trophyless again, is this realistic? B) What do you think of Wilshere's performance? He wasn't very good in the first half but I think he pulled himself together and made some good plays in the second half. All in all, it's a tough tie for you, but stranger things have happened. If you play a possession based game with Podolski, Giroud, Walcott on the wings, Rosicky, Wilshere and Arteta I think you can play a lot better in the second tie.
Tbf, it was always a huge ask and Bayern are an excellent team (they might win the CL this year) but fair play to the lads too. Verm was exposed as a LB too so Gibbs' injury definitely exposed us today. Hopefully we can keep it respectable at the Allainz
Yes the better team won .....Arsen has some serious problems and maybe its the right time at the end of the season to give someone else a go.......he has been a great servant but he is not up to scratch with the modern game...
English football is really taking a hiding at the moment, I at least expected Arsenal to still be in the tie going to Germany
2nd goal he punches it neither side of him, but straight ahead (just like Birmingham, hence the comparison.) As far as headers go that was as easy as it comes for keepers. All he had to do was punch it to the sides, it could have still been a goal for them, but he would have done his job. 3rd goal, he doesn't decide to go forward to intercept the cross (which is possibly a good decision), but then knowing he can't reach it he just sort of inexplicably falls behind both Sagna and the Bayern player knowing he's in no position to block. This leaves him nowhere when it comes to catching the rebound. He is an absolutely average keeper who has been deified by clueless supporters who think a Hollywood save in low pressure games redeems all of his terrible qualities (most of which have to do with decision making). And again this game he goes on with his idiotic short passes when their attackers pressure our defenders. What the actual ****? Is he a masochist?
Szczesny, vermaelen, koscielny and mertesacker are just not good enough defenders! Maybe you will say it Doesn't help that they get no cover from midfield either! Whole defence including keeper have to go, Vermaelen captain? Absolute joke of a player! Also Arteta is fukin horrrrrible! Worse 2 players in an Arsenal shirt. Vermalen and Arteta. Captain and Vice Captain. Says it all really.
Question is, do we rest players in the return leg and focus on our league position? Or do we select our strongest 11 to try and make it a respectable scoreline? We have to win 3-0 to get through, which is highly unlikely. Why risk those players if we've already lost?
Arsenals defence seems to lack the commitment to close teams down. It was the same when I watched you guys against Liverpool, it's like they can't be bothered to run, and put there bodies on the line
We are out but at the same time, I do not want to see us get a REAL trashing if we rest our best players, so play our first team and just get the game out of the way.
Honestly though mate, without at least a 2-2- draw today (it was 2-1 at the time Pod was subbed), we were f***ed for the return leg. Taking off Podolski guaranteed a loss and our exit from the CL. Id rather have Pod scored/set up the equaliser (giving us some life in this series) and taken another yellow and a subsequent ban/red, then taking him off for a rusty Rosicky or a useless Giroud. Very poor from Wenger.
We'll have to try and make it respectable as that kind of thing will affect league performances. The only mentally tough player I can identify in our squad is Arteta. The rest look broken. When we were 2-0 behind even Wilshere hid behind their players not looking to get the ball. Only Arteta was looking for it everywhere in the pitch. If it's a massive humiliation that kind of thing can ruin our chance for 4th.
People blaming individual defenders are pointing the finger at the wrong people. Blame the people who coach them.
Easy answer: Rest our best players. We are done in the CL 100% guaranteed. No way we score 3 in Munich. Also no way we concede 1 or less goals.
Well, it wasn't an awful performance from us, given the pitiful season we've had, but it was just so dispiriting. Bayern didn't even have to try hard - it was like a training game for them. We are just so far away from being competitive, it's hard to know where we can go from here.
Disagree. Wilshere was positionally lost in the first half, he is not a player that hides from the ball, no ****ing way. In that role behind the forward, Wilshere does not have much experience and with Walcott not being a man that can link the play, it was hard for Wilshere in that role. Because if he did drop too deep then Walcott would have been well and truly isolated. He struggled to adjust, but in the second half he got the ball after he dropped deep and also we pushed up, which was key, then he made those surging runs that we expect from him.
You think Wilshere was 'broken' during the game? Seriously everyone has their own views of course, but yours seem vindictive.
I will blame Wenger for the wrong team selection foremost. Walcott CF against organized defenses is a waste of a spot. And the thing is if counter attacks are effective against a team he can do that from the wing. I've already made a point of not making such decisions based on games like Reading and Newcastle though, but I'm "that anti-Walcott guy". Giroud has so much utility even when he doesn't score. He would have helped defend against their corners as well. We looked like hobbits next to them. It was always going to come to us outscoring them. If we had gone ahead we would have had a decent chance to "defend by attacking".
First half very much yes. Arteta must have had 3 times as many touches in any part of midfield compared to Wilshere and Cazorla. He (Wilshere) looked better in the second half.
