please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal take on Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night as the Gunners seek to overturn a two goal deficit and pull off one of the greatest upsets in Champions League history. Even before the first leg, Arsenal were heavy underdogs against the German giants and at the Emirates, Bayern proved why. The Gunners have not come up against many teams as good as this Munich team in recent years, and their class was on show for the whole world to see. Toni Kroos opened the scoring with a brilliant half-volley from the edge of the box and the tone for the game was set. Thomas Muller doubled Bayern’s lead after pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty box and at that point it looked like Arsenal might be on the wrong end of a real hammering. Arsenal after the half-time break started to get back into the game and gave Bayern something to think about when Lukas Podolski nodded in from close range to pull one goal back. Just when Arsenal thought they had a route back into the tie, Mario Mandzukic all but settled the tie by scoring his first Champions League goal of the season, and Bayern’s third on the night. The task facing Arsenal is stiff one but the Gunners must try and reclaim some pride on Wednesday night and leave the Allianz Arena with their heads held high at the very least. Last season, Arsenal also got dumped out of the Champions League in the last 16, but after their performance against Milan at the Emirates, the Gunners felt like they gave it a go and they stepped off that pitch without regrets. It also set them up for a great finish to the season, and that is exactly what Arsenal need this season, if they are to again finish in the top four. So the game in Munich can mean something if Arsenal can turn up and put in a performance. A win at the Allianz Arena would be something to be proud because in doing so, Arsenal would be the first team to beat Bayern Munich in their backyard this season. Bayer Munich have been nothing short of sensational this season, they are currently running away with the title in the Bundesliga and have also made progress in the German cup, so they have the chance to win a famous treble and with the sort of form they have shown this season, you won’t back against them doing it. Last season, they were also in the running for all the major honours, but came second in every competition. Losing the Champions League final to Chelsea on their own turf must have hurt the most but they have reacted like champions this season, by bouncing back and crushing their rivals in the Bundesliga. They currently have a twenty point gap over Borussia Dortmund who sit in second place. So the title is all but wrapped up for Bayern and that gives them the chance to put even more focus on the Champions League. They last won the famous cup in 2001 after they overcame Valencia in the San Siro. So it’s been twelve years since they won it and in recent times, they have come close to landing their fifth European cup. In 2010, they lost out to Inter Milan, while last year they suffered a painful heartbreak against Chelsea in the final. The hurt has only made their players hungrier as the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm try and lead this current Bayern team to European glory. This season is going to be Jupp Heynckes’s final season in charge of Bayern Munich as he steps down in the summer with Pep Guardiola waiting to take over the managerial reigns. Since the game against Arsenal, Bayern have extended their lead in the title race and they have also made progress in the German Cup by getting past Broussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals. So, there seems to be no signs of them slowing up their charge towards to a famous treble. Alongside Real Madrid, they are the favourites to win the Champions League this year. For the game on Wednesday, Bayern are going to be without Franck Ribery who misses the game with an ankle injury. Bastin Schweinsteiger also has to sit out the game on Wednesday night after he picked up a suspension in the game at the Emirates. Despite missing two of their better attacking players, Bayern are still a formidable force. Toni Kroos showed why he is one of the most highly rated youngsters in world football with his performance in the first leg, and stopping him is going to be key for Arsenal, if they are to stop Bayern Munich. Olivier Giroud is expected to lead the line for Arsenal on Wednesday but his form is a massive worry for many Arsenal fans. He has not scored in any of his last six outings and the Gunners need their French forward to find some form or they risk being toothless upfront. Theo Walcott has also not scored in his last six games and like Giroud he has also gone off the boil at the wrong time. In defence, Nacho Monreal is cup tied, so Thomas Vermaelen is again expected to fill in at left back but his form is also a worry. Vermaelen was arguably at fault for the goals that Arsenal conceded in the recent North London Derby and Vermaelen does not like a man with much confidence at the moment. Bayern Munich exploited Arsenal’s left hand side in the first leg, with Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller and the Germans are going to targeting those same weaknesses in the Allianz Arena. Without a proper defensive midfielder, Arsenal do not have a midfield player that can offer protection in front of their defence, and this another concern for Arsene Wenger. Jack Wilshere had a rare off day against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane when Arsenal last played, but the young Englishmen is still the heartbeat of this current Arsenal team, and he alongside Santi Cazorla are the two players that could cause problems for Bayern Munich. Despite being on the verge of another Champions League exit, the Gunners still have a job to do on Wednesday night. A good performance and result could help Arsenal’s cause for the remainder of the season, just like their 3-0 win over AC Milan helped them last season. It’s been a miserable Champions League campaign for the Gunners this season, but a win at the Allianz Arena would not be a bad way to end it. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Overall Record vs Bayern Munich: Played: 5 Won: 1 Draws: 1 Losses: 3 For: 5 Against: 9 GD: -4 Last 5 Meetings: Arsenal 3 - 1 Bayern Munich Arsenal 1 - 0 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich 3 - 1 Arsenal Arsenal 2 - 2 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich 1 - 0 Arsenal First Leg: please log in to view this image How They Got Here: Group B: please log in to view this image Montpellier HSC 1 - 2 Arsenal Arsenal 3 - 1 Olympiacos Arsenal 0 - 2 Schalke 04 Schalke 04 2 - 2 Arsenal Arsenal 2 - 0 Montpellier HSC Olympiacos 2 - 1 Arsenal Group F: please log in to view this image Bayern Munich 1 - 0 Valancia BATE Borisov 3 - 1 Bayern Munich Lille 0 - 1 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich 6 - 1 Lille Valanica 1 - 1 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich 4 - 1 BATE Borisov Manager's Views: Arsene Wenger on the mind set of his team ahead of the Bayern Munich game: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
Let's dream for a minute, if we did comeback and knock out Bayern, would it be the greatest comeback in CL history?
I want specifics of what people will do if Arsenal overturn this and go through. We need challenges people!!
Probably, though ManUre fans would claim the 1999 final to be a comeback. Personally i think we already have the greatest comeback, that Inter game was mental.
[video=youtube;KPGzaS9lvUA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPGzaS9lvUA[/video] I think this is currently the best comeback in CL history, but after Wednesday night, it's going to be second on my list.
Just watching that you can see that Milan had a load of chances too. Sometimes a team is destined to go through....
Sorry folks, ain't no comeback happening, this game is a pure waste of time for us right now, just going to make us fatigued, hopefully we get no injuries. Just to put this in perspective, we need to win by 3 goals, 1-2-3, if Bayern score 1, we need to score 4, common, who thinks we're going to score 4 against this Bayern side? Our attack has looked so toothless this season on so many occasions, especially against the big sides, yes que the blinker brigade to bring up Reading, Newcastle bla bla bla bla, games which haven't really reflected our attack, these were just crazy games, and I've said, in the big games, against the big teams, we have looked toothless. So what makes anyone think we will score 3 without reply, considering how **** our defence has been? Back in 2005 when we had a very strong side, we couldn't overturn a 3-1 deficit to Munich, and we were playing at home, so why should this team, which is far weaker in all departments, be able to do so, on a much much strong Munich team, a Munich team I consider to be the best team in Europe at the moment. These guys are like a machine, a possessed machine after all the heartbreaks they had last season, losing in 2 finals, watching a rival win the league etc.
It's a funny old game and stranger things have happened before. FFS even the spuds got to the last 8 of the CL once upon a time!!!
Perk up 87!! Sometimes things just happen. Arsenal COULD win this, but they won't win if they don't believe they can. I believe they can. Whether they do is another matter, but for now, there's 90mins to go, it's undecided, and it just might happen!!
Plus they have to put in a good shift. Getting blasted in Bayern won't help morale into the Swansea and forthcoming games. I think Bayern will go into cruise control and not expend too much energy. It's up to us to keep our mistakes down to a minimum and make it respectable!
We won 2-0 to become champions for the first time in 18 years.It really puts "8 years without a trophy" into perspective
A positive note is that Bayern conceded twice this weekend against Fortuna Dusseldorf, that bulletproof defence is starting to look a little shaky.
We will all be so up for the game, with high hopes, only for Bayern to score in the first 10 mins.......
