Top of the morning to yall
So the highly anticipated Champions’ League game ended in a
defeat to a honestly superior team in every aspect of the game. They had a
plan, stuck by it and it paid off. we could go on and on about what if we had
done this or what if we had done that at regards the goals we conceded, but the
bottom line is they were a better side and when you play a team of that quality
it really is no shame if you lose but it is a shame if it could have been
avoided.
We started ok, we had a good first 5 minutes with good
movement in the midfield but wen Bayern settled, their quality became apparent.
The first goal came in the 7th minute, Thomas Muller whipped in a
cross from the right to the edge of the box and an unmarked Toni Kroos slammed
the ball into the net.
Fast forward to the 17th minute and Bayern have a
corner an unmarked Van Buyten wins the header, Szczesny parries onto the path
of Muller who pokes home from close range. Another avoidable goal, the likes of
which we have conceded time and time again this season.
The second half was a much better showing from the team. They
worked hard, and pressed the Bavarians all over the pitch but by then the Germans were content to let us have it, soak up pressure and hit us on the
break. We got a deserved goal though through controversial means, Carzorla’s
shot was blocked out by Podolski but the card totting referee gave a corner
instead and the German headed home from the corner after Neuer fluffed the
cross.
The team pressed hard for an equaliser, Giroud came closest
to getting it after getting on the end of a Theo Walcott cross but his shot was
straight at the goalkeeper. And as we poured men forward, we opened ourselves
to the inevitable counter and it came. Arjen Robben broke down the right and
laid a pass unto Lahm who drilled a cross across goal and the impressive
Mandzukic scored. The goal knocked the wind out of the Arsenal players and
honestly, Bayern should have scored more as Mario Gomez misses a good chance
late on.
Arsene said after the match
Bayern was fully confident and we paid for it. At 2-0 down of course it became very difficult, but we put in a good battle in the second half and came back to 2-1. It looked like we could come back to 2-2, but unfortunately we conceded another goal. The 3-1 was a big blow for the team. From that moment on, you could see that we might even concede one more because we didn't keep our structure anymore. The last 10 minutes were difficult, once it was 3-1. As much as 2-1 looked like possibly becoming 2-2, at 3-1 it looked more like we might concede another one.
They are a team of class. In patches in the first half, it was a difference of quality in their display compared to ours. In the second half I believe we were close and you could feel we were becoming dangerous, but after that they changed, became more defensive and played on the counter-attack. It was difficult for us create chances
Like
I said earlier, their difference in quality shone through. But its worthy to note
that Arsenal and Bayern play a very similar pattern though much more
efficiently. They play the same 4231 that we play and one very big difference
in the sides is the pressure on the ball when they don’t have it. 2 Bayern players are always charging down the ball every time an Arsenal player has it
especially in the first half. This hard work was one of the differences between
the teams on the night. We were stand-offish and let them pick us out. It was a
very hard working and technical performance from the Germans and much credit
and congratulations to
them.
Their
performance last night reminded me of the showing we put up earlier in the
season at Anfield against Liverpool. We battled for every ball in the midfield
kept the ball moving at all times and created chance after chance.
As
it stands, its safe to say that we are already out. The odds of us going
through are 150-1 at the moment and not many sane people would put their money
on us. We have already lost 6 times at home in all competitions this season that
includes defeat to teams like Swansea and Blackburn and twice in the champions
league to German teams.
No
matter how hard or how well you put the positives into context - which isnt much or stale - the truth is
that the team is in a decline. You only need to see the trend of negative
records that we have created or broken in the past few years to agree. Lost for
the first time at home in the league to Spurs since 99, lost a very impressive
home record in the Champions league earlier in the season to Schalke, conceded
the most goals in a single league season last season, currently leads the
league in number of individual errors leading to goals, I could go on and on. And
in all these while, there has been very little to cheer for Arsenal fans.
I said
in my last blog that we entered one of those weeks where the next 7 days would
determine the season and after blowing a glorious chance in the weekend, we
proceeded to end all hopes of a silverware dis season last night just as we
have done in seasons’ past. In the midst of all these, the manager believes
that the team has the mental strength required to go through the rigors of a
season. I beg to differ
Follow
on twitter @nigeriangunners and I would be glad to follow back and reply your
comments as well as in the comments section.
God
bless the Arsenal.
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