Bayern Munich vs Arsenal (16/17)

Team news:
Arsenal: Granit Xhaka is available for the first time since his sending-off against Burnley in January, although Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla remain sidelined for the Gunners. Wenger is also back on the bench.

Bayern: Franck Ribery has a chance of returning from a hamstring injury in time to face Arsenal, while centre-back Jerome Boateng remains sidelined with a shoulder problem. Xabi Alonso is a doubt for the match after limping out of training on Monday with a knee injury.



THE MANAGER
Carlo Ancelotti needs little introduction. The three-time European Cup-winning manager has won major trophies in Italy, England, France and Spain – and it would be a great surprise if he didn’t add Germany to that list too. A calm, personable figure who concentrates primarily on keeping his star players happy rather than making unnecessary tactical readjustments, Ancelotti is a Champions League specialist.

FORMATION
Bayern played 4-3-3 for the first three months of the campaign, but now play more of a 4-2-3-1 system. It’s a relatively familiar starting XI considering Arsenal have faced Bayern so many times in recent years: Robert Lewandowski is still supported by Thomas Muller, with two or Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Douglas Costa providing width.

STRENGTHS
Bayern dominate possession like no other side in Europe – their average for this season is 64 per cent. While Xabi Alonso – in his last season as a professional – is the purest passer in the side, everyone in this Bayern team is comfortable on the ball. The centre-back pairing comprising two of Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Javi Martinez is perhaps the classiest in Europe, while full-backs David Alaba and Philipp Lahm have both played in midfield before.

DANGERMAN
Lewandowski has been on fire this season. He managed five goals in the group stage and has been banging them in the Bundesliga too. Although primarily a goalscorer, Lewandowski can also drop deep to allow others, particularly Muller, into goalscoring positions too.

AREAS TO TARGET
Bayern’s only league defeat this season came away at Dortmund, who attacked quickly into the channels with Adrian Ramos and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The likes of Alexis and Theo Walcott could be key here, as Arsenal might find themselves counter-attacking rather than dominating.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20170213/the-breakdown-bayern-munich-preview

Wow. No excitement at all lol?

Can't say I blame anyone.

Let's just get trashed and get over with this.

'Wow'?

Are you really surprised?

Also, urbi, props for actually making a thread. Salut.

I think if we can keep it under 3 goals, Wenger would take it as a positive result.


On serious note, I think we will win 2-1, Arsenal play their best when there are no expectation and pressure.

Actually you always play rather well against us.

So previous league form is not much of an indication, neither for you and not necessarily for us either.

I'd say we are favourites to go through by 56-44 percent

Hapless_Hans wrote:
I'd say we are favourites to go through by 56-44 percent

Rounded off to the nearest whole number, did you? I am disappointed.

Orstein said Walcott has been dropped. So with Lucas out one of Iwobi or Welbeck is playing. Or maybe Giroud.

Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs; Coquelin, Xhaka; Chamberlain, Ozil, Iwobi; Alexis

hmmmmm

Iwobi and Gibbs defending against Robben and Lahm


hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ospina please save us.

Francis Coquelin is waste.

RealGunner wrote:Iwobi and Gibbs defending against Robben and Lahm

(:

Since Koscielny has gone off, it's like everyone has given up. Collective surrender. No one to rally the troops ffs

Lol mental midgets. Team is full of frauds.

Arsenal board will look at this game and think: This is what we want to see again next season.

I actually don't feel anything. Not really interesting in Arsenal anymore. First time in my life.

Same, 1st time I switched to gamming stream to have good time.

Bayern were generous enough to hand us a way back into the game, but dominated from the start. This is just the standard Arsenal performance. Limp, passive, just waiting to be beat.

All in on the FA Cup now. Can't wait.

I wish I could have switched over but I have to review this for someone

Thank you Ospina

First half was decent performance while the second half was a collective surrender to be honest. On the basis of what we saw in the second half, Some of the players out there don't deserve to play for us at this level. The idea of Ox, Ospina,Coquelin, Gabriel, Gibbo ,Iwobi starting a champions league knock out game is cute but against the likes of Robben,Costa,Lewandoski it's just not good enough.

When there is such a big gap in terms of talent then it all comes down to fight, discipline and hard work. There isn't enough of that from this team to be honest. No one is really willing to go out of their comfort zone to compete and fight. They all want to do the fancy flicks and tricks but where is the will to fight and compete. It's part of football as well ffs

The problem is not talent. It is coaching. About time people accept that.

could have been slightly easier to take it if Wenger had come out and announce his retirement for end of the season

if 50+ percent of squad has to change as a consequence,so be it