Tag Archives: Bayern Munich

Out of the Champions League, but on to Spurs

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I am not the worlds biggest fan of the Champions League. In fact, I have found over the years that my enthusiasm for the competition has waned to such an extent that I now find the competition boring, and find going to the mid-week clashes – especially the group stages – has now become a laborious task.

So it is over for one more year. Whilst I would love to win the competition, I would have loved to have gone got to Lisbon (My schedule would have then been Norwich, Wembley, Lisbon, Wembley, Magaluf) I am never to disappointed when it is over.

The Champions League is merely a cash cow, designed to make the richer clubs richer, to increase the gap in domestic leagues between those in the competition and those not in. Add in the additional revenue for sides through gate receipts and the Champions League can generate upwards of £50million to a side who merely makes the second round.

It is a competition regularly won by whichever club has spent the most money on developing the biggest squad (both in wages and transfer fees). In Arsenal’s history of the competition, we have never been in the top 8 of this, so us winning has always been fairly unlikely – with only Liverpool and Porto bucking this trend. Last night the Bayern side was a perfect example. An expensively assembled squad which had the likes of Thomas Muller on the bench, it is clear that Arsenal are still in the second tier of European sides, behind the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich – and the oil sides PSG, Chelsea and Man City, when it comes to what resources we have available. The cap however, is closing.

Without sounding defeatist, the best Arsenal can hope for in the Champions League is pocketing the cash and running. We will get a bit of a run if the draw is right. But as soon as we face one of those bigger sides who have a larger squad and better players, we are out. Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich have shown this.

So the run is over. The dream is over. Arsenal have pocketed £50million which will enable them to continue to increase the gap between them and fifth, whilst never really being a threat in the competition.

So we now move on to other business. Starting with Spurs away. No matter what is happening during a season, for a fan, Spurs away is the BIGGEST fixture. More will be written on this fixture over the next couple of days, and hopefully it ruffles as many furthers up the road as the lead up to the home ties did.

With Tottenham not due to play their European tie until Thursday against Benfica, Arsenal have a clear advantage. They would have flown back from Germany last night, spent the night in their own beds, before a nice easy training session today where the club can assess injuries. Hopefully Ozil was only taken off as a precaution. Hopefully Oxlade-Chamberlain did not run himself into the ground. Hopefully Ryo Miyaichi was not detained at customs for being ineligible.

A victory against Spurs will bury any ‘hurt’ that being knocked out of the Champions League has created, and will also keep us in the title race.

Had you given me 4 points off top and in the FA Cup Semi Final in mid-March at the beginning of the season, I would have taken it. We have plenty to still look forward to this season. Back the boys.

Keenos

10 Reasons why we will/could/might beat Munich + starting 11

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1) We beat them there 2 nil last season.

2) In the home tie we was more than a match for them when we had 11 men.

3%) 2 nil up is a tricky scoreline, they wont know if they should stick or twist.

4) The German league isn’t very competitive this season, we will be there hardest home game so far.

5) There is little or no pressure on our lads here, they can go out with freedom and attack from the start.

6) Koscielny should be back to partner the BFG at CB and with no Gibbs or Monreal captain marvel will move to LB

7) Giroud loves scoring away from home….

8) Sanogo is out.

9) Ozil will have a point to prove after his less than convincing performance in the home game.

10) Wenger Knows, this is the one to prove we are not a team that’s still big game bottlers.

Likely starting 11 – Fabianski, Sagna, TV, BFG, Kos, Flamini, Arteta, Ozil, Ox, Santi, Giroud.

COME ON THE ARSENAL !!!

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Arsenal can beat Bayern in Munich

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I was there in 2013, when Arsenal went to Munich, sitting 3-1 down, in the hope of doing the impossible. In 2013, the impossible proved just that, impossible. However, Arsenal’s 2-0 victory, the first by an English team to beat Bayern in Germany, should give us a glimmer of hope.

In 2013, fans travelling to Munich were preparing themselves for a hiding to nothing. As I met the lads at 4am for a cab to Heathrow, before getting on the first flight out to Stuttgart, followed by a train into Munich, there was very little to be optimistic about. 12 hours later, and with no hotel and in the freezing Munich night, we were in a 24-hour bar celebrating. Not celebrating going through, but celebrating a victory. We were proud. Less then 24 hours after arriving back in the UK, we were on a train to Swansea. The Wray & Nephew’s rum flowing at 10am in the morning, as we went on a run which saw us close the gap on Spurs and shove those famous words from Andre Villas-Boas about  negative  spirals down his throat.

The 2-0 victory in the Allianz Arena was a spring board. Not just a springboard for the rest of the 2012/13 season, but a springboard that saw us lead for a long time this season before recently falling away. The 2-0 victory made many of our players realise how good they were, that they not only belonged amongst the elite in England, but also the elite in Europe.

And now we sit, nearly 1 year to do the day, needing to go to Bayern Munich once more and win. And we can do it. We have proved we can do it. The scenario is slightly different this year. In 2013, a 2-0 victory saw us go out on away goals. This year, a 2-0 victory will see it go to penalties.

Arsenal are better now then they were in 2013. Mesut Ozil and Mathieu Flamini have improved us immensely. Giroud, Mertesacker, Koscielny and others are vastly improved. We are going to Germany as a better side. Yes, Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere will be a miss, but we have the talent to win.

As for Munich, it is fairly unclear as to whether Pep Guardiola has improved them. Mario Gotze and Thiago have come in, however they have not really improved the starting 11 of Munich, who already had the likes of Kroos, Muller, Robben & Ribery as creative forces.

They might be top of the Bundesliga, unbeaten, having won 22 and drawn 2, but this is more indicative of how poor the German league is. It is fast becoming a 1 team league, a bit like the Scottish Premier League, as Bayern Munich, the only German club with money, sweep up any decent player from their opponents. They vastly weakened Borussia Dortmund last year by signing Gotze, and are due to add Robert Lewandowski this. Add there interest in Julian Draxler, the Bundesliga is going to fast become the most predictable in Europe. So who really knows how good this side are?

The only real challenges they have faced this year are in the Champions League. And in reality, it is only 3 games in which they have been challenged. At home to Manchester City (Where they lost) and away to Arsenal and Manchester City (where they won both). Impressive at the Eastlands, Manchester City came back from 2 down to win 3-2 in Germany. And against us, the game was level up until Szczesny was correctly sent off. So it is fairly inconclusive as to whether the German’s have taken a step forward.

If you are going to Germany tomorrow. Go with optimism. Go with hope. And back the boys in Red and White. Last year Arsenal became the first English team to beat Bayern Munich in Germany. This season, let us become the first English team to beat Bayern Munich in Germany twice.

Keenos