Arsene Wenger says he’d be happy to take a point from Bayern Munich on Wednesday, but says that the best way for his team to relieve themselves from pressure is to attack well when they have the ball.
With Per Mertesacker already warning that the German champions will be ‘angry’, Arsenal can expect something of an onslaught from Pep Guardiola’s side, and the manager would be happy if his team can take a draw – then look to get the points required from the Olympiacos and Dinamo Zagreb games.
“I would sign today to take a point but to sit off Bayern,” said WEnger. “But with their offensive quality, that would be difficult to maintain for 90 minutes.
“We have to relieve the pressure whenever we can and try to score goals. That is the structure of our team, to attack.
“If we set out our players only to defend then I don’t think we’ll be so efficient. We have to play every time we can.”
Arsenal have won in Munich before, goals from Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny securing a 2-0 victory in 2013.
Gabriel or Per??
Gotta be per. Experience.
I would prefer Gabriel. Bayern presses high and are quite mobile deep. Gabriel’s mobility is better suited to handle that. And he is also more aggressive which I like.
Glad I’m not Wenger to decide on the pairing with Kos. He probably will go with Per though due to his experience.
Per for organisation purposes I’d say, him along with Cech will help Nach and Hector to get through what will maybe be the hardest game of their Arsenal career to date
I’d go with Per, since our defensive line will definitely be very deep. His experience and reading of the game could be crucial and he did a tremendous job at the Emirates in our first match.
Gabriel. I think his and Koscielny’s pace will help dull Lewnadoski and Muller’s play, plus I like his fighting aggression
Can’t leave Per out after his first leg performance!
Gabriel or Joel?
I would love to see us play with 3 central defenders, 2 wing backs and add to that sanchez and girouds running around there is no way they are getting past us. Plus we are a lot better in set pieces now and with 3 Cb’s and giroud it will be a handful for them in set pieces. Let’s frustrate them until they make their substitutions and then change our tactics. We need to experiment in the CL, no shame in doing that.
“need to experiment in the CL” Well said mate. Who cares that qualification is still up in the air, Lets go! Well well…
We have never played a three man central defence but sure lets give it a go against the best team in Europe.
We could compensate by playing a fly goalie.
Fly goalie is a great idea. Good call sir.
We may have never played 5 man defence with wingbacks but I am surprised that you lot think we shouldn’t even bother trying. it’s still better than those BFG haters and those who think we will have pace with Gabriel. With the players we have at the moment we will get murdered if we attempt playing Gabriel and kos together without having Walcott upfront to push their defence back. On the other hand if we let them do all they want in the wings and keep it compact and organised in the middle bayern are going to do fuck all.… Read more »
Let them do what they want on the wings?! With Douglas Costa, Arjen Robben or even Thiago on the wings? Are you mad?!
I for one really wanted us to win bayern at home and believed we could. But, i refuse to get caught up in the euphoria of us trying to outplay bayern at allianz arena. i honestly don’t think it’s a must win game although we are capable of getting a result. Remember, Bayern home costed us Ramsey. i prefer we don’t run around too much to close them down and rather play a more positional game and frustrate them. We should be 100% ready for spurs on the weekend. Simply put real progress for me is PL victory and retaining… Read more »
Rush goalie (we’re from London)
We will win 2-0. Trust me. I am never wrong. Come back to this.
As long as we show our character, right Brendan?
@Brendan, haven’t you heard of tempting fate????
Lol, u remind me of Ray Winston and his stupid half time ads with the latest odds. “Ramsey to score next” and it never happens!!!
I am a firm believer that nothing said in this comment thread will have any effect on Wednesday’s match.
@occams hatchet worth a thumbs up for the name alone but I also agree with the sentiment
As we obviously should. Many are saying that to be the best we should lose our small-club mentality, but a win against the German champions in Germany is a huge ask. A point & wins for the rest of the group stages and we’re golden.
… unless Bayern and Olympiakos both beat Zagreb and draw with each other, while we only beat Olympiakos by one goal, scoring no more than twice. But yes, what you said: a draw in Munich and two more wins and we’re basically through.
Not that I think it’s a given we’ll just go to Piraeus and win, though. That’s a tough place to go, especially if we end up going there with them knowing a point sees them through to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Is it me or Wenger just became to honest in his press conferences? (In a good way). All I remember from him is usual “we were unlucky”, or “we showed mental strenght” bullshit. Nowadays he seems to really says what he thinks more. Even today on arseblog there is article where he says that Campbell wanted to go. I mean we all suspected that, but to go and just say it, it’s something knew.
Same. Also he seems to talk a bit more about the tactical side as well. Like him better this way
Like there’s a spring in his step. I’m sure Joses woes must have something to do with it.
I think it is because he feels less pressured to defend his players now. He has a squad which can compete, not one which needs nurturing – as was required over the last decade.
something new obviously, my English sometimes doesn’t work sorry ;).
I’d take a point too, I think we all would. Really would pit us in a strong position to qualify compared to the two “smaller” teams in the group who, with the best will in the world lack the quality to take anything from Bayern.
i think even if manage to take a point from this, the most crucial match will be away at olympiakos. they are on six points with a home match against zagreb and against us. If olympiakos win against zagreb(which admittedly, is very poosible), anything short of a win against olympiakos away, we’ll go out.
3 points from Bayern please. Lets do the double. COYG…
Do the Bayern Double!!
Bayern Double Munched.
I would love it to beat them again, and we’ve shown that we can do it.
My regret is that we don’t have Theo. The switch in approach that he and Giroud offer us was too much for their defense last time round.
We have Alexis though, and if he’s up for it…
0-2
I think there is something fishy. Wenger going against his principles and openly stating it before a game in a press conference. Mind games, who knows.
Spatial awareness of the Coq was incredible against them last time. Remember him diving in front of ball even before alanso passed the ball, although he couldn’t stop the ball but its still shows how intelligent the coq is.
Thinking with our coq works quite well for Arsenal I suppose
I don’t think Wenger has changed his approach in press conferences, although I do agree he is more honest. I think it’s more to do with the team as a whole being older and more mature so that Wenger doesn’t feel the need to protect them as much in press conferences, instead he challenges them. In turn, the team has started to respond. #Winning #ThunderCuntIsntSmilingAnymore
Real shame we don’t have Walcott’s pace up front, but Giroud was bloody fantastic when he came on last time. Hopefully we can get a goal fairly early and then launch operation “all the fullbacks”
We have to deal with that cheating old Baldycunt Robben this time around ?
I hope that the Ref is up for this game!
CDC = Cheating Diving “Cunny”
CDOMC = CD Old Man “Cunny”
Hopefully the old man will realize his game doesn’t need the theatrics. But, sadly, it appears he must if it’s a must win match.
I’m sure there is a painting of Robben screaming at the ref after he’s been sent off for diving
by Edvard Munich.
Kos will once again pop up with one of those season saving scrappy goals. I love them. We all love them.
If wenger really wants the draw,
Then he should apply all our fullbacks for this game….. well except for Debuchy, he is totally ?
Our most counter attacking defensive line up would be:
—————————Cech
Gabriel,Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal
————–Coquelin, Cazorla,
Bellerin———- Sanchez ———— Gibbs
——————– Giroud
Campbell and Sanchez have defensive capabilities, and if we don’t have Ozil we’re nowhere near as dangerous on the counter. For me it has to be:
Cech
Bellerin, Per, Kos, Monreal
Coq, Santi
Campbell, Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud
You know what, you may be onto something here. Surprise them by using Sanchez as a false 9! We really have nothing to lose in this match!!
…apart from 1 or 3 potentially crucial points that is
not playing Ozïl is just absolutely ridiculous.
If it were me.I would play Bellerin as a right foward and Gabriel as a right back,just for the sake of pace,we’ll really need it at the A.Arena.
I personally think we should move Mertesacker to RW, Ozil to CB and bring in Debuchy as our no. 10. Just feel like we need a bit of extra height on the right hand side to balance Bellerin’s lack of height. Also think if Ozil was CB he could launch our counter attacks that bit quicker than if he was in midfield. And Debuchy behind Giroud is just a no-brainer. Such a bummer that Ospina is injured.
The best comment today.
Dan Crowley as a false nine would confuse the hell out of them.
Let’s really confuse them and play Flamini wearing a Sanogo mask against them as a false 9. Play Ozil in behind and shift Koscielny in as a “DM” as he’s scored a couple of times and the same argument made sense for Vermaelen at “DM” back in the day. Then Chambers and Mertesacker in behind.
I am genius.
Someone was listening to the Arsecast today……# toast with butter and jam.
If only I could thumbs up twice!
Take a bow man! This was bloody hilarious! 😀
I’d prefer to have Mertesacker on the left wing so he can cut in on his right foot
I’m happy with the attacking triumvate of Ollie, Campbell and Ze chillean.
I’d personally try to tinker with the line up.
Gibbs. Sanchez. Campbell….. It sounds fickle but it may work. Onto real football#fifa16 side effects . Giroud can’t miss out.
My point is I’d happily take one like wenger
Do not rock the boat.
The team that started against Swansea should start.
Campbell offers a bit of pace we will otherwise be lacking.
…he is also industrious and can cover Bellerin as he did on a number of occasions in South Wales.
We will need to be able to break on both flanks with Giroud holding the ball higher up. We will need goal(s).
Once/IF we get a positive result (a draw would be a brilliant result, anything more exceptional), we protect with Flamini and Gibbs.
Taking one point from this game is not such a big ask, but I know within me that Wenger is actually bent on delivering the 3 points. I believe we are capable on our day of beating the best teams.
We could as well just play Macey in goal to surprise Munich…I mean, that must really rattle there worked out plans right? Debuchy coming in for the Bell,Gibbs for Nacho,Per and Gabs at CB(who needs Koscielny for such a match anyway);Iwobi for Sanchez(i mean,who needs a restless workaholic,eh?),Bellerin left roaming about the middle,Chambers for Campbell and stick the lanky No33 man as the striker to stick one in against Neuer. No DMs right? Yea, we don’t need’em.
Does anyone remember a bloke called Alex Ferguson?
He was a massive cunt, and had a red nose.
Yes…I think he still is one.
I seem to remember someone like that from the mists of antiquity. Had quite a mouth on him, as I recall, and he was something of a bully. I think he’s auditioning as a reindeer these days.
Loving the “worst 11” references from the Arsecast Extra. Also wanted to chime in to ask how to change my handle to “Toast with Jam AND Butter.” 🙂
How about this for a great idea…..rest Petr Cech and play our reserve goalie. What could go wrong?….and we’d have our number one goalie fresh for Sunday. Magic!
Alex was the best manager we ever had
With Robben running at the defence we will need positional discipline and strong tackling so it is reassuring that Coq knows his preferred position and will be eager to slide in.
Just bring it on..
I believe if we get a point we will qualify.
Really love this team at the moment, it’s been a while since we’ve had a squad with so many characters in that I love ! I desperately wished we had signed just one more forward player and one more defensive midfielder as every game when someone goes down my heart stops!!
Wenger is correct we can’t absorb their pressure the entire match, too taxing physically and mentally. We’ve got to be tight defensively for sure and not give up anything easy, but we’ve shown the ability to score a number of goals off of set pieces this year and with Giroud in there will have a great chance to do so again if we can earn some corners and free kicks as Bayern is not as strong in the air on defense as we are on offense. We also have players that can create that moment of magic needed in Sanchez,… Read more »
Lots depends if and how that ultra football c..nt Robben will play – with him pulling the strings at Bayern it’ll be hard to get anything from the game i’m afraid …unless LeCoq takes good care of him 🙂