- Arsenal v Bayern: the history between the clubs
- Arsenal v Bayern Munich: a battle of goalscorers
- Arsenal v Bayern: Just what has H Kane been up to this season?
- Today on Arsenal’s History: Paul Davis banned for 9 games for retaliation to constant racial abuse.
Racing Post suggests that “Bukayo Saka should be fit after suffering a knock at Brighton so Jurrien Timber is likely to be the Gunners’ only absentee. Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior are competing for a start at left-back.”
They also point out that “Arsenal have been leading at half-time and full-time in all four of their Champions League home matches this season.” Their team is
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;
Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice;
Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Subs: Kiwior, Nketiah, Trossard, Zinchenko, Smith Rowe, Jesus, Partey
But Bundesliga.com have “5 reasons Bayern will beat Arsenal”. These include the fact (alleged) that Harry Kane will be dominating all the headlines”.
Second they argue that this is a “seasoned side” and they have understood the “value of experience” because they have got to this stage “in each of the past four seasons”, while Arsenal haven’t since 2010.
These are the sort of unquantifiable comments that journalists love to use to curry favour. But one could also say that Arsenal have the value of experience of fighting meaningful battles every week as they fight for a title, something as we have shown which is beyond Bayern’s reach.
They speak of having Kane as an advantage (yet with Kane in the team club’s don’t normally win things) and Manuel Neuer who has the most clean sheets in the Champions League and is close to the record number of appearances in the competition and the benefit of being focussed just on one trophy since they can’t win the league.
And indeed how they have been unbeaten in six of their last nine games in London. But although these factors might have some impact we are talking about professional footballers who on each side are trained to focus on the match and deal with all issues around them. It doesn’t really seem that likely that such issues can have too much of an impact – if any.
But this is what journos love because such stories are dead easy to write, and take no effort beyond a bit of flipping around the internet. Indeed even the BBC gets involved with “Can Harry Kane haunt Gunners again?” and then for the sake of balance which is part of the corporation’s remit they have Arsenal should not fear Kane, says Odegaard.
Then there is the appeal to the sympathy vote with the BBC quoting European football writer Mina Rzouki as saying, “How easy it has seemed for Harry Kane. Bayern have struggled at times this season but he has come in and taken to it like a duck to water. It would be a real shame if he didn’t win anything.”
Interestingly no one seemed to mention that Kane failed to win the league with Tottenham and their criminal owner, so went to Bayern who always win the league, and failed to win the league.
Back with the teams, Pain in the Arsenal have the same team as Racing Post but contrary to the ultra-nationalistic commentary of Bundesliga.com they say “Fear instead of optimism is prevailing in Bavaria.”
TalkSport focus on the fact that “Arsenal have been handed a massive advantage because the visitors have been banned from bringing any of their fans. This was due to their fans throwing fireworks in the last round. It all seems to be getting a bit far from the idolisation of Bayern in the pas (although much of the media lays off the fan-ban).
That was their second fireworks offence and interestingly Bayern didn’t even try to appeal. Arsenal have said, “Any season-ticket holder or Arsenal member’s seat found to be in possession of an away fan will be suspended indefinitely.” If you find a Bayern fan next to you, you might care to let the club know.
There is of course much of the media’s normal hanky panky in that under the Standard’s blazing headline “Bayern Munich XI vs Arsenal: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest for Champions League tie” there is no mention of the Arsenal team at all. Technically the headline says that through including “XI” but it is a headline aimed to mislead.
Football.London’s headline “Arsenal vs Bayern Munich prediction and odds ahead of Champions League clash” might also mislead, as there are just odds, not a prediction.
So let us stop with a site that always does do what it says: 90 Min.com They offer “Preview, predictions and line up” and that is what they give. They give us
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;
Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard;
Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
which I think is pretty much where we started this meander.
If you are going have a jolly good time, and if you find yourself sitting next to Bayern fans you might like to tell the club after the match (no need to get into an argument during the game).
As we’ve seen against City and Haaland, The Arsenal back line can handle a big striker. Can Kane handle them?
Saka penalty should have been awarded. Kane elbow should have been red card
Re the penalty call at the end.
Very poor from the referee.
Absolutely shocking that VAR didn’t at least get the referee to take another look
Stone wall penalty. Joke.
I’m with John L and Nitram
The most convincing argument for me is that if Rio Ferdinand, who absolutely hates Arsenal, thinks it was a penalty. It was stonewaller!!
To me the non red card to Kane was way more obvious and shoking then the non-penalty.
Tha being said, Arsenal prety much scored 4 goals – alas 2 against itself – and did keep Bayern with their galactical striket to one framed shot on goal.
The Champions League coms with much finer margins.
If you look at replays, you see how Gabriel stumles which makes him miss the pass. I think the gardener of the Emirales ought to get fired…. ;=) After all there must be a culprit, must there not ? This single event just gave Bayern 15 minutes to reverse the game dynamics.
Mr Arteta did manage his substitutions very well. Zinchenko was better then Timber, but on the return leg, you can bet Sane will be deployed full force on the left wing. As for Jesus and Trossard, these 2 were real devils and Trossard is just incredible.
I agree with a few other posters. The elbow from Kane was deliberate. On the replays you can see him looking where Gabriel is and then he positions himself to throw out his elbow towards him and hits him on the chin/throat. This should have been a red card. The not given penalty…. well…. speechless there…. for a ref who blow a lot of little contacts to not give this was a bit of a shocker….
I was quite amazed when the ref waved play on with the Neuer leg to stop Saka from getting to the ball. Just look at his face and you’ll see what he thought was coming. Quite ironic that towards the end the ref did not blow for obvious fouls like when Odegaard was cleaned out by De Ligt and then the ball kicked. Makes you wonder what the instructions from FIFA are to refs, blow initially but later let it go???
The team played well and I think Bayern may have a problem next week if they think Arsenal is scared of going to Munich….