The Key To Bayern’s Emphatic Triumph Over Barcelona

For many it’s the end of an era and a number of observers have witnessed a change of guard at the top of European football. There are also those who wish to be more patient and see how the vanquished respond.  Whether you belong to one of these categories or have an entirely different view, one thing is for certain, Bayern’s sheer dominance over Barcelona over two legs and the nature of their wins have given everyone some food for thought.

Few would have predicted the Germans will win both legs when the draw was made. I doubt even the proudest, most passionate of Bavarian fans would have expected their team to knock seven past Valdes without Neuer picking the ball out of his net even once. Something extraordinary has happened here.

I am sure by now you must have read a fair number of reports/analyses from different perspectives. Messi’s injury has obviously been a big factor. Vilanova’s long term absence due to his serious illness must surely have had an impact on the Barcelona squad given the fact that he was palpably, even if cautiously and slowly, trying to shift the team’s approach from the constant high intensity pressing we’d become accustomed to in the Guardiola reign. The lack of depth in the Catalan ranks, particularly in the centre of defence, is another valid reason. Key players might also be tired, mentally and physically, after years of consistency at the very top.

Of course, we must be careful not to dilute Bayern’s brilliance by listing Barcelona’s problems. The Germans were stronger, sharper, and smarter. They had clear ideas – for instance, the use of set-pieces and aerial strength in the box – and executed them excellently. Heynckes’ team have deservedly received praise for their pressing, organization, discipline, work ethic, counter-attacking, and other attributes.

I don’t want to go over these things again as many excellent writers have covered these in a manner beyond my current abilities. However, I do want to explore one particular angle that I found very interesting. It’s a very specific territorial battle that Bayern won in both games and thus denied Barcelona the chance to impose their trademark suffocating grip on the game.

Before I get into what Bayern did, allow me to note certain characteristics of Barcelona’s style that has made them one of the best club sides ever put together.

It is said that the defending side should try to make the pitch as small as possible while the attacking team should stretch the play. It’s widely accepted wisdom but sometimes we forget that the process of compressing the playing area and that of stretching it are physical acts where the players have to move around on the pitch and it takes time. And teams are often very vulnerable when they’re doing this because a quick transition can catch many players out of position.

Barcelona, in my opinion, have a very unique solution to this as they compress play and stretch it at the same time. By basing their game on a short passing style and by insisting that the man on the ball be always provided with multiple passing options, the Catalans ensure that they always have a number of bodies around the ball. At the same time, at least one wide player and/or their full-backs consistently offers width up the pitch.

The ability to understand and minimize the risk taken in possession has been a key to its successful execution and patience has been a vital attribute. As a result, when Barcelona did lose the ball they often had enough players who could immediately press as a unit and win the ball back within a matter of seconds (6 second rule?). Not only was the man on the ball put under pressure by two or three opponents, his passing options would be cut off by other Barcelona players who read the situations and swarmed in accordingly.

The team’s shape played a crucial part in bringing the excellent tactical ideas to fruition on the pitch. Once the team settled into its rhythm after the initial exchanges, we’d see the central defenders on the half-way line, Busquets a few yards in front of them moving into carefully judged spaces to keep the ball rolling, Xavi would be around him again creating and using space, Messi would drop deep or move across horizontally till he got a chance to run at the defence or play someone else in behind. The wider players played their part making intelligently timed diagonal/vertical runs or by holding their positions or by cutting inside.

The above is, without a doubt, a very simplified version of their tactics but it should rekindle memories of the patterns of play when Barcelona dominated games.

In order for these tactics to succeed there is a very specific area of the pitch that Barcelona have to control. Take a look at the following chart of their passes against Milan in the 4-0 win at the Camp Nou in the previous round.

It’s impossible to make sense of individual passes from that chart but we don’t need to. The density of passes is important. Most of it is just inside the Milan half. That’s the area where Barca set up their base camp before launching attacks. It’s the perfect territory for the likes of Xavi and Busquets to control possession and dictate the tempo.

This is so because they need to stay at an ideal (short) distance from the central defenders who have to be on the centre line. Opposition strikers can be on the halfway line without being offside so no team would want to push its key defenders further forward during open play unless absolutely necessary.

If the midfield pushed too far forward they’d be away from their defenders and into the opposition ranks in front of their penalty box. That’s not the right place for controlling possession because the risk of losing the ball would be very high, as would be the gap between their own lines which would make controlling transitions much harder.

If they stayed deeper and pushed the central defenders further back, the team would be farther from the opposition box/goal and closer to its own penalty area and goal. Again it wouldn’t be ideal. In fact, Bayern succeeded in pushing them back but I’ll come to that in a bit.

You could call that purple box, although an approximation, the control room for the suffocating Barcelona system. Attacks are built from there with carefully picked moments of penetration and all the players form layers around the ball. An attacking player might want to pass it back and Busquets or Xavi would be available to receive it. Behind them would be the layer of central defenders and even Valdes could receive a pass if the opponents got too close. Similarly, there would be midfielders available for sideways passes and beyond them, right on the flanks, either a full-back or a winger would be waiting. This layering also helped control transitions by quickly pressing the man on the ball and the first layer of options around him.

What Bayern did, through superior physicality, immaculate organization, and astute decision making, was to wrest control of this vital piece of territory.

The following chart compares passes made by Barcelona against the Germans in the two legs.

The density of passing remains a very good indicator of where all the action was. The control room is sparsely populated. Barcelona had more possession deeper in their own half.

In his insightful match report for his Zonal Marking website, Michael Cox made the following observation,

Barcelona’s most frequent passing combination was Marc Bartra to Gerard Pique – a move that happened 21 times.

He went on to add,

The ball spent too long at the back, and Barcelona never picked up the tempo and piled on the pressure on the Bayern defence.

Cox ascribes this problem (partly?) to Song’s inability to link the defence with the creative players in a manner that Busquets typically does,

…Song wasn’t disastrous in the holding role, but he lacks Busquets’ positional discipline and understanding of how to let the play flow naturally through him, and up towards the creative players.

But it’s worth noting that in the reverse fixture Barca had the same problem even with Busquets in the starting line up. Refer to the passing density above and the fact that their most common passing combination in that game was Alba to Iniesta with 22 passes on the flank followed closely by, you guessed it, Bartra to Pique at 21 passes.

Against Milan, who sat back, Busquets to Xavi and Xavi to Iniesta were the most common passing combinations, and many of those passes were in the control room area discussed above.

Whereas most of the Bartra to Pique passes were almost all 10-20 yards inside the Barcelona half in both the games.

Against Milan, Barcelona completed 626 of their 715 attempted passes. In Munich, they completed 603 out of 666. The number or accuracy of passes is not very different. In no way does it explain how Vilanova’s side won the former game by 4 goals to nil while losing the latter with the same margin. But the positioning of those passes is more telling.

A few things happened as a result of Bayern successfully pushing Barcelona’s chief possession zone back by 20-25 yards.

1) Barcelona were further away from the Bayern goal and it was harder for them to bring their attackers into play. They were stretched vertically. This reduced the total number of attacks that the Spanish side could mount as well as the quality of the ones they did put together. Remember, they don’t like to play a direct vertical game.

2) The Catalans were never able to get into the siege mode – a shape where they could collectively and effectively suffocate the Germans once they lost the ball – because their spacing was no longer as required for that kind of pressing. Consequently, they could not really press as a unit, particularly higher up the pitch. This was another observation that Cox made in his analysis,

…while Barcelona’s sheer stamina in their pressing was frequently praised under Guardiola, less attention was played to the actual positioning and cohesion in the pressing – the player in possession wasn’t just closed down, all his other passing options were pressured too. Here, Barcelona’s ‘pressing’ seemed simply more like frantic chasing with other opponents left free.

3) As a result of 1 and 2, Bayern were able to hold on to the ball when Barcelona lost it (for longer than 6 seconds!), remained relatively safe at the back, and were always a threat on counters. On the other hand, Vilanova’s side could no longer remain patient in possession in deeper areas, and their attempts to bring attackers into play were down to riskier passes that resulted in threatening transitions which could not be prevented by hard pressing as their shape was lost.

It’s difficult to say just what percentage of that territorial battle was won by Bayern and what was lost by Barcelona. Surely, a fully fit Messi would have had a bigger say in that battle. But I’ve seen Real Madrid trouble their Catalan rivals in recent games through similar tactics by contesting that zone with some success, so I’m inclined to believe this is one of Barcelona’s (the possession game’s) genuine weaknesses and the Germans did well to exploit that.

Heynckes’ team did that by constant and clever pressing. They never went overboard but consistently marked the key players. When they had to leave someone free it was usually the central defenders. Ergo the Bartra to Pique combination discussed above.

Their man-marking was flawless but, equally, the players also picked the right moments and positions to let their man go and hand him over to a teammate. Most teams struggle at this against Barcelona because their movement pulls opponents apart and creates gaps in the defensive fabric. Bayern rarely yielded a yard of space, and never for a period long enough to be expensive.

Mandzukic in this game, and Gomez in the previous one, often left the central defenders and dropped back onto the deepest midfielder. This gave them an extra body in midfield which was useful in dealing with Messi or Fabregas when they dropped deep. In turn, the Bayern central defenders were rarely pulled out of position.

Furthermore, the discipline and work rate of usually attack-minded players like Ribery and Robben was praiseworthy. They often played as auxiliary full-backs when Barca did get the chance to move forward. It allowed Lahm and Alaba the luxury of staying relatively compact alongside their central defenders. Bayern’s backline maintained excellent spacing for most of the 180 minutes.

An interesting side note

Although further observations and analysis is needed on this, I get a feeling people within German football have identified the aforementioned piece of real estate on the football pitch as the key to finding the right balance between attack and defence.

Observe the density of passes made by Arsenal in home games against Schalke and Bayern, both of which the Gunners lost despite dominating possession.

Seems consistent with the discussion above, doesn’t it?

Dortmund topped their group of death but had less possession than their opponents in all six group games. Away to City and Ajax for instance, the Germans did an excellent job of defending that space just inside their own half.

While Barcelona and other possession based sides like to control that central zone just inside the opposition half from an offensive point of view, the Germans have shown that proactively defending that zone can lead to superb balance between attack and defence.

Many teams concede that zone when facing technically dominant sides. Indeed, Chelsea and Inter have won the Champions League by parking the bus, so to speak. But it’s worth noting that they both ended up in the Europa League this season. Defending deep and hoping for chances on the counter-attack can work in the short term but it is rarely going to be a strategy that works over a long period of time, not to mention the sheer drudgery needed to survive in each game.

The German approach, on the other hand, provides greater tactical control over games and the team with lower possession can often create more meaningful chances and look like the better attacking unit!

Defending with the first line of players around the centre line or pressing the first ball out from defence is not a revolutionary tactic. But we must also remember that Guardiola didn’t invent short passing, pressing, through-balls, or a clever dink over the top. He found a way to put it all together meticulously in a system that suited the strengths of his players to a tee. The beauty was in the minor details and flawless execution time and time again.

Similarly, it’s not that Heynckes, or Klopp, or other managers in the German system have created a novel tactical approach. But they seem to have refined it to a level where it could indeed create the new world order in football. I am possessed by that thought, do you have a counter?

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Bayern Munich 0 – 2 Arsenal: Match Thoughts And Individual Analysis

Pride is the key word tonight. Wenger said he was proud of the team. Ramsey thought the players did themselves proud. It was probably one of the most, if not the most, spontaneous thoughts that occurred to many Gooners after the game including this blogger,

Valiant effort. Proud of the team. At the very least it showed the gap b/w sides nowhere near as big as many proclaimed after first leg.—
DesiGunner (@goonerdesi) March 13, 2013

The bottom line is still that Bayern qualified and the Gunners didn’t. You could say this was too little too late and it wouldn’t be completely wrong. But there was something in the performance that justified the manager’s belief in his players. This was the first time a team stopped the Bavarians from scoring this season and only the second occasion a team has beaten them at home.

As I said in that tweet, at the very least it showed the difference between the sides was not as big as many had declared it to be. Nevertheless, there was a difference and I can’t say the Germans didn’t deserve to go through.

Before the first game I wrote,

Based on recent form, according to the broader perception in the press and among fans, and on paper in terms of squad strengths, Bayern are overwhelming favourites to progress to the next round of the Champions League at the expense of Arsenal. I do, however, feel that this tie over two legs can be much closer than many expect it to be. But for that to be the case a simple yet vital question has to be answered in the positive and that’s not easy -

Can the Arsenal defence (the entire unit not just the back five) be trusted to cover structural weaknesses and avoid unforced individual mistakes over 180 minutes (possibly more) of football?

The Munich part of the answer was a resounding ‘Yes’. Alas! it wasn’t enough. The mistakes in the first-leg were too expensive. Wenger knows this as well as any fan,

When you look at the game tonight you have many regrets from the first game. Qualifying is 180 minutes and in the first 90 we were not at our best. I believe that it was very feasible to knock out Bayern. We got that feeling when we watched the first game again. We had a plan that we respected tonight, it went for us on some occasions but at least we have shown that we have the quality to be there.

The game itself was a very cagey affair. I’d mentioned the point about Bayern being cautious and respecting the Gunners in the preview. An early goal made them all the more wary.

And what a goal it was. Cazorla dropping deep and a tad central to receive the ball. Ramsey making a clever vertical run that was found by the Spaniard. The Welshman’s head-up square pass for Rosicky and Little Mozart’s deft touch for Walcott were all immensely enjoyable. Theo’s cross went through Dante’s legs and Giroud smashed it home from close range.

It was the kind of goal that had an air or preparedness about it. On the other hand, one got a feeling the hosts were caught unawares in that early period. As the game went on they managed their shape really well and prevented such moves from being created on a consistent basis.

The rest of the first half was a largely dull affair with Heynckes’ side dominating possession but finding it hard to break down an Arsenal defence that was consistently dropping deep and crowding out the central areas. Bayern often created overlaps on the flanks, particularly their right, and had men in good positions to deliver a telling cross, but Arsenal got enough bodies in the right areas to prevent open shots at goal. The hosts were largely limited to hopeful and/or rushed shots from the edge of or outside the box.

Their tentativeness also played it’s part as it countered the usually clinical nature of their finishing. One could argue that if they didn’t have the mental dilemma caused by the luxury of such a big first-leg lead and the pressure of an early Arsenal goal, they’d have done better with the chances they’d created. A team does not get into the position Bayern are in the Bundesliga or the Champions League without knowing how to score.

In that regard, while it can be argued that Arsenal’s defence worked, it also felt that the Gunners got a fair amount of luck. Again it was something Wenger touched upon, “… it went for us on some occasions.”

The Frenchman also talked about pressing the hosts high up the pitch.

We played very high up, we tried to block them and [make them] play through our lines.

Certainly, Arsenal’s attempts to press up the pitch were noticeable throughout the game. It’s tough to say it was a well-executed plan as Bayern often played past it with ease, but there were enough occasions when the Germans were forced into hoofing the ball forward to say that it did put them off their rhythm.

Pressing up the pitch as a cohesive unit has not worked for Wenger’s side. I first noticed this in the away win at Liverpool and have subsequently observed and discussed it in many games. This time it was a little better but I still don’t see it anywhere near the level required for consistent performances at the highest level.

The second-half was more open and both sides created better chances. But for Robben’s selfishness or the general tentativeness of their play, Bayern could have troubled Fabianski more than they did. Heyneckes will be disappointed his side didn’t score in the second period.

In attack, the Gunners scored with their only two shots on target. Admittedly, Fabianski was the busier keeper. Neuer hardly had anything to do except picking the ball out of his net – or sleeping over it – and kicking it long on occasion.

It reminded me of some games where relatively smaller teams have frustrated the Gunners and nicked a point or three on the break. In such cases Wenger usually talks about the difference in chances  created and the fact that the opponents scored with their only shots on target. Wonder why no one put this question to him in the press conference, would have loved to hear his response/spin.

I thought Arsenal’s passing was too rushed and sloppy. Too many transitions and general build-ups broke down because of hurried and/or misplaced passes that shouldn’t be going awry. Pressure and lack of confidence might have been a factor. It could also be that Arsenal were trying to play it forward really quickly and didn’t get their understanding right. Whatever the reason, there can be no denying the fact that the number and quality of chances created were not enough to deserve progression.

Set-piece delivery was disappointing, more so considering the nervy nature of the hosts’ defence. That corner showed what havoc better delivery from other free-kicks could have caused.

Arsenal’s wing play wasn’t too good either. Bayern’s ability to create space and find a free man in the wider areas was patently superior. They were also better at closing that space down when defending. There are many tactical difference between the two sides that won’t go away simply because of this result. Those differences manifest themselves in the form of their respective performances over longer periods of time and it’s obvious the Germans have done much better in the recent past.

Yes, there was that chance for Gervinho. And Giroud could have done better in moments that had the potential to be decisive on more than one occasion. On another day the Gunners might have found the third goal. But Bayern fans will be quick to remind us that on another day the Bavarians would have buried one or more of their own chances too!

I’d ended the preview to this match with the following words,

Arsenal are better than the side that lost 1-3 at home against a brilliant Bavarian unit. The key questions are – Do they themselves believe that to be true? And can discover that completely different animal?

The Gunners have answered these questions in the affirmative, now it’s time to build on this form for the rest of the season.

Individual Performances:

Fabianski: Made a number of decent saves but none that seemed otherworldly, should thank his teammates for protecting him well. Decision making was generally good as was his catching/handling of the ball and positioning between the sticks. An odd occasion when Muller’s powerful drive squirmed under his arms comes to mind, but other than that it was a fairly convincing display, particularly from a man who’s been out for so long. Well done Luke.

Jenkinson: One of his better games without a doubt. Bayern didn’t overload his flank as often but the youngster did well in his individual battles. Defensive positioning was good, as was his decision making. Some of his covering work was also commendable, like the time he darted across to put pressure on Robben who was clean through. Even in attack there were a few moments when the full-back impressed with his energy, determination, and choices, although not as consistently as he did at the back.

Mertesacker: Had a good game in and around the box. Sensed and dealt with danger on a number of occasions. Passing was efficient but largely very safe. His presence did force the back line to drop back rather quickly, which made it hard to sustain pressure higher up the pitch. The time Robben got in behind, for instance, showed his weakness as he was nowhere near a covering position once Koscielny was sucked into a duel with Muller.

Koscielny: Scored a good goal. Another one who had a decent defensive game in and around the penalty box. Did make a couple of mistakes slightly higher up the pitch that could have been costly.

Gibbs: Much more conservative than he normally is. Often ended up defending against two players or more as he lacked support, particularly from Cazorla in the first half. Did enough with his speed and positioning to slow down certain moves. Overall a decent effort despite many of Bayern’s chances coming from his flank.

Arsenal tend to concede the wings and crowd the centre. It’s not something new. In this game they did it fairly effectively as the central defenders dropped deep together and the defensive line was consistent. They also got decent support from the midfielders, at least in terms of having the bodies in the right places. Overall a respectable defensive effort but not the kind on which major challenges can be built.

Arteta: Was disappointed with some of his fouls, particularly late in the game when his experience should have shown through. Wasn’t able to bring the ball out from defence under pressure and passing wasn’t at the level we normally see in the Premier League as the hosts were clever and persistent while pressing him. Decent supporting role in front of the back four.

Rosicky: Wasn’t really able to bring the forwards into play as often as one would have hoped. Bayern didn’t give him much space and he wasn’t able to drop into holes to influence the play in an attacking sense. Also lost the ball quite often for an experienced player. Did have a few good moments when he was able to turn past opponents or almost picked incisive passes but those were few and far between.

Ramsey: There were some very visible sloppy passes from the Welshman that had me cursing at the screen. But it was really a phenomenal effort from Ramsey. Saw a lot of the ball as he made himself available all over the pitch. According to UEFA he covered 10280 metres in his time on the pitch, which when extrapolated to 94 minutes comes to 13421, a staggering number. Luis Gustavo was next best with 12059 over the whole game followed by Arteta with 11450 and Martinez clocking 11001. This effort meant that he was able to help the defence on a consistent basis and he also tried his best in to aid the attack, including a vital contribution in the build-up to the first goal. He still has a long way to go and much to learn in this role but the raw material and the heart is definitely there.

Cazorla: Played a part in the first goal and was influential in some attacking moves, particularly towards the end. But he wasn’t able to express his attacking abilities as well as most fans know he can and wanted to see. Useful assist from the corner but disappointing set-piece delivery otherwise. Didn’t really offer sufficient defensive cover to Gibbs.

The midfield struggled for large patches of the game when Bayern pressed them intensely and denied any sort of space to turn or run into. If they got past one player there was always a covering teammate ready with a fresh defensive challenge. The midfield players also rushed their game a bit and couldn’t quite show the composure we see in many Premier League games. This minimized the attacking threat that Arsenal could pose. Extra effort to help the defence made up for it in the context of this game.

Walcott: Decent assist for the first goal but a largely disappointing anonymous game. His technical weaknesses and inability to adapt to clever positional defending meant that he saw very little of the ball and lost it quite often. Nevertheless, offered more than he did when playing down the middle in the reverse fixture, which just seems like a tactical blunder in hindsight.

Giroud: Had a good goal to show for his efforts but another one who got more wrong than he did right. Work rate is there but his choices, anticipation, and execution are below par. As I’ve said before though, he’s more like a youngster with just one big season in a smaller league to show for experience rather than a proven striker. Another one who has the raw material and the heart. Has to show he can learn quickly.

The technical weaknesses of the forwards and some of their choices on and off the ball broke down a number of attacks in promising positions. But they can improve if they keep working, already there is more to their game than we’ve seen in the past.

Subs: Gervinho had a couple of lively moments and almost scored. Oxlade-Chamberlain won the corner that resulted in the second goal and, in general, had more to offer in the tighter spaces on the right than Walcott did.

Wenger: Some bold decisions like leaving Vermaelen and Szczesny out of the line-up seemed well-justified. Could probably have brought Walcott off earlier but that’s the kind of decision that would get criticism either way. Bringing Cazorla into a central area also seemed like a missed trick. On the whole a strong response to the critics but one game does not a season make.

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Thoughts On Tactics And Starting Eleven Against Bayern Munich

It seems to me that this game has more of a psychological value than anything else. Yes, there is a remote chance that Arsenal could still qualify, but I doubt even Wenger will genuinely believe in his team’s chances at the Allianz Arena.

The Gunners could still come back with a respectable result though and it is a performance capable of deserving such a result that Arsene will seek from his squad. The Frenchman’s made all the right noises about attitude, commitment, and a bit of luck. Play with freedom, try to break Bayern’s sense of security, a feeling of invincibility, if you will, and see what happens.

In theory, that’s absolutely the right approach to take. The only problem is, the Arsenal teams of recent years have not responded well to major disappointments. If they go for it in this game and get picked off on the counter – let’s not forget just how clinical and tactically astute Bayern were in the first-leg, and indeed have been throughout the season – it could really have a negative impact on the only meaningful goal that they have remaining. Is it worth going for a miraculous result or is it better to play a clever game in order to conserve energy and mental strength for other challenges ahead?

As far as tactics are concerned, the preview and post-match report from the first-leg cover pretty much everything I have to say. Bayern are about as tactically complete a team as I’ve seen in recent years.

The Germans received many flattering compliments in light of their impressive victory at the Emirates, most of them fully deserved I have to say, but few noticed that they conceded possession to Arsenal in that game and controlled the game defensively after taking an early lead. They made it seem effortless while the Gunners huffed and puffed without really going anywhere. That affected the perceptions of many watching the game but you could see how cautious Heynckes’ side were.

It will be interesting to see if they take the same approach at home in front of their own fans. The onus is on Arsenal as the visitors will need a minimum of three goals. Will Bayern simply invite pressure and rely on their clinical counter-attacking skills to complement their defensive organization and work ethic?

Will Wenger send his team out so fired up that they can raise the tempo to match their efforts against Milan? It would be popular among certain sections of the fans but the manager knows it can’t work.

We can have a real go without being silly. We can’t think that the game lasts 30 minutes and throw everything forward from the first minute on. We want to be positive but also intelligent.

Against the Italians, at this stage last season, the Gunners ran out of steam after the hour mark and one got a feeling the visitors would have found a way to score if they needed it. At 3-0 down they still had an extra gear when the hosts were completely drained. Such an approach in this game, against a side as wily as this Bayern outfit, would simply spell disaster.

Arsenal have to find a way to attack without leaving their defence exposed. Sounds simple enough but as we’ve seen time and again, it’s as hard to do as it’s easy to write.

Wenger has talked about having an ambitious plan and the ten days he’s had to prepare for the game. It sounds interesting but could just as easily be deemed ominous.

Without Wilshere and Podolski Arsenal lose some attacking edge. But there is enough quality in side to still ask some genuine questions of this much-vaunted Bayern defence provided they get a reliable defensive base to build it on. Offensive players cannot express their abilities consistently and effectively if every other transition puts their own goal under threat.

The manager has an unenviable task in selecting the starting eleven for such a game. I am not sure what he’ll do but Vermaelen, Cazorla, Arteta, Walcott, and Giroud are likely to be on the pitch at kick-off. Gibbs will start if he is fit and Fabianski could find himself between the sticks.

That leaves four other slots up for grabs. I doubt many will disagree with the inclusion of Rosicky. Jenkinson would be the orthodox choice for the right-back slot but Ramsey could do a job there in a more ambitious line-up. With Ribery likely to miss this game it might be a gamble worth taking.

Given Wenger’s selections thus far, Mertesacker also seems a certainty in the starting eleven. I’d prefer Koscielny, particularly if the Gunners want to play higher up the pitch.

The final position could be a tossup between the likes of Diaby, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, and Arshavin. Neither is a genuinely inspiring choice given their current form and/or fitness states, but one of them is likely to get the nod.

I’d go with,

Fabianksi – Ramsey, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs – Arteta, Rosicky, Diaby – Walcott, Giroud, Cazorla.

That team has enough players who can circulate the ball under pressure. Diaby’s presence can help the defence and his loping stride could be helpful while defending counter-attacks or even in replacing some of the drive that Wilshere’s absence will cost. Of course, that’s assuming we see the best of Diaby. We could just as easily find a lumbering, dawdling individual who is neither here, nor there.

Gervinho on the flank with Cazorla in midfield is also a tempting option. Again, those who’ve followed the Ivorian’s Arsenal career will be able to imagine the pros and cons of that selection quite easily.

Irrespective of who Wenger selects, I hope the players go out and enjoy their game. Forget about the result and hopefully the handbrake will be lifted. Who knows it might even help the defence as they play instinctively rather than second-guessing themselves at vital moments.

Arsenal are better than the side that lost 1-3 at home against a brilliant Bavarian unit. The key questions are – Do they themselves believe that to be true? And can discover that completely different animal?

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Arsenal 1 – 3 Bayern Munich: Match Thoughts And Individual Analysis

The single big question was – Can Arsenal cover their structural weaknesses and avoid unforced individual mistakes over 180 minutes of football? By the seventh minute a resounding ‘No’ was ringing around the Emirates, audible to those who were listening for it. In the 21st minute the tie was over as a contest.

Wenger went with Walcott up front and Podolski on the left. Cazorla was shunted to the right and Ramsey retained his spot in the centre of the pitch. The Frenchman probably thought Theo will have a chance of getting in-behind the Bayern defence if they press high up the pitch. Maybe he had other reasons to believe this could work. I don’t know those reasons because I can’t see Walcott being effective through the middle unless Arsenal plan on sitting really deep and playing purely on the counter.

Wrote this just before the game -

Walcott central will mean Arsenal have to largely rely on counters. Crossing, lay-offs and one-twos (combination play) will be limited—
DesiGunner (@goonerdesi) February 19, 2013

As things turned out the Gunners tried building from the back and the game became a battle in midfield. They were never going to win it with Walcott as the striker. There was just no avenue to build attacks. Theo couldn’t show for the ball or hold off Dante who never let him receive and control the ball. There just wasn’t any sort of a link between him and the rest of the team. With Walcott in the centre, long-balls or crosses couldn’t work well either.

Of course, that wasn’t the only or even the main problem, but Arsenal really had no offensive threat in the first half apart from a couple of quick breaks that excited the fans but ended with tame crosses. This gave Bayern greater confidence and made the game relatively easy for them.

The main issue in this game was the difference in the tactical qualities of the two teams. For Bayern, every player knew his role really well and they changed between one approach and another seamlessly. They pressed high up when they wanted to, dropped back when there was a threat of Walcott or someone else getting behind, remained compact in midfield and closed space down consistently, and broke at pace and with purpose when they got a chance to counter.

The Bavarians always seemed to have extra bodies in defence in just the right places to cover for their teammates. In attack, they instinctively found a man in space.

There were times when the Gunners tried pressing them up the pitch but they were almost always able to calmly play the ball out of trouble, often finding ways to build attacks in the process. When the reverse happened, Wenger’s team were usually forced to hoof the ball clear, and at times looked vulnerable and erratic.

When Bayern had possession in the attacking areas they were often able to get meaningful balls into dangerous areas. If it didn’t lead to shots or near misses it usually led to a corner from a desperate clearance. In contrast, Arsenal’s possession was again illusionary. There was a spell in the second half when it looked threatening but the number of chances was still limited.

Bayern’s attacking quartet were able to pop up between the lines and link with each other and the full-backs almost at will. Arsenal’s defenders retreated deep and narrow far too often and early, conceding spaces in front and wider areas. This crowding-the-centre approach to defence cannot work against a team of this calibre.

In the preview, I’d talked about the timing of Bayern’s full-backs’ runs. They do it all the time and it was not a surprise but the Gunners were just not prepared for it. Lahm picked up an assist, and it was his cross that was desperately cleared by Vermalen leading to the corner which resulted in the second goal.

Arsenal had enough bodies in the defensive areas but their awareness and structure were just not good enough. Lahm and Muller had all the time in the world to pick their crosses, Kroos was completely free in such a dangerous spot, and Van Buyten’s run wasn’t picked up by anyone.

Indeed, one got a feeling the Germans had an extra gear that they just didn’t need as they sat on their lead in the second half.

The visiting defenders, on the other hand, paid very close attention to the Arsenal attackers. They rarely had a moment to breath when they received the ball. Minor technical errors were thus enough to break down attacks. Arsenal just couldn’t manufacture any space as the Germans worked really hard and intelligently to close it down.

Their midfielders, wide players, and even Mandzukic did his bit in keeping the goal safe. When nothing worked they threw their bodies at the shot in an intelligent manner making themselves as big as possible. Mertesacker’s attempts to block the first shot seemed more like an effort to avoid getting hit. Sadly, it’s been a problem for Arsenal over a long period and is not limited to the German.

Arsenal’s goal was a lucky break. The corner should never have been given but it was. Delivery was good. It pulled Neuer off his line and the Keeper, as was mentioned in the preview, does have a tendency to make such mistakes. He got nowhere near the ball and Podolski was able to hold off Lahm’s attentions to nod home.

Wenger’s side had a couple of other chances, most notably Giroud hitting it straight at Neuer after a good move involving Rosicky and Walcott, but they were never going to be enough.

Bayern could have had more than one on the counter but they seemed satisfied with what they had.

In fairness, it wasn’t a terrible effort from the Gunners in every sense, but their defensive issues were always going to make it a massive challenge against such a quality opponent. Playing Walcott through the middle probably made it worse.

Individual Performances:

Szczesny: Another poor game. Should have done better for the second goal. Didn’t really inspire confidence. Again, can someone remind me what all the organizes the defence, communicates well, and such other arguments were about?

Sagna: The way Bayern used Lahm in attack is worth contrasting with Arsenal’s use of Sagna. Wenger’s system puts a great burden on the full-backs as they have to constantly shuttle up and down the flank. Lahm was more selective and received the ball in space. Sagna was almost always crowded out and tightly marked in the attacking areas. Decent defensive shift, can’t fault him for any of the goals. Bit unfortunate for the third.

Mertesacker: Was more nervous and erratic on the ball than he should be. Needs to do more to block such shots. Did win a number of headers that limited the chances Bayern could create.

Koscielny: Made a number of vital interventions in the penalty box. Passing was average. Can’t blame him directly for any of the goals.

Vermaelen: Wasn’t able to offer much in the attacking areas. Really struggled when his side was overloaded as he lacked sufficient cover. Went to ground far too easily (eg: build up to the first goal) and unnecessarily. Numerous poor tactical choices on and off the ball. To be fair he did work very hard and did his best to prevent certain situations from getting worse.

The central defenders weren’t able to drive play forward when Bayern sat back and marked the midfield. Full-backs didn’t offer an offensive threat, although that is more a tactical issue than an individual one.

Arteta: Was reliable on the ball but was often forced to look back to his own goal and couldn’t really drive the game forward. Should have been tighter on Muller for the first goal.

Wilshere: Looked great when he got the ball and went past players but there was very little end product after that as he kept running into crowds. Amidst the hype it’s easy to forget how young and inexperienced he is. But it shows in his performances. Enjoyable and inspires hope for the future but currently ineffective.

Ramsey: Extraordinary work rate, poor tactical awareness. Should have been aware of Kroos’ position after Arteta was pulled out to the left. Should have attacked the ball at the near post before Van Buyten instead of waiting for it to arrive. Another one who wasn’t able to break past the Bayern shackles in Arsenal’s build-up play. Ran into cul-de-sacs when he ventured forward or wide.

Cazorla: Had a few promising moments in the attacking areas but his tendency to be individualistic does affect the quality of the team’s play. Often there was one dribble attempt too many, or a second too long before the pass was played.

Arsenal’s midfield saw more of the ball but made less use of it. They also didn’t know how to support the defence on a consistent basis. It’s related to that old problem of balance. Wenger’s system demands greater individual initiative and doesn’t provide a strong enough framework for the players to work with. Can be great when it works but it hasn’t worked in the big games for a long time.

Podolski: Took his goal well but had a disappointing night defensively. Should have paid close attention to Lahm’s movement and helped Vermaelen consistently. Wasn’t able to link with others in an effective manner in the attack.

Walcott: The tempo was fast and marking very tight for him to have an impact on the game. Bayern never let him run at a single defender or get in-behind. They controlled his main strength with clever positioning and by reading the passes played towards him. Because of that it was a forgettable night for Theo even though he visibly tried hard.

The attackers were isolated and tightly marked. Podolski on the left and Theo central is a system that does not convince me. It might work a year or so down the line if they’re given time together but do Arsenal have that time?

Subs: Giroud should have done better with his chance but it’s tough to blame a guy coming off the bench in such a game. Rosicky brought greater drive to the midfield and played some delightful passes.

Wenger: Can’t say I’m surprised by the performance or the result. Most of the issues are long-standing. He needs a good No. 2 to help with balance and structure, possibly someone from Germany or Spain where they’ve been evolving the tactical aspects of the technical attack-oriented game.

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Thoughts On Tactics And Starting Eleven Against Bayern Munich

Based on recent form, according to the broader perception in the press and among fans, and on paper in terms of squad strengths, Bayern are overwhelming favourites to progress to the next round of the Champions League at the expense of Arsenal. I do, however, feel that this tie over two legs can be much closer than many expect it to be. But for that to be the case a simple yet vital question has to be answered in the positive and that’s not easy -

Can the Arsenal defence (the entire unit not just the back five) be trusted to cover structural weaknesses and avoid unforced individual mistakes over 180 minutes (possibly more) of football?

There are times when hype can be misplaced and superlatives unjustified but make no mistake, Bayern are a very, very good team. Tactically, they are one of the most, if not the most, complete sides in European football.

The Germans have technically accomplished players who completely understand, and thus perform synergistically as a unit within, Jupp Heynckes attack-oriented but flexible system. They have goal threats from many players all over the pitch. Bayern are capable of creating multi-player, multi-pass moves to break opponents down. Die Roten are also a genuine threat from counter-attacks and can be direct when they want to, deploying long-balls and flick-ons to good effect. There are many players in the Bavarian side who can trouble Szczesny from distance and they also make clever use of the width of the pitch through their full-backs and wide players. This will be, easily, the best attacking team that Arsenal have played thus far this season.

If I’m not mistaken, Bayern Munich have scored in every single competitive game they have played this season. It’s incredible. I’ll be amazed and delighted if they fail to do so at the Emirates on Tuesday night. Smart money will be on Bayern returning with at least one away goal.

Heynckes’ side are runaway leaders in the Bundesliga and they’ve kept 16 clean sheets in 22 games, conceding just 7 goals in the League all season at less than 1 goal every 3 games. They are adept at pressing higher up the pitch and closing down spaces to win balls back quickly and prevent opponents from building their attacks. They also do a good job of snuffing out long balls aimed towards attackers. When needed, Bayern can also drop back into their own half and defend as a unit, although this is mostly in the central third of the pitch with the first line of defence around the central third.

That explains why Bayern are favourites according to many, now let’s come to the other side of the equation.

There is a feeling that the Germans haven’t really been tested this season. In the Champions League group phase, they only scored 3 and conceded 4 while picking up 4 points in their away games. This includes a 3-1 defeat against Alexander Hleb’s BATE Borisov, a 1-1 draw against Valencia at the Mestalla where the hosts were down to 10 men for close to an hour, and a narrow 0-1 win over Lille who lost 5 of their 6 games. In the Bundesliga, they’ve not beaten the 2nd or 3rd placed teams yet despite playing both at home. They drew with Dortmund (1-1) and lost to Leverkusen (1-2).

So, there is no doubt in my mind that if – and that’s a big, big if, mind you – Arsenal can perform to their best level over the two legs without any drops in concentration, or signs of the handbrake, and other self-defeating elements of their game, the Gunners will have a very good chance of qualifying.

I am finding it hard to predict the patterns of play in this game as many possibilities are imaginable. Bayern top the Bundesliga possession stats with close to 64 percent possession while the Gunners are second in the Premier League with 58.5 percent. Both teams like to keep the ball and it’ll be interesting to see which one manages to dominate possession in this game.

I think Arsenal have a slight edge in the technical department in midfield but Bayern have a better front six as their attacking players add exceptional technical quality. Walcott and Giroud are likely to be the weak links as far as technique is concerned and could be prone to losing possession, which in turn could mean the Gunners won’t be able to hold on to the ball for as long as Bayern do. The Bavarians are also better at pressing and regaining possession while Arsenal have shown a tendency to drop back and concede the attacking half to the opponent when out of possession. This too indicates that the visitors will see more of the ball than Wenger’s side.

If Arsenal do sit back they’ll have to be very vigilant as a unit because Bayern’s attacking players interchange positions seamlessly and make astute use of space. They are also quick to change flanks and their full-backs generally time their runs intelligently. Arsenal’s wide players will have to be diligent with their tracking. There will be times when their wide players cut inside and either Alaba or Lahm makes an overlapping run. In those moments, the Arsenal full-backs will be vulnerable. If their teammates don’t read the situation as it’s developing and only react after it’s in motion, the team will concede space and, consequently, opportunities.

Ramsey, if he’s picked, will have a big role in front of the defence. Arteta will too. Hopefully, Wenger will not pick Wilshere and Cazorla centrally, they both need greater freedom to express their talents and relatively fewer defensive responsibilities. Jack up the pitch and Santi on the left seems the better choice. That said, I’ll be concerned about Cazorla’s ability to track Lahm on a consistent basis if he’s picked on the flank.

Wenger’s side will also have to start strongly. Conceding a couple of early goals – like they did against Chelsea and City – will settle the tie prematurely. It’s also likely to give voice to the disgruntled fans. On the other hand, a dominant start that shows desire and determination could get the Emirates crowd going.

Offensively, it will be a major surprise and a disappointment if Arsenal don’t score in this game. Bayern are very strong as a unit but they do seem vulnerable when opponents get past their first line of defence and spend some time in their defensive third. In that regard, the Bavarians are a bit like their hosts. Unlike Arsenal though, their back four is not always keen to drop deep when possession is lost. The Gunners will have to earn the right to attack their goal. Wilshere’s ability to get past his man could prove vital. It’ll be interesting to see if Bayern double up on him in the central third. Cazorla’s ability to hold the ball under pressure and bring his teammates into play will also be useful. His long and accurate diagonals towards Walcott can get Arsenal into threatening positions.

Walcott’s pace is a threat against any team but David Alaba is no slouch. I’m keen to see how tight he gets to Theo. My suggestion to the Englishman will be to start wider and work his way across the defensive line when Arsenal have the ball. His speedy runs can cause some confusion in the Bayern backline as the defenders will have to share the responsibility of marking/tracking him. Theo will also be  a bigger threat if he can get his off-the-ball movement in sync with the vision of the midfielders. He’ll have a greater chance of making an impact if he constantly looks to get in-behind and receive the ball there rather than trying to run at the defence with the ball at his feet.

Neuer is a very highly rated goalkeeper but I feel Arsenal should take every opportunity to test him. Put pressure on him when he receives back passes, attack the penalty box looking for knock-backs when shots are taken from distance, and deliver crosses that pull him out of his line. The German’s record is impressive but I don’t think he’s tested often enough. There are mistakes in his game.

As with any big fixture, individual moments can be decisive. A casual touch in a dangerous area, a bad or great pass, a last-gasp tackle or block, a big save, or clinical finishing can all make the difference.

Wenger has some big decisions to make in his team selection.

Does he go for Ramsey in midfield? Should Podolski start? If so whether on the left or down the middle (I prefer this but very unlikely to happen.)? Who will play at left-back?

It will depend on Koscielny’s fitness but we might see,

Szczesny – Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny/Vermaelen, Vermaelen/Jenkinson – Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta – Walcott, Giroud, Cazorla.

Vermaelen might have to play through the middle if Koscielny is not fit and that would leave Jenkinson as the main option on the left (Monreal is cup-tied in case you didn’t know). Coquelin could also be an interesting possibility at left-back if he is instructed to keep things simple and focus on defending. Arsenal are likely to lose some offensive threat down that flank no matter who plays at full-back, which in turn might prompt Wenger to pick Podolski on the flank. Ramsey would be the most likely casualty in that case with Cazorla moving inside.

Bayern played on Friday whereas the Gunners played the FA Cup tie on Saturday. But Wenger was able to rest several players whereas the Bavarians will largely field the same eleven that won the game against Wolfsburg, so the hosts should be fresher, in theory at least.

Arsenal have to win this game if they want to give themselves a good shot at going through. Winning is about scoring goals but, at the simplest level, this tie will boil down to their defending.

P.S. I didn’t see the point in a late match report for the Blackburn game.

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Quicks Thoughts On Olympiacos … and Swansea

First things first, some of you might have noticed the conspicuous-by-its-absence match analysis after the Swansea game. Well, to be honest, I just didn’t feel up for it and there doesn’t seem to be much to gain from getting into the kind of details we’ve already discussed on numerous occasions. I understand there are some fans who might not have seen the game and were relying on the match report, to them my apologies; but I’m fairly certain these souls will understand my sentiments, perhaps even share them.

It wasn’t a rank bad performance over 90 minutes but it was far from the level Arsenal absolutely have to achieve and the mistakes for the goal were frustratingly familiar. As Wenger said, I’m not that concerned about 10th place in the table, it’s the quality of the game that is worrying and the fact that Arsene is uncharacteristically struggling to shape his best and most effective attacking unit despite having had a full pre-season with most players. Focussing on the position in the table is a little misleading because the gap with 3rd and 4th is not that big. If the quality of the game comes back the Gunners will move up the table swiftly but, unfortunately, we haven’t seen many signs of the unit clicking as a whole in a balanced manner.

I am currently trying to put together an article covering the broader view of the problems that Arsenal have faced over the last few  seasons, and I hope to follow that up with more specifics on this season’s issues. Articulating the points without making the article something resembling a doctoral thesis is proving a tough ask. But hopefully I’ll be done in a couple of days.

In the meantime, there’s a game against Olympiacos. In the years to come, this will probably be viewed as the most pointless game Arsenal played this season. Yes, there is some bearing on the position in the group, which in turn will affect the draw for the second round, but let’s face it, that’s too far in the future and the immediate problems are of a much more pressing nature.

Wenger has decided to rest most of his key players, a move that was long overdue. So the squad to face the Greek champions consists of many youngsters, a few regulars, and fringe players whose continued presence in the squad has puzzled many.

Picking a competitive and balanced line-up from that squad that can win such an away game will be nothing short of miraculous. In other words, I will be pleasantly surprised if Arsenal come back with the three points.

Szczesny, Vermaelen, AOC, Jenkinson, Ramsey, Coquelin, Arshavin, Gervinho, and Chamakh should all start. Wenger might also pick Rosicky, although I hope it’d only be done with complete confidence rather than a gamble over his fitness just because the squad is short of experience. Squillaci is a possibility alongside Vermaelen.

If Rosicky plays, we could see Coquelin at right-back and Jenkinson at left, or vice-versa. If Little Mozart doesn’t start, one of the youngsters in the squad will likely start in one of the full-back positions. Meade seems the most likely choice at left-back.

We might see,

Szczesny – Coquelin, Squillaci, Vermaelen, Jenkinson – Ramsey, AOC, Rosicky – Gervinho, Chamakh, Arshavin.

That is just my attempt to fit in all the relatively experienced players into the starting line-up. Way too many permutations are possible but I don’t really care.

I was a little surprised Eisfeld wasn’t in the squad for this one, or Djourou. Are they injured?

It’s a game that has to come and go. If the Gunners somehow get a result then it might help stem the rot otherwise it’ll just be a statistic. I’m not too concerned about a defeat or a draw in this game and will most probably not watch it. There will definitely be no match report after this one but watch out for the other articles that I mentioned earlier.

The game on Saturday will probably be just the opposite of this one. Those looking back might see that as the most important one of the season, particularly if it can kick-start a turnaround. If not that then at least it will take us closer to January…

Arsenal 2 – 0 Montpellier: Match Thoughts And Individual Analysis

The Gunners had to win this game and they did just that. It wasn’t an easy win but I think it’s safe to say Arsenal did more than enough to come out worthy winners.

Montpellier came out with a simple enough plan. They wanted to stop Arsenal from dictating the pace of the game. In order to achieve this they had to push up and press intensely in the central third. The overall tempo of the game was very high in the opening 20 odd minutes where both sides were trying to control the midfield. Arsenal had more possession at the back but weren’t finding a way forward, something we have seen in many other games this season. Montpellier were able to create some openings but didn’t have sufficient quality in the final third to convert the promising moments into goals.

Apart from a Koscielny header that rocked the bar in the 11th minute from a follow up to a corner, neither side really created any clear openings. The frantic pace of the game forced too many mistakes from both sides. For Arsenal, Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain really struggled to get into the game in the opening 25-30 minutes. Often their contribution was to lose possession in tight spaces. Wilshere too was having an uncharacteristically sloppy game from a passing point of view.

Podolski was making some useful runs without receiving the ball but he did get a golden opportunity in the 31st minute when Koscielny’s powerful run caught the Montpellier defence out of shape. The German dragged his right-footed shot wide when a pass for Giroud, who was free on the edge of the box, might have been a better option.

It was around this time that Arsenal started controlling the game better as the visitors couldn’t quite sustain the intensity of their pressing. Their transitions were no longer as threatening and the Gunners started looking relatively comfortable at the back. This also had a relieving effect on the midfield who were able to take more risks with the passing and positioning.

Nevertheless, Montpellier remained well-organized at the back and limited clear goal-scoring opportunities. A Podolski shot from a tight angle that went wide is the only other half-chance that comes to mind.

The early goal in the second half was enough to put the Gunners in complete control. It was a neat build-up down the left where Podolski and Vermaelen combined to put the full-back into the final third on the flank. The Arsenal captain was clever on the ball and made space by cutting back and across. His cross went to the back post where Giroud won the aerial duel and had the awareness to knock it into space for Wilshere to pounce. The Englishman’s outside-of-the-boot finish was composed and clinical.

After the goal it seemed the pressure felt by the players was eased considerably. They were able to play with greater assurance and did not make the mistake of backing off completely. Montpellier now had to chase the game and Arsenal started finding more spaces in their half of the pitch.

The second goal was again down to good teamwork. Oxlade-Chamberlain won the ball on the halfway line and brought it forward to the edge of the box. Podolski arrived with him and played a quick one-two with Giroud that culminated in a sensational volley.

After the second goal, I thought the Montpellier heads dropped and they neither defended collectively, nor did they attack with purpose. The Gunners could have won the game with three or four goals but I thought 2-0 seemed a fair score.

On the whole, it wasn’t quite the imperious performance that Arsenal have produced in group phase at home against similar teams in the years gone by, but it was a fighting effort from a team that is working hard to get the confidence and rhythm back.

Individual Performances:

Szczesny: Made a very vital challenge early in the game when he came out to take the ball away from the feet of an attacker who was through on goal. Didn’t really have to make many saves but his handling was assured.

Sagna: Excellent work up and down the flank. Put in a number of good crosses and was almost always available to receive the ball when his teammates needed an outlet away from the crowded centre. Solid defensive game, made up for the odd error that he made.

Mertesacker: Another steady game from the German. Was composed on the ball and made a number of vital interceptions.

Koscielny: This was the first time this season I saw the Koscielny who so impressed me last year. Calculated aggression, excellent reading of the game, put his body on the line when he had to, and reliable distribution. There was that moment when he overdid things in front of the penalty box and conceded a free-kick but other than that it was a superb effort.

Vermaelen: Probably his best game as left-back for the Gunners. Made numerous valuable contributions at both ends of the pitch. I thought his role was the most vital in the first goal. Defensive positioning and decision making was commendable. MotM in my book.

The defenders had a difficult time in the opening 25 odd minutes when the visitors looked a constant threat on the counter but they did enough to keep Montpellier at bay. It wasn’t pretty at times but it was effective. Got more composed once the midfield started controlling the game better.

Arteta: It’s difficult to write about his performances after every game because it’s always the same, and I mean that as a big compliment, obviously! Played a big part in keeping the team connected in the opening 30 minutes and was a constant shield for the defence.

Cazorla: It seemed to me he worked even harder than usual to get on the ball in this game and popped up all over the pitch. But I also thought he lost the ball more often than he usually does through poor touches or misplaced passes in the tight exchanges. Another player who remains consistently influential in the central and attacking areas.

Wilshere: Was sloppy with his passing and unsure with his positioning early on. Improved noticeably as the game went on. Got into the decisive area and took his goal well. Also had a better defensive shift in the second half as he stayed deeper after scoring. As Wenger said, “he is the kind of player who has to be a complete midfielder not purely an offensive player.”

The midfield wasn’t able to handle the early pressure as well as I’d have liked. They need to reach that level if Arsenal have to become a genuine force. Teams must feel that pushing up and compressing the central third against Arsenal is a risky tactic rather than one that gives them hope. Work rate was excellent and they slowly earned the right to dominate the park.

Oxlade-Chamberlain: Was virtually anonymous in the first 15-20 minutes. Grew into the game after that as he started drifting into useful positions. Had a better time in the second half once spaces opened up in the Montpellier half as they started chasing the game. Played a vital part in the second goal.

Giroud: He’s very efficient in the final third if his teammates can find him there. Picked up two valuable assists. Needs a lot of work on his ability to receive the ball and gain territory for the midfield when they’re under pressure. In the first half hour or so his passing accuracy was less than 40 percent, and that kind of limits the options for the midfield and puts pressure on the defence due to the high number of transitions. I thought Wenger’s assessment of Giroud was spot on but I do believe he’ll have to develop his game in deeper positions, he can’t simply rely on contributions in the final third.

Podolski: Wasn’t on the same wavelength as Wilshere or Giroud in the initial phases but I thought his movement was clever and could have been useful. Goal was well-taken and might have had a second but for a good block by the defender. Saw a lot of the ball and combined well with Vermaelen (and Cazorla), not just for the first goal but in general throughout the game.

The Arsenal front three have changed quite often this season and we haven’t quite seen them hit the right rhythm as a unit. There’s enough final-third quality to make the difference against smaller teams but much more is needed if the Gunners have to become a consistent threat against every team.

Subs: I thought Ramsey had a very good cameo. Was reliable in possession, worked hard to win the ball back, and moved into useful areas all over the pitch. Coquelin and Gervinho didn’t get much time to make an impact.

Wenger: I really love the specific and insightful comments he made after the game that show he’s completely aware of what’s going on and knows the individual strengths and weaknesses of key players in the squad at the moment. When Arsene talks about the performance and players in a matter-of-fact manner without unnecessary praise and without deflecting the conversation away from the negatives, it gives me the impression that he’s in control and can see this squad developing. It’s much, much more comforting than interviews or media briefings where Le Boss is trying to wriggle out of the tough questions without giving much away.

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Thoughts On Tactics And Starting Eleven Against Montpellier

Arsenal face a must-win game in the Champions League when French champions Montpellier visit the Emirates for the 5th game of the group phase. Qualification to the knock out stages hangs in the balance for the Gunners apart from the fact that confidence among the players and fans alike will take another massive dent if the result is not along expected lines.

Rene Girard’s team have looked like a shadow of their Ligue 1 winning unit but they are regaining some measure of respectability after going 4 games unbeaten including draws against PSG and Valenciennes, sides that are within 3 points of leaders Lyon.

The visitors have already been eliminated from the competition and it remains to be seen whether this affects their game. On one hand you could argue they’ll play with a nothing-to-lose mentality and can pose serious a challenge to Arsenal. On the other hand, they could make some changes to the squad with their League campaign in mind and some of the players might take it easy. We won’t know till we see their performance and the Gunners can only assume they’ll be up against a committed side that has a point to prove.

Tactically, this tie will again hinge on the battle in midfield, as is the case with almost every Arsenal game. Montpellier have to find a way to prevent Arsenal from bringing the ball out of defence. In the reverse fixture they were able to hold possession for large spells and the Gunners showed the tendency to drop really deep, particularly in the second half. This resulted in a relatively easier game for the Montpellier defence but they still lost that game due to a brief three minute spell in which Arsenal scored two goals. Girard’s team could concede more in this game if they can’t stop Arteta and Wilshere from dictating the tempo.

At the same time, Arsenal must be wary of the talents of Belhanda and Cabella who were a constant menace when the sides met in the first game of the group phase. Montpellier as a unit have commendable technical qualities and could put Szczesny’s goal under pressure if Arsenal don’t get their defensive approach sorted.

We’ve seen the Gunners struggle when they back off from the opposition players and we’ve also seen goals and opportunities conceded when the players try to press higher up the pitch but without cohesion. Wenger’s team are at their best when they dominate the ball and push the opponents deep in their own half but European teams generally have the quality to keep the ball on the ground and create some passing combinations. We have to hope for better coordination among the Gunner ranks and a uniform approach when possession is lost.

Wenger has the chance to rest a  couple of players but he is also in desperate need of a win. Walcott is out of the game due to an injury while Gibbs and Gervinho are back in the squad. They should both come straight into the starting line-up if deemed fit. Oxlade-Chamberlain could come in for Theo and Vermaelen might continue to fill in at left-back if Arsene thinks the returning players have to be eased back in.

I’d like to see,

Szczesny – Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs – Arteta, Cazorla, Wilshere – Gervinho, Giroud, Podolski.

I doubt Wenger will leave Mertesacker out but I feel going with two aggressive central defenders and playing a really high line could suit the Gunners in this game. Of course, that depends on Gibbs being fit enough to start, which is not a given.

Wenger might also consider the option of having Ramsey on the right flank. It’d be a highly unpopular choice but I can see the reasoning given the technical qualities that Montpellier have.

Gervinho hasn’t been as effective on the right but he did get a goal against these opponents in the reverse fixture and will be coming in fresh. There is also an option to shift him on to the left and give Podolski or Giroud a breather. Again, I’m not convinced Wenger will disrupt the system where key players are beginning to find some rhythm.

Giroud is on a good run and he could thrive on quality balls into the box as the visitors have shown some weaknesses aerially. With Walcott missing, Sagna will probably have extra responsibility for delivering such crosses from the right although AOC, if he starts, could also provide useful service. Gervinho, in contrast, is more likely to go to the by-line and cut balls back or drift across the penalty box and play shorter passes. If Gibbs starts, the Frenchman could also expect a fair amount creative contributions from the left.

Cazorla’s movement and involvement will also be worth observing as he’s shown a tendency to drift into wider areas to make greater impact in attack. Montpellier’s relatively inexperienced team could also struggle against Wilshere’s driving runs.

All-in-all this appears to be a game that Arsenal should dominate and win but in recent past the Gunners have found a way of complicating things almost every time I’ve had that feeling. Whether it’s elementary mistakes in defence, playing with the handbrake on, or a lack of incision in attack, there are many ways in which Wenger’s team could make this a tougher game than it should be. Fingers crossed…

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P.S. Thanks everyone for the kind wishes

Schalke 04 2 – 2 Arsenal: Match Thoughts And Individual Analysis

The Gunners went into this game down on confidence after a string of disappointing results and performances. Expectations were low and from that perspective the effort and the result were an improvement. It wasn’t a great game by any stretch of the imagination but the attack showed more bite than it has in the recent past and the defence, while under severe pressure for most of the game, did show greater concentration and dedication.

Wenger went with Vermaelen at left back and Walcott on the right flank. Koscielny came in at the heart of the defence. The rest of the line-up was same as the one that struggled at Old Trafford.

It looked like Arsenal wanted to play a relatively high line in defence, somewhere around the middle of their own half, with the first line of defence near the middle of the pitch. Schalke were also circumspect and started cautiously. But it was the Germans who created the initial threats as they broke forward with purpose whenever the Gunners lost the ball. Their defensive shape enabled quick transitions while denying space to the visitors.

Stevens’ men paid the price for not finding the right quality in the final third as the Gunners took the lead in the 18th minute, somewhat against the run of play. It was a hopeful forward punt from Mertesacker but Neustädter inexplicably headed it towards his own goal from a long way out. Giroud was able to run on to the loose ball behind the Schalke defence but kicked the ground in an attempt to shoot, allowing Höwedes the opportunity to make a last gasp tackle.

Walcott was on hand to collect the ball and did well to chip it to keep it away from the onrushing keeper who got something on the ball but not enough. It broke kindly for Theo, at least partly due to his excellent body position, and he tapped it into an open net.

Some might argue that Giroud was off-side and we’ve certainly seen other such calls go in favour of the defending team, but I thought it was a legitimate call from the assistant as the header from Neustädter seemed deliberate, although I can see why some might consider that debatable.

The Royal Blues remained a constant threat and were dominating possession but again it was the Gunners who scored. This time it was a clever and quick pass from Cazorla to Wilshere on the edge of the Schalke box that set the chance up. Jack tried to lay it off for Giroud but there seemed to be a deflection that took it behind the striker. Nevertheless, the Frenchman showed some tenacity to win the loose ball and spread it out wide. Podolski held the defender off before turning and crossing, virtually instinctively as he never looked up. Giroud was anticipating the ball and nodded it home unchallenged.

The two goals quietened the crowd and seemed to affect the confidence of the hosts. They were still creating some half-chances, particularly on quick transitions, but Mannone’s goal wasn’t under genuine threat.

It looked like Arsenal would take a healthy lead and the momentum into the half-time break when the game took another turn. Cazorla slipped while trying to hold on to the ball as the Gunners were pushing out after defending deep. This caught the visitors in a terrible defensive shape, which Schalke exploited expertly through quick passing. Holtby’s first-time assist and Huntelaar’s clinical finish were commendable. But one has to question the fact that Arsenal’s back line was once again all over the place. Koscielny dropped back the moment he sensed danger whereas Mertesacker was just pushing up and couldn’t turn quickly. There is good reason to believe Wenger’s side would have defended the situation better if both the defenders had been on the same wavelength.

The visitors had one good chance early in the second half when a Podolski cross found Giroud at the back post but the striker’s attempt with his weaker foot was ambitious and wayward. Apart from that it was all Schalke, who’d come out with renewed belief.

Huntelaar missed a golden one-v-one, although some credit should definitely go to Mannone for making the save. The Gunners also blocked a number of shots while others went off target or straight at Vito in goal.

The patterns of play showed strong Schalke domination as the Gunners were hemmed in deep and narrow. They found it hard to hold on to the ball and were forced into desperate clearances or blocks as wave after wave of attacks hit the defensive third.

There was no surprise when the equalizer came in the 67th minute. It was again a cross, this time from wide on the Arsenal right. Vermaelen was sucked into a central position as Holtby was unmarked. This left Farfan in acres of space at the back post.

When the ball is so deep it’s imperative that one of the midfielders drops into the back line. Arsenal paid the price of not doing that. Mertesacker was at the near post, Koscielny and Vermaelen were occupied by Huntelaar and Holtby, and there was no one left to pick Farfan. Ideally, the second midfielder should have tracked Holtby leaving Vermaelen free at the back but Wilshere’s style of play puts that little bit of extra burden on the defence that can prove decisive against good teams.

The intensity of the game dropped a notch or two after the equalizer. Arsenal were now able to see more of the ball and push up. Koscielny moved up the pitch with the ball on a couple of occasions and it could have resulted in a good chance had Walcott, who was in an off-side position, left it for Podolski.

Theo also had a golden chance to seize the win for the Gunners deep in injury time when he pounced on a loose back pass. On one hand, you have to commend him for his energy and alertness so late in the game, on the other, his finish was highly disappointing, especially considering had a clear option in the form of Giroud on his left.

In the end a draw seemed like a decent result, although both sides will feel they could have won the game.

Individual Performances:

Mannone: Another solid game from Don Vito. Confident handling, good positioning and decision making, wasn’t at fault for either goal.

Sagna: Saw a lot of the ball, had the most touches for the Gunners, couldn’t really make an impact in the attacking areas but worked hard at the back to keep the danger away.

Mertesacker: Made a number of vital clearances and blocks. Might have conceded a penalty on another day but usually those close ones aren’t given. Partially at fault for the first goal.

Koscielny: Very similar to Mertesacker except perhaps for the forward runs he made late in the game.

Vermaelen: Didn’t look very comfortable at left back but was bailed out by the fact that Arsenal defended deep and in numbers. Didn’t offer anything in attack. Still a respectable tenacious effort.

According to stats on Whoscored, the Arsenal back four made 39 clearances between them which was nearly twice the total made by the entire Schalke team. That shows the territorial domination of the hosts and the fact that the Gunners got their heads or legs on to a fair number of balls in the box. It was pretty but the defenders were focussed and worked hard for most of the game. They should have done better for the first goal and could have used some help for the second.

Arteta: Put in a very strong and useful defensive performance as he got into the right spaces at the right time on a number of occasions. Was also one of the few players who rarely lost the ball.

Cazorla: Played a vital pass in the build up to the second goal. Was initially doing a good job of holding on to the ball to absorb pressure but slipped at the wrong moment and cost the team a confidence destroying goal. It was also interesting to note that he often played deeper than Wilshere. Could have done better with defensive reading of the game and closing down opponents.

Wilshere: Kept pushing up the pitch, particularly in the opening half hour. Played his part in the build-up of the second goal, although I’d have preferred it if he’d shown the ability to take the ball in his stride and finish it himself. Wasn’t as composed on the ball and gave it away more often than a midfielder should.

It was a tough game for the midfield as there were phases when Schalke did an excellent job of pressing up the pitch. At times, it seemed the midfield lacked a bit of defensive nous and were simply helping the cause by adding up the numbers in the threatening areas.

Walcott: Took his goal well. Showed energy and desire right till the end. Was one player who always looked like a threat. But there were many disappointing moments as well. For instance, there was an early Podolski cross that he could have controlled in the box, but he went with his head and missed it completely. Also got in the way of Podolski from an off-side position when Koscielny’s foray created an opening. He didn’t finish the chance at the end and there were numerous occasions when he gave the ball away due to a wrong choice. All-in-all a mixed bag but he definitely improves Arsenal’s attacking potency.

Giroud: Good anticipation and finish for the goal. Looked a threat in the air and his work rate was commendable but he too had many disappointing moments. Didn’t quite offer an outlet when the side was under pressure, couldn’t shrug off his marker to play lay-offs like Huntelaar did time and again, was caught off-side on a couple of occasions when the ball was played long which lead to immediate loss of possession and no respite for the defence.

Podolski: Stayed wider at times and played some useful balls in from that side. Had more influence on this game than he’s had in the recent past, but he also lost the ball cheaply at least twice. Both those occasions led to threatening counter attacks. Put in a decent defensive shift but didn’t get into scoring positions at the other end as often as we’d like to see.

The front three didn’t get as much time in the attacking third as their counterparts did but created a fair number of chances and scored a couple of vital goals. Podolski and Walcott tracked back diligently but they did  lack some defensive awareness.

Wenger: The structural problems in defence that I associate with the manager’s defensive thought process are returning. The team will not be able to go through the whole season defending the way they did in this game. The more I watch the more I’m convinced Bould and Banfield were not the right choices but that’s a completely different discussion. For now, Arsene still has to work on improving the attack.

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Arsenal 0 – 2 Schalke: Match Thoughts And Broader Problems

This was a matchday full of surprises in the Champions League, if we can call the defeats of the so-called big teams at the hands, or is it feet, of their high-quality, but supposedly underdog, opponents that.

With those results in mind, and the undoubtedly quality that Schalke showed, one might be tempted to take Arsenal’s first loss at home to a non-English side in 46 Champions League matches as little more than a minor hiccup. But if we look at the quality of Arsenal’s performance – the only shot on target came in injury time from a 17 year old substitute, add in a similarly dour game against Norwich last weekend, and indeed the entire Premier League campaign thus far, and we can see genuine cause for concern.

After the Norwich game, Arsene Wenger was uncharacteristically forthcoming about the disappointing nature of the performance. In this instance stand-in manager Steve Bould had something similar to say, “A 0-0 would have delighted us I think.” That tells me Arsenal were just not at the races.

There were a couple of other comments from the assistant manager that showed the deeper and more complex nature of the problem.

We haven’t played anything like we can, I think that’s the big disappointment. We haven’t performed today. We lack a bit of confidence, for whatever reason…

We looked jaded, I don’t know why that is.

Arsenal have been unconvincing in attack in majority of the games. The Gunners have won only 3 out of their 8 Premiership games scoring 13 goals. 6 of those came in one outlier against Southampton, so they’ve basically won 2 out of 7 while scoring 7 goals in those games.

In that regard, I commend Bould for saying things as he sees it. Clearly, the coaches are not sure about the exact nature of the problem, which is not a surprise given the complex nature of a fluid attacking game. Blaming the quality of players and asking for new ones is the most obvious lazy approach but those actually in charge do not have the luxury of being so frivolous.

There aren’t many new observations to make about the lack of understanding and consequently the attacking impotence that Arsenal displayed against Schalke. There was some hope that the visitors’ relatively high line will provide more opportunities, and it did lead to some occasions when the Gunners got in behind, but they just didn’t have the ability to find the final ball or the finish.

Again, it wasn’t down to one player or one specific reason. At times, the players got too close to each other and killed the space that they needed, on other occasions the passing was too slow giving the defence time to recover, then there were instances of a player lacking strength at a vital moment in the attack to hold off the defender, and so on. None of these are new issues but finding the answers is proving tough.

To an extent this is understandable as the Gunners have lost last season’s three main weapons (RvP, Song, and Walcott) in the final third for various reasons. Integrating the newcomers is proving to be a challenge that is costing results. The transfer business can be faulted but I believe that debate is out of the scope of this article.

More than the attack though, the serious concerns are with the defence. It seems, after a relatively well-structured and solid start to the season, the defence is relapsing into the kind of mistakes that troubled the squad last season.

Santos obviously had a tough time as the overwhelming majority of Schalke’s attacks came down his flank. At times he was outnumbered but on many occasions his positioning, decision making, and ability to track was suspect at best.

It’s difficult to say whether many of the problems in defence resulted from positional issues borne out of the players attempts to move around in search of penetration in attack, or were down to a basic lack of discipline and awareness at the back. The answer is likely to be a combination of both. For instance, the space down Arsenal’s left side was often resulting from attempts of Podolski and Cazorla to work something in the attacking half, which didn’t leave them in a position to track the attacker once possession was lost. But there is no real excuse for the full-backs to stay deeper than the central defenders, in a virtual carbon copy of the mistake that was made against Norwich, to take an example of awareness and discipline issues.

The net result was that Schalke were able to counter-attack almost at will and the Gunners were somewhat lucky to concede only two. It’s also worth noting that the Germans got into numerous ‘promising positions’ in the build-up of their attacks but didn’t really click in the final third. It once again clearly illustrates the fact that finding the final ball or the finish is the hardest part of the game and even quality players like Huntelaar and Afellay can’t score with ease despite the acres of space afforded to them. By extension, it’s harder for the Gunners when the opponents are well-organized in defence and deny them space and time on the ball.

The central observation from the game was that it was relatively easy for Schalke to defend and attack whereas the Gunners struggled at both ends of the pitch. The visitors were tactically astute and defended in a composed manner that gave them the opportunity to build attacks almost every time they won the ball back. Arsenal, on the other hand, were struggling to contain the Germans and had to hoof the ball away or needed a desperate lunge on a regular basis. This also meant that they were rarely in a position/shape to break forward at speed. In short, Schalke won the tactical battle and mastered the spaces on the pitch to their advantage.

There’s another theory – Arsenal players take it easy, especially when they don’t rate the opponents highly – that I don’t buy at all. It’s unimaginable that all the players will switch on and off so many times during the season and on a yearly basis. To me the problem is in the tactical system, and that affects the output that the side can generate even when the players are visibly trying very hard. At the moment the Arsenal team is performing below the sum of its individual parts. Ideally they should be doing better than the sum or, at the very least, equal the total of their abilities.

This game has once again highlighted the issues that Arsene and his coaches have to solve, and they don’t have too much time on their hands. The title race might well be over even if many fans don’t wish to accept it. The race for the Champions League spots could also slip away unless the right solutions are found and implemented soon.

The efforts of certain players, the timing of the substitutions, and some other specifics of the game will probably receive their share of flak, but I feel it’s best to ignore those and focus on the broader issues so the individual performances section has been left out.

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