Arsenal Need To Treat Bayern Like They Did United

Match Preview: Arsenal vs Bayern Munich - Champions League 20.10.2015

The build up to this game has featured primarily on the manner in which Arsenal will approach it, e.g. where in Arsene Wenger’s list of priorities for the season does the champions league lie. Many within the game and media have promoted the view that this season the league is the utmost priority, a viewpoint strengthened by the formidable line-up we fielded against Watford ahead of our game against Bayern. Whilst our atrocious start to the CL group stage has put our participation in Europe’s most prestigious competition in doubt, few expect Wenger to openly admit to favouring our domestic campaign this year so our strongest side can be expected to play.

Bayern Munich go into this game in frightening form, with 9 victories out of 9 in the Bundesliga and a scoring ratio of over 3 goals a game so far. They’ve carried their domestic form into Europe, winning their two previous encounters and scoring 8. Much of their threat is derived from Polish striker Robert Lewandoski, who has just the 22 goals so far this season for club and country. Their defence has remained steadfast as well, conceding only 4 goals in 9 games in the Bundesliga.

Bayern’s overall record against us doesn’t make the best of viewing for Gooners, with 4 victories for Munich, 2 draws and only Arsenal’s only victories being the 2-0 recorded at the Allianz Arena in the European leg of our heroic failure of 2013 tour and our 1-0 home win at Highbury in 2005. The German giants will also take heart from their recent visits to the Emirates where they won 3-1 and 2-0 respectively. Indeed, The Emirates is proving to be a tricky place for the Gunners to play at in European games, with 4 losses out of our last 8 home games. The Emirates can become and anxious, unforgiving place for our team if things aren’t going our way and this seems to have an impact on our results.

Our tactics for the game will be interesting, as I expect us to try and replicate the fast start that had Munich on the ropes 2 years ago at The Emirates. We blitzed them in the first 15 minutes and if the penalty hadn’t been missed it would have been oh, so different. This quick-fire approach also paid dividends against Manchester United, with the game being decided in the opening 20 minutes. As such, I expect Theo Walcott to start ahead of Giroud, even after a quiet game against Watford. Even though Giroud came on and scored almost immediately, it very much appears that Theo is being moulded into Option A, with Giroud stuck in his current role of supersub.

The real worry I have is if we concede an early goal, not because I don’t believe we have the ability to recover from it but rather because such is the urgency and desperation of our play straight after that we present the opposition with glorious chances that a team of Bayern’s calibre will not pass up. The players seem to forget that it is a game of 90 minutes, and the crowd almost immediately shifts, fuelling our negative and dangerous habits even more. However if we come through the first 25 minutes without conceding then I believe we will win the game.

Last 3 Meetings

• Bayern 1-1 Arsenal (11.03.2014)
• Arsenal 0-2 Bayern (19.02.2014)
• Bayern 0-2 Arsenal (13.03.2013) 

Factfile

• Arsenal haven't beaten Bayern at home since 2005 when Thierry Henry was the difference in a 1-0 victory
• Bayern have scored at least 3 goals in their last 3 matches in the Champions League
• Robert Lewandowski drew a blank at the weekend, bringing close to a run of 12 goals in four games for Bayern

Injuries

Welbeck, Rosicky, Wilshere and Ospina are all out

Possible Starting XI

Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Özil, Sanchez, Walcott

Goonersphere's Prediction

2 (Ramsey, Sanchez)-1 (Lewandowski)

First Goalscorer - Ramsey

Bonus Point - Sure does feel weird going into a game Vs Munich and not worrying about when Szcezcny will get sent off.

http://twitter.com/goonerdyllan Tell us what you think! If you agree, or have a different view, please leave a comment in the comments section or why not write a response or your own article on YouWrite?

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