So the big game finally arrives as Arsenal attempt to do the impossible against Bayern Munich. We need to win 4-0 or 5-1 to have a chance after 90 minutes, and the size of the task is emphasised by the fact that Munich are unbeaten in their last 16 games, and not once all season have they lost by more than one goal.
But once the game kicked ooff Arsenal were matching the Germans well, and in the first 15 minutes Walcott came close with a lovely pass from the wing but his first touch let him down, and then Olivier Giroud got a head to an incoming ball which went just passed the post.
Arsenal kept plugging away and Theo Walcott flew behind the Bayern defence and fired a rocket into the roof of Manuel’ Neuer’s net to give Arsenal hope of an unlikely upset. That gave the Gunners a lift and they kept attacking a nervous looking Munich defence. Right on the half hour mark we were denied a clear cut penalty when Alonso clearly took out Theo Walcott as he was getting ready for another rocket.
Just 2 minutes later Theo was given another perfect pass but this time couldn’t slot it past Neuer.Seven minutes before half time, Bayern finally created a good chance when Robben dinked the ball into Lewandowski who made an unusual miss after scoring 5 goals in his last 3 games.
The last 5 minutes of the half suddenly picked up with end to end stuff. Walcott got a silly booking and Alaba lunged at Sanchez and could have broke his leg if he had connected with it.. In the last minute Alexis gave a rather tame free kick at Neuer, and although we are looking the better team so far, we will have to step up another gear in the second half and get an early goal…
Alas the second half couldn’t have started any worse as after just ten minutes Lewandowski got bundled over in Petr Cech’s box and not only does he convert the penalty but Koscielny gets a yellow, but suddenly the ref changes his mind and he gets sent off! That has effectively ended Arsenal’s hopes of going through, unless we can score 5 goals with ten men….
The only hope we can have is that we don’t fall apart and embarrass ourselves like we did in Munich, but just 10 minutes later Robben destroyed any iota of hope by taking advantage of some sloppy defending to get another nail in Arsenal’s coffin.
There is no doubt that Wenger will have a lot to say about the refereeing decisions tonight, and Wenger effectively throws in the towel by taking off Alexis and Giroud and putting on Perez and Ozil…
Douglas Costa also comes on for Munich in place of Robben, and very quickly has and impact as he nearly sets up Lewandowski for the third goal but the Pole only managed to hit Ospina’s post. Just a couple of minutes later Costa decides to go alone on the break and curls it past Ospina and we are in for another embarrassing last 16 exit.
Vidal very quickly makes it four after another howler, this time from Mustafi and now I’m losing interest, and suddenly half the seats at the Emirates are empty with more streaming out with ten minutes to go. A few minutes later Vidal again makes it five (and 10-2 on aggregate) and it looks like Arsene’s last Champions League game with Arsenal is going to be a painful memory. Even worse this is Arsenal’s biggest EVER defeat at the Emirates….
Arsenal have now lost 5 of their last 7 games, which is a very very sad reflection on Wenger’s management skills…
Admin