One of the biggest concerns for Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal players as they prepared for the must win game against Bayern Munich a couple of weeks ago was the red hot form of Robert Lewandowski. The Poland international had been scoring like a millionaire in a brothel for club and country and with the Gunners knowing that only three points would do to keep the Champions League dream alive, we simply had to stop Lewandowski from adding to his tally.
The boot is on the other foot now to some extent, as after Arsenal stopped the Polish striker from scoring at the Emirates, he has gone another two games without finding the back of the net and will be desperate to put that right at the Allianz arena in Wednesday evening.
In a Daily Mail report this week the Pole was quoted talking about his own issues in front of goal and his determination to put things right, just as the whole Bayern Munich team are desperate to prove themselves by beating us in the return fixture.
Lewandowski said, “We have to get the points. We’re playing at home and will give our all. The most important thing is that we control the game and score the first goal.
“I’ve gone two games without a goal now, obviously I want to score again. I will give everything for that.”
It will be a big night for Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, assuming they both start, as Bayern and their prolific centre forward will try to get at Arsenal from the off. If we can withstand the early pressure though, and the longer we can do so, it will frustrate the Germans and increase the chances that the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud can inflict even more punishment at the other end.
Is stopping the Pole the key to another great night in Europe for the Gunners?