Inexperience costs us in another poor European knockout performance by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people it ends 2-2. I think we started really well, took the lead and then the old Arsenal arrived. Raya went to no mans land leaving Gabriel without a back pass, then the forward pass wasn’t controlled, they were in and they scored. Raya shouldn’t have been there, but Gabriel could’ve just sent it waywards, clear the danger.
This is where unfortunately the lack of experience in the side showed. We should’ve controlled the game better. At 1-0 Ben White went 1-1 with Neuer and we really should’ve buried that chance. Instead it went to 1-1 and we look like Arsenal in the Champions league under the latter Wenger years. We should’ve slowed it down, waited for them to come out a little more and try to catch them on the break.
I thought they bypassed our midfield too easily. To be honest Brighton did it as well a few times. I think the deficiencies of Jorginho are showing up. When the opposition has pace, one good pass eliminates our midfield, especially if Declan Rice is moved up to the 8 position. Unfortunately when Partey came on he was really poor as well and he was only on for 10 minutes.
I think it’s obvious the occasion got to us. Saliba was absolutely atrocious. Kiwior was so poor we subbed him at half time for Zinny which was a risk in my opinion, but I think we needed to calm the ball down. I thought Odegaard was the only really good player in the team. I was a little disappointed with the starting 11, I cant lie.
Why didn’t Tomi start at left back? We’ve not played in Kiwior the last 2 games and we put him straight in? Trossard is bang on form, and Jesus has been really good in the CL and his quick feet again saved us with the draw in the end. Could’ve one of them started instead of Martinelli who hasn’t had enough minutes to pick up form and was really poor?
I am disappointed that we played for large parts like Arsenal in the CL in the latter years of Wenger. Unfortunately this is not the first time. Porto were 2 not great games. Our record under Arteta in knockout stages in Europe is really poor, especially at home. We have 2 losses to Olympiacos, especially the 2-1 really hurt, a 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague, the 0-0 dreadful perofrmance against Villareal. Even last seasons draw with Sporting was poor.
Unfortunately this is on us. The reality is we should’ve done better. They had no away fans. We underestimated the fact that they have nothing else to play for. I am really frustrated honestly, but if there is a positive to take, the away goal rule is gone and we don’t need to necessarily go gung-ho there, but the task is really difficult now.
I’m also disappointed we begged for penalties. Another dive from Kai which wasn’t a good look. Saka at the end could’ve been a penalty, but his body shape is a bit odd and Neuer just stood still. I just don’t think that decision is the real reason we didn’t win the game.
We gave it to them, but now, we have to go to the Allianz and win. I think it’s a good audition in a way for the away games at Tottenham and Man utd coming in the league. We are the better team, but we have to win it under massive pressure and control the emotion. We couldn’t today, but hopefully we can do it next Wednesday
Konstantin
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We shoulda killed them here. This game gives them hope…that is what I’m worried about. They will start to believe they can do it and it will show when their fans are back and at home next season and given it’s the only thing they have to play for.
If we get eliminated next week, which I’m honestly thinking will happen, I won’t be losing any sleep as I believe we have reached our Champions League target for the season already by reaching the quarters. EPL should be the focus.
Make no mistake. Bayern Munich is a seasoned Champions League team. We are novices
I am more concerned about the game against Villa, lose that and we will never catch City.
The league is there for the taking, all we have to do is beat seven beatable teams, the Champions League is a far tougher task.
We did not look like Arsenal in the Champions league under the latter Wenger years. Back then we used to lose 5-1 to Bayern and come away humiliated.
Despite their terrible form in the league this is still a Bayern side packed with great players who are far less complacent when on the big stage of the Champions League. We did look naive but this is a side that has shown that it can learn quickly from bad experiences. If we iron out the stupid errors then we have an excellent chance in Bavaria.
Tuchel and Bayern Muenchen were obviously far more experienced than Arteta and Arsenal in UCL
Arteta and the Gunners were also very nervous since the beginning of the game, which made them sloppy despite Bayern Muenchen’s ineffective high-press
If we will play with that bag of nerves in Germany, it would be better to push for a penalty shootout
We gifted them 2 goals between Gabriel & Kiwior for miscommunication plus Saliba was dead unlucky but it was a penalty as he had danced his way by everyone.
They had a real chance at the end by hitting post nutmegging the keeper and so did we & so did we with that Sake/Neuer pen decision. Also White had a great chance at 1-0, so it’s all to play for at 2-2…
No Gnabry so Coman will be starting plus Davies is suspended so Saka would need to have his tail up next Wednesday. Tomi slips into LB, Partey starts instead of Jorginho & Trossard needs to start he always gets a goal.
Jesus injury is maybe what’s preventing him starting as he needs surgery in the summer again I was reading.
It wasn’t all bad. They had the first blip since the new year and they managed to right the ship (granted that goal post at the end makes my narrative better). Bayern took advantage of their chances and they really blocked the middle.
We easily could have completely undone in the first half and didn’t.
I observed Gabriel always make back pass to goalkeeper so much so that he can’t really make forward pass. When Raya is out of goalline so high up, Gabriel panicked and just anyhow kick the ball forward and mispass to Bayern Munich player. The first goal from Bayern is definitely Gabriel’s fault.
A lot of hindsight about who should have started, but I very much agree, it felt a bit like the later Wenger years, when we were a very naive team in the CL.
Hopefully, we can turn it into a lesson learned, and the return game may actually be better set up for us, when Tuchel/Bayern have to come in a bit more of an attacking mode.
More ridiculous articles
You are defeating yourself by saying Arsenal’s lack of experience cost them.
It’s very clear to everyone with a pair of eyes that Arsenal have little or no experience in the CL whereas Bayern have many very experienced players including World Cup Winners. !
So to draw 2-2 with inevitable.mistakes is not a bad effort…they will learn from. The game.
That’s literally the definition of experience !
SMDH !
@Neil
Real talk. I think it was more of a matter of nerves than of inexperience. We pipped the for 2from open play, while they only hit us for 1 from open play. The penalty was due to nervy mistakes. We adapt,come back stronger and take it to em next go round. Jus sayin…
Well said Neil,
Football without mistakes just does not happen!
Learning, and correcting, mistakes is something better managers, players and teams are good at!
Arsenal, as a club, a team, manager, players alike, are without doubt special and entertaining to watch.
Are we not just a little fed up with the pundits, experts, and other “doomsayers” who thrive on digging up the negative at all times?
Get on with it you glorious young Gunners! Your team has been in the top flight since 1913! Something many of the “Johnny come lately’s” in this game will find it hard to ever match!
Jim
@James Webster
👏🏾
Much love @James 👍
That is sane
James you are wrong in saying we have been top division since 1913.
We were relagated and voted up to an increased sized fIrst Division in 1919. Courtesy of our wily owner, Sir Henry Norris.
.Arsenal history lessons needed Jim!
We have to raise our game and play better to win
You know who said that ?
Mikel Arteta lol
He must be negative as well ?
If I have to chose between beating Bayern or beating Villa, it’s an easy pic. I want Arsenal to win the EPL first – and then UCL. By winning EPL this season Gunners will go to the next UCL as champions, as it should be. Like City this season.
The worst thing that could happen now is beating Bayern and have to face City in two semis. That would ruin both EPL & UCL chances.
Arsenal have beaten City in the league once this season (1-0; 0-0), but can’t do it again.
It feels to me as though you had most of this article written before the game had even started.
We were nowhere near as bad as you claim, especially the Wenger years BS.
Some of our players were not at their usual standard, but none were atrocious, although I’ll agree with you that both BM & BHA were ruling the midfield, which is something that needs urgent attention.
BHA? Do you mean Brighton? If you did, then why not write Brighton instead of your cryptic BHA?
You will find that all fans know BHA as short or their long name. In fact on social media Brightons twitter handle is officialbhafc…
Naivety, cost us against Bayern and we have a record of that in the past. Highlighted by the massive let off and lack of concentration by Gabriel for the penalty Bayern never got. Raya, Saliba, Martinelli, Kiwior and Gabriel all showed massive Naivety last night. Why do we lose our calmness, in important games?
If anything, last nights game revealed nothing we didn’t already know. We’re young and lack CL experience. My only gripe is that the players who are usually strong (Gabriel, Saliba, Kiwior and Raya) looked nervous. I suppose the question is; when will we feel that this team is mentally and physically ready for these big nights in Europe? It’s quite obvious that they’re not ready yet. It’s not a about signing experienced players. For me it’s about belief. Will still need to see how this season pans out. Can we continue on this impressive run or will be buckle again? Time will tell. For now though, I would still rather win the EPL over CL!
You are right GunneRay, to say we are inexperiecned at this CL late stage !
Personally, I feel its likely we will exit the CL next week and dont mind one bit, as we were NEVER EVER going to win it this season.
We are far better off being out and then only having the Prem to concentrate on, while City will have three comps still to play( assuming they beat RM as they should) as they also have the FA CUP too to stll play.
Liverpool are also in Europe and likely to progress.
All of which gives us an advantage in the far more important Prem.
I expect ALL that to happen too and wont be at all sad or sorry.
Its called REALISM!
The article says that it was wrong to play Kiwior because he was left out for two games and we should have played Tomiyasu…. when did Tomiyasu last play 90 minutes? Arteta’s fault?
Then I read that this was as bad as Wenger’s latter years in europe – after spending nearly £900 million getting a completely new squad in and playing a Bayern team that has failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in over a decade and had players missing. So where’s the comparison?
Then I read that it’s because of our European history (Wenger, Emery and Arteta then?) that we didn’t play as we should have done. How many players from both teams actually played last night who were involved in the 10-2 humiliation and were the managers the same?
Just a load of tosh to try and explain away a result that was fair on the night… a great shout out to the fans, it was an incredible atmosphere, even though we lost our voices at 2-1 down for a while.
Kane should have been sent off – Bayern should have had a penalty – Saka should have had a penalty – it’s half time and Arteta will, hopefully, sort it out.
I’m more worried about what this does with regards to the villa game!
I thinknitnstandsnus in good stead for the Villa game as the whole team learned from the experience and we drew 2-2 with serial Bundesliga champions who have played CL regularly unlike our team
So what did the team learn that will benefit them when they play villa Neill?
Why haven’t we had European football, let alone CL football, so that we could have gained experience?
Every single player out there is a international, while Havertz, Zinchenko, Gabriel, Odegaard, Partey and Jorginho have all experienced the CL, while Rice has actually won a European trophy…meanwhile our manager has been involved with the CL, both as a player and as Peps assistant… so what experience are we actually lacking?
History of our previous games against BM are, as you say KEN of complete irrelevance.
I only wish ALL Gooners could also see this reality. Whatever happens this and next week agauanst BM happen only because of both CURRENT TEAMS AND THEIR MANAGERS
We agree on that point Jon – But what about your “inexperience” belief versus the facts about our squad of players?
You say that history doesn’t play a part in today’s matches, but then say “we are inexperienced at this stage of the CL, when we have the amount of players who have experienced CL football.
MA certainly has, both as player, coach and manager!!
We played well IMO, we only had Gabriel, Kiwior and Raya nervous,
Arteta really did well, he corrected the errors immediately and it paid off,
If not for Odegaard’s high press and energy, I would have loved Trossard as AM, he shoots more and with accuracy, we can’t afford 2 lightweights in CM,
I believe we’ve learnt and will beat bayern in Munich.
Correct in that MA made good substitutions, but he didn’t do it immediately, as Kiwior was getting the run around from the very first minute or two, while Martinelli (unusual for him) was ineffective and Trossard should have been introduced at half time as well.
Most of the comments I’ve seen here reeks of PTSD and I totally understand, given our CL run over the years.
As for me, from what I’ve seen all season from us, this game is there for the taking. Bayern are a great team, but they have been piss poor this season. They scored both goals from opportunities we literally gifted them.
I would honestly be shocked if we do not win the return leg.
Don’t be shocked mate, please get a grip when it happens.
Anything can happen in Munich but I trust this current team to give us all JOY at the end.
Arsenal’s loss in Germany next Wednesday feels like a win. Coz we’ ll now have all attention on the PL.
Arsenal’s win will feel like a loss.Coz we’ll crumble in the hands of city at semi.
Am torn between the two.