Arsene Wenger told the Arsenal fans this weekend that our Brazilian centre-back Gabriel was back in the squad for tonight’s game against Bayern Munich, and many of us hoped that Wenger would play the Brazilian this evening, but it seems the Frenchman has decided to stick with his most experienced defensive pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
The German Champions, who are in excellent form, also have the best striker around at the moment in Robert Lewandowski, who has scored an amazing ten goals in his last six games – and will have to be contained if Arsenal are to have any hope of coming away with the three points. Wenger revealed his plan to try and stop him getting any chances. “The best way to combat him is for us to have the ball,” Le Prof said. “After that you have to be shrewd with him because inside the box he is outstanding.
“His technique, his finishing, his movement – that’s where we will need the experience of Koscielny and Mertesacker to deal with that.
“That will be one of the important things on the night.”
While Arsenal have to control Lewandowski, Bayern will also have their work cut out controlling our own strike force. The Munich manager Pep Guardiola also named the players he would be keeping an eye on. “…My old player Alexis is in top form. How he moves between the lines to create space is amazing.
“Theo Walcott does not play just as a right winger, he plays up front so that is why makes is a difference as he is so fast and it is difficult to control him.
“Obviously when a team decides to put Santi Cazorla as a playmaker it is the best signal of how they want to play. Normally in that position they play big strong guys to run and Arsenal decide to put Cazorla, When that happens, they are going to play well and they have done in the last month, especially in the Premier League.”
So it is lining up to be a great battle between two of the most in-form teams in Europe. We have the home advantage and the fans must get behind the team from the start. This could be an enthralling high-quality spectacle if the build up is anything to go by, and let’s hope the lads can prove that Bayern are not quite the invincible team that people think they are.
COYG!