Other football

[clangers]

I'm resigned to Arsenal winning the FA cup but then again I was certain they'd beat Birmingham  in the league cup final the other year, another trophyless year for them would be great, second only to Man United in terms of their fans been natural born cunts

I wouldn't be so sure, on paper you'd have to question anyone suggesting that the FA Cup isn't a certainty but this is Arsenal. There's just something so hollow about them at their core, no real belief.

 

Media describing tonights performance as 'brave', they just looked like a side determined to not lose by much. No threat at all for the first 50 minutes or so, not a single counterattack worthy of memory. The performance as a whole just looked like they had already accepted their fate before they stepped on to the pitch.

 

We could assume that after tonight they'd go on a real charge for the title as they're far from out of it. In reality they'll probably scrape 4th above Spurs from here and celebrate on the final day as if they'd won a trophy again.

 

Arsenal are now setup from top to bottom to finish in the top 4. Nothing more, nothing less.

[FanchesterCity]

To be fair to Arsenal tonight, they were up against a team a good level above them, and it's hard to know how to play a 2 - 0 down leg...

 

Had they snatched the first goal... who knows?

 

 

City will have the same problem tomorrow... go all out attack, or try and snatch one back, and see if that panics them into conceding more?

 

But, at the end of the day, both teams brought the problem on themselves by losing at home. So nobody to blame but themselves

[Jose Jones]

To be fair to Arsenal tonight, they were up against a team a good level above them, and it's hard to know how to play a 2 - 0 down leg...

 

Had they snatched the first goal... who knows?

 

 

City will have the same problem tomorrow... go all out attack, or try and snatch one back, and see if that panics them into conceding more?

 

But, at the end of the day, both teams brought the problem on themselves by losing at home. So nobody to blame but themselves

 

I think you have to play as well as you can at a normal game, create some chances and score the first goal to put some of the pressure back on the home side.

 

If you go too defensive and don't get any of the ball, like Arsenal in the first half, you are basically hoping for a mistake or flukey counterattack to get you back into the tie.  Chances are when you are playing someone as adept at Bayern (or Barca) in possession that you ain't going to get it.

 

If City go the Arsenal too defensive route (which to be fair may have partly been down to Bayern having the better players) then Barca will just keep the ball for the whole game and without the need to commit people forward won't leave space for counterattacks.

 

You don't want to go gung ho because you'll leave yourself open to being picked off and needing 3 away goals.  Just play properly at a good tempo.

[spider-neil]

Arsenal got the tactics spot on for the first half but really needed to take chances on the 60 minute mark. I think Arsenal were caught on the counter attack once, that is a sign of a team not committing enough bodies to the attack. I think Whinger just wanted to keep the score respectable rather than throw the kitchen sink at them and maybe ship a few goals in the process.

[spider-neil]

Maybe I keep picking the wrong matches to watch but every time I see Munich they look a good side not a great side. If I were picking the very top sides to avoid in Europe Munich would be down the list. Put it this way, I'd rather play Munich than Atletico Madrid and they are the 3rd best team in Spain.

[Josef Svejk]

Bayern were stronger last season, in my view (as I think Wenger stated after last night's match). Arsenal just didn't have enough self-belief, by the looks of it.

[Section_31]

Arsenal have no balls, the used to, the likes of Viera and Bergkamp were full of red card beans, but these are a bunch of wet bastards.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Bayern were stronger last season

Do you mean in the one match or overall?

[spider-neil]

Munich looked there for the taking if Arsenal had the ball to go after them. Sure, it would have left them more open but it would have been better to gamble as they were going out regardless.

I think if Munich draw AM, PSG or Madrid they are going out.

[Josef Svejk]

Do you mean in the one match or overall?

 

I just think they look weaker defensively this season. Less solid overall. Not that they played well against Arsenal in Munich last year, mind you.

 

Still a very good team, of course. Totally dominant in the Bundesliga. But they look more beatable in the Champions League...

[PestiRed]

I don't think we saw much of Bayern during this tie. Arsenal never really stretched them in either leg. Still think they could crank it up a few gears for better teams.

 

For some reason I had forgotten just how one-footed Arjen Robben is, it's shocking for someone who's supposed to be world-class

[Josef Svejk]

I don't think we saw much of Bayern during this tie. Arsenal never really stretched them in either leg. Still think they could crank it up a few gears for better teams.

 

For some reason I had forgotten just how one-footed Arjen Robben is, it's shocking for someone who's supposed to be world-class

 

It's a world-class foot, in fairness.

 

The other one gives way under him on a freakishly regular basis, however.

[setreal]

I think it had a lot to do with Pep getting his tactics all wrong yesterday. Overall Bayern look stronger now compared to last year I feel. But against better teams parking the bus - like Arsenal - RIbery is key. Last season he was always there to unlock the defense from the left with Alaba and or Robben, or together with Robben and Lahm on the right. He is just returning from injury now and has some way to go to get back to his best again.

 

EDIT Arse-surgery btw - fucking hilarious.

[PestiRed]

True, Robben has an amazing left foot but playing as an inverted winger for the past few years, you'd have thought he would develop his right as an additional option. Get him to the byline and he just looks baffled as to what to do next

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I just think they look weaker defensively this season. Less solid overall. Not that they played well against Arsenal in Munich last year, mind you.

 

Still a very good team, of course. Totally dominant in the Bundesliga. But they look more beatable in the Champions League...

I watch Bayern, like, a lot. I think they're one hell of a team this year. Better than last year, in my opinion.

[Josef Svejk]

I watch Bayern, like, a lot. I think they're one hell of a team this year. Better than last year, in my opinion.

 

Still damn good. And running away with a really disappointing Bundesliga. But I reckon more susceptible to a Mourinho-type team in Europe than they would have been last season. Just my opinion, but they looked more solid all-round to me last year.

 

Curiously, one obvious problem (albeit a relative one) remains up front. Will Lewandowski solve it?

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I think they look less solid at the back when Pep is playing midfielders as defenders. Only 11 goals in the league, though. That's some defending right there.

 

As for strikers, what they need is Suarez. Unlucky.

[Josef Svejk]

I think they look less solid at the back when Pep is playing midfielders as defenders. Only 11 goals in the league, though. That's some defending right there.

 

As for strikers, what they need is Suarez. Unlucky.

 

Can't believe they weren't in for him last summer.

 

I don't particularly rate Lewandowski. But that's probably because I think he's a cunt. Who rarely does anything for Poland. The cunt.

[spider-neil]

I watch Bayern, like, a lot. I think they're one hell of a team this year. Better than last year, in my opinion.

 

Yet to be convinced, I think the first quality team they face will boot them out.

Also I notice that they have '5' on their arm. I thought they had more European cups than that.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

You're yet to be convinced of Bayern? Well, you're a tough nut to crack, Neil. I'll give you that.

[spider-neil]

You're yet to be convinced of Bayern? Well, you're a tough nut to crack, Neil. I'll give you that.

 

Convinced that they are a 'great' side rather than a very good side.

[dirk grout]

[WhiskeyJar]

Kinda agree with Neil on that point.

 

If Arsenal played a gutsier game, then I would have fancied them to win the tie.

For a lack of a better word, both teams seemed passive to me last night.

 

Almost as if they were simply going through the motions.

[LFC64]

 

Always raises the spirits to see support from all over the world.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

They'll be in trouble for their other banners though.