Thursday 14 March 2013

Top 10: Why Arsene Wenger is wrong to write Arsenal off in the Champions League

Arsenal FC's headcoach French Arsene Wenger reacts during a press conference ahead of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Arsenal London in the stadium in Munich, southern Germany, on March 12, 2013.  AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOF STACHECHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images
Out of ideas? Wenger appears to have prioritised this weekend’s game with Swansea (Picture: AFP/Getty)

So, Arsene Wenger is heading to Germany having written off Arsenal’s ability to pull off the impossible and come back from 3-1 down to beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Yes, he may have said otherwise  but his team speaks volumes, as he has left regular goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny at home and looks likely to rest Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott and Per Mertesacker, with Jack Wilshere, Lukas Podolski and Bacary Sagna all injured. Here are Metro’s ten reasons why Wenger has called it wrong.

1. Great comebacks do happen
Bayern are one of the best teams in the world and virtually unbeatable at their Allianz Arena home. But they are surely beatable; no one is invincible. Great comebacks do happen, after all. Has Wenger already forgotten his side’s 7-5 victory from 4-0 down against (albeit far lesser opposition) Reading in this season’s Capital One Cup?

2. A shock victory would be a massive confidence boost
Wenger is prioritising Champions League qualification for next season and, with his side flagging in fifth spot in the Premier League, five points off the top four, why not go out and at least win the second leg, if not the tie overall? What a lift that would give his side for the end-of-season run-in.

3. There’s nothing to lose
Everyone expects Arsenal to get beaten tonight and to suffer a hefty defeat to the Germans on aggregate. So, could complacency get the better of Bayern? Put out your strongest team and go for it, the Arsenal way of old, and see what happens.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 03:  Per Mertesacker of Arsenal celebrates with his goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after scoring his team's first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC at White Hart Lane on March 3, 2013 in London, England.  (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Gunner miss out? Per Mertesacker, left, could join Wojciech Szczesny in being rested tonight (Picture: Getty)

4. Glory over mediocrity
Win in Munich and the Gunners will surely be set up for a good crack at the European Cup and ending that famed silverware drought. With the final taking place at Wembley, getting past Bayern opens the door to the real possibility of Arsenal ‘doing a Chelsea’ and winning against all the odds. Surely better than the ‘battle for nowhere’, or fourth place as it’s known.

5. Having little in reserve
Okay, so if Arsenal are to go out, there are ways of doing it. Fielding a weakened side minus their No.1 goalie and including the likes of Carl Jenkinson and Gervinho is not the way of going about it. Wenger could be risking a heavy aggregate loss.

6. Sending out the wrong message
Wenger is a manager admired by many, even those who dislike Arsenal. But writing off the Bayern game and instead prioritising a league scuffle with Swansea would appear to be odd. Where did it all go wrong, Arsene? Can the Gunners not win both games? A lack of belief by the sound of it.

7. Another blow for fans
It may be ‘just’ another Champions League tie for Wenger, with the weekend and domestic duties in mind, but for 3,000 Gunners supporters who have headed to Germany, putting out a second-string team, if indeed that’s what he does, is no laughing matter. They will expect a battling performance, even if it is to be in defeat, and not a ritual humiliation by the German giants.

8. Disruption to the backline
Wenger has plumped for Lukas Fabianski in goal. Despite the fact the Pole’s last first-team appearance came over a year ago. Szczesny has been shaky recently but the Gunners’ back four had got used to playing in front of him, some much-needed consistency for a side who ship too many goals.

Arsenal's English defender Carl Jenkinson (L) vies with Tottenham Hotspur's Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson (R) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at White Hart Lane in north London on March 3, 2013. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ìliveî services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publicationsGLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images
Potential: Jenkinson, left, is one of several young players who could get their chance (Picture: AFP/Getty)

9. Losing run needs to end
The Gunners have lost three of their last four games, with lowly Aston Villa the only team beaten in that period. Wenger’s men need to end that slump soon or they will struggle to catch both Chelsea and Tottenham. A weakened side has no chance of winning tonight; a near full-strength one may have done.

10. Experience is vital
Francis Coquelin, Miquel and Jenkinson may turn out to be marvellous footballers who enjoy long careers at the Emirates Stadium but in the heat of battle at Bayern it is experience and old heads which are needed, not up-and-coming talent. Missing Szczesny (dropped) and injured trio Wilshere, Podolski and Sagna could prove costly against a free-scoring Munich.


~Metro » Football | Metro UK~

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