WE GIFTED THEM TWO GOALS! | Tactical Analysis: Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich

I think we started the game really well. We were dominant, we played in the opponent's half, we generated some momentum, scored the first goal and then it's a critical moment of the match. Ben White is in front of Neuer to make it 2-0 and we have to put that ball in the back of the net and then it becomes a different moment. And then in Champions League you cannot give anything to the opponent. We have given them two goals today and when you have this situation, they are going to punish you. And that's the biggest lesson. The margins are very small in this competition. It's really difficult to penetrate the opponent, to create big quality chances against this level of opposition. Make sure as well we don't give anything. I think the team showed a lot of composure, especially after 2-1, because you can throw your toys away and generate a lot of spaces for the opponent and lose the tie in 20 minutes. We haven't done that. I think the subs made a huge impact. I think the way they came on the pitch, their body language, their attitude, the initiative that they took to make things happen made a big difference for the team. In what has been a 14-year wait to return to this stage of the Champions League, it was a thriller for the neutrals. In fact, Real Madrid vs City was also a thriller. But I think it was a game where there are a lot of positives and a lot of negatives and really and truly a mixed bag. And it shows the improvements we've made and also the improvements we have to make if we want to win this competition and be at this level on a consistent basis. One positive, statistically, we dominated the game. We were competitive. And you look at the attacking sequences, we were a lot stronger down the right than the left, which is an issue in itself. That being said, though, while we showed fight, I think we started well and we ended well. In between, there's points of improvement. As I said, we head over to Germany with it all still to play for. There are a lot of positives, but there are a lot of negatives. For a team that's great defensively and a team that's been good in the Champions League defensively, we were shambolic, let's be real. We were open on the transitions. Now, I'm not here to blame Raya or Gabriel or anyone involved. It's like you see when you're younger people and you've got siblings or you're with your cousins at your grandma's house and someone breaks a plate or somebody does something, your grandma and granddad, they're not going to do the he say, she say, who is it? Everybody's getting beats. So everybody needs to hold licks, in my opinion. David Raya, I don't know. We know he's a sweeper keeper. Potentially, he's called and told Gabriel that he's got it covered. Watching the game again and from different angles, I don't think that's the case. I always say for my defenders, deal with the threat first, argue with people later. And I think Gabriel initially did the great thing there in that regard. But then he tried to play a cute and clever pass and maybe sold Kirill down the river. Kirill could have been stronger in that regard. And I do think, you know, a couple of other players, whether it's Benjamin White following Gnabry and just other players that are part of the circumstantial nonsense were caught on the transition for a team that's improved so much defensively and you know, mistakes happen. But we haven't seen these mistakes too often this season. It was shambolic. Let's be honest. I'll be absolutely honest. I'm disappointed with their equaliser for two primary reasons. We're a dramatically improved defensive side. So to see that goal conceded was almost like Arsenal of old. And two, it's a cheap goal. Bayern Munich have quality players and it is a great move from a Bayern Munich perspective. But it's not one where you can sit there, hold your hands up and say, fair enough. You know, we've got the bit between our teeth at this point, but Kyle Saka has scored. Benjamin White's had a close effort. Well, an effort that he could have scored and was a crucial moment in the game. We're breaking in numbers. You know, Saka kind of has Davies on ice, really. Musiala is basically on the edge of his area. He simply switched it to the right-hand side. And that's where the culmination of errors have been made. For me personally, I'm not going to blame a single player. I'm not with this, he say, she say. Everybody plays a part. For me though, personally, I think David Riya has to soldier the blame because why on God's green earth is he out there? I don't think he's communicated with Gabriel exactly what he wants to do. And I think for initially, Gabriel has taken extreme responsibility of the situation, but then he's tried to be a bit too cute and clever with the pass for Kirill. Kirill's caught flat-footed and he's out of position slightly. I do think it's kind of a by-product because we've been shambolic, but you could argue Benjamin White, Declan Rice and Saliba probably could have done better. Benjamin White needs to get tighter to Gnabry there. And again, Riya's positioning for what ultimately went into the back of the net for Gnabry to score wasn't much better either. So it's a culmination of errors and one you can't afford to do in the Champions League. Speaking for only myself, in fact, I think I speak for many Arsenal fans. I'm not going to sit here and lie again for a team that's been so good on the transitions. This was terrible. The second goal, or better yet, the penalty incident, it was terrible. It was written in the stars that Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane would probably score in their return to North London, but we made it easy for them. We handed Bayern Munich their goals yesterday. And at the same time, that's what the best teams do. You give them an inch, they take a yard. The only time I felt really comfortable with my team was in the final third. I think in the final third, we troubled Bayern to a degree. In the middle third, far too open defensively, quite shambolic if I'm completely honest with you. In the two moments, we had to be spot on. And I think it's a culmination of errors. I actually feel Manuel Neuer needs to give a pat on the back to De Ligt and Kimmich because you would have seen him do that, not even acrobatic, but I don't know how to describe it. He was doing kick-ups or whatever. He actually sold De Ligt and Kimmich short, but between De Ligt and Kimmich, they did very well to get out of that situation. The ball just hit straight into the channels, people. Kyrgios, I mean, getting turned by Sane is not a crime. He can do that to people. But that is where Kyrgios is going to be in trouble. Kyrgios has been completely turned. By then, you know, Harry Kane's dart made a darting run and he's actually hanging on Gabriel's last shoulder. Gabriel is obviously at sixes and sevens, as is Saliba, as is White. And I think by then, Kyrgios obviously got the better of Kyrgios and he's turning him. Now, if I move everybody just to make it a bit more realistic, yeah, as I said, from front to back, the one time I wouldn't blame Martin Ely, Kai Havertz, Rice, Odegaard, or Saka, but that was probably the one time we didn't oppress with any aggression. If we remove everybody just to make it make sense, you know, Kane's made the darting run, Musiala's kind of hanging around the edge of the area, Gnabry's in the trenches, and obviously there are several Arsenal players in the box, people, but, you know, I don't want to make it a bit blurry for you. Let's just focus on Sane. By then, he's darting forward, absolutely darting forward, driving. I actually think Jorginho did well. Jorginho tried to win the ball, did not happen. Gabriel tried to win the ball, did not happen. By then, you know, it's already been a madness. Third time lucky for Sane. Salibre has conceded the pen, they've put the ball in the back of the net, but that's a terrible goal to concede, 15 minutes before the end of the first half, and really out of nothing, completely nothing. And that's the level we have to aspire to be better at, because again, if you do this in Germany or do this against any other teams in what remains of our Champions League campaign, you will be in trouble. That being said, though, where it looked like we might lose 2-1, one thing I have liked about this football club this season is how we respond to resilience, and we saved the day in the last 15 minutes. Now, we've gone over the points of improvement or the negatives. Let's talk about some positives or some of the things we did better. We just lost the ball and it went out for a throw, and if I'm completely honest with you, if I was a Bayern Munich fan, I'd be disappointed with Musiala, quality player but spent the game on the floor. Declan Rice simply wanted it more than him and won the initial head. I'm not going to show all of this, but between Trossart, Saka, Odegaard, they found Jesus. Jesus with the jinky jinky Brazilian stuff. Trossart does what he's been doing in Arsenal's shirt, super sub settings, and it's a fantastic salvage for us. And this game, in my opinion, just showed we can be our own best friends or worst enemies, and in the Champs, you obviously need to be your best friend more. And there's a lot of naivete in our play that we could do better at. Now, I hope it doesn't get lost in the noise, but Odegaard had a true captain's performance on a big day with the bright lights at the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League tie. I think you have to give credit to Bayern Munich, regardless of their form or whatever you have to say about Bayern Munich. As I kept preaching, it's Bayern Munich. You know a team like Bayern Munich with their experience, with their experienced players, with their manager Thomas Tuchel and the predigree, you know they're going to be spot on and you know they're going to quote unquote be defensively sound. Now, I know that hasn't been the case in the Bundesliga, but when I think of Thomas Tuchel, I think structure, and they were very structured in how they tried to press us at times before. And I think Odegaard was perfect in the pockets, especially when he was pulling out to the right-hand side. And you saw a bit of that kind of happen when we scored our goal. It was a good passage of play from us. Obviously, as play progressed, you know, we were patient. They were forcing us back. Odegaard tried to clip it into Saka. You know, Saka's kind of done, dealt with it. You know, he's somewhat temporarily lost it. Kai Havertz and Benjamin White have proved decisive as well. And obviously, Bakayo Saka's done what he's done and put the ball in the back of the net and put a big FU for the haters. You know, again, maybe he could have stayed on his feet for the penalty. I believe it's a Stonewall penalty. I can't believe that that isn't given as a penalty, especially when you look at Sane's one. Again, soft penalty, looking for it. I don't know. If that's outside of the box, they say that's a smart free kick and I've seen them given for less. I'm not going to lie to you lot people. You will not convince me that that is not a penalty. It's all said and done where the first leg at the Emirates is concerned. There were better moments. There were worse moments. Personally, I think it was almost an Arsenal performance of old where we're quote-unquote promising or clinical in the final third, the middle third on the transitions and defensively, we were shambolic really and truly. We didn't put in a performance that we can. But we've got it all to play for. We head over to Germany next week. Would have been nice to have a healthy lead considering they had no fans. It would be a different sort of atmosphere. Well, it is what it is. Big up Zinchenko. A lot of people have things to say about him. He had a great impact off the bench, as did Mr. Jinky Jinky Gabriel Jesus. Give him his credit. Kai Havertz, I think put in a lot of work out of the starters as well. And I have to say Martin Odegaard, Wandergaard, Klaas Wijsjan, perfect tonight. So for me, when it's all said and done in life, it could have been better. It could have been worse. It is disappointing to hand them their goals. Take nothing away from Bayern Munich. You play with fire, you get burnt. That's what the best teams do. They capitalise on mistakes. You never want to concede goals. But had Sane or scored a screamer, Kane done some magic, Gnabry or anyone, sometimes in life you hold your hands up and take nothing away from Bayern Munich. But I think we gifted them those goals, especially because we've improved the tempo defensively, which was disappointing. Lovely to see and display our resilience to respond to setbacks. Obviously, there's a lot of naivety. There was naivety in how we coped with defensive situations. You know, there was naivety in that regard. I think we're also naive psychologically, because as much as it's about tactics and definitely where our Tete versus Thomas Duke were concerned, it's going to heavily focus on tactics. But Bayern have been in this situation before. And I think, you know, although I'm happy that we were competitive, we dominated possession and whatever teams we played, the bigger teams, we've shown that we can compete. It was street smart from them. They knew we were flying in form. They knew they could exploit us. Thomas Duke said before the game, in many regards, Arsenal are the blueprint. So I think they were quite street smart to exploit them and play on the transition and exploit our frailties defensively. But psychologically, I think with the lights being bright and it being in the Champions League, mistakes that, I can't say never because mistakes happen, but mistakes that Gabriel, David Rayo, Saliba, everybody really and truly doesn't normally make. I do think the Champions League played, that had a part to play in the performance, you know, because we haven't been in this circumstance before. That being said, I'm not using that as an excuse. Big up the subs because they made a great impact. I do think for Mikel Arteta, it's a learning curve as well, because I like the way that we've, you know, we're kind of just, obviously we tailor our game according to who we're going to play. Manchester City is the only time we really drastically changed how we play. And I like the fact that we can remain resolute defensively. I hope that Arsenal goes over to Germany, it needs to, or the Champions League's over. But I guess for Mikel Arteta, in hindsight, would you have started Kyrgios out there, you know, with our high line and the pressing we do in the gaps, you know, did we have to get into foot races with the pace of Gnabry, Sane, etc.? You know, I don't think, you know, I think for the two goals we didn't defend well enough. I'd say the penalty incident, I don't think we pressed enough or managed that situation. And, you know, you've got to be stronger. So I guess it's a learning curve for everyone. The best thing is, it's still 2-2, you know, we were told to go to the Emirates, we're going to the Emirates to be competitive with Bayern Munich. And we've got that at the moment. So, you know, we have to slap ourselves for the goals we conceded, pat ourselves on the back for the goals scored and try and be 10 times better than we were in this game in Germany, because we've got it all to do there. Fans are going to be there, Tuchel's going to do his homework, Arteta is going to do his homework, the players and stuff. Off topic, I think it was interesting, Harry Kane speaking about, you know, the penalty around David Rayo and why, you know, he pulled it in a certain area and how he was studying David Rayo. So it'll be a different game with different dynamics, but the Champions League at the moment is still alive for us people. Now we have to switch our attentions to Aston Villa. Man of the match for me would be Martin Odegaard, without a doubt. Watching the game twice, quality in everything, he's pressing, he's, you know, standing up to be counted psychologically, you know, he's swagger on the ball, getting on the ball in tight spaces. I think he's man of the match for me. I think Havertz had a great game out at the start. I think Saka was good and he absolutely cooked Davies on occasion. We probably should have been given a second yellow in that game. I think the penalty was a bottling decision, but fair enough, you know, we can't control that. The variables we can control, we didn't do that to the best of our abilities. And obviously, big up the subs, you know, a lot is being said about Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko in particular. They stood up to be counted and also big up Trossart in that regard. And this is why you need a squad, because the people that made mistakes out there against Bayern Munich, typically they've had good games, but that's the strengths of a good team. When your teammates are making mistakes, carry them, because nine times out of ten, Saliba, Gabriel, even Kyrgios with his form has saved us and such is football. You know, the people that said Kyrgios had to start, he's now not good enough. I'm not saying they're right or wrong about either. I just find, you know, the hyper, how would you put it, the hyper opinion is crazy. But yeah, four goal thriller, I'm sure it was great for the neutrals. The only game that was better had to have been Real Madrid City, because I watched the highlights and I'm going to watch the full 90 minutes. That looked like a great game in itself. Where this game is concerned, that's all I've got to say from a tactical point of view. Check out my reviews of the game. Make sure you're turning on your notifications, because I'm always bringing out content. Appreciative to you lot tuned in. We're rapidly closing in on 60k, but I need you lot's help to get there. So let's make sure we're commenting. Leave a comment after the video's ended. Make sure you're hitting the like button, you're subscribing and you're sharing the DG Nation wherever you can. But on that note, you lot stay safe, stay blessed. Let me know your thoughts. Peace.