Arsenal vs Bayern Munich, Champions League - Olivier Giroud comes off the bench to score before Mesut Ozil seals victory at Emirates
Winning feeling: Mesut Ozil celebrates scoring Arsenal's second against Bayern Photo: REX FEATURES
This was the game of their season,
perhaps their whole year, eclipsing that 3-0 home win over Manchester
United this month, bigger even than the win away at Manchester City in
January that threatened to usher in a new era of real-football for
Wenger. This was, after all, Bayern; it was Pep Guardiola and the mighty
Manuel Neuer who before Tuesday night had not conceded more than one
goal per match in the 13 previous games in which Bayern had won 12 and
drawn one.
This was the Bayern team
that has not failed to score a goal over the course of a game for the
season so far and yet against the brilliant Petr Cech, who outshone
Neuer on the night, the German champions did not score this time.
Guardiola’s team completed more than three times as many passes as
Arsenal, they had 68 per cent of the possession and yet zero per cent of
the goals.
Petr Cech denies Bayern Photo: REUTERS
Those were scored by the substitute Olivier Giroud who capitalised on a
terrible error from Neuer with 13 minutes left and then, in injury-time
at the end of the game there was a goal for Mesut Ozil who forced
Giroud’s cross over the line. Arsenal’s German playmaker had been played
into obscurity when Bayern visited in 2014 and yet this time he had his
moment, his goal given by the additional assistant referee in a joyous,
raucous crescendo at the end of the game.
• Arsenal v Bayern Munich: as it happened
Arsenal’s Champions League campaign is back on track and with these
three precious points they will go to Munich on November 4 with a much
better chance of getting out of this group despite the two opening
defeats. Perhaps this will be a turning point in the fortunes of a club
that has promised so much and delivered too little in recent years, but
it would be wise to save those judgements for now.
Any team, even a good one, could get seriously disheartened playing Bayern Munich in these golden Guardiola years. There are times when possession of the ball seems a distant memory and - like the Barcelona teams of yore - Bayern have their opponents running this way and that in pursuit of a ball that must feel like it is never coming back.
In the first half, Bayern completed a remarkable 338 passes to Arsenal’s 96, a vast deficit that was as good an example of any of the contrast in styles between the German’s patient possession football and Arsenal’s hectic counter-attacking. Another key insight was that both sides had four attempts on target each in the first half and, while neither scored, it was Arsenal who had the better chances.
They should have scored, indeed it almost felt as if they had before the great left mitt of the best goalkeeper in the world shot out to claw Theo Walcott’s header off the line in the 33rd minute. It was a stupendous save from Manuel Neuer, coming in that split second when tens of thousands of fans are flexing at the knees and ready to leap out of their seats in celebration at a goal.
Manuel Neuer produces a wonder-save Photo: REUTERS
Walcott should have scored and yet, somehow, Neuer kept it out. Aaron Ramsey was unable to keep the rebound on target. A goal would not have flattered Arsenal, who despite an early period when they were denied access to the ball, attacked on the counter with pace and direction if not always finesse. Walcott did not quite get his feet right on 30 minutes when he exchanged passes with Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean was always brave and determined but he, too, was untidy in possession at times.
When Bayern really passed the ball it was as if they had all the time in the world, and on the left wing Douglas Costa spun Hector Bellerin like the proverbial autumn leaves in an October gale. There was one outrageous change of feet and direction from the Brazilian out on the touchline that had to be slowed to half the speed in the replays to be fully appreciated.
Douglas Costa proves a handful Photo: REUTERS
Even so, there was no first-half goal for Bayern, not even when a quickfire exchange between Thomas Muller and Thiago Alcantara gave the latter a free hit from close range on 11 minutes. Petr Cech was the equal of that, just as he turned over a Costa shot shortly before the break after Sanchez had given the ball away carelessly.
In the early stages of the second half there were diminishing returns for Arsenal on the pitch, when they were increasingly reliant upon the quick hands and composure of Cech to keep Bayern at bay. There was a series of excellent saves, the first from Robert Lewandowski on 54 minutes and then, later on, another brilliant, brave block when the Polish centre-forward bore down on him in goal.
Cech denies Lewandowski
The screw was being turned on Arsenal. Guardiola brought on the 20-year-old Joshua Kimmage and Rafinha for Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso in midfield, and the home team were inched further and further back by the German side. Wenger lost Ramsey to what seemed a hamstring problem that caused the Welshman to pull up unchallenged and he was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
All night Arsenal had looked dangerous from set-pieces, however, and so it made sense to replace Walcott with Giroud. With 13 minutes left he attacked Santi Cazorla’s free kick from the right in hope more than expectation. Laurent Koscielny leapt in front of Neuer and the German goalkeeper inexplicably missed with his punch.
Olivier Giroud heads Arsenal in front
The ball came off Giroud’s head as he went down and may even have clipped his arm on its way into the goal but, nevertheless, what a moment for the home side.
They defended their lead stoically and when the breakaway came, Ozil kept his calm to score a second goal that just got over the line before Neuer reached it.
Arsene Wenger celebrates with the Arsenal supporters
The counter-attackers had beaten the passers. It was Arsenal’s night, and the challenge now is to do it again and again against the same calibre of opponent.
Any team, even a good one, could get seriously disheartened playing Bayern Munich in these golden Guardiola years. There are times when possession of the ball seems a distant memory and - like the Barcelona teams of yore - Bayern have their opponents running this way and that in pursuit of a ball that must feel like it is never coming back.
In the first half, Bayern completed a remarkable 338 passes to Arsenal’s 96, a vast deficit that was as good an example of any of the contrast in styles between the German’s patient possession football and Arsenal’s hectic counter-attacking. Another key insight was that both sides had four attempts on target each in the first half and, while neither scored, it was Arsenal who had the better chances.
They should have scored, indeed it almost felt as if they had before the great left mitt of the best goalkeeper in the world shot out to claw Theo Walcott’s header off the line in the 33rd minute. It was a stupendous save from Manuel Neuer, coming in that split second when tens of thousands of fans are flexing at the knees and ready to leap out of their seats in celebration at a goal.
Manuel Neuer produces a wonder-save Photo: REUTERSWalcott should have scored and yet, somehow, Neuer kept it out. Aaron Ramsey was unable to keep the rebound on target. A goal would not have flattered Arsenal, who despite an early period when they were denied access to the ball, attacked on the counter with pace and direction if not always finesse. Walcott did not quite get his feet right on 30 minutes when he exchanged passes with Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean was always brave and determined but he, too, was untidy in possession at times.
When Bayern really passed the ball it was as if they had all the time in the world, and on the left wing Douglas Costa spun Hector Bellerin like the proverbial autumn leaves in an October gale. There was one outrageous change of feet and direction from the Brazilian out on the touchline that had to be slowed to half the speed in the replays to be fully appreciated.
Douglas Costa proves a handful Photo: REUTERSEven so, there was no first-half goal for Bayern, not even when a quickfire exchange between Thomas Muller and Thiago Alcantara gave the latter a free hit from close range on 11 minutes. Petr Cech was the equal of that, just as he turned over a Costa shot shortly before the break after Sanchez had given the ball away carelessly.
In the early stages of the second half there were diminishing returns for Arsenal on the pitch, when they were increasingly reliant upon the quick hands and composure of Cech to keep Bayern at bay. There was a series of excellent saves, the first from Robert Lewandowski on 54 minutes and then, later on, another brilliant, brave block when the Polish centre-forward bore down on him in goal.
Cech denies LewandowskiThe screw was being turned on Arsenal. Guardiola brought on the 20-year-old Joshua Kimmage and Rafinha for Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso in midfield, and the home team were inched further and further back by the German side. Wenger lost Ramsey to what seemed a hamstring problem that caused the Welshman to pull up unchallenged and he was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
All night Arsenal had looked dangerous from set-pieces, however, and so it made sense to replace Walcott with Giroud. With 13 minutes left he attacked Santi Cazorla’s free kick from the right in hope more than expectation. Laurent Koscielny leapt in front of Neuer and the German goalkeeper inexplicably missed with his punch.
Olivier Giroud heads Arsenal in frontThe ball came off Giroud’s head as he went down and may even have clipped his arm on its way into the goal but, nevertheless, what a moment for the home side.
They defended their lead stoically and when the breakaway came, Ozil kept his calm to score a second goal that just got over the line before Neuer reached it.
Arsene Wenger celebrates with the Arsenal supportersThe counter-attackers had beaten the passers. It was Arsenal’s night, and the challenge now is to do it again and again against the same calibre of opponent.
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