Being the Underdog

I recently posted an excerpt of the last blog on the Arsenal Facebook page. The weight of support for Wenger was refreshing, as were the sentiments of those who commented. In addition I urge you to watch a recently posted video from Arsenal fan TV wherein a defiant young man stands up for Wenger and Arsenal and does a poo on Chelsea FC and their manager, arms akimbo. His eloquence and well-founded logic clearly explains how much we owe Wenger and how people who have been calling for his head over the past few seasons just don’t get it.

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Very few managers would have stuck around when told they would have to sell their prized assets every season whilst still being required to compete across four competitions and finish in the top 4. Others may have accepted the parameters but would not have lasted. Not only did Wenger embrace the challenge, he managed to pull it off and now look, we are a close second in the league, just dropped Liverpool out of the FA Cup and the fans tonight will get to experience European football of the highest caliber.  Wenger has given us so many great gifts in an age where a lot of the magic of football is being eroded by ego, money and ulterior interest groups.

Tonight’s encounter with Bayern Munich is mouthwatering. So much rides on tonight’s result which as last season proved, can have ramifications on our league form.

Few need reminding of how a storming 2-0 victory at the Allianz lifted our spirits for the last 10 games of the season, enabling us to finish in fourth place and secure champions league football yet again.

As many have bemoaned, fourth place is not as Wenger put it ‘like another trophy’. However now we have steadied the fiscal ship we can begin a resurgent assault on the premier league crown and begin to have higher aspirations for our chances in the Champions League. It is unfortunate that we are playing last year’s winners so early on in the competition. I think the turning point as far as the group stages were concerned was our naivety against Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates. Ramsey’s error on the edge of the box and a late counter attack saw our rivals gain 2 points where we lost 1. Had we drawn that game we would now be facing Zenit St Petersburg, a team we would be expected to beat.

On the other hand should we pull off a shock and show the defensive fortitude we know we’re capable of then we have to be serious contenders for the title.

In some respects being the underdogs suits this Arsenal team. In years gone by we had the players whose combined experience at winning league and cup competitions as well as playing for world and European cup winning international teams meant that the weight of expectation greeted them like an old friend.

Our current set of gunners thrive in situations wherein they can play without limitations, just look at last year’s performance at the Allianz and against AC Milan at the Emirates the year before.

These players have also hopefully learnt the importance of shutting up shop when required, demonstrated last weekend against Liverpool. Should Arsenal find themselves a goal or two down we have to realize that the match is to be played across two legs and that the most crucial factor is to limit the loss. Just think back to the San Siro in 2012. Had we conceded defeat and made sure that the match ended 2 or even 3-0 then the impressive performance at home wouldn't have been in vain.

This competition, unlike the premier league sometimes necessitates cautious play. A huge deficit discounts you from progressing, even if there is a second leg. We have to keep things cagey for as long as possible against a side that will look to dominate possession and try and expose our defence through pacey wide play.

Keep the margins thin and look to rattle Bayern and undermine their confidence and we'll leave them looking like any other team. This is about staying strong for the first 60-70 minutes and seeing if we can score on the counter.

Let’s see how it all turns out!