Bayern Munich vs Arsenal

Last night was always going to happen.

We posed a question to Arsenal fans on the Arsenal Supporters Club site suggesting that Arsenal should focus on the domestic trophy and the FA Cup and leave the second-leg tie to our squad players like Rosicky, Vermaelen and Gnabry.

In the end due to an excruciatingly long injury list that now includes Ozil (who is out for four weeks) we were forced to use these players anyway which is a worrying sign that we must now throw all our cards on the table without any experienced options to bring off the bench.

Simply put, we just didn't have the resources to compete in this season's Champions League. Coupled with our poor performance at home to Dortmund and away to Napoli causing us to finish second in the group, it is another example of how we always shoot ourselves in the foot.

If we had finished first, an achievable feat after our first two games, we would have faced Zenit St. Petersburg in the first round. Yet although I am confident we would have won that encounter over two legs we would have had the likes of Bayern and Barca standing in the way, depleting our already strained resources to breaking point.

Podolski said in the aftermath of yesterday's encounter that we lost the game in the first leg. So for the last three seasons we have given ourselves such an insurmountable task to complete it makes me wonder why our players don't learn.

Rather than push for a draw at the Emirates, had we been more defensively savvy, a one goal deficit would have given the players and fans a glimmer of hope.

What we found most interesting is the apathy which now surrounds us, particularly in the Champions League. We have definitely sunk into that second tier of clubs who, although no one wants in their group are not serious contenders for the title. A tough team to beat, yet with none of the aura that surrounds Europe's elite like our opposition last night.

Perhaps it is this lack of real belief, or the fact that we still have a good chance at the Premier League and FA Cup, that saw such an underwhelming response to our loss. In the last few seasons our title contention has been effectively over at this point, but now we have bigger fish to fry.

As for the game itself Bayern were more wary of the threat we pose and acted accordingly. As we said in yesterday's blog which you can read here the element of surprise was gone. Bayern ensured that their players never attacked en mass which was made easier by the addition of Ribery. Bayern attacked with their potent front four, supported by their full backs who alternated their attacks. This made sure that there were always three defenders plus a defensive midfielder ready to stifle any Arsenal counterattacks.

This, coupled with Bayern's naturally aggressive pressing game and our tactic of playing Giroud as a lone striker meant that Arsenal opportunities were few and far between.

Yet for all Bayern's possession we looked strong and resilient in defence, thwarting attack after attack and winning high balls all over the pitch.

Going into the dressing room at half-time with the score still at 0-0 a flicker of hope remained but it was soon to be extinguished.

Watching on TV we thought it a little odd to see Bastien Schweinsteiger, icon of Bayern Munich and internationally renowned midfielder, running completely unmarked into our penalty area. One lapse in concentration from our midfield was all it took, Schweinsteiger was found by Robben and our involvement in the Champions League hung by the faintest of threads.

Our best chances came via the Ox who was arguably the best player on the pitch. He provided exactly the type of performance we needed from at least two more players to have had a real go, which is all the more gutting considering Jack and Rambo are exactly the players who would have given Bayern problems.

A consolation goal did come in the second half when Podolski outmuscled Lahm to set up a chance at goal. The German finished emphatically with a near post rocket that Neuer later admitted nearly took his head off.

A short promising spell followed with Rosicky and Ox getting into good forward positions but the final pass, or clinical finish was never quite there.

We have to take some heart from yesterday as Bayern are the in-form German side and former Champions. Let's hope that a resilient performance sprinkled with incredible pass combinations and the odd moment of brilliance from Ox and Podolski will revitalise our title hopes, as it did when we surged into fourth place last season. read 'Imagine it's for Fourth'

In season's past the media would have been awash with stories about our disappointment and the implications of such a resounding defeat, yet ultimately when the same story repeats itself - Arsenal cock up the first leg, leave it all to do in the second, fall just short - is so tired that even die-hard supporters come up with the apathetic excuse of 'oh well the boys did their best'.

No one can argue with the effort levels on the night, but really as a club we're not doing our best to seriously compete on more than one or two fronts. Our squad is depleted so in that way going out will hopefully prove to be a blessing should Chelsea and City's continued involvement cost them momentum in the league race.

P.S. We're not going to talk about Robben's contentious penalty decision as the less said about that ex Chelsea twat the better, but just as in the first leg he was looking for contact and we were stupid enough to oblige.

Leave us your thoughts on the match and your predictions for Sunday's huge clash with Spurs.

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