Bayern skipper Philipp Hamm displayed fine skills that ensured his team go past Arsenal with 3-1 emphatically. The Gunner’s season effectively ended last night when they were completely outshone by an apparently superior side in Bayern Munich. For all the hope discretely inspired by Jack Wilshere, the lone home player to take the battle to Bayern, Arsenal required a miracle at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday March 13.
So outstanding were the Germans, and specifically Lahm, that few Arsenal fans stayed on to cheer them off. Arsene Wenger's anguish was clear and he went straight down the tunnel without shaking the hand of Jupp Heynckes.
Wenger's choice of giving rest to players for the FA Cup against Blackburn Rovers backfired and appears even more misappropriated now. His lack of leadership qualities to maintain the defence better was evident again. His failure to buy a top-class replacement for Robin van Persie seems even more costly now. He began Theo Walcott as centre-forward which did not say much for Olivier Giroud, who started on the bench, or Gervinho, who was nowhere to be seen.
Arsenal's defence was terrible on the whole. Moreover, it was Bayern that appeared to be targeting Thomas Vermaelen at left-back. Per Mertesacker appeared anything but a German international centre-back. Wojciech Szczesny never ensured confidence. Once again, it needs saying that Arsenal was in search of leadership.
It was just Wilshere who stretched his reputation here, trying to drag Arsenal back into the game after a first half in which Bayern had demonstrated skills like kings. Toni Kroos was superb, scoring the first. Thomas Muller was his usual muse of energy up and down the right and he scored the second, following more astute defending by Arsenal. Even when Lukas Podolski scored it took on a consolation feel when Mario Mandzukic netted a third away goal for brilliant Bayern. For 55 minutes, Arsenal were totally suppressed. They had little form, little valiance, little defensive methodology. Bayern were irresistible for almost an hour. Even when Arsenal pulled one back early in the second half, Bayern simply reacted strongly.
The match had began with the smoke from the German fans' flares still in the air, and Arsenal seemed to have silenced some of the panic signs appearing from Wenger. This was for the seven whole minutes anyway. For the same seven minutes, they counter-attacked, Santi Cazorla crossing and Bastian Schweinsteiger clearing up. Then Theo Walcott also found space behind David Alaba and Philipp Lahm cleared for a corner.
Bayern then took control. Maximum control. Their stressing high up the pitch, particularly through Mario Mandzukic, affected Arsenal's already shaky nerves. The slickness of their passing directed the ball past hesitant hosts. The first came via a quick break down the right, following a poor clearance from Laurent Koscielny which Bayern picked off.
Schweinsteiger propelled the attack, laying the ball off to Franck Ribery, who played it wide to Muller. Arsenal already had enough numbers back and Muller's cross was not the best. It should have been intercepted but Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta failed to react. Eventually, all these factors contributed for the decimation of Arsenal.
