Zero points from the first two games in the UEFA Champions League has left Arsenal with a mammoth task if they are to qualify for the next round. While a loss against Zagreb and Olympiakos was pretty tough to take in a group where Arsenal were expected to do well, they now have to face the might of Bayern Munich in the next two games.
It is possible that Arsenal could end up with no points from the next two games and that would certainly mean elimination from the competition and possibly from Europe as Zagreb and Olympiakos could be in pole position to claim the Europa League spot.
Bayern have started this season with nine consecutive wins in the Bundesliga and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. While beating the Bavarian giants is no easy task, it is possible, Manchester City did that last season and when push comes to shove, Arsenal might have to do the same, well they need to do the same or they can kiss their Champions League chances goodbye.
The question that is being asked at the moment is that is this a lost cause? Even if Arsenal do win against Bayern, they have to repeat the task next week and winning away at Munich is another tough task, especially with Pep looking to win the Champions League with his team.
Arsenal at the moment are only a couple of points behind Manchester City, both clubs seem to be battling for the top spot in the Premier League and that seems to be a better bet for Arsenal when compared to the Champions League for some silverware.
A repeat of 2004 or chasing the elusive dream?
The dream that Arsenal fans want to achieve is winning their first Champions League crown, especially to match the Champions League won by Chelsea a few years ago. A club the size of Arsenal cannot be without European glory and that must be hurting Arsene Wenger at the moment as another season of Champions League exclusion awaits.
Arsenal have a tough task in hand and maybe sticking and concentrating on the Premier League for a first title since 2004 wouldn’t be the worst at the moment. The championship seems to be a two-horse race between City and Arsenal at the moment and both sides have shown great ability and a few lapses which would ensure that the race for the league title will go right to the end.
Arsenal and City haven’t faced each other yet and those two games could decide the title in the near future, plus the fact that teams such as Chelsea and Manchester United, to an extent, are still finding their way in the league, certainly the case holds true for the Blues. This gives Arsenal a great chance of creating a points buffer from the other teams since they are working quite well as a unit, almost as good as Manchester City’s.
Arsenal fans might forgive the manager for shifting his priorities to the Premier League at the moment, but it all depends on how the first game against Munich goes, if Arsenal win, then they still have a chance of qualifying but anything apart from a win and it;s goodbye to the Champions League for another season.
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