Three Ways In Which Arsenal Can Beat Bayern Munich

Three ways in which Arsenal can beat Bayern Munich

With the resumption of the serious business in Europe’s elite club competition, the Champions League, Arsenal face the daunting task of going toe to toe against current holders Bayern Munich at the Emirates on Wednesday, a clash which promises to be an absolute enthralling and lip smacking encounter. Both the teams met in the same stage as last year, when Bayern won 3-1 in the first leg at the Emirates and despite losing in Munich, the Bavarians went on to ultimately take the crown in what was a record breaking season for Jupp Heynckes’ men. Lot has changed since, now with Pep Guardiola at the helm, the Bavarian are a more stronger unit and much fitter to steam roll past anyone that come their way. However is there a hole in Bayern’s engine which Arsene Wenger and his boys can exploit? We here at Soccersouls provide three ways in which the Gunners can gun Guardiola’s goons.

1. Throw Oxlade Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla to Rafinha and David Alaba

Bayern are in amazing form in Bundesliga, beating teams by large margin of goals but I don’t feel any such score line will repeat itself at Emirates. The German team’s full backs in David Alaba and Rafinha are perhaps the weakest links, with both of them moving out of positions and leaving space behind when barging up front. Wenger should look to field Chamberlain and Cazorla, two of Arsenals’s speedy tricksters on the flanks using them interchangeably, putting pressure on Bayern’s defensive flanks and outnumbering the central defenders with a spare man in midfield joining in may do the trick for the gunners.

2. Midfield overloading and maturity

It will be fascinating to see what kind of a line up Wenger decides to go with. What can the French Economics professor do to overload Guardiola’s flexible 4-3-3 formation? If I were the tall Arsenal manager, wearing the overgrown tracksuit, I would play Wilshere alongside Flamini’s calm presence in the middle of the park. Rosicky should be playing such games, even if it means Arsenal playing without a striker, along with Mesut Ozil. Up front it will be Chamberlain and Cazorla, like I said above looking to change flanks and trying to draft in the middle of the final third. This gives Arsenal options with Rosicky playing as a sweeping midfielder, Ozil repeatedly joining attacks and obviously Cazorla and Chamberlain having attacking threats of their own.

3. It may sound unconventional, but Wenger can surprise Bayern with a False 9

Can Olivier Giroud’s lack of pace trouble the solid Bayern defence? I certainly believe Wenger needs to be a bit more brave and look to surprise Guardiola by playing a striker less outfit, yes I have not gone crazy. How about getting a toast of their own medicine? With Giroud not at his best and Chamberlain having pace to burst past any player on this planet, Wenger should be playing his midfielders and to good use. Certainly Ozil can join in the false nine role. This might just give Guardiola something to think about and who knows when the Spaniard changes his system, introducing Giroud later on would be a gem of a decision. But then again, its easier said than done.