Mission Impossible: What Arsenal Fans Want To See Tonight As Arsenal Tackle Bayern Munich In Champions League Knock Off Tie

With the #TR4PHY fading, all indications are that this could be the last night for Champions League football at the Emirates. Gooners are hoping that is also is the last night Arsene Wenger leads us into Europe in search of our traditional round of 16 exits. It seems eons now when we won the group stage unbeaten

Psychological

1.     A result is needed. It doesn’t have to be a win but we need to compete. A loss wouldn’t do either for Arsenal.

Right now for Arsene Wenger, it is FA cup or bust.

 We don’t want to face Lincoln City after another thrashing.

2.     Alexis Sanchez has to be a pro no matter what. Frankly, he needs to grow up!

The Chilean is 28 years old. He needs to cut on his “excessive behavior” and channel all that into a big-landmark- performance. The biggest stars carry their team and in doing so pollinate their team mates with their star dust.

Leave or stay, by this yardstick alone, Sanchez has to be more of Diego Costa and Aguerro than Saido Berahino when caught up in a row with the manager/club.

3.     Alex Iwobi. What to do?

Admittedly, the future of Nigerian football could have better been managed. It’s hard at his age to be relied upon to play catch up with the likes of Chelsea and Bayern Munich in such a toxic environment.

On one hand, with the pressure off today, Iwobi could put in another good shift like he did at Barcelona the season last at the same stage.

Benching him today could send the wrong signals to his young mind. Whilst letting him play in the face of another probable smacking could break whatever is left.

Who to Play, Formation, Tactics

 

1.      Lucas Perez has to get his chance against the German giants.

Can Welbeck handle another start in three days after such a long injury layoff?

Alexis should get back into the starting lineup, like I said, there is a job to be done (operation regain our pride) and Alexis and Wenger need to get over themselves.

Walcott should start too for lack of better options. A fluid front three of Walcot-Alexis-Perez should be thrilling to watch.

I would go for an adventurous midfield three of Maitland-Niles (holding/destroyer), Chamberlain (Let the Ox do his best impression of a trequartista) and Xhaka do his best impression of Cazorla.

It’s times like this when I think of Debuchy and it saddens me: Bellerin hasn’t been close to anywhere near his best since the huge contract and injury layoff.

 Meanwhile, Gibbs probably belongs where he’s at. Ospina’s chance to be undisputed No. 1 is here as we clearly bought Cech 2 years late.

2.     Arsenal clearly can’t press as a group nor can we play the sit-in-suck-in-the-pressure-hit-them-on-the-break Leicester masterpiece as recently evidenced by failing to protect our lead at Manchester City.

Neither is Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal adept at patient build up, as evidenced by our failure at preserving the credible first half draw at Bayern.

In the recent past, whenever we have appeared at our best, we did what comes naturally to us with our current stock of players right: attacked veraciously (almost carelessly) at pace, decisiveness in transition and superb last gap defending thanks to the pace in our back line.

Translation: When we need to show no fear and just have a go. Let’s have fun. Let the team thrill the fans. Let us have that 5-4 score line in whoever favor. After all, this could be the last Champions League night at the Emirates in a looooooong time.