Arsenal make their predictable exit, in unexpectedly catastrophic style, as confidence saps from the Gunners’ legs and doubts surrounding the merits of re-investing in Alexis Sanchez builds. Here’s the notes from Tuesday’s Champions League tie…
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 (2-10 on aggregate)
Arsenal’s annual Round of 16 exit from the Champions League was an exceptionally chastening affair this time around, outplayed and prodigiously outscored by a Bayern Munich side in no mood for charity.
Theo Walcott’s goal gave the home fans faint hope of at least a tilt at second leg redemption and, in truth, the Gunners were the better side for much of the first half.
But the match, as in the first leg, hinged on Laurent Koscielny.
In Munich, the Frenchman’s injury precipitated an epic collapse. At The Emirates, the centre-half was sent off, after initially being shown only a yellow, for fouling Lewandowski when the Pole was through on goal after the break.
The striker duly converted from the spot, and another capitulation followed.
With Arsene Wenger’s hold on power looking increasingly tenuous, and star man Alexis Sanchez clearly not the happiest at the moment, there seems little to tempt Fantasy managers towards the Arsenal patch of North London at present.
Three of the side’s four most popular players are at the back – Peter Cech, Koscielny and Hector Bellerin. Conceding 10 goals to Bayern and keeping just one clean sheet in five league matches doesn’t suggest much joy ahead for those managers with interest in the Arsenal rearguard.
But the Gunners do enjoy a favourable run from Gameweek 29.
Aside from the visit of Manchester City, they will face West Brom, Palace and Middlesbrough away and entertain West Ham and Sunderland – all fixtures that have the potential for better defensive returns than Arsenal have managed in recent weeks.
But Sanchez is the big concern. Still owned by 27.4%, his place at the spearhead of the attack is suddenly in doubt.
Danny Welbeck, who was named in the starting line-up against Bayern, fell ill in the warm-up and Olivier Giroud took his place.
It remains unclear whether Welbeck or Sanchez would have operated on the left – or if the pair might have interchanged – but the Chilean ended up out wide when Giroud came into the side.
The Frenchman also started up front in the 3-1 loss at Liverpool, with Sanchez perhaps no longer nailed-on for the advanced role that has brought most of his 17 league goals this season.
Certainly, in a double Gameweek scenario, we have to think that Giroud would get an opportunity in the striker role in one of the two matches.
A Gameweek 28 blank at least gives Fantasy managers some time to consider their Arsenal options and, more importantly, their confidence and frame of mind.
The key consideration will be how we bid to exploit the two double Gameweeks still to come from Arsene Wenger’s side before the end of what has, otherwise, become another predictably uninspiring season.
Arsenal XI: Ospina, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xhaka, Ramsey (Coquelin 72), Walcott, Sanchez (Perez 73), Giroud (Ozil 72).
Subs not used: Cech, Gabriel, Gibbs.
