Drawing on our recent clashes with Liverpool as the most-recent and perhaps most-relevant comparisons, Flamini’s absence from the Anfield Anomaly was just one of several telling differences as Liverpool found ways to slice us apart with through-balls and countterattacks. Of course, in the first ten minutes or so of the FA Cup match, we looked just as vulnerable until settling down into a steadier rhythm and shape. It’s unlikely that Bayern’s attackers will be as wasteful as Liverpool’s were, but the instructive part here is Flamini’s role. At Anfield, Wilshere played alongside Arteta and registered zero tackles, one interception, three fouls, and a yellow card as we were overrun. Part of this may have
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| Arsenal player-positions vs Liverpool (at Anfield) |
been his own lack of defensive discipline and awareness as Wilshere is too prone to neglecting his defensive role and then overcompensating with aggressive challenges. He (#10) and Arteta (8) ended up playing high up the pitch, just above midfield. Combined with the more-advanced roles that Sagna (3) and Gibbs (17) also played, this left a large gap in front of our back four, which helps to explain our struggles at Anfield.
By contrast, in the FA Cup-clash, Flamini played alongside Arteta, and he delivered four tackles, two fouls, and a yellow card. While these numbers don’t tell a story dramatically different from Wilshere’s, Flamini’s position on the pitch does. Wilshere, more interested in pushing the ball up the pitch, might contribute a bit more to the attack, but he does so while exposing the defense on the counter. Witness his dispossession against Man U, which led to van Persie’s sharply driven header. In the background of the action, Wilshere trots back even as he sees the attack, involving Rooney and van Persie, unfold. With Flamini, for as much as we might lose on the attack, we seem to gain that much more on defense. His preference for staying closer to the defense shielded them much more thoroughly, which forced Liverpool to abandon targeted through-balls and attempt longer balls
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| Arsenal player-positions vs. Liverpool (Emirates) |
through the air, which Per and Kos were able to handle more easily, not having to outrun Sterling, Suarez, or Sturridge to get to them. Arteta (8) is essentially in the same position as he was at Anfield, hovering around midfield, but Flamini (20) has dropped quite a bit deeper than Wilshere played. This closes down the space between he and Koscielny and prevented Liverpool from exploiting that gap.
In both matches, the possession-statistics were the same: Liverpool held the ball 57% of the time. However, whereas they took 22 shots (12 on-target) at Anfield, we were able to limit to 15 (7 on target) at the Emirates. While that’s not an Earth-shattering difference, it does show that we were better at denying shots in the first place and in pushing them to shoot further-out. While Flamini doesn’t deserve sole-credit for the differing outcomes, his role did lend more shape and grit to a side that was sorely lacking in both areas.
Speaking ahead of the match, Wilshere had this to say:
We have spoken about the importance of staying in the game and if it’s 0-0 at home, we will still have a big chance to qualify. The away-goal is massive in this competition when it comes to these big games, and we saw that last year when we went out on away-goals. This year we have to be a bit more intelligent and stay in the game.
Those away-goals matter a great deal in the Champions League. In each of the last three seasons, we’ve come achingly close to advancing, especially last season when it was the away-goals that made all the difference. If we can keep the clean-sheet that Wilshere is calling for, anything can happen. I’m sad to say, then, that I hope Wilshere doesn’t get to walk the talk on Wednesday; we don’t need two foul-prone, fiesty defensive midfielders, each of whom could get sent off. For as much as I adore him, I prefer that he rest instead as Flamini pairs with Rosický, whose guile, drive, and awareness offer a strong balance of defense and attack as we batten down the hatches and perhaps look to score.
Right. Kick-off in a matter of hours. Let’s start strong, and finish stronger.
0-0 is fine with me.
am I alone in thinking we can actually go one better than a clean sheet and win 1-0? yes BM have been destroying opponents but the bundesliga is a lot softer than it's been, dortmund have crumbled and Bayer leverkusen are no better. Bayern have a 16 point lead already. yeah, they're in great form but they strike me as growing fat on low-hanging fruit.
I see your 1-0 Derrick and raise you 2-0. There is absolutely no reason why we can't get a great result against Bayern. They really haven't played that many big games this season and may just underestimate the Emirates this season. 2-0 I say!
Bring it! I'd love to see a 2-0 win, then we can go to Bayern and do almost anything we want. I think we can burst their bubble, as ours might be the toughest defense they've faced so far.
Spot on mate. We do as we please. COYG.
Aaaaaargh!!!!!!!!! I just read that neither Giroud nor Podolski are in the starting eleven.Is Arsene punishing Giroud for his curfew-breaking underwear-posing caper the other night or does he know something about the yet-unproven Yaya Sanoga that most of us have yet to have seen. Poor kid, it would be enough of a fright to come into such a match as a sub, let alone as a starter. As evidence, take a look at 15-year old Yulia Lipnitskaya who seems to have choked today when all of Russia had placed its hopes on her after the hockey team flamed out.I can only imagine what the Emirates will be like if BM runs amok and if Yaya fails to deliver and the finger-pointing (at a minimum) begins. Has the extension been signed?
Well, that's a wrinkle I hadn't anticipated. I just hope Sanogo avoids any howlers. To be honest, as long as I he doesn't miss any gimme's, I'm fine. Anything above and beyond that, such as playing as well as he did vs. Liverpool, would be gravy.Who knows what it is with Giroud? Fatigue, mental or physical or whatever, can only tell part of the story. This seems more like a demotion than a rest. This has the makings of a master-stroke or a farce. I must say though that the upside far outweighs the downside.
Maybe Yaya should have kicked the penalty instead of the 40 million pound man. That was the game changer and probably the vend of CL hopes.
what a coup that would have been for Yaya. Instant legend. Again, low risk, high reward if he had taken the kick. I don't see this as the end of the CL adventure, necessarily, but I prefer that we focus on Prem/FA Cup anyway. I'm surprised, actually, that BM didn't press harder to score, knowing what happened last year.