adminfrom another depressing soccer season. Tuesday night’s 3-1 home defeat against Bayern Munich has left Arsenal virtually resigned to exiting the Champions League at the last 16 stage for a third straight year, with Wenger describing the challenge in the return leg next month as “like climbing Mount Everest”.
“But you can only climb it if you try,” he said. “We have to try to make the impossible possible. We’ll have two battles now this season but maybe the easier battle will be to be back in the Champions League.
“But we have to give everything to try and change things in the second leg. Let’s not hide the truth: it will be extremely difficult against a team of that quality.
“They didn’t play two finals in the last three years without that quality. We have to give our best and hope we have built our confidence up a bit more, because that belief will be needed.”
Wenger pointed to his team’s mental fragility for another nightmare start that saw Bayern take a 2-0 lead within just 21 minutes.
“The nerves played a big part,” he said. “The results bring confidence. It’s a bit of a vicious circle. The players gave absolutely everything. We played against a side who have no doubt at all. They have a history in the last six months where everything is positive, every player is confident to play with full power. That’s not the same for us at the moment. But things can change quickly. In three weeks, we can do it.”
Such a comprehensive defeat will place further scrutiny on Wenger’s position at Arsenal, with boos again ringing around the Emirates. After Arsenal’s shock FA Cup exit against Blackburn on Saturday, this was also Arsenal’s second home defeat in the space of just five days.
Wenger walked off without initially shaking hands with Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes and spent 25 minutes in the dressing room. Heynckes played down the situation. “I didn’t see him yet,” he said. “But we met before the game and we know each other very well. We have a very good relationship.”
The last-16 first-leg loss exposed the lack of strength in depth which has contributed to the Londoners going out of both domestic cup competitions, lying fifth in the English Premier League and looking poised to bow out of Europe.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern had the luxury of bringing on Dutch World Cup runner-up Arjen Robben and prolific Germany striker Mario Gomez in the second half, but a glance at Arsenal’s bench showed no such riches and Wenger’s hands are largely tied.
The Frenchman, at Arsenal since 1996, failed to bring in attacking quality in the January transfer window and the club look doomed to an eighth season without a trophy, leading fans to question whether they still have the right man in charge.
Midfielder Jack Wilshere said that it was the players rather than Wenger who should be blamed for a probable further season without a trophy.
“It’s nothing to do with the manager, he puts us on the pitch, it’s down to us to perform,” said Wilshere.
“We have the players to do it, we just have to start better. I think the players will take responsibility, we’re man enough to take it. The boss has been here for 16 years and he’s been doing a great job so you can’t question him.”
Wilshere also pointed to Arsenal’s recurring problem in big matches of conceding first-half goals before they have really found any rhythm.
He added: “In the second half we stepped it up and it’s unfortunate we didn’t do that in the first half,” he said. “I’m not sure why, maybe it’s a bit of nerves or anxiety because we show what we can do when we play. We will look at it and try to put it right. There’s always a chance, we take it to their place, and we need a few goals.”
Wenger also defended his players and, despite some terrible mistakes for the goals, claimed that he had “great” defenders. “We wanted to do well,” he said. “They’re a quality side. We have to give them credit for their class.
“The 3-1 (loss) was a big blow for the team.
“From that moment on, you could see we might concede one more because we didn’t keep our structure. I still have confidence in my players and in my team.
“But, on tonight’s evidence, there’s clearly work to be done.”
However, celebrity fans such as British US talk show host Piers Morgan and golfer Ian Poulter are among those to have called for Wenger’s departure and it is difficult to see what the manager can do to ease the pressure.
Heynckes said that the match had been “easy” for his players once they established their dominance.
“We scored two early goals and, with that result, it was very easy for my team to just play,” he said.
“We are currently in astonishing form. Arsenal are a good footballing team and my team will take the second leg very seriously. You cannot afford to underestimate an opponent.”
Meanwhile, not even a 2-0 win in Munich in three weeks’ time will be enough, though that looks highly unlikely given Arsenal’s current naivety in defence and fickleness in attack.
Thomas Vermaelen, still easily Arsenal’s best centre half despite some lapses this term, had to switch to left back following Wenger’s bungled attempts to fill the role and that left Per Mertesacker coming back into the heart of the backline. — The Telegraph.
Online Reporter