Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger must spend big to match the Bayern benchmark

 
12 March 2014

The examination of this Champions League campaign reveals that Arsenal’s pulse is strong but surgery is also required.

There was plenty to admire in the Gunners’ perseverance as they sought to become the first team to overturn a 2-0 home deficit in this competition, especially attempting such a feat at the home of defending champions Bayern.

Bayern were never really in danger of succumbing but Arsenal were resilient and defiant in the face of adversity — their season could yet have a positive conclusion if they repeat the level of commitment shown here.

Ultimately, Bayern had too much class and perhaps the respective substitutes’ benches highlighted it best. An administrative error had left Arsenal declaring only six replacements but while that clumsy oversight had no bearing on the outcome, the mere fact they were in the position of calling on ineligible Ryo Miyaichi in the first place is symptomatic of deficiencies in the squad that must be addressed.

Mesut Ozil’s capture papered over the failures that led to protests following Arsenal’s opening-day defeat by Aston Villa in August — the failure to sign a striker then or rectify that mistake in January is felt more acutely in the days after a European exit.

Yaya Sanogo has potential but Nicklas Bendtner already has one eye on the future and has rarely threatened to be consistently good enough for Arsenal in any case. Olivier Giroud is a competent striker but not a matchwinner and in the final analysis, Arsene Wenger was unable to name a second forward on the bench for a game in which they required at least two goals to be competitive.

Of course, this tie could have been different had Ozil netted his early penalty in the first leg. Equally, the resolve Arsenal showed last night leads to thoughts of how close it could have been had Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere been available. For what it is worth, Lukasz Fabianski was excellent in goal, replacing the suspended Wojciech Szczesny and saving a late penalty.

As Fabianski and Ozil hobbled through the gaggle of assembled reporters and onto the team bus, a thought struck — are these injuries at least in part a consequence of players being pushed too hard during the early part of the season in the absence of enough viable alternatives? After all, the very best clubs absorb injuries without diminishing their progress (within reason, of course).

Bayern Munich v Arsenal player ratings

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Bayern are a juggernaut, even if last night they over-elaborated at times, but this is the level to which Arsenal rightly aspire. It seemed absurd that Pep Guardiola decided to start without Toni Kroos, who dictated terms so authoritatively in the first leg but, such is Bayern’s strength in depth, the decision barely made a difference. Scorer Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thiago Alcantara were the dominant forces in midfield, while Bayern’s goalscorers from the first leg, Kroos and Thomas Muller, were restricted to late cameos.

Of course, the accuracy of such a squad comparison is compromised by the injury list Arsenal have but they are a club whose chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, claimed are ready to “escalate their financial firepower” in the transfer market. Ozil’s acquisition was the clearest statement of that shift in economic strength but further adjustments to the squad must be made if Arsenal are to genuinely challenge Europe’s elite.

Wenger can bemoan refereeing decisions but four successive last-16 exits tell their own story. Each one was a tough assignment but Arsenal were outclassed, albeit often with the rub of the green against them. There were excuses for their Champions League disappointments, given squad building was hampered by the need to balance the books. Not any longer. Commercial revenues have increased with the Emirates sponsorship deal and the Puma kit contract. Both were frontloaded to provide an immediate boost to Wenger’s transfer funds.

A huge overhaul is not required but Arsenal need to supplement their existing talents with high-end additions. The emergence of younger players is helping to bridge the gap, particularly in the form of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who thrived in a central midfield role once again. Following his star showing in Arsenal’s second-leg exit by AC Milan two years ago, the England midfielder stood out in a valiant but, in the end, futile performance.

The futures of Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Lukas Podolski, scorer of Arsenal’s goal here last night, and Fabianski must be determined. Arsenal will surely attempt to sign a centre-forward of world repute, while Schalke are bracing themselves for another crack at Julian Draxler. A new right-back is also high on the list of priorities, especially if Sagna leaves as expected. It promises to be a busy summer. This defeat should sharpen the club hierarchy’s focus in acting decisively and quickly during the close season. Bayern have already snapped up Robert Lewandowski. If the Germans are setting the benchmark, it is not about to drop any time soon. Arsenal and the rest must match it.

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