Bayern's Poise Outlasts Arsenal's Attack

Going into the second leg of the Round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich, Arsenal found itself in a difficult situation. Starting goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was red carded in their first match against Bayern, Jack Wilshere joined Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott on the list of notable absentees due to injury, and Mesut Özil was struggling for form. So to most this seemed done and dusted. Bayern was up 2-0 on aggregate, meaning Arsenal had to win by 3 goals away from home in arguably the most intimidating stadium in the world at the moment, Bayern's gorgeous fortress the Allianz Arena.

Arsenal started the game fairly well, pressing the Bayern midfield high and not letting them settle into the game, but the lack of real chances the Gunners failed to create would prove costly as Bayern calmed the play down and started to dictate the pace of the game. Arsene Wenger opted to shift Özil out wide in favor of playing Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain in the germans favored spot behind the striker. The Ox's pace proved difficult for Bayern throughout the whole game as he time and time again ran at Bayerns defense and caused havoc. But where he failed was the final pass, something Özil would have provided had he been played through the middle.

As the game progressed it seemed more than likely Bayern would take control, and in the 55th minute they did so through a couldn't miss chance from the returning Bastian Schweinsteiger. 3-0 up on aggregate and Arsenal having to score 4 goals in less than an hour against the recognized best team in the world looked too big of a task. But there was hope as Lukas Podolski scored 2 minutes later to even the game at 1-1 and reduce the aggregate to 3-1. But that would be it, as Bayern's midfield and defense never got rattled and held their ground perfectly. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery tormented the Arsenal flanks and Mario Mandzukic played his role perfectly as a target man/hold up striker.

So what does the end result mean for both teams? For Bayern it's business as usual. Marching on towards the Champion's League final in Lisbon to try and do what no team has done before, defend their crown as champions. They also are still very much alive for another treble as they will not be caught in the Bundesliga and the Deutscher Pokal is in the final stages. For Arsenal, it's a very different story. What seemed their most promising campaign has started to unravel. 7 points back in the Premier League and out of the Champions League their sole hope for a trophy is the FA cup in which they are now the odds on favorite to win. There are murmurs if Arsene doesn't deliver a trophy this year he may be on the way out, and I for one wouldn't be able to come to his defense much longer.

But the real story here is how far Arsenal still have to go to really challenge the elite while also showing just how good Bayern is. Arsenal is 1 or 2 really great players away from challenging every year for every trophy, while Bayern is looking like a well oiled machine poised for a long stay at the top of the football summit.

What are your thoughts? Can Bayern repeat as UCL winners? Will Arsenal break the drought? Let me know in the comments below.

The Premier League Contenders and Pretender: Revised

So two months ago before the winter break I posted this: Breaking Down the Premier League Contenders and Pretenders Midway Through The Year. At the moment I would like to revise what I had said. The teams in the "Contender" category were Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Everton. The team in the "Pretender" category were Manchester Untied, Liverpool, Southampton/Newcastle.

As of today, February 5th, the Premier League table looks as follows:

1. Arsenal - 55 points
2. Manchester City - 53 points
3. Chelsea - 53 points
4. Liverpool - 47 points
5. Everton - 45 points
6. Tottenham - 44 points
7. Manchester United - 40 points
8. Newcastle - 37 points
9. Southampton - 35 points
10. Aston Villa - 27 points
11. Stoke City - 25 points
12. Swansea City - 24 points
13. Hull City - 24 points
14. Sunderland - 24 points
15. Norwich City - 24 points
16. West Brom - 23 points
17. Crystal Palace - 23 points
18. West Ham - 22 points
19. Cardiff City - 21 points
20. Fulham - 19 points

So let's get into the categories.

Contenders

Arsenal: Well we are into crunch time in the Premier League and (literally) surprise, surprise the Gunners are on top of the table. Arsene Wenger's men have been consistent all season and look poised for a stay at the top of the league table. The lack of a striker depth could doom them, but Wenger has his men and his fans believing again, and that's huge.

Chelsea: Are we not convinced by Mourinho's men yet? I still stand firm in my stance that Mourinho isn't as "special" as his nickname states, but there's no doubting the quality of football that Chelsea have been playing lately. They ground out a great 1-0 against Manchester City AT the Etihad and look primed to pounce to the top of the table if Arsenal slip up.

Manchester City: Despite a home defeat to Chelsea, City are still the best attacking team in the Premier League and have all the weapons that could vault them to the top of the league. Injuries should be a worry for Manuel Pellegrini, but City are still in the mix at the top of a tight title race.

OKAY so I know that the Contenders didn't change, but what about the Pretenders?

Pretenders

Everton: I'm going to keep it short and sweet, they don't have enough to take them to the Champions League.

Manchester United: Doesn't it just seem a matter of time before David Moyes gets his marching orders? Despite the great purchase of Juan Mata from Chelsea, United are playing lackluster football and at this point we really have to question if it's lack of talent or lack of a real manager.

Tottenham: Just not enough chemistry within the team for me. Too many players that want to play the same spot and no real striker that poses a threat. Spurs are REALLY missing Gareth Bale who saw the writing on the wall and got out ASAP.

So there you have it. My revised Premier League Contenders and Pretenders, what do you think? Did I get it wrong?

I'll make another one as the title race heats up even more. For now please comment and share this post!

Breaking Down The Premier League Contenders and Pretenders Midway Through The Year

So it's almost (or it is depending on when you're reading this) the winter break. The points separating the top teams in the Premier League are slim and this is turning out to be one of the most exciting seasons in a while. So let's look at the contenders and pretenders in the Premier League as it stands right now.

The table is as follows right now:
1. Arsenal - 35 pts
2. Liverpool - 30 pts
3. Chelsea - 30 pts
4. Manchester City - 29 pts
5. Everton - 28 pts
6. Tottenham - 27 pts
7. Newcastle - 26 pts
8. Southampton - 23 pts
9. Manchester United - 22 pts
10. Swansea - 19 pts
11. Aston Villa - 19 pts
12. Hull City - 18 pts
13. Stoke City - 17 pts
14. Norwich - 17 pts
15. West Brom - 15 pts
16. Cardiff - 14 pts
17. West Ham - 13 pts
18. Fulham - 13 pts
19. Crystal Palace - 13 pts
20. Sunderland - 8 pts

The point spread of the Premier League in the top half of the table is pretty even, which makes for a fun second half of the season, hopefully.

Contenders

Arsenal: Arsenal coming into the season would have probably been dubbed "elite pretenders" the perennial 4th place finishers have had a flying start to the season and have found themselves at the top of the table for almost the whole year so far. Arsene Wenger looked to be on the hot seat coming into the year, but now he looks certain to be offered a new contract this season. The addition of Mesut Ozil plus the improved play of Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, and the whole defense has seen Arsenal seemingly take the step towards a title.

Manchester City: The team from the blue half of Manchester are up to their normal tricks, scoring lots of goals at home and trying to grind games out away from home. Sergio Aguero is firing on all cylinders, while support players such as Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas, and the reinvigorated Samir Nasri have City in great position should they stay in the top 5 going into the winter break. The keeper situation may cause problems for City, but new boss Pellegrini will find a way to make it work out.

Chelsea: Can you ever count out a Jose Mourinho squad from an EPL title challenge? The Special One returned to London this season and has had a pretty good start to the season, even if he wouldn't tell you so himself. He still hasn't lost a game as manager of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and with his midfield playing so well you almost forget that their strike force is abysmal, almost.

Everton: What the heck? Who would have thought Everton would be on a contender list for EPL title challengers? Well they are on mine, solid back to back performances against Manchester United and Arsenal have morale higher than ever for the Merseyside club. Amazingly they have only lost 1 game so far this season. The on loan duo of Lukaku and Deulofeu are proving to be great pick ups for Everton and Roberto Martinez is looking more and more like a managerial genius each week.

Pretenders: 

Manchester United: Don't get angry, United fans. You had to see this one coming. Manchester United are a shell of themselves compared to last season. No Sir Alex to be that rock on the sidelines and David Moyes is looking out of his league managing one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) club in the world right now. All eyes are on United to see how they battle during the second half of the season. If they add some quality in the midfield during the January transfer window we could be talking about a completely different United team.

Liverpool: Liverpool are having one of their best seasons in recent memory, but I still don't think they're good enough to put them into the contender discussion. They have the best strike duo in the league with Suarez and Sturridge, but that will only carry you so far. I see Liverpool trailing off into 4th this season. But even if that is as high as they finish, that is a great success. Brendan Rodgers should be everyones Manager of the Season so far.

Southampton/Newcastle: No disrespect to either club, both are having phenomenal seasons considering where most expected them to be this far into the season, but there is no real threat to the top teams in the league coming from either.

So there you have it. My contenders and pretenders so far in the Premier League. What do you think? Did I miss any team that should be on either list? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter @theinformsoccer

Quick Take on Adnan Januzaj

There's been a lot of negativity and bad blood brewed over the past few days after Jack Wilshere stated that, in reference to the thought of Adnan Januzaj getting called up for England, “The only people who should play for England are English people,” after a training session this past week. Many seem to agree with him in believing that people not born in England should not play for the national team.

That argument can be made and have quite a strong backing, but times are changing and Wilshere needs to recognize and accept that. It's not a secret the England squad is lacking in, well, something. The young talent in England just isn't up to par with what we see coming through the ranks of other big name countries and that is widely recognized. With the proposed pursuit of Januzaj, it shows that England are ready to follow in the footsteps of other countries that are making the most of out of finding ways to get players that qualify to play for their country to do exactly that.

A prime example is the United States. Jürgen Klinsmann had been criticized early on for using many players that qualified to play for both Germany and America and persuading them to play for his United States squad. Many thought he was overlooking some of the young prospects that were born and raised in the United States, but now he has silenced those critics by qualifying the USA for the World Cup in Brazil. He also has kept the core of the team (at least for now) American.

So where is the harm in being open to letting naturalized citizens play for your country? It shows diversity, willingness to accept change, and if it doesn't work out you drop them from them team. Seems an easy enough solution. Look at all the players that could have played for other nations but chose to play for the one they do now, many of them are excelling. Lukas Podolski, Mario Balotelli, Danny Welbeck, etc. all of these players could have picked another country to play for yet didn't.

If Janujaz gets called up to England when the time is appropriate and chooses to play for them then his peers need to accept it and welcome him into the team with open arms. The idea that a player must be born in the country to play in the country is a dying one. Times are changing, it's about time we all accept that.

World Power Rankings 9/23

Recently on the latest episode of the tbrfootball.com video podcast my friend Nate and I gave our takes on the top 5 teams in the world right now. This was based off of the Power Rankings done by ESPNFC. We both had the same 5 teams in almost the exact same order. My list looking like:

1. Real Madrid
2. Bayern Munich
3. Barcelona
4. Manchester United
5. Arsenal

With his list looking like:

1. Bayern Munich
2. Real Madrid
3. Barcelona
4. Manchester United
5. Arsenal

I think it's time to revise the list after Manchester United got totally dominated by Manchester City and I'll tell you why my list is the way it is.

1. Bayern Munich - Now in the upcoming episode I said Bayern Munich would only move up to number 1 over Real Madrid once they set a lineup, well this weekend against Schalke they played so well and dominated the game that I can't justify making the only reason they get to move up being a set lineup. Bayern played almost perfect football, controlling the tempo, passing crisply, attacking and defending with ease, and just making Schalke look completely inferior. Bayern are catching fire at the moment, with 7 goals in their past 2 games. Can anyone stop a fully realized Bayern side? Probably not, and early in the seasons of world football it looks increasingly likely the European Champions will repeat for the first time ever.
2. Real Madrid - Real Madrid get bumped down to number 2 on my list for really only one reason, the quality of the team they beat this weekend wasn't enough to keep them from holding off Bayern. a 6-1 win at Galatasaray in the Champions League followed by a 4-1 win over Getafe have Real Madrid flying right now. They are my picks to win La Liga and make a Champions League final unless paired up with Bayern in the Semis.
3. Arsenal - This is going to be the most controversial spot on my list, but Arsene Wenger's side are playing as well as any team on the planet right now. A great 2-1 win in Marseille was followed up by a good 3-1 win over Stoke City this weekend. Mesut Ozil leads the EPL with 3 assist and has only played 2 games in the league. Olivier Giroud is looking reliable, Flamini has added some fight to the midfield, and their back four are playing in top form. 
4. Barcelona - Now some might call me crazy for placing Arsenal ahead of Barcelona in my power rankings, but right now I feel that there is just something missing at the Nou Camp. Again, you might think I'm crazy after back to back 4-0 wins, but I just feel like Barcelona aren't playing to full power. Their back four is suspect, and that right now is my main concern with the Blaugrana. 
5. Napoli - Big spending Napoli make an appearance in my top spot this week. A win over AC Milan where Pepe Reina became the first keeper to ever save a Mario Balotelli goal and a good win over Champions League runners up Dortmund have Napoli in good form, and Gonzalo Higuain looks the deadly striker that many knew he would be. How long Napoli can keep up their great form remains to be seen, but they're my wildcard pick for the Serie A title this year. 

And there it is, my top 5 in the world as of September 23rd. What do you think? Am I crazy for putting Arsenal ahead of Barcelona? Should Man City be in the list after decimating Manchester United? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter @theinformsoccer.

Mesut Ozil: The Pressure is On

Arsenal fans were crying out for a signing, and it seemed as though the club were going to have another disappointing transfer window. And then it happened.

Soon after Gareth Bale completed his world record move to Real Madrid there were grumblings about what stars Madrid would be willing to sell to cover the cost of Bale. Di Maria, Benzema, and Ozil were all names thrown out as potentially expendable. One club linked to all of the names was none other than Arsenal. Arsene Wenger's lack of spending was the butt of every transfer market joke this summer, and then he broke the club record transfer fee.

Ozil was announced with less than an hour left in the transfer window, and though Ozil wasn't the signing that was needed, he's the signing every fan of the club wanted. A marquee, big money move by a club being slammed for not being able to attract top talent.

It seemed Ozil saw the writing on the wall with the transfers of Isco and Bale. That coupled with the fact he was regularly not finishing games and being subbed off with a good portion of the games he started remaining made it most likely an easy choice. Fans of every other team in La Liga should be rejoicing right about now, according to Squawka Ozil created 91 scoring chances last season. He is arguably the best playmaker in the world right now, and his ability combined with the likes of Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, and the other attackers on the team could be deadly. Not to mention he will likely make Olivier Giroud look even better than he has already this season.

Now, as amazing as the signing of Ozil is, it doesn't completely make us forget what Arsenal lack. They still need a box to box midfielder, another center back, and a second striker. But we can't dismiss that Ozil will make the Arsenal attack something that has to be looked at closely and feared by all defenses.

Does Ozil make Arsenal a title contender this year? No, not at all. As amazing as he is he won't make up for the deficiencies the club still have. But, he will invigorate the clubs fans with a feeling of, "this is the start of something special." A player like Ozil is the perfect building block for Arsene Wenger, and maybe the first real step to Arsenal finally ending the silverware drought.

For a more tactical look at how Ozil will effect Arsenal check out this post.

Bayern Survive Arsenal Scare

It was almost a disastrous day for FC Bayern Munich when Arsenal came to town for the second leg of their Champions League tie. The Gunners came in to this leg 1-3 down on the aggregate score and needed to win by 3 goals to progress to the next round of the Champions League.

The team Arsene Wenger put onto the field looked like he was throwing in the towel, but after 3 minutes it looked like Wenger knew exactly what he was doing. Arsenal took the lead 3 minutes in with a goal from Olivier Giroud and looked to be full of confidence in a game no one expected them to win.

Bayern did however settle in. Providing pressure for the rest of the game, it seemed as though the Bavarians would comfortably move on after a minor stumble, but Arsenal wouldn't go down without a fight. Even though Bayern bombarded the Arsenal goal with shot after shot, they just couldn't find the back of the net. And this almost cost them when in the 85th minute Laurent Koscielny headed home a Santi Cazorla header to tie up the aggregate score 3-3. But a 2-0 win wouldn't be enough to see Arsenal through and they needed 1 more to progress. Momentum was on the Gunners side, but Bayern kept their cool. Slowing play down, milking the clock, drawing fouls, Bayern knew time was on their side. And after 3 minutes of stoppage time it was over.

Arsenal fought valiantly and almost completed one of the most improbable comebacks of the year, but they couldn't put the last goal away.

Bayern now join Barcelona, Madrid, PSG, Juventes, Dortmund, Galatasaray, and Malaga in the quarterfinals with the draw on Friday.

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Is it time for a change at Arsenal?

Arsene Wenger must be feeling a whole lot of pressure right about now. His Arsenal squad is one of the most difficult to understand sides in all of football. A team that can produce a great counter attack and build up play on offense with the defense that makes it all look in vain.

Arsenal have the excuse of losing captain Robin Van Persie in the summer to Manchester United, but can you blame the Dutchman for leaving a team that has not won a trophy in 8 years. How many times have people for the past 8 years said, "this could be the year!" and how many of them were right? None. Arsene Wenger for as great of a tactician he is when it comes to game planning and for as a great of a breeder of young talent, should be sacked.

Arsene Wenger has been a great coach for Arsenal, winning three league titles, 4 FA Cups, and the FA Community Shield 4 times. But the selling of key players over the past few years (Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie) has seen fans turn on Arsene as those players have gone on to achieve more and play significantly better. Nasri went on to win the Premier League with Manchester City last year, Cesc Fabregas won 3 trophies after transferring to Barcelona, and Robin Van Persie is set to be the leagues leading scoring with Manchester United while also being set to win the league. With all the money that Arsenal have acquired from their selling of top players, you would think they would have enough money to go out and buy adequate replacements for their essential pieces that left. But Arsenal and Wenger seem so frugal with their money, instead of spending preferring to breed from their youth academy and save money. Jack Wilshere is working out for them, as he is already heralded as one of the best at his position, but other than that Arsenal have no big names to show from their youth academy yet.

The buying of Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, and Santi Cazorla looked promising in the beginning, but now in fifth place fans are calling for the purchase of another striker. If Arsene is allowed another season to try for a trophy and doesn't buy a striker in the summer window and Arsenal struggles, look for a new face on the sidelines for the Gunners early. Arsene knows he is having his head called for, now is the time for him to respond.

Is Arsene's time up at Arsenal? If so, who should replace him?

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Are Bayern the team to beat after dominating Arsenal?

Yesterday's marquee match-up in the Champions League saw two teams headed in completely different directions. Bayern met Arsenal at the Emirates stadium on Tuesday and thrashed the Gunners 3-1.

                                                 Bayern looked dominant in the first leg against Arsenal.


From the get-go it looked to be a long night for the London side, as the Bavarian's controlled the tempo of the game. It didn't take long for Bayern to rip the Arsenal defense to shreds, as Franck Ribery played a magnificent ball to Toni Kroos at the top of the penalty box, the German international then struck it on the half volley past Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny. That was only 7 minutes into the game. From then on Bayern continued to pound the Arsenal defense only for Thomas Müller to score of a muffed save by Szczesny. It didn't look all bad for Arsenal though, as they pulled one back after halftime through a Lukas Podolski header, but Bayern would soon regain control. Terrific build-up play saw Mario Mandzukic score a circus goal to end the night 3-1 and virtually knock out the London side.

Are Bayern the team to beat? Their sound dismantling of Arsenal in this first leg leave little questions as to how strong Bayern can be against teams outside of Germany. Sure, Arsenal aren't flying high right now, but the England is a country in which German sides don't usually do well, and Bayern handled this game like it was just another game and not a Champions League game. Looking comfortable in a hostile atmosphere, controlling the tempo, and not even being at full strength (defenders Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng did not play) Bayern seemed in their element the whole game. Manuel Neuer looked to be in control between the sticks for Bayern, Phillip Lahm and David Alaba did a great job of bombing down the wings and getting back on defense when needed, Kroos controlled the attacking play while Schweinsteiger and Martinez commanded the midfield.

                                                  Bayern look poised to make another Champions League run.


The recipe for success was evident last night for Bayern, and while they have their flaws they seem to be able to mask them fairly easily. So what team is able to beat Bayern right now over 2 legs? The only team I see is Barcelona. Should we read into a 3-1 romping of a 5th place EPL side too much? No, of course not, but if you look at their body of work, the Germans are more than formidable and a daunting opponent for any team to face. In recent years Bayern have become a team very much under the radar even though they are one of the top 5 clubs in the world. Having made 2 of the last 3 Champions League finals Bayern knows how to get there. Finishing the job has been another thing for them, but this team looks poised to roll into a third Champions League final in 4 years.

What are your thoughts? Are Bayern a tournament favorite? Who do you think can beat the Bavarians?

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Arsenal crash out of FA Cup

Arsenal's trophy drought seems to be set to continue as the Gunners crashed out of the FA cup with a 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers.

                                              Arsene Wenger and Arsenal look set for another trophyless season.

For most of the game Arsenal controlled the ball and tempo, but their finishing was not on point at all. An Arsenal squad that did not field all it's starters, yet was a much better side then Blackburn, should have finished the game off early in the first half. Instead the game ended in disappointment even after dominating. The Gunners shot the ball 26 times, 12 of which were on target. They won 16 corner kicks and held the ball for 54% of the game.

Yet it was Blackburn that found the back of the net by a Colin Kazim-Richards goal in the 72nd minute.

                                                               Blackburn celebrate their goal against Arsenal.

Arsenal were simply not good enough against a squad they should have easily beat, and should be weary going into Tuesday's Champions League matchup against high flying Bayern Munich. Even for an Arsenal team that wasn't at full strength they did not look dominant. Arsene Wenger must be cautious as to how he approaches this upcoming Champions League game as the Germans have the capability to put 3 to 4 away goals against them if Arsenal can not finish their chances.

What do you think the Gunners need to change? Are Bayern going to run all over them this week? Leave your thoughts and comments below.

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