Arsenal barely up for the challenge as City join Premier League Brexit

That sound you hear is Arsenal’s season crumbling. They frustratingly exited the Champions League to Bayern Munich and while that may not sound like a collapse, given the formidable pedigree of opponent, this was a quarter-final tie that was theirs for the taking. There can be no doubt about it.

With their Premier League title challenge also faltering after Sunday’s (Monday AEST) home loss to Aston Villa, Mikel Arteta and his players are facing a week in which they will again stand accused of not being up for the challenge. And how that will hurt them.

What will also hurt is that they can have no complaint. This was a big missed opportunity. Not that they really created any opportunities, while there was a collective failing in Bayern’s only goal – Arsenal switched off and that was it.

Fine margins, they say, and it was a phrase that Arteta adopted. We are at the business end of the season when every decision, every moment matters as Bayern put aside their problems to again show the mentality and game management required to go deep into this competition.

Maybe it was also a night when Arsenal finally paid the price for not signing a top centre-forward. There has been so much about that with the notion ridiculed when they were putting six past Sheffield United and West Ham United.

But it is not those games we are talking about, it is these matches where the lack of a ‘fox in the box’ is glaring. That was summed up when substitute Gabriel Jesus was sent clear, with 10 minutes to go, by Declan Rice only to snatch at it and shoot wildly. He never looked like scoring. He should have.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s anguish tells the story of an opportunity lost.

Maybe he was offside, but the Brazilian did not know that. Kai Havertz, who was playing as the central striker, was almost anonymous throughout. The German had a glancing header from a free-kick but got no power on it. There was also a decent chance for Gabriel Martinelli in the first-half but his shot had no conviction. He also had to do better than aim straight at Manuel Neuer with the goal beckoning.

Put Harry Kane in this team – released by Arsenal when he was nine, as he was reminded on the eve of the game – and it may well have been a different story. The Bayern striker, though, goes on to the semi-finals and still can finally win silverware.

Not that Bayern will be favourites for that tie against Real Madrid, who beat holders Manchester City in a thrilling penalty shootout. They are not playing well enough which will torment Arsenal even more. Still, for now, Kane did not care as he celebrated with fellow former Tottenham Hotspur player Eric Dier and so there was added resonance for them.

Arsenal’s lack of belief was all over the pitch – as were the clear signs of fatigue. Arteta does not rotate and it is catching up on his team. The final kick of the game? Arsenal earned one last corner. One last chance, maybe. Goalkeeper David Raya came up, and Bukayo Saka’s delivery was weak and easily cleared by the first defender at the near post.

Arsenal now head to Wolves on Saturday for the very definition of a must-win. Which this was also, of course. No win at Molineux and the pain heightens while they will be tormented by this failure – in front of owner Stan Kroenke, watching his first Arsenal game from the stands since December 2020.

And the winning goal? What an awful one to concede as Raphael Guerreiro collected a cross that had ran to the other side of the pitch. There looked to be little danger but he was given so much time to send it back into the Arsenal penalty area, with Ben White making a half-hearted challenge as he waved a leg at the ball.

Guerreiro probably could not believe it as Joshua Kimmich ran in unmarked – Martinelli failed to track him; Rice did not see the danger – to simply pick his spot and beat Raya with a stooping header. The replays only made it look worse and worse. What a way to go out.

Arteta had spoken about an “unbelievable opportunity” to change history; about writing Arsenal’s “own story” but the records will show that they blew their chance. Yes, they are a young, vibrant team who are undoubtedly making huge strides season on season but chances are there to be taken, especially when they could have reached the last four for the first time since 2009. And that is what separates the best from the rest. Maybe that and a bit more experience. “We have been in this situation,” said Bayern’s coach Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving, of course.

Arsenal have made undeniable progress under Mikel Arteta but equally evident has been a lack of willingness to adapt.

Arsenal are getting closer and closer under Arteta – this was their first Champions League campaign in seven years – and they may still win their first league title for 20 years, although the psychological effect of this, and the physical toll, cannot be underestimated. Three days after Wolves they host Chelsea and then five days later are away to Tottenham. Optimistically it can be put down to being part of a learning curve, but we will only know that if Arsenal do go eventually win something.

Tactically Arteta will believe he got it right with Jorginho tasked as Jamal Musiala’s shadow, and Martinelli working hard to double-up on Leroy Sane while Arsenal dominated possession and controlled the midfield through Rice and Martin Odegaard.

But to what effect? They did not really threaten. It was Bayern occasionally doing that with Raya making a couple of smart saves in the first-half before he could only stand and watch as Leon Goretzka’s header struck the crossbar and the rebound was deflected against the post.

It was a warning for Arsenal. But it was not one they heeded because before Kimmich scored it felt like a Bayern goal was coming. And so Arsenal are out and are left desperately trying to shore up a season of rich promise whose foundations are falling away bit by bit. There is still hope but there could have already been so much more.

Telegraph, London

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