Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

Hours earlier in the morning, Arsenal have completed a rather impossible win over 'the best team in the world at the moment' as according to Arsene Wenger. Bayern Munich have fallen 2-0 away to a stubborn yet viciously hunger Arsenal side as they outplayed Bayern with style. After this match, Arsenal have finally back into the game of qualifying the group stage after losing out their first two group matches, as the typical Arsenal once again showed the world that their quality could be match with the other top clubs too.


During the match, fans couldn't help theirselves but to feel nervous throughout the whole match as the match is full of goal chances and opportunities. The uncharacteristic Bayern Muchen have no answer to Arsenal counter-attacking raid as Manuel Nueur already did his best in the match yet still failed to help his team. One remarkable magic of Nueur came before half-time as he denies a powerful close range Walcott's header.

Nueur made to full stretched to save Walcott's header

However, this is not to say Arsenal Petr Cech has a quiet game as he's busy in the entire match and has been given a well deserved Man of the match honour. Cech showed Arsene Wenger he made a mistake of playing Ospina in the Champions League instead of him by making more saves than Nueur in the match.

Cech parried out an Arturo Vidal's shot

In a match where Arsenal were forced to be cautious defensively as Ramsey, Özil, and Sanchez often tracked back to assist their fellow defending team-mates to ensure the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Douglas Costa don't stand a chance in scoring. As most already anticipated, Bayern were dominating Arsenal in terms of possession by playing more passes and being more accurate in passing.

Bayern dominated Arsenal in the match

However, Arsenal were very determined and stubborn during the match as they craft something out of nothing. With Özil gives out the kind of pass that's needed by Walcott in a counter attack raid and Ramsey commited to go forward to fill in empty position,  Arsenal's tactics were paying dividends as they have created more vicious opportunities than Bayern. This can be easily seen where Arsenal have more shots on target (8) than Bayern's (6), although Bayern have more attempts on goal.

The question is how could they outplayed a team like Bayern while being pressed to the deep yet still able to came out as the winner? The answer to this is pretty easy as some Arsenal players are outstanding in the match, not included the goal-keeper, 

1)Per and Koscielny Partnership

The first could be seen where Per Mertesacker and Koscielny paired up pretty good defensively and they minimize the threats of Bayern's attack. There are some remarkable moments in the game when the fans thought Arsenal's going conceded their leading in the closing stage but not when Per and Koscielny is at his best. 

Koscielny puts the ball to corner to provide cover for Petr Cech

Mertesacker refuses to let Lewandowski to get in the box

2)In-form Bellerin

A motivated Hector Bellerin also shine in the match as he blocked plenty of crosses and most remarkably a beautiful run that saw him provided an assist for Özil. As well as Bellerin, Özil is also outstanding in this match as he provides some beautiful passes to his team-mates and made off some beautiful run.

Özil celebrates after tapped in a crossed ball from Bellerin

3) The X-factor

Although Sanchez didn't score in this match and even made an error back pass that saw Arsenal almost pay for the price as a courtesy of Mertesacker's effort is enough to avoid the miserable. However, Sanchez's  still look dangerous in going forward and laying long passes.

Sanchez made himself look dangerous with vicious pace.

Poor Özil

Mesut Özil(Germany) vs Ireland

9 October 2015, 00.15

Özil fails to perform against Ireland

Yesterday night, critizes flowing around Özil as World Cup Champions Germany fall short to a 1-0 defeated to Ireland that saw Shane Long scored the winner for Ireland in the 70th minute.

In fact, it's not just Özil failed to make an impact but the front-three (Gotze, Reus, Muller) as well. The focal point of this match centred around the inability of Germany to find the net, what's worse is that Germany only managed a shot-on target in the 80th minute as Jerome-Boateng goes for long shot that proved to be unvicious. 

Useless trio vs Ireland

This was another match that reignites the debates of Özil's inability to perform consistently. Yes, Özil isn't the typical consistent player, but you don't deny that you are enjoyed watching Özil's football, as he is one of the most talented and gifted playmakers in the world. As most already know, Özil always make football looks so easy, and that's also the reason why people love to criticise him for being lazy just because he looks like he's relax and impassive in every match.

Lazy Özil? How about that

If one observe him in-depth one'll realized he's actually special and different from other player. This season, Özil has proved just enough to waved away the critizes on him since he arrived in Arsenal but there's no deny that Özil should have give out more and has plenty more to prove in the up-coming days despite the fact that Özil has played a big part in Arsenal's 3-0 home win over Man-United in his previous match. Frankly, Özil never managed more than a '1 assist and 1 goal' in his career in Arsenal. It's already a norm to see Özil provides assists in the Premier League, but fans woud like to see a '2 assist and one goal' or perhaps even a '3 assists and one goal' in a single match.

In this footbal-era, there's only three players in the world bagged a 2 hat-trick assists (3 assists in one game) under their belt. Messi and Angel Di Maria is in the list, perhaps to much surprise, Özil is one of them. Özil got it through matches in Arsenal vs Stoke and Germany vs Gibraltar, that's what playmakers do, provide and feed, Özil did it! That should be enough to shut up the criticism.

Di Maria provides an hat-trick of assists for his fellow team-mates

Messi is one of the best passers in the world

(Arsenal vs Olypiakos) What went wrong???

30-9-2015 East-Asia  (2.45am)  

Oxlade-Chamberlain sat on the floor rued of what could have and should have after a poor display, a rather shocked and disbelief reactions from the home fans after Arsenal have lost to Greek champions Olympiakos by the scoreline 3-2. In a match full defenders mistakes and plenty of wonder moments from the forwards decided that Olypiakos were the final winners. Post-match, when asked about the match by the media, Wenger simply considered it as a match lacked of luck. However, there is plenty more to consider despite the fact that Arsenal were dominated the match in overall, this isn't all just about luck.

To make it clearer and makes sense, various players mistakes will be highlighted:

1)  Many have blamed on the Arsenal's shot stopper David Ospina for failed to catch a seemingly easy corner ball and let it slotted home as a decisive winner for Olympiakos. Perhaps Petr Cech was a better keeper after all, but every keeper made mistakes right?

Ospina lost his touch and allowed Olympiakos to make it 2-1

2) Mesut Özil has created some remarkable chances in the game, he made some beautiful passes that was wasted by the perhaps a bit of selfish Sanchez, and one of them is a free kick that was saved by the Olympiakos' goalie.

Özil curls the ball perfectly onto the right corner just to be denied by Gago.

However, he made some mistakes too throughout the game. 

Özil involved himself in a rather unnecessary fight with Olympiakos' player,
saw him given a yellow by the Dutch referee

Perhaps most spectators didn't see what was actually happened when Olympiakos scored their first goal, many thought that it was merely a deflected own goal by Walcott. In fact, it was more than that, Özil was actually responsible for the first goal. When the Olypiakos player delivered the corner ball to the outside of the box, Özil was the closest to the scorer, he should have seen it coming and intercepted it.

Özil missed mark on the Olympiakos'
 player

3) Before the match, Wenger knew that they can't afford to loss another match in the Champions League. Perhaps to much surprise, he laid out a rather controversial starting-11 to replaced Monreal with Gibbs and to play David Ospina instead of Petr Cech. To be fair, Wenger was under pressure to rotate his squad because everyone on the cold bench was hunger to prove their value, Wenger knows he can't just leave them there the whole time. One best example that best describe this situation is Mathieu Flamini's wonderful display against Tottenham that saw him slaughtered them 2-1, that shows everyone in the squad can be play at the highest level. Unfortunately, it works the opposite way and Wenger has screwed it up.

Mathieu Flamini was fantastic in the match against Tottenham.

Chemistry between Gibbs and Sanchez didn't turn up well in the horrible night, maybe Gibbs has gotten a bit of rusty after a long time on the bench

Why chose Gibbs when Wenger knew it's not the best match for warming up.

Former vs The Latter

2015/16 has already gone underway for sometime, and waiting for the next Arsenal match would be boring. So why not let us learn some Arsenal's history while waiting for the next match. Here are some mouth-watering compare and contrast in three aspects about which Arsenal players have the likes of the previous Arsenal legends and likely to become one of them in the future.

1) Vitality

Thierry Henry

Perhaps the greatest of all time and expect would take a very big effort for the latter to break his unprecedented record. Triumph as both highest Arsenal assistor (80) and goal scorer (228) of all time. OMG!!!, is he still a human.

Below are some of his major honours:

• Fifa World Player of the Year. 
• Two times PFA Player's Player of the year 
• FWA Footballers of the year
• Two  league titles and Three FA cup
• Led Arsenal to UEFA CL Final

Henry is known for his devastating pace and slick touch skills

Vs

Alexis Sanchez 

Unlike many others in the Arsenal squad, Sanchez demonstrates a very high level of work rate, he is the kind player that will chase you back and forth once he losses possesion. As most already expected, Alexis Sanchez has proven to everyone what he's worth of even in his very first season with Arsenal. Although he doesn't have as much honours as Henry had, it is worth to mention that Sanchez is only player that has scored an hat-trick in Serie-A, La-Liga, and in the Premier League (recently achieved). Here are some of his major honours:

• Two-consecutive FA winners (Arsenal)
• FA community shield (Arsenal)
• La-Liga (Barcelona)
• Copa del ray
• Reached round-16 in 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil
• PFA Team of the year

Sanchez scored a brilliant free kick against Southampton

2) Speed

Walcott

One of the fastest players in the world of football, and the fastest player in the newly released Fifa 16 video game. He is deadly in close range and has proven very hard to be tracked down by defenders, he is a nightmare to most of the world-class defenders because of his pace. However, injuries have always been the biggest barrier that stop him from becoming one of the best players in the world like the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. He recently came out of his long-term injury and prove that there is plenty more he can provide for Arsenal in the attacking line, which Wenger played him as a striker over Olivier Giroud as a result of his outstanding form. One of the most remarkable moments is when he scored an hat-trick against West Brom not long after he came out of his frustrating injury to win over Wenger's believe.

Walcott(17 years old) was named in the squad while England won the 2006 World Cup

Vs

Marc Overmars

A Dutch international that has played a big part in Arsenal's 1997/98 Premiership Champions. Like Theo Walcott, Overmars has a devastating pace that can cut through the defence-line as if it was a piece of cake. In comparison, Overmars has mastered the arts of finishing over Walcott and was more flexible in changing directions, making the defenders hard to track him down. Sadly, he left Arsenal to Barcelona in 2000.

Overmars paired up with Legends like Henry very well

3) Vision

Cesc Fabregas

One of the best signings Arsene Wenger has ever made in his earlier days in Arsenal. Fabregas is well known for his accurate long pass and vision, captained Arsenal for somewhile before left to Barcelona in a shock transfer. Let it be his finishing ability or his dribbling skills, he has mastered all of them. He played a crucial part in the triumped of 2010 Fifa World Cup for Spain in which he sets up an assist for Iniesta's winner in the extra time.

Fabregas scored against Tottenham after an impressive solo run

Vs

Mesut Özil

If there is someone to be match with Fabregas' creativity and vision, it had to be Özil. Mesut Özil has once been praised by Jose Mourinho that his accuracy in passing can be match to the likes of legends like Zidane. Despite his performance has been below par last season, Özil made up the lost by playing some of the most entertaining football during season 2014/15. He is no doubt will be the best no. 10 in the world if only he knows how to perform consistently.

Özil gave out a backheel assist that could be candidate for the best assist of the year

Özil played a part in 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil

Arsenal Vs Leicester

After having witnessed Arsenal to thrashed Leicester 5-2 away at King Power Stadium, I would say this is one of the most entertaining football I have ever watched. With Sanchez, Walcott, and Giroud all on the score sheet, fans could now relish themselves by rewatch the replay again and again.

This all started when Leicester broke the dead lock by taking advatage of the Arsenal's sloppy defence error, 0-1, this time the blame will be pointed at Mertesacker for giving the Leicester player too much time and space to finished off a brilliant shot, this was the moment when Arsenal fans start to nerve, but Arsenal are not back down. Thanks to Cazorla, the most calm man ever in the Arsenal squad has spotted Walcott running at the back of the defender,Walcott finishes off a low pass from Cazorla to equalise Leicester's effort. A big relief to the fans, this isn't end here. Sanchez came in and finished off a blocked Walcott shot, 1-2!! and yes, all of these happen before the half time.

In the second half, Arsenal look more dangerous by laying more men forward and the chemistry between Özil, Sanchez, and Walcott is paying dividens. Just as Arsenal fans start to feel boring, Sanchez scores again at the hour mark, the scoreline was now 1-3 as Arsenal was stretching the scoreline. This time was a brilliant lob pass from Özil that spotted Sanchez looking for a return after a beautiful one two, Sanchez finishes it with a beautiful header. Sanchez was then silenced the home crowd by scoring an hat trick after a throw in from Monreal, this was a typical bad day for the Leicester players because they know they have failed to stop Sanchez from ending their unbeaten run in nine league games. Just before the match end, Substituted Giroud came on to add an icing on the cake by scoring a low cross from Monreal. The match finished wih 5-2, a good day for Arsenal fans and a bad day for the home side.

Post-match, Sanchez was being given a deserved 10/10 rating after a wonderful display. What's worth mentioning is that Sanchez hasn't scored in his last eight matches, and he responds well in a wonderful way. There are other Arsenal players that was also outstanding in the match who was Özil, Cazorla, and Walcott with each equally given a 8/10. After this exciting display, this is hopeful that Arsenal can replicate this kind of form in the upcoming match.