SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-ARS-FCB/REAX Wenger praises Arsenal's "intense, disciplined" victory over Bayern Munich

Record ID: 135211

  • Title: SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-ARS-FCB/REAX Wenger praises Arsenal's "intense, disciplined" victory over Bayern Munich
  • Date: 20th October 2015
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 20, 2015) (REUTERS) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "We had an absolute necessity to win the game and we did it in an intense, disciplined way. It was a top level game between two very good teams. Bayern had more possession than us but we d
  • Embargoed: 4th November 2015 12:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVADPCOEC5DA7O9MEOG84X62A4EQ
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  • Story Text: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was delighted that his team reproduced their recent outstanding Premier League form to revive their faltering European fortunes with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday (October 20).
    The London club have climbed to second behind Manchester City in the Premier League but were struggling in Champions League Group F after losing their opening two matches to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos Piraeus.
    For long periods it looked as if they were either going to lose, or at best draw against Bayern, but a 77th-minute header from substitute Olivier Giroud and a stoppage-time second from Germany international Mesut Ozil gave them an unexpected but hugely important victory.
    "We had an absolute necessity to win the game and we did it in an intense, disciplined way. It was a top level game between two very good teams. Bayern had more possession than us but we decided to make it tight in our final third and catch them on the break. In the second part of the game, in the last part of the game, when we went longer and won the long balls they suddenly could play more in their half and they struggled much more. I think they dropped a little bit physically as well. But overall I think we have beaten a very strong team and we kept a good level of focus from the first to the last minute and we kept a clean sheet as well," Wenger told reporters after the match.
    He praised the contribution of Giroud adding that despite starting on the substitutes bench the striker gives him valuable alternative options in attack.
    "It's not easy, he (Giroud) has always played and he had a little bit of a dip in form. I see that since two weeks that he is coming back to his best, but the focus he brings, the spirit he shows when he... he's a winner and he gives us a different option when it doesn't work anymore on the ground he gives us options in the air. Both of them, I like (Theo) Walcott, I like Giroud. I just have to use them in the right way," he said.
    Pep Guardiola meanwhile was left struggling to explain Bayern Munich's defeat, a result that ended his side's impeccable start to the season.
    The Germans controlled huge swathes of the Group F game at the Emirates, had 68 percent of the ball, carved out several great chances but unusually lacked a killer instinct in front of goal.
    Until Tuesday, Bayern had won the 12 games they had played in all competitions, setting a Bundesliga record of nine straight victories from the start of the season.
    For once, goal-machine Robert Lewandowski could not find the net with Arsenal keeper Petr Cech and his inspired defenders thwarting the lethal Pole.
    Pushed by reporters on what had gone wrong, the former Barcelona boss was stumped for an answer.
    "I can't explain that. Sometimes you score and sometimes you have chances and you don't score. This is a mystery. Sometimes you win these games 1-0 and now here the second half we played well until the goal. In the end we played with a back three. We attacked everywhere, we crossed, we had chances. We had chances in the box as well. We had control, but in the end Arsenal scored two goals and we none," said coach Guardiola who has guided Bayern into the semi-finals in both seasons since taking over.
    "We attacked from the right, from the left, through the middle and just what Arsenal made in the second half, Arsene used his amazing counter-attack. In general I think we controlled well, but it's Champions League, in the Champions League you have to be perfect in all sense and today in some points we weren't perfect, that's why we lost the game," he added.
    The result means Arsenal have revived their chances of qualifying for the last 16 of the competition for the 16th successive season, although they still trail Bayern and Olympiakos by three points.
    Olympiakos, who won 3-2 at Arsenal last month, won 1-0 at Zagreb on Tuesday and have six points, along with Bayern. Dinamo and Arsenal both have three points with Arsenal travelling to Bayern for their next match on Nov. 4.
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