We asked for your views on Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich.
Here are some of your responses:
Ben: We are paying the price for Arteta not rotating his squad again. He hasn’t learned from last year. At the weekend, and in Munich during the second half, they were burned out and flat. Then Arteta made subs too late and did not refresh the midfield.
Ross: Arsenal have come up against a seasoned Champions League team and challenged admirably. A top-class striker would transform this team into the next bracket and allow us to go to the latter stages and possibly win the competition.
Gumbo: Running out of steam at the business end of the season. Again. Conceding cheap goals, struggling to break down defences, players out of form. Sigh.
James: Another example of not being able to get over the line. Over-passing and no incisive moments will always give the opposition a chance. For all the attractive football we’ve played, we might as well end up mid-table for all the good it’s done us.
David: Really proud of the lads. It’s been a rollercoaster ride and clear proof of swift progress under Mikel. They’ve been so good to us all season, now we need to give them the lift at Molineux to chase down the Premier League title.
Lloyd: Poor attacking performance. Defended well for parts of the game, but we are missing an out-and-out striker. Moving forward we need to invest in a goalscorer. But, it’s good exposure for Arsenal as a young team to get this far! We keep pushing for next year!
‘I just hope this isn’t the moment of the season when we start to break down’
Arsenal fan Charlene Smith believes winning the home leg was vital for Mikel Arteta’s side if they were to make it past Bayern Munich and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
The Gunners could not take a lead to Munich despite no Bayern fans being allowed to attend the first leg at Emirates Stadium last week and exited the competition to a second-half Joshua Kimmich header at the Allianz Arena.
“It’s the lack of experience,” Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. “We tried and we gave it our best shot. It just comes down to experience.
“Bayern are better equipped for these type of situations.
“There were good moments when we dominated the game, but it just goes to show that you need to take you chances when you have them. [Gabriel] Martinelli had a really good chance that he wasn’t able to finish – same with [Martin] Odegaard. This is what cost us.
“If we had won our home game it could be a totally different situation. We really needed to capitalise on those key moments at home when Bayern Munich didn’t have any fans there. We needed to get on top and take the lead just to make that ride a little bit smoother.”
The Gunners return to Premier League action against Wolves on Saturday having lost ground to Manchester City with defeat by Aston Villa last time out and Smith hopes there will be no hangover from Wednesday’s defeat in Munich.
“I am getting slightly nervous [that the season is unravelling] after Sunday’s game,” she added.
“Liverpool handed it to us on a plate and we were not able to take it. To lose again in the Champions League is absolutely heartbreaking.
“I just hope this isn’t the moment of the season when we start to break down and not be able to see it out strongly.”
