Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

[Aidymac]

[TABLE=class: couponTable, width: 617]

[TR=class: row0, bgcolor: #F0F0F0] [TD=class: firstColumn]Arsenal v FC Bayern München (19:45 GMT)[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]4.4[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]3.8[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]2[/TD] [TD=class: bppWidth bpp, align: center]99.04 %[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

[HastGill1]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th A great match up on paper, and if it was being played 2 months ago my predicted outcome might look a bit different but Arsenal look to be running on fumes currently and I fancy a very strong Bayern side to take advantage. This may well be a game that divides opinion on here, Arsenal's home record is certainly impressive and they don't concede many at home but Bayern are a different side to what they usually face and their sheer self-confidence and belief gives them a mental edge over most sides. I fully expect Bayern to become the first side to retain the CL trophy. Why? Not a factor of money, plenty of sides can compete with them on that front, it is there evolution as a side that makes them so dangerous, most sides - when they win the CL - struggle to retain it because the top teams can usually formulate a plan to neutralise their most important weapons, sides that win the CL won't generally make many changes to the side (if it ain't broke why fix it?), Barca have dominated for years but as we saw last year against Bayern, their failure to evolve to changing styles of play have meant they have been left behind against the strongest sides. Bayern have altered their style, they are now less direct in that they don't mind playing the ball sideways rather than always looking forward, less reliant on Robben and Ribery to create, not reliant on the central striker (Gomez, now Mandzukic) to score a majority of their goals and their strength in depth in midfield is the best in the world by miles, no-one else comes close. An obvious reference point for this game would be the tie last season where Bayern comfortably won the first leg 3-1 but surprisingly lost the return 2-0 in Munich. I wouldn't say I'm more confident backing Bayern at the Emirates than at home but it is worth noting that most of Bayern's most impressive performances this season have come away from home - Man City 3-1, Schalke 4-0, Leverkusen 1-1 (most one-sided 1-1 I have ever seen), Dortmund 3-0, in the big games they have turned up and played well. Arsenal won in the Allianz by pressing Bayern high up the pitch and making them play the ball long making them play between the Arsenal lines, Arsenal defended well and closed down central space in the last third. What has changed? Well, firstly Arsenal won't be as defensive at home but I can certainly see Wenger going back to some of the tactics they employed last year in the away game and seeing how they can work against this Bayern side. Bayern keep possession more now and are more patient in their build-up, they will pick and probe for an opening, they can struggle against packed defences because of this, plenty of home games this season they have gone in at 0-0 or 1-0 up then battered a tired opposition in the second half, mainly when they tire. It will be a an interesting tactical game from Wenger, they can't afford to totally sit back and play on the break it would be especially dangerous to do this as 'if' Bayern score early they will likely just keep possession and frustrate Arsenal until they inevitably break their shape in the second half. Bayern should be able to rest plenty of players at the weekend as the league is virtually won already whereas Arsenal face a tough game against Liverpool, not sure what kind of rotation they will employ. Arsenal will crucially have Flamini available for this game, which is a huge plus as Arteta is suspended and Wilshire looks to be in the midst of a performance slump, Flamini will have his work cut out trying to control Gotze, Thiago, Lahm, Robben and Muller, the midfielders will change position quite a lot and the control of this midfield area will probably dictate how the game progresses. Arsenal are strong at home defensively, they now defend as a team a lot better. No denying the attack isn't firing though, Ozil is struggling with the relentless games and lack of recovery time, Ramsey is injured for another month and Carzola's levels have dropped from last season. Walcott was always a bit of a wild card and they miss his goal scoring ability. Bayern will be missing Ribery with his arse injury :lol, Schwein made his return last night and looked good Martinez played centre back too which could be a useful option as the season goes on. Most importantly they appear to be hitting their peak at the right time, after the long winter break they have hit the ground running while Arsenal seem to be running out of steam at the wrong time with plenty of crucial games coming up. I can see this game being quite low scoring for the reasons above, as we know Arsenal are quite underish at home even against the top sides. I can't resist a play on Bayern though, I would take these odds on them against pretty much anyone away from home. If the overs comes in it will be because of a comprehensive Bayern win imo. Looking from a statistical point of view Bayern have won their last 6 games away from home in the CL against such sides as Arsenal, Juve, Barcelona and Man City while in what could be a strange coincidence all Arsenal's last 3 defeats at home in the CL have come against German opposition, Schalke (0-2), Bayern (1-3) and Dortmund (1-2), took my Bayern bets last night but the odds have started to drop quite steadily. Under 2.5 Goals - 2.25 - betinternet - 3 Points Bayern Munich - 1.862 - pinnacle - 4 Points Bayern Munich -1.0AH - 2.530 - pinnacle - 2 Points

[senk]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Great write-up mate. I also really fancy Bayern to come out on top here. It's a 2 leg affair oke, but nothing holds bayern for winning this first game and take a comfortable lead ahead of their home fixture. They have no pressure for the title and in their mid-week cupgame they also showed there is no reason for not performing well and stop scoring goals if they have the chance. Arsenal, like always, slip up throughout the season which is a shame cause I like their style but the loss of Walcott and Ramsey is quite big if you ask me. Huge pressure on Ozil nowadays to deliver and he is struggeling with his form as we all can see. Goals should come from Giroud but seriously he is a ghost on the pitch, I don't like him as a striker cause he can't create anything on his own and often misses huge chances. Ofcourse he scores his goals overall but who doesn't when you play as a centre forward with such great midfielders behind you who possess great vision and passing skills. They tried to break man-utd down in mid week but they really had troubles finding a decent shot on target. 1 big chance through Giroud but he missed. I rate Bayern's defense way better these days and their fullbacks often find space to support their midfield and attack. Arsenal's wingers probably Cazorla and Rosicky really don't like to defend and run after their defender. I think Bayern will dominate here because there is a gap of quality difference between these two teams in favor of Bayern and simply because they really play as a unit and rarely fail as a collective when it matters. Maybe they will dominate from the first minute or they can also leave the possesion to Arsenal and strike on the break. Both ways is ok for me. Eventually they will come out on top, Arsenal rarely wins games that matter the most so why should they beat one of the best teams in the world right now? They are dropping points lately which surely affects their morale and most important they've played some really big games lately so fatigue can play a roll here for sure. Bayern is relaxt and at full fitness. They have decent replacements for Ribery in the likes of Gotze and I think Pep really motivates his players in the right way. He did an amazing job at Barcelona and his players would die for him on the pitch in a positive way. Mourinho also has that x-factor and I think Pep has it too. Ofcourse Arsenal is still a solid side, they can play some amazing football now and then and their defense really improved this season but I think Bayern is just too strong for them at the moment. I have no doubts Bayern will score atleast once here and I doubt if Arsenal can find the net. I also think this will be a pretty tight game especially in the first half and a low scoring game is on the cards but like Hastgill said, if this game goes over than it's because Bayern will strike hard. I have a few bets for this game because the odds are dropping pretty rapidly : Away win with medium stakes. Bayern to win to nil with small stakes. Bayern -1.5 with small stakes. Goodluck all!

[Frazer]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Bet: Bayern @ 1.87 (Pinnacle) (10/10) Bet: Bayern -1AHC @ 2.53 (Pinnacle) (7/10) High confidence pick here. Bayern is dominating the Bundesliga and is playing amazing football. They are winning almost all of their games without any big problems and could easily win almost all Bundesliga games with 2-3 goals differenc but they are often slowing down after the first 1-2 goals. Against Arsenal this surely won't happen. Whenever they play an important match like a cup game and especially Champions league they are taking it very serious. Bayern's dominance agaisnt an absolute top team could be seen in the CL against City. In the 2nd match against City they just didn't care at one point anymore which caused the defeat. Since this game Bayern has improved even more and with Thiago being fully in squad and Götze being on 100% it's almost disgusting how good their midfield has become. In the match against Arsenal Badstuber (Who hasn't been a factor the whole season) and Ribery will miss the game. However Bayern has such a good quality squad that the miss of Ribery will only hurt the team a bit. Arsenal on the other side is one of the top teams of the Premier League but they got weaker in the last weeks. Especially when they are playing agaisnt other top teams or in important teams in general they are often playing awful. The 1-5 against Liverpool or the 2-2 against Southampton were both completely awful performances within the last month. The 0-0 against a weak United in the last matchday doesn't show any upcoming hype as well. Especially Özil who is often their key player is having problems in important matches and often is a shadow of himself. Against Bayern Arsenal will miss Ramsey, Walcott, only new winter sign Källsröm and possible Vermaelen. All in all I just don't think that Arsenal has the class to get a point against Bayern. This in combination with the fact that they are looking awful in almost all important matches against good opponents makes this an absolute must bet for me.

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Well all I would like to add to these excellent posts is that I remember clearly during this same tie last season how things unfolded over the two legs and I think we'll see a repeat. Bayern came to London, romped to a 1-3 win and I won't forget how comfortable and routine! they were at the Emirates. Then the 0-2 loss at the Allianz in the second leg that everyone always credits Arsenal with was ALL DUE TO BAYERN. They had 3 away goals and that whole match they went through the motions just playing the ball around because they were so confident (perhaps even cocky) they were going through. Point is, I think despite what is said in the press conferences, the Germans are so superior that they must laugh at the thought of being knocked out by Arsenal. Whatever gear Arsenal take it to here Bayern will raise it and take an advantage home. Whether we see relaxation again in the second match again remains to be seen. Just the straight Bayern win suits me here.

[TarkanCanada]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th gunners are a f..hk..n' joke .... Their defense is terrible .... I don't know who to start from .... Mesut Ozil won't be able to cope with the speed and technique of Bayern's superior mid. players... There is so much to talk about this Bayern team... They are getting just better and better each and every game ... Arsenal are the exact opposite ... they r getting worse.... They will lose at home to superior Bayern team and this team has become the new unstoppable Barcelona team just like a few years back how Barcelona was unbeatable ... the only difference is this Bayern team has no weakness at all... They do not have a top striker like Ibrahimovic but the whole midf. players are scoring as many goals.... They'll end up destroying Arsenal Away and Home ..... this is the banker game with PSG destroying Leverkusen ...

[chuda]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th ahhh here people .. @ totoschillaci just because liverpool lost, don`t put out so missleading "cry your heart out" posts 3 a.m against arsenal... "Allianz in the second leg that everyone always credits Arsenal with was ALL DUE TO BAYERN." --- yeahh with 10 minutes to go and one goal would put them out at home... "they went through the motions just playing the ball around because they were so confident (perhaps even cocky)" -- couldn`t even score at home "Germans are so superior that they must laugh at the thought of being knocked out by Arsenal." - are you for real mate? "Whether we see relaxation again in the second match again remains to be seen." --:D "Just the straight Bayern win suits me here." ??!! - suits your bleeding heart @ TarkanCanada did big freeze over there froze your braincells? "gunners are a f..hk..n' joke" -- yeahh... just one point from leaders after 3/4 of season "Their defense is terrible" --- best defense overall in england and best at home... "this team has become the new unstoppable Barcelona team just like a few years back how Barcelona was unbeatable" -- arsenal beat tham few years ago, and could of then trough in 2 legs if not dodgy red card "I don't know who to start from " --- better don`t :D who ever got price on bayern early around 2.00 to 1.90 is ok call here, but now it`s only 1.75 ... even at evens you have to consider... ... it`s a first leg ... arsenal have beat both germans at their peak of last season and both at their own grounds, and arsenal is better this season ... man city done them as well ... take all last, lets say 20 cl , how many pre season favotites went on to win them ?.... very rare ! almost the same amount as underdogs have won. in cl it`s not so straight forward like here some saying , that germans drinking coffe, watching "tom & jerry" and laughing - how many they will score at emirates ... there is surprise in every single round ! ... i am arseanl fan and would say , yes it`s likely we will get trashing , if not in first leg then in second for sure, but to jump on "byern trashing band wagoon" for first leg @ less than evens is a bit premature ... bayern is almost smallest price in 1/4 finals against arsenal (?!) .. who held at home man u, chelsea, napoli , liverpool , spurs ... to stailmate ,.. is it really worst it (!?) ... it`s only a first leg, and arsenal to hold on to draw @ 3.80 for small amount will be something i`ll try ... my bets will be bets in play but i am suugesting try my 3 out of 4 treble for midweek round with sammal amount on 3 out of 4 draws @ 165 (1 point x 4 bets @42 x 4) in europes first round...

[HastGill1]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

... it`s a first leg

Don't think it is an advantage to Arsenal this being the first leg and they are at home, last season they were at home too and lost 3-1.

... arsenal have beat both germans at their peak of last season and both at their own grounds, and arsenal is better this season

Fair point, but they aren't playing in Germany they are playing at home where they have lost to German sides the last three times they have played them, the odds on Bayern will probably be about 1.4 in the return leg and not worth the play imo.

... man city done them as well

They did, but Bayern didn't appear that motivated for the game and after they scored the two early goals they were very sloppy, they group was already won by that stage so it was a nothing game, they won 3-1 when it did matter, again away from home.

... take all last, lets say 20 cl , how many pre season favotites went on to win them ?.... very rare ! almost the same amount as underdogs have won. in cl it`s not so straight forward like here some saying , that germans drinking coffe, watching "tom & jerry" and laughing - how many they will score at emirates

The pre-season favourite doesn't usually go on to win but I can't imagine there are many times the favourite has gone out in the last 16. Bayern will take the game very seriously and rested quite a few first team starters at the weekend - still won 5-0, I just can't see Arsenal knocking out Bayern, Arsenal have gone out at this stage for the last 3 seasons running, they don't historically deal well with pressure situations.

... there is surprise in every single round !

I expect there to be one, it could well be here who knows? There are some truly terrible prices in the 'to qualify' markets on some of the games.

... i am arseanl fan and would say , yes it`s likely we will get trashing , if not in first leg then in second for sure, but to jump on "byern trashing band wagoon" for first leg @ less than evens is a bit premature

Ahhh, you are an Arsenal fan ;). I don't expect there to be a 'thrashing' in either game to be honest, the away ties seem to suit Arsenal better as the crowd won't get on their backs - as they usually do at Emirates - and they can sit back and hit sides on the break, I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a draw in the return game, I might be tempted to play them on a handicap bet for the return depending on the result of this game.

... bayern is almost smallest price in 1/4 finals against arsenal (?!) .. who held at home man u, chelsea, napoli , liverpool , spurs ... to stailmate ,.. is it really worst it (!?)

I'm surprised to see how much the price has dropped, I don't think they are worth the play anymore, Arsenal are a top side and tough to play against at home. The price is dictated by the punters and Arsenal's poor home record against German sides and the result last season is probably swaying people to bet against them, Bayern have also really started to click recently and are much fresher coming into the game after the recent 1 month break when Arsenal probably played about 7 games (haven't looked it up). Don't think either that Arsenal are performing anywhere near the level they were at the start of the season from an attacking point of view, missing Walcott and Ramsey has hit them hard. Bayern win virtually every game they play, so I would take them against anyone away at 1.85. Arsenal have a reputation as bottlers, when it gets to the business end of the season they usually drop away because of their lack of strength in depth.

... it`s only a first leg, and arsenal to hold on to draw @ 3.80 for small amount will be something i`ll try ... my bets will be bets in play but i am suugesting try my 3 out of 4 treble for midweek round with sammal amount on 3 out of 4 draws @ 165 (1 point x 4 bets @42 x 4) in europes first round...

Good luck, it's all about opinion! :ok

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

ahhh here people .. @ totoschillaci just because liverpool lost, don`t put out so missleading "cry your heart out" posts 3 a.m against arsenal... "Allianz in the second leg that everyone always credits Arsenal with was ALL DUE TO BAYERN." --- yeahh with 10 minutes to go and one goal would put them out at home... "they went through the motions just playing the ball around because they were so confident (perhaps even cocky)" -- couldn`t even score at home "Germans are so superior that they must laugh at the thought of being knocked out by Arsenal." - are you for real mate? "Whether we see relaxation again in the second match again remains to be seen." --:D "Just the straight Bayern win suits me here." ??!! - suits your bleeding heart

You disrespectful little waste of air, what a tone to address me in for no reason! If you had half a brain you would realise that the Bayern post was made BEFORE the FA Cup match. PUT YOUR FOOT IN IT THERE BUDDY AYE? Secondly if you watched the second leg they DID go through the motions and that's why they got into the situation of being 0-2 that they did. I think you'd better watch the replay before you open your ignorant mouth. I am for real. Arsenal don't compare to Bayern in all lines..please. "Suits your bleeding heart" + "cry your heart out" posts 3 a.m against arsenal...:lol No. I post based on logic and objectivity. You say your an Arsenal fan and then post a provocative response like this for no reason - means you are in fact the bleeding heart. Take a post against your team personally shows you're of very basic intelligence. We are here TO MAKE MONEY! Don't mention my name from now on as I don't pay much attention to your posts anyway which usually end in "so 10% of my betting fund on this" and "5% of my betting fund on that" :lol cos I don't like losing more than I win. You are one of the guys on here who make a better reader than a poster my friend. P.S not a Liverpool fan. Have no stake in it. Betting forum not fan forum.

[HastGill1]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Let's play nicely fellas, no need for anyone to fall out! It's just a game..

[MPLouis]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th For some reason, you just don't seem to get arguments like this in the Non League threads ;) I've had a look at the two teams' shots on target stats from the group stage, and Bayern's shots stats are much better than Arsenal's, confirming the gap in class that is already known. When you add Bayern's superb recent away record in Europe, and the fact that Arsenal have lost their last three CL games at home to German sides (Schalke, Bayern and Dortmund), I think odds of 1.8 on Bayern are quite good (although the odds are going down I've noticed). I would imagine both sides would want to keep it tight, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a low scoring game (although of course if there's an early goal that could easily change).

[Jase82]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

You disrespectful little waste of air' date=' what a tone to address me in for no reason! If you had half a brain you would realise that the Bayern post was made [b']BEFORE the FA Cup match. PUT YOUR FOOT IN IT THERE BUDDY AYE? Secondly if you watched the second leg they DID go through the motions and that's why they got into the situation of being 0-2 that they did. I think you'd better watch the replay before you open your ignorant mouth. I am for real. Arsenal don't compare to Bayern in all lines..please. "Suits your bleeding heart" + "cry your heart out" posts 3 a.m against arsenal...:lol No. I post based on logic and objectivity. You say your an Arsenal fan and then post a provocative response like this for no reason - means you are in fact the bleeding heart. Take a post against your team personally shows you're of very basic intelligence. We are here TO MAKE MONEY! Don't mention my name from now on as I don't pay much attention to your posts anyway which usually end in "so 10% of my betting fund on this" and "5% of my betting fund on that" :lol cos I don't like losing more than I win. You are one of the guys on here who make a better reader than a poster my friend. P.S not a Liverpool fan. Have no stake in it. Betting forum not fan forum.

I suggest you breath a bit mate :ok best way to deal with the post would be to debate the points made rationally as your post above now looks out of context and personally offensive :ok

[Jase82]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Personally with regards to the game I think Bayern are way too short here. Arsenal have tightened things up a bit (although I'm not convinced of their long term merits) and no way should Bayern be odds on here. The gulf in class ain't THAT huge IMO.

[HastGill1]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Giroud :lol What a plonker.. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561139/Premier-League-star-admits-fight-wifes-forgiveness-inviting-model-hotel-room-hours-game-club-say-punished.html

[senk]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Ofcourse by now the biggest value on Bayern is long gone.We set the markets but bookies are not crazy almost everyone dropped hugely with their odds. They opened around evens and are as short as 1.70 now! Wise punters took them early cause I do think there was value on them for sure. Quality difference is big and the sweetest thing of Bayern most of the time is that they PEAK on the right moments. In the bundesliga they hardly get any challenge so everyone just expects them to win, nothing special anymore and the gap is huge. But in the CL they can really lift their game to another level like they did many times when it mattered. Pre-game no one is chanceless ofcourse, and Arsenal played some really solid games at home but they never faced a team like Bayern obviously. Last year the quality difference was so big and Ozil in this kind of form won't make the difference unfortunately for the Gunners. Schweinsteiger is back which is a huge quality boost but also positively affects their team morale. [if it wasn't sky high already] After the Giroud mess maybe he will play Podolski don't think so but who knows? Anyways I hope so cause then it would only favor my win to nil bet. :D All in all a great game of football to watch and some nice attacking plays. Maybe the young players can rise here, Oxlade, Gotze great to watch ! I'm especially not against Arsenal here cause I like their style but I think Bayern has too much for them definitely over 2 legs but I also think that the Germans don't wanna take a draw for granted. And if you talk about solid defenses then Bayern surely has one too, In my opinion even better than Arsenal. :) Goodluck all!

[escalibur]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Over 3.5 I'm sure Wenger will try to win this game because they are definitely not gonna win in München. Bayern is very organised team and it seems that they are still scoring for fun so if we consider Arsenal's attacking force and Bayern's fast counter attack I'm sure there will be some nice football. If Wenger decides to hold back and park the bus then for how long they can defend if there is 2 games to be played? ps. We might see some very early goals in a game like this.

[MPLouis]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

I'm sure Wenger will try to win this game because they are definitely not gonna win in München

They did last year, didn't they?

[escalibur]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

They did last year' date=' didn't they?[/quote'] Yes they did but let's be real what are the chances that they did it again? We can never be 100% sure regardless of the fixture but still I'm sure Bayern is way much stronger team than Arsenal at this point.

[Herr Wolf]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Ok let's make a long story short here! I agree with the most of you guys that Bayern are setting the standarts in europian football right now. I've even said the last year that the dominance of Bayern in Europe has just started and of course they'll continue where they left...for this match there won't be Ribery and Shaqiri but Muller or Gotze can fill the left position in midfield quite easily. Schweinsteiger can have his minutes on this match. Arsenal without Arteta, Walcott and Ramsey. They play at home and they'll try to do sth for their crowd although they know their destiny already...the interesting thing is that in the last 3 times a german team has played in Emirates ALL times the germans have prevailed. Nevertheless with all that said I don't see a thrashing here like many expect. Ok Bayern will win but expect scorelines like 0-1, 0-2 or even 1-2. I expect Bayern to control the entire match holding the posession but without having many clear chances to score,it wouldn't be interesting if Bayern would get the ticket of qualification since the 1st leg,don't you agree??! Therefore my picks are straight Bayern win at 1.75 and ht-ft x-2 at 4.7. Cheers!

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Well I'm sure most agree Manchester City are more formidable at home than Arsenal. All theses same points were raised ahead of that match in the group stage at Etihad and Bayern came out possessed and won 1-3. Looked like they were running harder and running more than city. Pus Arsenal have been play a big match at Anfield, a big match at home to Man Utd, a big FA Cup match... all these big matches in a row while Bayern have had only this encounter marked on their calendars for quite some time with a big red X.

[Aidymac]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Home form in the league and Champions league are completely different things. Lets not forget City have never even qualified for the quarter finals of this competition before. Their home record in the CL is Played 9, Won 4, Drawn 4, Lost 1. Arsenal have an exceptional home record in the CL. Played 74, Won 51, Drawn 16, Lost 7. I am not knocking City's credentials by the way, I actually backed them tomorrow night, I think they have a great chance to win the home leg anyways. I am not sure who will win between Arsenal and Bayern tomorrow night but Arsenal are a proper Champions League club that rise to the occasion on these big nights (Beat that amazing Barca side 2-1 at home in 2011), I think the obvious bet here is the Over 2.5 goals which is priced at 1.70 with Bet Victor. If Bayern win tomorrow night, they will have to be at their best, that is my opinion.

[kevshat]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th 4pts Under 2.5 goals 5/4 Unibet Most people will expect goals from this tie with the quality in both sides but Arsenal have shown they can keep clean sheets at home and they may well look to ensure they keep a clean sheet here and try and win the tie with away goals at the Allianz Arena. Bayern are defensively strong too so I don’t think goals are automatic in this tie, certainly not early on at least. With that in mind the 5/4 on under 2.5 goals could offer some value. Full preview here: http://www.punterslounge.com/arsenal-vs-bayern-munich-betting-first-leg-could-be-tighter-than-12-months-ago

[andypaps28]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

Arsenal v Bayern Munich o This is the third time that Arsenal and Bayern Munich are meeting in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Bavarian club have progressed both times (2004/05 and 2012/13). o Arsenal have lost their last three home games against German clubs in the Champions League (v Schalke and Bayern Munich last season, v Borussia Dortmund this season). o Bayern Munich have won their last two away games against English teams in the Champions League, both with a 3-1 scoreline (against Arsenal and Manchester City). o Arsenal are the only team, alongside Real Madrid, to have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League in every season since the new format in 2003/04. o Arsenal have lost only three of their 18 Champions League knockout games at home (10 wins, 5 draws): against Chelsea in 2003/04 (quarter-finals), Manchester Utd in 2008/09 (semi-finals) and Bayern Munich in 2012/13 (last 16). o Bayern Munich have reached the final of the Champions League in three of the last four campaigns. They are the defending champions after last season's win against Borussia Dortmund. o Arsenal are the last team to keep a clean sheet against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, when the Gunners won 2-0 at the Allianz Arena on 13 March 2013. o Bayern Munich have won their last five Champions League games in the knockout stages (13 goals for, 1 against). o The Bavarians have also won their last seven Champions League games played outside the Allianz Arena. o Arsenal have scored eight goals in the Champions League this season, all from open play and inside the box. o Bayern Munich have had the most shots on target in the Champions League this season: 54 (that's 35 more than Arsenal with 19). o Arsenal's last four Champions League home goals have been scored by Olivier Giroud (2) and Jack Wilshere (2). o Arjen Robben has scored six goals and delivered four assists in his last seven Champions League games.

[toaster33]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th The second leg defeat to Arsenal last season was the closest Bayern came to being undone on their way to the cup. Arsenal (and Wenger these days) don't particularly get the credit they deserve in the UK but you can be sure that the Germans won't be thinking of this as an easy walkover win. I wonder if the result last season might be a factor psychologically too (for both teams). All the pressure and expectation is on Bayern to win this tie. That coupled with a result that might still cause some nerves, could make this a closer affair than people think, first legs often are too. Arsenal have been tight and disciplined at home this season as well. The 2.20 (Coral) on Under 2.5 is a bet I'm taking for sure. Having a small bet on the 5.00 for an Arsenal win - it's slightly too long and Bayern shouldn't hold any fear for them after doing the impossible last season. As mentioned up thread, this is a much improved Arsenal side from last season whichever way you look at it.

[Crazycoolkat]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Bayern to win 2-0 at half time @ 17/2 with Coral Has been the HT score in 2 of Bayern's 4 games in February and in 4 of their last 8 in all competitions. Obviously also the score at HT at Emirates last year. Looks a touch of value.

[fat]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Arsenal, fully aware of Bayern's firepower, will be keen to avoid defeat at home and look for a surprise in Germany (they did just that last season). This season, the Gunners have proven themselves capable of keeping it tight when needed against strong opponents. Bayern is undoubtedly the strongest team in Europe (and the world) at the moment but I don't think the gap in quality is so big that they can win anyone anywhere, especially when the home team is on alert. What happened to ManCity and Leverkusen last night also serves as a good lesson. I'm sure they have the sort of experience that helps them to earn a point tonight. Bayern themselves would not go gung ho either, they don't have to. Expect a tight game at the Emirates tonight and Under 3 is my bet (7/10)

[McG]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Just in case you don't subsribe to Sky Sports, you can still see the game on Sky 1 HD tonight if you have Sky HD or Virgin M+.

[RedDevil92]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Arsenal starting with Sanogo ahead of Giroud. Big joke. Also Özil will once again show he is useless against good teams.

[Rhoads]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th Giroud himself is a big joke :D

[HastGill1]

Re: Arsenal v FC Bayern München > Wednesday February 19th

A great match up on paper, and if it was being played 2 months ago my predicted outcome might look a bit different but Arsenal look to be running on fumes currently and I fancy a very strong Bayern side to take advantage. This may well be a game that divides opinion on here, Arsenal's home record is certainly impressive and they don't concede many at home but Bayern are a different side to what they usually face and their sheer self-confidence and belief gives them a mental edge over most sides. I fully expect Bayern to become the first side to retain the CL trophy. Why? Not a factor of money, plenty of sides can compete with them on that front, it is there evolution as a side that makes them so dangerous, most sides - when they win the CL - struggle to retain it because the top teams can usually formulate a plan to neutralise their most important weapons, sides that win the CL won't generally make many changes to the side (if it ain't broke why fix it?), Barca have dominated for years but as we saw last year against Bayern, their failure to evolve to changing styles of play have meant they have been left behind against the strongest sides. Bayern have altered their style, they are now less direct in that they don't mind playing the ball sideways rather than always looking forward, less reliant on Robben and Ribery to create, not reliant on the central striker (Gomez, now Mandzukic) to score a majority of their goals and their strength in depth in midfield is the best in the world by miles, no-one else comes close. An obvious reference point for this game would be the tie last season where Bayern comfortably won the first leg 3-1 but surprisingly lost the return 2-0 in Munich. I wouldn't say I'm more confident backing Bayern at the Emirates than at home but it is worth noting that most of Bayern's most impressive performances this season have come away from home - Man City 3-1, Schalke 4-0, Leverkusen 1-1 (most one-sided 1-1 I have ever seen), Dortmund 3-0, in the big games they have turned up and played well. Arsenal won in the Allianz by pressing Bayern high up the pitch and making them play the ball long making them play between the Arsenal lines, Arsenal defended well and closed down central space in the last third. What has changed? Well, firstly Arsenal won't be as defensive at home but I can certainly see Wenger going back to some of the tactics they employed last year in the away game and seeing how they can work against this Bayern side. Bayern keep possession more now and are more patient in their build-up, they will pick and probe for an opening, they can struggle against packed defences because of this, plenty of home games this season they have gone in at 0-0 or 1-0 up then battered a tired opposition in the second half, mainly when they tire. It will be a an interesting tactical game from Wenger, they can't afford to totally sit back and play on the break it would be especially dangerous to do this as 'if' Bayern score early they will likely just keep possession and frustrate Arsenal until they inevitably break their shape in the second half. Bayern should be able to rest plenty of players at the weekend as the league is virtually won already whereas Arsenal face a tough game against Liverpool, not sure what kind of rotation they will employ. Arsenal will crucially have Flamini available for this game, which is a huge plus as Arteta is suspended and Wilshire looks to be in the midst of a performance slump, Flamini will have his work cut out trying to control Gotze, Thiago, Lahm, Robben and Muller, the midfielders will change position quite a lot and the control of this midfield area will probably dictate how the game progresses. Arsenal are strong at home defensively, they now defend as a team a lot better. No denying the attack isn't firing though, Ozil is struggling with the relentless games and lack of recovery time, Ramsey is injured for another month and Carzola's levels have dropped from last season. Walcott was always a bit of a wild card and they miss his goal scoring ability. Bayern will be missing Ribery with his arse injury :lol, Schwein made his return last night and looked good Martinez played centre back too which could be a useful option as the season goes on. Most importantly they appear to be hitting their peak at the right time, after the long winter break they have hit the ground running while Arsenal seem to be running out of steam at the wrong time with plenty of crucial games coming up. I can see this game being quite low scoring for the reasons above, as we know Arsenal are quite underish at home even against the top sides. I can't resist a play on Bayern though, I would take these odds on them against pretty much anyone away from home. If the overs comes in it will be because of a comprehensive Bayern win imo. Looking from a statistical point of view Bayern have won their last 6 games away from home in the CL against such sides as Arsenal, Juve, Barcelona and Man City while in what could be a strange coincidence all Arsenal's last 3 defeats at home in the CL have come against German opposition, Schalke (0-2), Bayern (1-3) and Dortmund (1-2), took my Bayern bets last night but the odds have started to drop quite steadily. Under 2.5 Goals - 2.25 - betinternet - 3 Points WIN Bayern Munich - 1.862 - pinnacle - 4 Points WIN Bayern Munich -1.0AH - 2.530 - pinnacle - 2 Points WIN

Full house for me and 2-0 was the perfect result. Arsenal started like a house on fire but I have to say I had no confidence in Ozil scoring that penalty whereas I had total confidence in Alaba scoring his :lol..second half was virtually impossible for Arsenal, you can't play against Munich with 10, it was just whether Bayern could get that second which they eventually did. Kroos was superb.