Match Reaction: Bayern Munich 5 Arsenal 1

[Niall_Quinn]

There are two more games in the Europa, one extra round. The same as an FA Cup replay or two. It's a complete fallacy to think we will concentrate on the league and manage ourselves well enough in that. We need as many options as possible given our manager.

But the games are on a Thursday night in Shithole Creek, huge difference. One less day recovery than all our opponents. Game over. This squad can barely handle what we have, in fact it can't even do that. We're in a shit state and the Dropout League will be the shit icing. And anyway - aren't we supposed to be up there with the elite of European football? That fucker who gets paid £3mill for his advice better start with the suggestions because we're deep in shit now. Better get his fucking crusty old, faded chequebook out in January.

[Niall_Quinn]

So why give Wenger such a hammering
We were away against pretty much the best team in Europe and from what you're saying the ref was giving them everything.

We shouldn't be getting hammered like that though against anyone.

Because everything Wenger did from start to finish was pure shit and he served us up another embarrassing Euro night again, which he specialises in.

[Letters]

This is very early days in the league, not an indicator for where we'll finish come the end of the season.

You're right of course but after the West Ham game and the somewhat patchy start I was saying the exact same thing and was endlessly WUMmed about it.

[selassie]

There are two more games in the Europa, one extra round. The same as an FA Cup replay or two. It's a complete fallacy to think we will concentrate on the league and manage ourselves well enough in that. We need as many options as possible given our manager.

I personally think the league is the only competition we can manage if we are competing for it this year. I don't believe we could manage Europa on Thursday and then league games over the weekend. If everyone is fit then yes we have the squad, everyone is never fit though, it's not like these muscular injuries are one-offs, we face this problem every single season and more often than not it's the same set of players out injured throughout the season. I don't even know why Wenger is surprised, Walcott, Ramsey, Wilshere, OX, Rosicky & Arteta always miss large chunks of the season, they have done for a while now. Take them out and our squad options are decimated.

[Niall_Quinn]

I just don't like the idea of Europa in that you're delayed in the league by a day. Man City could be the pacesetters on the Saturday and we have all the pressure of catching them up on the Sunday.

We all know how Wenger copes with pressure.

Is that true - we always play Sunday if we are playing on Thu? Not so bad then. But still a giant humiliation.

[Özim]

Another embarrassing thrashing, seems to have become a fairly reguar thing under Wenger, before he arrived we very very rarely even lost by more than three goals.

He can't hack in in Europe let's face it, decades of failing shows that, we beat them 2-0 at home but it means very little if we can't consolidate that with a good performance away.

Disappointing but no real surprise.

[Letters]

Bayern can do that against anyone when on form. Not forgiving our failings today but they can make a very good team look like amateurs.

They can. Losing there is no disgrace but we could have done without a hammering.
It's all about the league this season, for me. What we have to do is avoid the dreaded 3rd place and Europa League.

[Kano]

But the games are on a Thursday night in Shithole Creek, huge difference. One less day recovery than all our opponents. Game over. This squad can barely handle what we have, in fact it can't even do that. We're in a shit state and the Dropout League will be the shit icing. And anyway - aren't we supposed to be up there with the elite of European football? That fucker who gets paid £3mill for his advice better start with the suggestions because we're deep in shit now. Better get his fucking crusty old, faded chequebook out in January.

Those obscure games happen in the group stage but the better teams in mainland Europe get through and the destinations become more normal. Thurs/Sun, Weds/Sat, what's the difference? We can kid ourselves we are up there with the elite and keep getting knocked out by the real elite every year, or go for a trophy we can win. And a trophy we'd enjoy. Beating Birmingham a few years back wouldn't exactly have been '71 all over again but enjoyable none the less for the silverware. We are absolutely kidding ourselves if we think that all our eggs in one basket will improve Wenger's management of the squad. We are built for cups not long campaigns.

[Niall_Quinn]

Those obscure games happen in the group stage but the better teams in mainland Europe get through and the destinations become more normal. Thurs/Sun, Weds/Sat, what's the difference? We can kid ourselves we are up there with the elite and keep getting knocked out by the real elite every year, or go for a trophy we can win. And a trophy we'd enjoy. Beating Birmingham a few years back wouldn't exactly have been '71 all over again but enjoyable none the less for the silverware. We are absolutely kidding ourselves if we think that all our eggs in one basket will improve Wenger's management of the squad. We are built for cups not long campaigns.

Just get rid of Wenger. That's the only way we'll be genuinely in for a serious trophy.

[Kano]

I personally think the league is the only competition we can manage if we are competing for it this year. I don't believe we could manage Europa on Thursday and then league games over the weekend. If everyone is fit then yes we have the squad, everyone is never fit though, it's not like these muscular injuries are one-offs, we face this problem every single season and more often than not it's the same set of players out injured throughout the season. I don't even know why Wenger is surprised, Walcott, Ramsey, Wilshere, OX, Rosicky & Arteta always miss large chunks of the season, they have done for a while now. Take them out and our squad options are decimated.

But where has this illusion come from? Being second in early November? We should all know how many times we've seen this. Nothing has created our downfall in the league before now. We've had no extended CL runs, always out in the next round. Just two extra games. So all we've had is the PL to concentrate on for years and where has that got us? We can't talk about cotton wool around our players to save them for some mystical glory run in the league when there is nothing to say the exact same thing won't happen again. Just go for whatever we can because otherwise we are just narrowing our own chances of success, star struck by early season form that has burnt us for years on end.