Well, that has been a horrible week for Arsenal!
Mikel Arteta’s side travelled to Germany on Wednesday night hoping to boost morale and book a Champions League semi-final ticket.
Instead, Arsenal were dumped out after a lifeless performance against Bayern Munich in the second leg, with Joshua Kimmich scoring the only goal of the game and helping his team to a 3-2 aggregate victory.
This comes days after the London club were deservedly beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa to severely dent their Premier League title hopes.
Over the weekend, many were left annoyed by the manager’s team selection, but you couldn’t argue about the XI that started against Bayern.
Kai Havertz returned to his usual number nine spot, Jorginho came into midfield and Takehiro Tomiyasu also came in at left-back.
Just like against Villa, when the crunch moments arrived, the energy in Arsenal’s game seemed to be non-existent and the goal from Thomas Tuchel’s men was simply inevitable.
Thierry Henry wasn’t a happy man when analysing Bayern’s goal from the CBS Studios, with Gabriel Martinelli coming under stick for his defensive duties, or lack of it.
But the former striker played ‘devil’s advocate’, and instead, turned his attention to Tomiyasu and his role in Kimmich’s goal, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (17/04/24 at 11:25 pm).
Henry couldn’t understand the 25-year-old’s defending in both phases of play, especially when Raphaël Guerreiro was going to whip in a cross from the left-hand side for the eventual goal.
In the first phase of play, Leroy Sane made the run from the right channel, and eventually, the ball ended up on the other flank.
By this time, Guerreiro was going to whip in the cross and Sane off the pitch, yet Henry couldn’t understand why Tomiyasu was more concerned about him than the eventual goalscorer who was in a more dangerous position.
Takehiro Tomiyasu for Joshua Kimmich’s goal
“Can I play the devil’s advocate,” responded Henry amid criticism of Martinelli for Bayern’s goal. “Can we show that goal again? If I am the winger there defending for Tomiyasu. You are going to see Martinelli defending on Leroy Sane.
“I invite you to look at what Tomiyasu does, so Martinelli has to defend and you are doing his job right now. You go all the way there (the ball is switched to Guerreiro out wide). Now, please stay with Tomiyasu. What is Leroy Sane going to do there? (He goes off the pitch) You (Tomiyasu) are looking at him.
“He can’t score! Close the gap. He can’t score!” screamed the legendary striker. “It’s dependent on you. What is he going to do? He isn’t even in the frame. This is where he was, I know I am going far, he was going there (Henry proceeds to walk out of the picture to demonstrate how far Sane went off the pitch). How is he going to score?! Close the gap!”
Arsenal are in trouble
Next up for the Gunners, a very tricky and potentially gruelling trip to the Midlands to take on Wolves.
This isn’t going to be easy and it’s going to test every fibre of this Arsenal side.
Even if they draw here, they are going to get verbally battered, so nothing but three points will be expected.
Plus, it needs to be noted that if Arsenal do win at the weekend, then they will briefly go top because Manchester City are in FA Cup semi-final action.