Only one Arsenal player truly looked as though he could cope with the pressure of the occasion in the first half against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.
Whilst Arsenal were ultimately able to battle back and earn a 2-2 draw in the first-leg of this Champions League quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich, the Gunners will look back upon this game with significant regrets.
Mikel Arteta could not have wished for his side to get off to a better start in their first game at this stage of Europe’s elite club competition in 14 years. Bukayo Saka put the North London club ahead with just 12 minutes on the clock, having been picked out in the penalty area by Ben White.
After that goal, though, nervousness seemed in infect the Arsenal team. Two uncharacteristic errors at the back allowed Bayern Munich to turn the scoreline around.
Ben White rises above nerves that infected Arsenal v Bayern Munich
First, Gabriel Magalhaes gave the ball away whilst trying to cover for an out-of-position David Raya. The visitors then quickly worked the ball to former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry who poked the ball home through the Spanish goalkeeper’s legs.
Then, Jakub Kiwior was beaten all too easily by Leroy Sane as he made his way into the hosts’ penalty area. Jorginho and William Saliba failed to deal with the situation, as the latter brought down the former Manchester City winger to concede a penalty. Harry Kane duly dispatched the spot-kick.
When the Gunners were on the ball, they were too eager to play forward quickly and failed to make the best of some good situations. Usually reliable figures such as Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and even Saka were guilty of poor decision making. Meanwhile, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz could barely get into the game at all.
Only White was able to shine in this opening period. The right-back kept his composure and played with a fearlessness which the scale of the occasion demanded.
How Ben White showed fighting spirit against Bayern Munich
Not only only did the 26-year-old set up the first goal, but he might have added another soon after. After some clever movement in the final third he found himself on the ball in the box, but his effort was saved by Manuel Neuer.
He also made some vital contributions at the other end of the pitch. One intervention, in particular, may well have saved the Gunners’ hopes of progressing further in the competition.
After Arsenal were caught on yet another first-half counter-attack, with other defenders out of position too high up the pitch, White was able to make a lung-busting run to track back and execute a perfectly-timed sliding tackle in the box to dispossess Sane just as he looked set to put Bayern Munich 3-1 up.
White was recently hailed by his Arsenal teammates for his “warrior” mentality. In the second-leg against Bayern Munich, the rest of Arteta’s men will need to replicate the £50 million full-back’s fighting spirit. His brave first-half performance kept his team in this tie.
White recently signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal. He showed in this game that he has what it takes to shine at the level that the Gunners are now aiming to establish themselves at.
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