A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Ian Wright urges Mikel Arteta to secure two transfers and Thierry Henry outlines why the club ‘struggled’ against Bayern Munich.
Real Madrid beat Manchester City after watching how Arsenal played
Manchester City bowed out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals after they lost 4-3 on penalties to Real Madrid. It means no team will represent England in the semi-finals after Bayern Munich beat Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-0 victory in the second leg of the tie.
Arsenal played a factor in Real Madrid eliminating Manchester City, too. That is according to Marca, which reports that Los Blancos watched how the Gunners forced the Citizens to a 0-0 draw in the Premier League to see how Carlo Ancelotti’s XI could pip Pep Guardiola’s team.
The Galacticos’ coaching staff carefully studied how Arsenal restricted Manchester City’s offence after drawing the first leg 3-3. Ancelotti then created a game plan based on the work and saw Manchester City only direct nine shots on target from 33 efforts in their reverse leg.
Read more about how Arsenal helped Real Madrid beat Manchester City, here.
Ian Wright urges Mikel Arteta to secure two ‘special’ signings at Arsenal
Highbury icon Ian Wright has urged Mikel Arteta to secure the transfers of two ‘special’ stars after Arsenal exited the Champions League to Bayern Munich. Wright feels strongly that the Gunners are lacking a midfielder who can progress the ball and also a top-quality left-back.
Arteta started Jorginho with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in Arsenal’s engine room with Takehiro Tomiyasu playing at left-back. But the north London club would not break down the Bavarian outfit. Arsenal ultimately lost 1-0 after directing three of their eight shots on target.
Bayern Munich also only recorded three shots on target but fashioned 15 attempts on David Raya’s net. Now, Wright believes Arteta must invest in Arsenal’s midfield and at left-back this summer. The Emirates Stadium natives are only a few players shy of being true challengers.
“I just feel like we’re inexperienced and we’re just still short a couple of players,” Wright said on his Wrighty’s House podcast. “I think he’s got to do something about the left-back slot, about a real midfielder that can pass it forward, who can get forward and hit those shots.”
Wright added: “We need that X-Factor player. We need somebody who can come in who’s totally different from everything else. Somebody who you can think to yourself at least that he’s that special weapon.”
Read more about what Wright said after Arsenal’s defeat at Bayern Munich, here.
Thierry Henry can see why Arsenal ‘struggle’ in the Champions League
France legend Thierry Henry can see why Arsenal ‘struggle’ in the Champions League after a 3-2 defeat on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. But the Highbury hero feels exiting Europe could now help Mikel Arteta to revive the Gunners’ Premier League title bid.
Arsenal fell from the top of the top-flight table to sit two points shy of Manchester City after a 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa last Sunday. Their title dreams now hinge on the Citizens dropping points in the final six games. Arsenal visit Wolves next in their run-in this Saturday.
Not having any Champions League games to worry about now may help Arsenal to keep the pressure on Manchester City. That is what Arsenal legend Henry is hoping for at least having suggested that playing three games in a week is why Arteta’s squad often tend to ‘struggle’.
Henry told CBS Sports: “As an Arsenal fan, do I think that Arsenal could win the Champions League? Yes, because that is hope and wishing. Do I think, after that, we could?
“If I take my Arsenal hat away from my head, I’ve said it so many times [that] when we play three games a week, we struggle. So, maybe it can be a good thing now that we’re out for us in the Premier League. But, like I said, are we equipped to play every three days?”
Read more about what Henry said after Arsenal’s defeat at Bayern Munich, here.