FC Arsenal 1 – Bayern Munich 3

========================================================

February 19, 2013
UEFA Champions League
Round of 16, first leg

1 – FC ARSENAL (Eng) —————— Podolski 55′
3 – BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) ——— Kroos 7′, Mueller 21′, Mandzukic 77′

Two goals inside the first twenty-one minutes gave the visitors a firm grip on the game and a third strike with just under a quarter hour to play confirmed the current Bundesliga leaders’ superiority as record German champion BAYERN MUNICH stormed to a vital 3-1 away triumph over hosting English Premier League club FC ARSENAL in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of Sixteen.

Bayern Munich, who arrived in London having gone unbeaten in its last eighteen matches from all competitions, grabbed the lead in only the seventh minute when in-form winger THOMAS MUELLER cut a lovely cross back to the top of the box for Germany national team constituent TONI KROOS. A brilliant volley first-time from the 22-year-old central attacking midfielder swerved past FC Arsenal’s diving Poland international WOJCIECH SZCZESNY and stunned the capacity crowd of 59,974 at the Emirates Stadium. A third goal in the UEFA Champions League this term for Kroos, who has also netted six times for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season, as well.

Mueller, who has scored 11 goals and added 12 assists in 20 Bundesliga matches for the Bavarians on this 2011/12 campaign, snatched his fourth goal in the UEFA Champions League this term soon enough. Belgium international centerback DANIEL VAN BUYTEN came forward for a Bayern Munich corner kick in the 21st minute and forced a sharp save from Szczesny with a close range header. But Mueller was instantly able to poke the rebound home right out of mid-air and leave FC Arsenal with an early mountain to climb.

========================================================

========================================================
Bayern Munich goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER punches the ball away from Germany national team constituent and FC Arsenal centerback PER MERTESACKER, the 28-year-old veteran with 86 caps for Deutschland who was purchased by the Gunners from Bundesliga side SV Werder Bremen for a reported 8.0 million English pounds last summer, during the UEFA Champions League, Round of 16 first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium in the North London.
========================================================

Despite the fact that Bayern Munich, according to the official website of the UEFA Champions League, had more attempts at goal (16-12) than FC Arsenal it was the Gunners who actually managed to get more shots on target (9-8) than their guests from Bavaria. Indeed, it was a former Bayern Munich player who breathed new life into FC Arsenal after Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER made a mess of an in-swinging corner kick ten minutes after the break. Germany World Cup winger LUKAS PODOLSKI, the Gunners’ highly experienced summer signing from relegated 1.FC Koeln who cost a reported 11.0 million English pounds, happily halved FC Arsenal’s deficit after the set piece was inexplicably allowed to bounce six yards out right in front.

Neuer regained his composure, however, and ultimately ended up with eight saves in the match with FC Arsenal in London for what was easily his best performance, at least in terms of number of shots blocked, for this entire 2012/13 UEFA Champions League campaign.

The introduction of Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN for France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY, who had been directly involved in the first goal for the visitors, just after the hour clearly rejuvenated the Bayern Munich attack. A great first touch from the Dangerous Dutchman and niftly little feed for overlapping fullback PHILIPP LAHM resulted in a third goal for the Bavarians with a little less than a quarter of an hour to play. Croatia international MARIO MANDZUKIC, the 26-year-old striker who entered the European contest with the Gunners in England as the joint top scorer in the German Bundesliga with 15 goals for Bayern Munich this term, somehow bundled Lahm’s low cross into the back of the and netted his very first goal of this UEFA Champions League campaign in the process.

The Bavarian troops of trainer JUPP HEYNCKES look to be in a heavily fortified position, particularly having scored three goals away, for the return leg with FC Arsenal at home in Munich …

========================================================

========================================================
Bayern Munich midfielder TONI KROOS (39), the growing offensive threat who has now scored nine goals for the Bavarians in all compeitions this season, hops over the sliding challenge of Germany national team constituent and FC Arsenal centerback PER MERTESACKER (4) during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match at the Emirates Stadium in the nothern Islington borough of London, England.
========================================================

FC ARSENAL : Szczesny – Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen – Wilshere, Arteta – Ramsey (Rosicky 71′), Cazorla, Podolski (Giroud 71′) – Walcott

BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Lahm, van Buyten, Dante, Alaba – Martinez, Schweinsteiger – Mueller, Kroos (Luiz Gustavo 73′), Ribery (Robben 63′) – Mandzukic (Gomez 78′)

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

========================================================

Arsenal Ambushes Chelsea In Critical London Derby

========================================================
Portgual World Cup fullback PAULO FERREIRA (19) of FC Chelsea races for the ball with FC Arsenal’s France international midfielder SAMIR NASRI, the Gunners’ leader with eight goals in the Premier League this season, in the 175th edition of this particular London Derby contested at the Emirates Stadium in the English capital city’s Borough of Islington. (Tom Hevezi/AP)
========================================================

French manager ARSENE WEGNER had stated before latest London Derby it was imperative for FC ARSENAL to defeat FC CHELSEA in order to keep pace with table-topping Manchester United in the Premier League.

A three-goal blitz inside of ten minutes on both sides of the halftime whistled enabled the Gunners to shoot down the visiting Blues 3-1 and remain in second place in the English top flight with 35 points from 18 matches. The Red Devils lead by two points and have a game in hand, as well. Chelsea, meanwhile, hold at fourth on 31 points from eighteen outings.

Cameroon World Cup midfielder ALEX SONG, Spain World Cup champion midfielder CESC FABREGAS and England international winger THEO WALCOTT responded to the pre-match plea of Wegner with goals for Arsenal against Chelsea in the cross-town rivalry.

The all-time record in this particular London Derby now stands at : Arsenal 70 wins, Chelsea 54 wins with 51 drawn matches.

========================================================

========================================================
(Dylan Martinez/Reuters)
========================================================

========================================================
(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Dylan Martinez/Reuters)
========================================================

========================================================
(Tom Hevezi/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
(Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

Manchester United Park On Top

========================================================
Seemingly surrounded by a trio of FC Arsenal defenders, South Korea World Cup winger JI-SUNG PARK (13) positions his body to send a looping header on goal in the 41st minute of the critical Premier League match at Old Trafford in the northwest of England. (PA/dailymail.co)
========================================================

A solitary goal towards the end of the first half and solid work in between the sticks secured MANCHESTER UNITED a 1-0 win over FC ARSENAL and first place in the English Premier League.

South Korea World Cup winger JI-SUNG PARK, who has started exactly half of Manchester United’s league games this term, headed the only goal the Red Devils would require after a right wing cross from Portugal international NANI.

Park, who has been commanding a regular place in the first team for Manchester United since a pair of goals against Wolverhampton Wolves in early November, now counts four goals in the Premier League and six, overall, in all competitions for the Red Devils this 2010-11 season.

========================================================

========================================================
(Jon Super/AP)
========================================================

Arsenal’s French manager ARSENE WEGNER gave a Premier League debut in goal to 20-year-old WOJCIECH SZCZESNY. The Poland international with one cap had played exactly twice in the Carling League Cup for the London club this season entering the match with Manchester United. In all, the youngster did well but was unable to keep out Park’s header.

Meanwhile, 40-year-old Holland international EDWIN VAN DER SAR, with a little help from Serbia World Cup defender NEMANJA VIDIC, turned in a clean sheet for Manchester United, who remain the only unbeaten side in all the Premiership.

Manchester United’s WAYNE ROONEY had a glorious opportunity to double the Red Devils’ advantage in the 74th minute; the England World Cup striker, however, hammered his shot over the crossbar as his struggles to score goals continue unabated.

========================================================

========================================================
(Jon Super/AP)
========================================================

MANCHESTER UNITED : van der Sar – Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra – Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson (Giggs 85′) – Nani, Rooney, Park

FC ARSENAL : Szczesny – Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy – Song, Rosicky (Fabregas 64′), Wilshere (van Persie 64′), Nasri – Arshavin (Walcott 77′) – Chamakh

========================================================

========================================================
(PA/dailymail.co.uk)

Top Of Table Tussle : Manchester United v Arsenal

========================================================
Manchester United veteran goalkeeper EDWIN VAN DER SAR, who is the Netherlands’ most capped player ever with 130 senior international appearances, has played, to date, 168 Premier League games for the Red Devils since moving from London-based Fulham Athletic for a reported transfer fee of 2.0 million English pounds in June of 2005. (Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
========================================================

One thing the blog always looks at ahead of a big football match at any level would be the goalkeepers involved. Specifically, the experience and resumes of the shot-stoppers expected to be deployed between the sticks by the two clubs. In that regard, Manchester United has a huge advantage over Arsenal as the top two teams in the English Premier League set to meet at Old Trafford on Monday.

40-year-old goalkeeper EDWIN VAN DER SAR of Manchester United has already collected three Premier League championship medals with the Red Devils and, certainly, one more English title would be a fine way to close out a highly distinguished and successful career.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Poland international LUKASZ FABIANSKI, who has 18 caps for his country under his belt, took over from Spaniard MANUEL ALMUNIA as first choice for FC Arsenal only this past Septmber after signing from Legia Warsaw for a reported transfer fee of 2.0 English pounds in May of 2007.

Arsenal currently top the Premier League table with 32 points from 16 matches. Manchester City won at West Ham United in East London on Saturday to move into second on 32 points from 17 games. Sitting in third place are Manchester United, the only side yet to suffer defeat in the Premiership this season, with 31 points after 15 league games.

Aside from the role goalkeeping will play, there are many questions to be answered as Arsenal and Manchester United clash at Old Trafford…

For starters, what impact is England World Cup striker WAYNE ROONEY, with just one goal in the Premier League thus far this season, to have, if any, on the game for the Red Devils?

————————————————————————————————————————–

MANCHESTER UNITED
==================

Premiership : games/starts
——————————————

GK : VAN DER SAR 15/15

DF : VIDIC 15/15, EVRA 14/14, O’SHEA 10/9, FERDINAND 9/9, EVANS 7/6, RAFAEL 7/6, BROWN 5/2, NEVILLE 2/2, SMALLING 2/0

MF : NANI 14/13, FLETCHER 13/13, SCHOLES 13/9, PARK 9/7, CARRICK 8/6, GIGGS 7/5, ANDERSON 4/3, VALENCIA 2/2, GIBSON 2/0, HARGREAVES 1/1

ST : BERBATOV 13/12, HERNANDEZ 10/6, ROONEY 7/5, MACHEDA 6/2, OBERTAN 6/2, OWEN 4/1, BEBE 2/0

goals — Berbatov 11, Nani 5, Hernandez 4, Park 3, Vidic 3, Fletcher 2, Evra 1, Giggs 1, Macheda 1, Owen 1, Rooney 1, Scholes 1

—————————————————————————————————————————-

FC ARSENAL
==========

Premiership : games/starts
——————————————

GK : FABIANSKI 10/10, ALMUNIA 6/6

DF : CLICHY 15/15, SAGNA 14/14, SQUILLACI 13/13, KOSCIELNY 11/11, DJOUROU 6/4, VERMAELEN 3/3, GIBBS 2/1

MF : ARSHAVIN 16/15, SONG 15/15, ROSICKY 14/5, NASRI 13/12, WILSHERE 13/11, FABREGAS 10/8, DENILSON 8/3, DIABY 7/6, EBOUE 6/4, EMMANUEL-THOMAS 1/0

ST : CHAMAKH 16/15, WALCOTT 8/3, VAN PERSIE 6/1, BENDTNER 5/0, VELA 4/0

goals — Nasri 8, Chamakh 7, Walcott 4, Arshavin 3, Song 3, Fabregas 2, Bendtner 1, Diaby 1, Koscielny 1, Sagna 1, Vela 1, Wilshere 1

Arsenal Fall Apart – First Tottenham Triumph For 17 Years

========================================================
23-year-old Cameroon World Cup midfielder ALEXANDRE SONG (17) of FC Arsenal chases after Tottenham Hotspur’s France World Cup defender WILLIAM GALLAS (13), who left the Gunners after four seasons this summer as a free agent when the 33-year-old veteran’s demand for 80,000 English pounds per week on a two-year contract was not met, during an exciting and dramatic North London Derby at the 470.0 million English pound Emirates Stadium in the capital city of England. (Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

Cowardice under fire contributes greatly to a Gunners’ Collapse as the hosts throw away a two-goal start in the 169th edition of the always-entertaining North London Derby; a glancing header allows visiting TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR to grab a late winner as FC ARSENAL fall from football grace 3-2 at home in the posh Emirates Stadium and pass on the opportunity to go top of the English Premier League.

The estimated 27 million Arsenal supporters worldwide, as well as their furry friends from the animal kingdom, must now hang their heads in collective shame as dreaded arch-rival Tottenham capture their first away triumph in the North London Derby for seventeen long years; the come-from-behind victory was, of course, Spurs’ first-ever at the Emirates.

========================================================

========================================================
Poland international goalkeeper LUKASZ FABIANSKI of FC Arsenal, a purchase of 2.0 million English pounds from Polish side Legia Warszawa in May of 2007, fumbles the ball in a collision with Tottenham Hotspur’s England World Cup striker PETER CROUCH as the Gunners’ France World Cup defender GAEL CLICHY (22) watches at the Emirates Stadium. (Matt Dunham/AP)
========================================================

Arsenal got out of the gate quickly in the North London Derby with goals in the ninth minute from France international winger SAMIR NASRI and then another from Morocco international striker MAROUANE CHAMAKH in the 27th minute which, perhaps, produced a bit of complacency.

The turning point in the match arrived in the 67th minute when Tottenham Hotspur were awarded a free kick. Inexcusably, the players on the end of Arsenal’s wall had their courage desert them at the moment of truth and would not keep their arms down in a desperate bid to stem the turning tide. The Gods of Football, however, would not let the transgression stand.

Holland World Cup midfielder RAFAEL VAN DER VAART, who scored 52 goals in 117 Eredvisie games for de Godenzonen before his 5.5 million Euro transfer to German Bundesliga side SV Hamburg in June of 2005, saw to it that justice prevailed from the penalty spot with his sixth goal on his 10th Premier League appearance for Tottenham Hotspur.

========================================================

========================================================
Holland World Cup midfielder RAFAEL VAN DER VAART (11) of Tottenham Hotspur watches as FC Arsenal’s cowardly, cheating pair of Spain World Cup champion midfielder CESC FABREGAS (end of wall) and Morocco international striker MAROUANE CHAMAKH raise their arms to block the free kick and protect the dwindling second half lead during the North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium. (Matt Dunham/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
As the cowardly and culpable Morocco international striker MAROUANE CHAMAKH (29) of FC Arsenal observes, Holland World Cup midfielder RAFAEL VAN DER VAART (11) of Tottenham Hotspur, the former Ajax Amsterdam and SV Hamburg man who arrived with the price tag of 11.0 million Euros from Real Madrid at the transfer deadline, finds justice from the spot and sends FC Arsenal’s Poland international goalkeeper LUKASZ FABIANSKI the wrong way with his penalty at the Emirates Stadium. (Matt Dunham/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
(Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
After outdueling the Arsenal defense to get a head on the free kick of the not-pictured Holland World Cup midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, Tottenham Hotspur’s former France U-21 international defender YOUNES KABOUL (4) watches his ball beat FC Arsenal’s Polish international custodian LUKASZ FABIANSKI for the game-winning goal in the 169th North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
Manager ARSENE WENGER, who has been in charge of FC Arsenal since October of 1996, buries his face in his hands as the Gunners go down to defeat in consecutive matches at home for the first time in 13 years and, perhaps even worse, lose to fiercest rival Tottenham Hotspur at home, in disgraceful fashion to boot, for the first time ever during the long reign of the Frenchman. (Matt Dunham/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
North London Derby match-winner YOUNES KABOUL, who rejoined Spurs from FC Portsmouth for a reported 9.5 million English pounds in January of 2010, is congratulated by Wales international midfielder GARETH BALE (left) and England international midfielder JERMAINE JENAS (8) as Tottenham Hotspur topple North London rival FC Arsenal away in for the first time in 17 years in dramatic fashion at the relatively new Emirates Stadium in the Borough of Islington. (Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images)

North London Derby : Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur

========================================================

NORTH LONDON DERBY
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur

All-Time Record
============

League — Arsenal 61, Spurs 46, tied 42
FA Cup — Arsenal 3, Spurs 2, tied 0
Lge Cup — Arsenal 7 , Spurs 3, tied 3
Charity Shield — Arsenal 0, Spurs 0, tied 1

TOTAL — Arsenal 71, Spurs 51, tied 46

========================================================

=====================================================
England 1990 World Cup midfielder PAUL GASCOIGNE (8) fires a famous shot for Tottenham Hotspur in the long-running North London neighborhood battle with dreaded arch-rival FC Arsenal. (dailymail.co.uk photo)