What’s better than beating the current best team in the world? The feeling that it was deserved.
And make no mistake, this was exactly similar. Defeating an uber team like Bayern Munich is no joke, not by a long shot, but doing it as part of a plan is what really satisfies. That feeling of toppling a massive giant at a time when it really matters (for Arsenal, at least) is one we haven’t felt a lot. Certainly not since that intoxicating night against Barcelona.
When moments as such do occur, there’s really no room for analysis. I know and completely accept that football must have a rational perspective, so that the club in question can progress. Only if football fans identify problems can they offer solutions, and the club can march on in better shape. Truth, logic and reality are fundamentals to advancements, be it football or anything else.
However, is it really worth thinking “Well what if Lewandowski had scored that?” or “What if Neuer hadn’t made that mistake?” Sometimes, it’s better to enjoy victory than to over-analyze it. This isn’t chess. This is football – a sport where people don’t really give a shit how anyone wins, at least not in the immediate aftermath.
Of course it’s okay to be worried about the dominance the Bavarians had on the ball, because it seemed like sitting back and absorbing the pressure wasn’t part of our plan initially. But that was then. The fact is that Arsene Wenger got his bearings together, dropped Mesut Ozil deeper and made Sanchez and Walcott the attacking fulcrum of the team and made things better.
The fact that Olivier Giroud’s goal seemed to come off his shoulder more than his head was apparent. But in entirely emotional aspects – does that really matter as long as it was an Arsenal goal? Lord knows we paid our dues. Despite being under the cosh I thought we fashioned the better chances, with Neuer conjuring excellent stops from Ozil and Walcott efforts. We deserved that goal.
“Well if Neuer hadn’t come out there, Giroud would not have scored.”
True – but that’s Bayern Munich’s worry, not ours. Our job was to celebrate the shit out of scaring the shit out of the best team in the world. Who cares if Giroud’s introduction as a substitute was significantly overrated? It may cloud Wenger’s judgement in games that follow, but why should it take the shine out of what was, undoubtedly, a masterpiece 2-0 win?
And make no mistake – this was a masterpiece win. Granted; it changes little in the group stage scenario. Arsenal are still bottom of the group and would need at least a point in Germany (not to mention wins against Olympiacos and Zagreb) to guarantee qualification. And it was a win that wouldn’t have materialized if Wenger was not under pressure from the footballing world.
That shouldn’t change anything, though. The fact is we beat a team even Barcelona would struggle to. We took their game plan on our chins and devised a counter. We took advantage of the good fortune re Neuer and kept shut one of the most clinical strikers of all time. If you’re not proud or exhilarated by that, you’re missing the point of football.
I don’t know about you, but I’m sure proud to be Arsenal today. Despite the pessimism and the “That didn’t mean much” reflections I’m sure to gather later, now’s not the time to look into that. Now’s the time I can go to my friends and say – eyes swelling with pride – that my beloved beat the world’s best. That, the football club I’ve been supporting for as long as I can remember has gained the world’s respect, be it temporary. That, all the emotional investment I put in the team had paid off big time.
That, on the 21st of October, I was truly Proud to be Arsenal.
-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]
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