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Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright believes Arsene Wenger's reign at the club is “imploding”.
Arsenal conceded five second-half goals to Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium to slump to a 5-1 loss in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, going down 10-2 on aggregate.
Defeat, sparked when Laurent Koscielny was controversially dismissed in conceding a penalty which led to Bayern's equaliser on the night, followed reports ahead of the match of a training ground bust-up involving star player Alexis Sanchez.
Show all 22 1 /22Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings David Ospina – 6 out of 10 This Champions League tie may be Arsene Wenger's last as Arsenal manager
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Hector Bellerin – 6 out of 10 Played well in the first half in attacking down the right to support Walcott, but was ineffective in the second and he fell asleep to allow Costa and Vidal in behind him for the fifth, though by that point the entire Arsenal side was asleep.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Shkodran Mustafi – 5 out of 10 Showed a nice pass to put Walcott in when he should have bagged a second, but the loss of Koscielny alongside him again exposed his weakness. Sloppy passing after the break, and completely gave up after the second goal.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Laurent Koscielny – 6 out of 10 Looked switched on from the get-go a he blocked Robben’s shot before deflecting two crosses out for a corner. However, the game turned again on his departure, as he tripped Lewandowski in the area without trying to play the ball, receiving a red card in the process.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Nacho Monreal – 5 out of 10 Got forward on occasion and offered support to Giroud as the striker preferred the left side of the Bayern defence. However, he simply isn’t good enough to defend at this level as he repeatedly played the Bayern attack onside.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Aaron Ramsey – 6 out of 10 Looked a yard short of his best given his lack of football, but grew into the game as it wore on. Won a free-kick just before the break with a nice turn on Martinez and started to have a bigger influence in the central role that he craves. Replaced when the game was done at 2-1.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Granit Xhaka – 6 out of 10 Looked much more controlled early on as he protected his back line and showed a nice passing ability to spray the ball from flank to flank. But with the collapse went his discipline, and picked up another booking for a terrible tackle on Rafinha.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Theo Walcott – 7 out of 10 Started the match with a point to prove and went about doing it in the perfect way. Two early runs should’ve alerted the danger, and the third produced the opener as he beat Neuer at his near post, seven years after his last Champions League knockout goal. Should’ve had a second from the same position, but fired into the side-netting. Much quieter in the second half, and probably the only Arsenal player who showed his best out there.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6 out of 10 Moved to a central role and enjoyed having more influence in the game. Drifted to the right on occasion but the end result was missing.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Olivier Giroud – 6 out of 10 In at the last minute for the ill Danny Welbeck. He brought a physical threat to Bayern, and nearly found the net with an early header after getting above Hummels. Missed na even better chance after the break when unmarked in the centre of the box, but somehow headed over.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Alexis Sanchez – 6 out of 10 A lively start on his return to the side, as he was providing the link between the midfield and Giroud up top. Gave away possession that nearly led to a Bayern goal for Lewandowski, and departed when Wenger knew the game was gone.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Manuel Neuer – 6 out of 10 It’s not often you can say he should have done better, but he should have done better. Punched Walcott’s fiercely struck effort high into the roof of his own net. Rarely tested otherwise.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Rafinha – 6 out of 10 Brought into the side for the suspended Philipp Lahm, and he did an adequate job of shackling Sanchez that forced him inside.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Javi Martinez – 6 out of 10 Booked for a cynical foul on Ramsey as he ran towards the Bayern area. Looked the weak link at the back, but once the Arsenal attack wilted he was allowed to run forward and nearly bagged himself a goal, heading just over.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Mats Hummels – 6 out of 10 Passed too easily by Walcott for the goal, and struggled to cope with the England winger’s pace on the left.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings David Alaba – 6 out of 10 Struggled desperately with the Walcott-Bellerin combination on his flank, and his early shot at goal from a Robben corner was always curling away from the target.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Xabi Alonso – 7 out of 10 Apart from a corner that failed to beat the first man, he oozed control and class in the middle of the field. Happy to sit back and let his teammates take the plaudits, but he’ll be sorely missed.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Arturo Vidal – 8 out of 10 Lucky to get away with a high foot on Sanchez that could have brought a booking, and his early sighter at goal from long range wasn’t a handsome one. But as Bayern cut loose, so did he, and he linked up delightfully with Douglas Costa twice at the end to go home with two goals to his name.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Arjen Robben – 8 out of 10 Gave Monreal problems early as he cut in on his left foot, only to have his shot blocked. Saw another effort from the right well saved by Ospina. Lovely flick over the defence should’ve brought a goal from Lewandowski before the break. Aware enough to capitalise on Opsina’s poor clearance and link with Lewandowski to score his goal.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Thiago Alcantara – 8 out of 10 Another virtuoso performance from the midfield that is really starting to come of age. Links the play beautifully between midfield and Lewandowski.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Franck Ribery – 6 out of 10 Stood still and watched Walcott run away from him for the opener in a lazy daze. The only disappointment the Bayern attack.
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 5 player ratings Robert Lewandowski – 8 out of 10 Missed a sitter late in the first-half when put through by Robben, and he could only guide the ball wide of the far post. Split the Arsenal defence after the break to win a penalty and send Koscielny for an early bath, and tucked home the spot-kick coolly, as you’d expect. Should have had a second, but his close-range effort struck the post.
That was denied by Wenger, but Wright said it would take a “cataclysmic effort” for the Frenchman to revitalise his team.
And he added that Tuesday night's defeat was the clearest suggestion yet the Wenger era was coming to an end. Fans protested against the manager, whose contract is up at the end of the season, before and during the match.
“He looks like a lost man... It just seems to be mounting up. You've got the fans, the protests. It's imploding,” Wright said on BT Sport.
“We've lost the tie down to 10 men, we maybe should have brought on a couple of defenders and kept it a little bit more respectable.
“It's a sad day because we've gone out again at this stage and we're going through a period in our history which is the worst that I can ever remember.
“I think with everything that's going on, in the dressing room, performances, you have to say it will take some monumental effort, some cataclysmic effort for Arsenal to turn it round in respect of the attitude of the players and the drive and determination.
“It seems like something is coming to an end.”
PA
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