Will the real Arsenal stand up?

[Dunny]

Arsenal v Bayern Munich tonight, will the real Arsenal stand up and take it to the German giants or will they play like pussycats once again?

[Dunny]

With a point to prove to Bayern, Podolski is finally comfortable in role of leading man ahead of facing 'FC Hollywood' pals



By Adam Shergold
PUBLISHED:10:30, 19 February 2013| UPDATED:11:48, 19 February 2013

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In light of the weekend's tumultuous events, there will be plenty in the Arsenal squad with something to prove against Bayern Munich this evening.
But there is one man who will be motivated by other - entirely personal - reasons.
In 2006, Lukas Podolski made the courageous decision to leave behind all he knew and loved at FC Cologne for a shot at the big time in Bavaria.

Happier times: Lukas Podolski will line up for Arsenal against his old club Bayern Munich this evening, a place where he didn't enjoy the best of times

Like a talented but undiscovered small-town actor seeking their fortune in Tinseltown, he packed his things, flew the nest and took his chances at the club they call FC Hollywood.
Three years later, he returned to the comforts of home - older, richer, much wiser, but still having not really 'made it.'
When Podolski lines up for Arsenal in this evening's Champions League round of 16, first leg tie at the Emirates, he will look across at former teammates and reflect on three years in Munich which ought to have propelled him to among the best in the world.
It says everything, however, that when asked to reflect on his time at Bayern, Podolski only smiles at the memories of summer barbeques, swimming in the Alpine lakes and the squad's annual visit to the Oktoberfest beer festival.
On the pitch, there isn't anything really to add.


Not many chances: Podolski in action for Bayern, where he played between 2006 and 2009, scoring just 26 times in 106 games

Podolski's goalscoring record


Cologne (2002-2006): 51 goals in 85 games
Bayern Munich (2006-2009): 26 in 106
Cologne (2009-2012): 35 in 96
Arsenal (2012-): 12 in 31
Germany (2004-): 44 in 107


There were many good reasons why Bayern saw their £8m investment in the front man as good business in the summer of 2006.
Just 21 and already an integral part of Jurgen Klinsmann's Nationalmannschaft - who were entering a new phase of attractive, attacking football - the Bayern hierarchy would have watched the 2006 World Cup, in which Podolski scored three goals, with a degree of smugness.
But while his international career continued its upward trajectory, the same couldn't be said of his fortunes at club level.
A regular starter and scorer at Cologne, and revered for it, Podolski suddenly found himself with something to prove and up against stiff competition for his place.

Settled: While Podolski didn't adapt well to life in Munich, he has quickly adapted to the London rhythm since his move last summer

Roy Makaay, Claudio Pizarro and Roque Santa Cruz were already there and, when Bayern finished an unthinkable fourth in his first season, the arrival of Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni only pushed him further down the pecking order.
There were injury problems too, including a serious blow to his right ankle just two months into his first season - caused by teammate Mark van Bommel in a training session.
His international teammate Michael Ballack had departed for Chelsea just as Podolski arrived at the Allianz Arena, but he managed to dent his confidence by launching volleys from London, picked up by the German press, questioning his work rate and lack of goals.
He had a point - a striker who had scored 51 goals in 85 games for Cologne got just 24 in 106 for Bayern.
But 'Poldi' couldn't help the fact that Felix Magath and then Ottmar Hitzfeld gave him mainly 10 or 15-minute run-outs from the bench as Klose and Toni developed into the partnership of choice.





Limited opportunities: Both Felix Magath (left) and then Ottmar Hitzfeld (right) restricted Podolski to occasional appearances from the subs bench


All was not well in his personal life either. His wife, Monika Puchalski, shied away from the kind of celebrity lifestyle that is an unavoidable part of existence at Bayern, while Podolski himself suffered for not having his family in close proximity.
Podolski didn't hide his unhappy feelings too well - what the newspapers printed about him was 's**t', he moaned that 'I need my family and friends around me' and he complained about not having time on the pitch.
'If I come on for 10 minutes and play well, I can't go home and tell everyone: 'I played a great 10 minutes.' I have to play the full 90,' he once said.
What was remarkable about all this was that despite warming the bench for his club, Podolski remained first choice for his country.
He flourished under Klinsmann (before he too moved to Bayern) and then Joachim Low, who accommodated him in his favoured left-sided role.


Club and country: Despite only being a bit-part player for his club, Podolski was - and remains - a regular starter for Germany

He's 27 now and has 107 caps and 44 goals for Germany, a remarkable pair of statistics for his age.
A striking thing about Bayern is that those who succeed tend to stay, enjoying the lifestyle, the winning culture and the regular success.
But those who don't impress don't last very long. Luckily for Podolski, there were plenty back home who still appreciated him.
So in 2009, following a massive campaign and fund-raising operation by fans to raise the £8m required, he returned to Cologne.
When he got back, the club staged a 'Poldi Party' to welcome him - a pre-season friendly... against Bayern Munich.

Home: Podolski poses with the FC Cologne mascot

'If I had known then how it was going to turn out, I would never have signed up for it,' he said upon arrival in Rhine-Westphalia.
The goalscoring touch slowly returned, with 35 goals in 96 matches - and he enjoyed a lot more time on the pitch.
It certainly caught the eye of Arsenal, who paid £11m to entice him away from home again.
With 12 goals in 31 games so far, Podolski is finally on course to 'make it' in the big time - and a blockbuster or two against his old employers tonight certainly wouldn't go amiss.


Shooting boots: Podolski shows off the footwear for tonight's match on his Facebook page



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[Dunny]

Arsenal must stop hitting snooze button and attack Bayern from the start, admits Arteta



By Jim Van Wijk, Press Association
PUBLISHED:07:14, 19 February 2013| UPDATED:07:59, 19 February 2013

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Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal team-mates to come out all guns blazing when they tackle German powerhouses Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League tonight.
While the Gunners head into first leg of the European tie at the Emirates Stadium on the back of Saturday's deflating 1-0 home FA Cup defeat by Blackburn and currently only fifth in the Barclays Premier League, Bayern look in ominous form.

Jupp Heynckes men, runners-up to Chelsea in the Champions League final last season, are 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga - having won all five of their matches since returning from the winter break, keeping seven clean sheets in the last eight.


Tough task: Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal must hit the ground running against Bayern Munich



Arteta accepts Arsenal's players must shoulder their share of the responsibility for inconsistent displays, which they can put to bed with a strong opening against the Germans tonight.

'The last few big games we missed the first 20-25 minutes and the gave the opposition probably too much respect. We want to face a different scenario with Bayern and get into the game show that we want to win it,' the Spaniard said.
'The table of the Premier League of first and second 45 minutes is very different. That shows our qualities are very good, because when teams tire a little bit we are able to (score), but also that we are not ready from the off to do what we want right from the start.'
Arteta insists the team are ready to silence their doubters with a big performance against one of Europe's leading sides - just like when Barcelona were beaten at the Emirates Stadium two
seasons ago.


Hard at work: Arsenal will bid to put their FA Cup defeat by Blackburn behind them at the Emirates

'It gives you extra motivation because you are facing top players and a top club and you want to show how good you are against them,' he said.

'We have a great test now and we want to face that with the maximum desire and a positivity around the squad and go out there and win it.'
Key to Arsenal's chances of getting a defendable lead to take back to the Allianz Arena next month will be the performance of combative midfielder Jack Wilshere.

The England star, 21, has impressed for both club and country since his return from a long injury lay-off.

Arteta said: 'Jack has been showing his class and been tremendous, but we don't want to put too much pressure on him

Lonely times: Manager Arsene Wenger is coming under increasing pressure to improve Arsenal's results

'The character he has shown coming back in the last few months after a long injury and get back to his fitness level is amazing.
'He is a winner and we want him to show that.'
Wenger wants all of his team to focus on their own performance levels rather than worry about what Bayern may produce.

'What is important is that we focus on the quality of our game, that we play at our best and play with belief,' said the Arsenal manager, who must do without left back Nacho Monreal as the Spain defender is cup-tied following his deadline-day transfer from Malaga.

'We have to put it in our head that we have 180 minutes to qualify and not to rush our game.



Danger men: Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) and Franck Ribery will look to exploit Arsenal's defence




Daunting: Bayern have been in phenomenal form this season as they look to go one better in Europe



'If I listen to the questions, we are not favourites, but I trust our quality, our spirit and our mental strength.

'It is always difficult to take a distance with the recent emotional fact, but the most important aspect is that we have a way to play which everyone in the teams know.

'We must play with a positive mentality, it is important you believe you have a good chance and quality enough to win.

'The psychological aspect, especially with what happened on Saturday, is more important than nothing else.'


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[Karl]

Phenomenal performance for the GUNNERS when put against how he has been used. Too many of those 31 matches he was not allowed to play FULL 90....if he were it could be argued his number of goals scored total would be even more impressive. GUNNERS needs him to be having more playing time...and badly!