Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits to new style after Pep Guardiola taunts 'long ball' opponents ahead of Champions League tie
- Bayern Munich host Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday
- Pep Guardiola believes the Gunners will launch balls up to Olivier Giroud
- Arsene Wenger admits he changed his team's style a fortnight ago
- Arsenal will be without Hector Bellerin, who has picked up a groin injury
- Read: Pep Guardiola wanted to sign for Arsenal, reveals Arsene Wenger
Pep Guardiola has long been an advocate of the Arsenal way. When he left Barcelona, in the twilight of his playing career, he called Arsene Wenger and asked the manager to sign him up.
Wenger visited Guardiola, and was taken by his personality and positive attitude but let him down gently, explaining there was no place for him in a midfield boasting Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit.
This mutual respect shines through whenever they speak as rivals, but it did not stop the Bayern Munich boss accusing Arsenal of abandoning their principles to play long-ball tactics to upset his side.
Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal (centre) shields the ball from team-mate Rafinha during training
Pep Guardiola watches his squad in training on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League game with Arsenal
Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso and Tom Starke (L-R) enjoy a group hug during training
'When you press Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny they don't want to play,' said Guardiola.
'They play long ball to Olivier Giroud and if they win these balls, they can play with all the big, big, big players they have. But if they lose the ball and we make two or three passes, Mertesacker doesn't want to stay up high, and so they go back into their box and defend there.'
Wenger does not dispute the tactical observation founded upon Arsenal's 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago. The tables have turned. Normally, he is the one bemoaning the aerial bombardment designed to undermine his team's possession football.
Arsenal conquered Bayern in London by launching almost 20 per cent of their passes long. Faced with the prospect of out-footballing Guardiola's team, he did what many critics have urged him to do and scrapped his usual style.
The opener in the first game was a high ball misjudged by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and the second in a 2-0 win was scored by Mesut Ozil, on the break in stoppage-time.
'We changed and played on the counter-attack,' said Wenger. 'We had two weapons, on the counter with Theo Walcott and a bit more direct with Giroud. It worked in the end.'
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger speaks to the media after touching down in Munich on Tuesday afternoon
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil runs with the ball during training at London Colney on Tuesday morning
Mathieu Debuchy (left) and Olivier Giroud pose for the camera as they board a flight to Munich on Tuesday
Guardiola expects more of the same in Munich on Wednesday night. Arsenal are still in serious trouble in Champions League Group F and their injury crisis deepened when Hector Bellerin was forced out of this game with a groin strain.
Lost amid the euphoria of Arsenal's win two weeks ago was Brown Ideye's 79th-minute winner for Olympiakos against Dinamo Zagreb which has kept the heat firmly on. If Arsenal lose in Munich and other games go to form, they will still have to win convincingly in Greece next month to reach the knockout rounds.
It is within their capabilities, but those defeats by Dinamo and Olympiakos are haunting a squad wearing dangerously thin. Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all been lost to injuries in the last fortnight.
Bellerin, the latest casualty, will be missed. His absence will bring Mathieu Debuchy back into the team at right back rather than Calum Chambers. But of four games started by Debuchy this season, Arsenal have lost three, most recently at Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.
The 30-year-old France international has struggled to find his rhythm without regular football and can expect to be tested by Douglas Costa, Bayern's lightning quick Brazil winger.
In a bid to compensate, Wenger has been tinkering in training with the idea of bolstering his midfield with Kieran Gibbs on the left and switching Alexis Sanchez, rather than play Debuchy in tandem with Joel Campbell on the right.
Wenger takes a walk on the Allianz Arena pitch prior to the start of Wednesday night's press conference
'Defeat will put us in a very bad position,' said the Arsenal boss. 'We would still have a chance but it would diminish our chances to qualify. The best way is not to get in that position. I don't think it's easy to look for a draw. We've won everywhere in Europe, even here, so we will try to win.
'Are Bayern a great team? Yes, but it's a good challenge. When we have to defend, we must do it well and get through these moments. And take advantage of the better moments we have.
'Our defensive discipline will be vital. We have experienced players at the back. It's important we show that discipline and make sure we don't get stupid yellow cards and commit stupid fouls.
'We're doing well at the moment and that should convince the players they're doing something right.'
Arsenal are on the edge as they aim to qualify for the knockout stages for the 16th successive year. It may not be pretty. Guardiola is not expecting anything else.
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