ARSENAL-BAYERN MUNICH PREVIEW

Time for Wenger to make amends .......

                                                     

Arsene Wenger has been very busy of late. The Frenchman has Entered into a war of words with Jose Mourinho and there is the end in sight to this feud raging. On the pitch, his Arsenal team Gained revenge on Liverpool on Sunday, When the visitors were sent packing out of the FA Cup thanks largely to the OX. Tonight, the family visits the Emirates foe, this time the European Champions. Welcome to England once again, Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians, then managed by Jupp Heynckes Defeated Arsenal 3-1 at this same stage last season. Now, Wenger and Arsenal's Nemesis, Pep Guardiola is at the helm and the situation Could not have been worse. Bayern Munich are on a roll at the moment and currently have a strangle hold on the Bundesliga. The 16-point gap over Leverkusen is unassailable for sure. They almost threw Their position the group winners away on the end day of the group stage. que Something would have been decisive, but They Did not find Themselves and They now playing Arsenal yet again. The Gunners have changed from the team fell flat to que the Germans last season. The team que very much redeemed at the Allianz Themselves in a 2-0 win. Bayern only qualified on away goals, leaving Wenger to ponder what might have been if his team did not let in the 3 ^rd goal at the Emirates. That is now history. Let's focus on the present.

Arsenal have failed to get past the last 16 of the Champions League since the 09/10 Champions League Where They were knocked out in the last eight by Guardiola's Barca. The North Londoners have since been dismissed by Milan, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in subsequent seasons . Tonight, They seek redress over the events of the past and what better way to do it than to humble the BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD by a distance.

Pep Guardiola has raised the bar even higher since he took over. The excellent tactical mind has since added two trophies to the cabinet Bayern and the Bundesliga title is all but wrapped up already As They remain unbeaten since the start of the season. The only blight was the Super Cup loss to Borussia Dortmund. The result que has since been avenged and in some style. Arsenal may be yappy underdogs but Pep knows better than to under-estimate Them.

Since que meeting, Arsenal have acquired the playing rights of Mesut Ozil. The German playmaker is comfortably the driving force of Nationalelf DIE (The German National team). The likes of Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Mario Gotze who are mainstays Also in the National set-up definitely know the threat he carries. The purchase of Ozil has sparked some form of revival this term and it has been a long time Arsenal was still in the hunt for three three months to the end of the season trophies. One of those World class performances he is used to, and Arsenal may just shock the football community.

PROBABLE LINEUP

ARSENAL-

Szczesny, Sagna, Per, Kos, Gibbs, Flamini, Wilshere, Ozil, Santi, Rosicky,

BAYERN MUNICH-

Neuer, Rafinha, Dante, Boateng, Alaba, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Thiago / Kroos, Muller, Robben, Gotze

Wenger will go for the experience in tonight's match. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has done very well in recent matches but will have to make way for the more experienced Tomas Rosicky. The Cezch played a lot of games v Bayern When he was at Dortmund. Although, this is a new and different Roten. Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil will hope to compete favorably with Schweini, Kroos and company tonight. The key to winning will largely depend on who dominates the midfield. Per and Kos have been telepathic since partnering each other at the back. Except for the Liverpool game, They have been rock solid and water tight. The supreme shift is needed today if Arsenal are to have anything to take to Germany next month.

Die Roten boast the best team in the World at the moment and They are getting better each and every day. The red army of German Football, also possess some of the biggest names in World Football Within the squad and Despite the absences of Ribery and Shaqiri, the team sheet will still carry a lot of frightening names. Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller are set to support the ever Improving Mario Gotze in attack. Philipp Lahm has been converted to a defensive midfielder, Thereby leaving the right back slot to fill for Rafinha. The position he has done very well in. Toni Kroos or Thiago Alcantara will join Schweini and Lahm in the middle, with one of Them playing the attacking midfielder position. Manuel Neuer still remains the best GK in the world and will prove himself once more tonight. The Dante led defense has not put a foot wrong so far this term. Anything other than a good performance today will be a crushing blow to Their chances of being the first team to retain the Champions League trophy.

Per Mertesacker has said it is / to All Those who care to listen que Bayern are untouchable. Joined by his manager, They have made it clear que the Bavarians are the best team in the World. With Guardiola, They are even more ruthless and fearsome. But Per will know all about the Germans in the Squad. Supported by Poldi, Gnabry and Ozil, They can get one over Their friends in the National team play if out of Their Minds They tonight. Impossible is nothing.

Ohireime P Eboreime

@ Ohiskaka1990

AC MILAN-ATLETICO MADRID PREVIEW

                                                        

In years gone by, this would have been a mismatch on the part of the Rossoneri but now the tide has turned. Atletico Madrid now boast one of the best teams in Europe and want to go all out this term. For AC MILAN, a change in management has seen the arrival of the Legendary four-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf who hung up his playing boots When the chance to manage the club he served for ten years as a player, came along. The x-Real Madrid and Ajax midfield magician took over from the under-performing Max Allegri after the disappointing loss at Sassuolo. In effect, the teenage marksman, Domenico Berardi sacked Allegri with his four beautifully taken goals.. The best outing of his young career to date.

The Dutchman has come in and steadied the ship since his arrival. The likes of Keisuke Honda, Michael Essien and Adel Taarabt have been brought in from London to support the squad. Apart from the 3-1 spanking in Naples, Milan have grinded out some very important results since SEEDORF came on board. The Atletico double header has come too soon for a team trying to get back to its form of old. The joint Spanish League Leaders may be too strong for Milan.

Diego Simeone had a torrid time last week. Beaten by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, Almeira downed them and  Real came to the Calderon to complete the demolition job and throw his team out of the Copa Del Rey, denting their treble ambition. It is showtime in the Champions League and they are willing to come to party this time with their dancing shoes and a hungry stomach. The acquisition of Diego Ribas has added the much needed boost and El Cholo gave his seal of approval it was immediately obvious that the Brazilian playmaker was available to return to the Calderon. They returned to winning ways on Saturday, putting basement club, Valladolid to the sword. The 3-0 bashing temporarily sent them to the top of the table outright until Barca and Real Madrid scored comfortable victories afterwards. The Argentina Legend has played with and against Seedorf. He knows a thing or two about him.

AC MILAN XI

Abbiati, De Sciglio, Rami, Mexes, Emmanuelson, De Jong, Essien, Taarabt/Poli, Kaka, Balotelli, Pazzini

ATLETICO MADRID

Courtois, Juanfran, Godin, Miramda, Insua, Gabi, Diego Ribas, Koke, Arda, DIEGO COSTA,Villa


As if having a disastrous season isn't hard enough, Milan face Los Rojiblancos tonight with a very depleted side. The likes of Montolivo and Muntari are suspended, while Robinho, Walter Birsa, Bryan Crisante and Stephan El Shaarawy are all out injured. Defence stalwart, Christian Zapata is a doubt for this encounter. Ricardo Kaka has to play through the pain barrier tonight. That is a welcome development for the entire squad and coaching crew as he is used to the big occasion. The 07 Ballon D'or is not the same player who once took the globe by storm but he can contribute a whole lot. As they say, class is permanent. Mario Balotelli scored a contender for goal of the season to see off Bologna in the last Serie A match. It is fair to say he is the main threat for the red and black. The imports from England-Adel and Essien will start tonight because Milan are short of options in midfield and attack. Japanese playmaker, Keisuke Honda is cup tied.

Atleitco have injury problems of their own. Although they have a small squad, there are still some very immensely gifted footballers to call upon, despite the absences of Felipe Luis and Tiago. Diego Costa, David Villa, Arda Turan and Diego Ribas will be given the responsibility of finishing off the 7-time European champions. On paper, Los Colchoneros should easily see off the worst Milan side in ages but Football is not mathematics.

Clarence Seedorf won the competition four times with three different teams. The Senator as he is fondly called, makes his managerial debut tonight in a tournament he has been so successful in. His opponent tonight is also a rookie in the Competition as a manager. EL CHOLO Simeone is a football Legend and knows a few things about Clarence on the pitch. Off it, he has won many laurels as a manager in South America and Europe and took Atletico from the doldrums of despair to the pinnacle.of glory. Now, they intend to build on the work he has done. Beating Milan over the two legs will make a real statement.


Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990

MANCHESTER CITY-BARCELONA PREVIEW...HEAVYWEIGHTS V GIANTS

Just a few years ago, no one would have envisaged the Man City-Barca match-up being the most talked about in all of Europe, let alone billed the tie of the TOURNAMENT so far. It has taken a lot of money and quite some sacrifice for the Manchester club to reach this high level and they intend to remain there for a while yet. Tonight, they can further stake a claim to the European super power status If they defeat the Almighty Catalan army.

                                                

                                                             

Barcelona enter this crucial game on the back of a dominant display v Rayo at the weekend . SIX well taken, unreplied goals against Paco Jemez's side Ensured They returned to the pinnacle of the Spanish League The returning Neymar capping a brilliant night for the 4 - time Champions League winners with a fine goal. Tonight, it is Manchester City who are both  the Opponents and the Hosts as They September about trying to negotiate a way to the Quarter Finals of this great Competition. TATA The army are almost full strength with the return of super star Neymar to the fold after a few weeks in October injured. It is a good dilemma for the Argentine's he manager is in short longer of options in attack. Barca will be wary of the attacking force City has managed more than 100 goals in all competitions this season and have not failed to find the net in the previous nine Champions League home games. Something else will come to mind for the 22 team League Champions. Guardiola and Bayern were humbled by City in front of German fans at the Allianz Arena. The same Bayern Them who crushed on the way to the title last season and the same manager who made ​​Them impregnable.

Manuel Pellegrini overcame the biggest challenge faced by the mega rich City in the last three years. QUALIFY FOR THE KNOCK-OUT STAGES of the Champions League and he did it in some style. In fact, he was one goal away from topping the group and would certainly have avoided Barcelona but he foolishly opined that he was unaware of the permutations that would have seen his team qualify out of the group as outright winners. Be that as it may, the Chilean prepared for this game by delivering sweet revenge on Chelsea in the FA Cup. The game that saw the return of Samir Nasri. Today, he would want nothing other than a victory and a healthy margin that will enable him confidently take his team to the intimidating Nou Camp next month.

Tata and Manuel are two of the best coaches out of South America. Although, Manuel has enjoyed some success in Europe, this is Tata's first sojourn in this continent and he is making the most of it. The Blaugrana are in another Cup Final which is going to be the 3rd CLASICO of the season and are top of the pile in Spain.  Pellegrini has 0 titles on European soil but he is almost certain to claim at least one this season with his team in the final of the League Cup, the Quarter-Final of the FA Cup and a win away from retaining their position as the top team in the EPL. In South America where they both belong, they are highly revered and command a lot of respect because of their accomplishments at clubs  they have managed in the past. Astute tactical minds, they will relish the chance of getting one over each other and this fixture is the best opportunity to take it. Newell's Old Boys Legend, Tata Martino was chosen to replace the ailing Tito Vilanova at the start of the season, while Mr Pellegrini had to come in, when the managerial seat at the Etihad became vacant following Mancini's dismissal at the tail end of last season

PROBABLE lineups-

MANCHESTER CITY-

Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov, Yaya, Fernandinho, Garcia, Silva, Nasri, NEGREDO

BARCELONA-

VV, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Xavu, Iniesta, Cesc, Messi, Alexis

Definitely, City will miss Kun Aguero. The Argie Has Scored 26 goals over all competitions this term and is about the second best striker in Europe at the moment behind only the peerless Luis Suarez. Pique and Masche can breathe a sigh of relief that he is unavailable for tonight's clash because he is a big problem to handle. In his absence, the burden of scoring the important goals will rest firmly on the shoulders of Alvaro Negredo. The Spanish beast loves scoring at home and will look to carry on the good form in this encounter. The recovery of Fernandinho will shore up the midfield for City. The Brazilian, who recently got called up by Big Phil, is one of the buys of the summer and should be very helpful to the City cause.

Catalan warlords, Barcelona have one of the best teams in History in Their ranks and will look to use his abilities to the optimum in order to see off the challenge City. Leo Messi is the name and breaking records is his modus operandi. The 4-time Ballon D'or winner destroyed two major records on Saturday night, outscoring the likes of Telmo Zarra, Alfredo Di Stefano and Raul Gonzalez Blanco int the all time La Liga scoring charts. A feat we all thought could never be achieved, let alone surpassed. Messi is now officially the highest goal scorer ever for a single Spanish club (337 goals)-Zarra scored 335 for Bilbao back in the day. Di Stefano and Raul's Liga scoring stats were shattered for the 26 year old soccer god and the 252 set by the aforementioned Zarra is already within reach. The small demon is already on 228. Aided by Iniesta, Fabregas, Alexis, Neymar, Pedrito and others, the champions of Europe three times in the last eight seasons will want nothing less than a victory on English soil. Something they have failed to achieve in five previous knockout rounds (08-09-10-11-12). 

Tonight's match pitches the two sharpest attacks in World football against each other. Although Kun is unavoidably absent from the party, it will still make for a fabulous and mouthwatering occasion to savor.

Ohireime P Eboreime

@ Ohiskaka1990

LIVERPOOL-ARSENAL PREVIEW

It's  crunch time for table toppers, Arsenal. The first of one of the most hectic fixture schedule of recent time starts on Saturday noon at Anfield where they take on Champions League chasing Liverpool. Arsene Wenger is well aware of how daunting the tasks that face them are. Manchester United (not so difficult nowadays), Bayern Munich and Liverpool (FA CUP) await the gunners in the coming weeks. Victory tomorrow will be the perfect start to what is billed to be the maker or breaker of a wonderful season to date.

                          

SAS gang

Brendan Rodgers knows that Everton and Spurs (who clash over the weekend at White Hart Lane) will be waiting for any slip-up to capitalise on, when Arsenal visit the North West. Not only that, there's also the small matter of revenge for the Merseysiders after Arsenal humbled them 2-0 at the Emirates late last year. The SAS partnership can do no wrong this season and with 37 League goals between them, expect at least one of them to register his name on the score sheet during the game. Their combined goals tally is more than 15 Premier League sides have mustered since the start of the season. Only Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and struggling Manchester United have managed to score more than SUA-STUDGE combined. Of course you can't add the club they belong to. Luis Suarez, the leader of the two man gang, has scored more League goals than anyone in European Football, including the 'gods' Messi, CR7 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he has played far less games than all of them. Oppositions have found it almost impossible to shut them out. Perhaps, Kos and Per could try on Saturday.

Arsenal returned to the summit of the Premier League on Sunday when they put Crystal Palace to the sword courtesy of a brace from the returning Alex Ox-Chambo. But it was the all round display of Spanish pocket launcher, Snatiago Cazorla that caught the eye for me. Everyone can sing about Ozil. For me, CAZORLA is the best player Arsenal can call upon any day. The League Leaders know that anything other than a win will open the door for Chelsea or Manchester City to climb up the ladder.

As if it wasn't wide enough already, Jose Mourinho and his unparallelled tactical ingenuity further widened the race for the Title, with victory over City at the Etihad. A feat that has been unachievable for a while now. If Liverpool defeat Arsenal, it will add a new dimension to the already multi-dimensional race for the 13/14 EPL Championship.


PROBABLE LINEUPS-

LIVERPOOL

Mignolet, Flamagan, Skrtel, Toure, Cissokho, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Suarez, Sterling, Sturridge

ARSENAL

Szczesny, Sagna, Per, Kos, Monreal, Arteta, Ox-Chambo, Wilshere, Cazorla, Ozil, Giroud,


Both teams very much pick themselves in fairness. Rodgers and Wenger don't spring too many surprises, except injury (ies) force their hand. Rodgers  will continue with the TRIPLE S forward line with Coutinho providing creativity from the middle and Henderson partnering the deeper lying Gerrard. Habib made a mistake at the Hawthorns, but will likely partner Skrtel in defence. young Flamagan will continue to deputise for Johnson and the ever present Mignolet will remain between the sticks.

Arsene will continue with Ox-Chmabo after he returned with a bang which means there will be no place for Tomas Rosicky yet again. Mathieu Flamini is suspended, so Arteta will play the holding role. The returning Jack Wilshere will take the place of Podolski who hardly touched the ball last Sunday. Yet again, Olivier Giroud will lead the line. He is a sure starter as he is the only option in attack. Can I hear your rants Bendtner fans?

Arsenal have done very well at Anfield in recent years. Tomorrow will be the toughest test they have faced in years as this Liverpool team is entirely different and more ambitious than the ones they have dominated in the last three or four years. With EL PISTOLERO in form, the balance has shifted a bit.


Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990