Francis Jeffers slams Arsenal v Bayern Munich Champions League referee
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Francis Jeffers slams the Arsenal v Bayern Munich referee in their first-leg quarter-final Champions League tie and says Gunners missed a trick in management of Alphonso Davies
- Ex-Gunner backs Arteta’s men to capitalise on pressure of Bayern’s ‘season-defining’ second-leg clash
- “The goal was unbelievable from a Bayern stance, but it was so easily avoidable from an Arsenal perspective. I was thinking about this after the game, and I don’t think Mikel Arteta can really have a pop, because he’s brought David Raya in for that exact reason.”
- “We don’t know what Saka is thinking. But what I do know is that, nine times out of ten, if that’s any other referee, it’s not even a question.”
- “For them not to even go and have a look at that incident, or be told to go and have another look at it… what’s that all about?”
- “Alphonso Davies is suspended, and that’s a massive plus for Arsenal heading to Germany next week. I don’t know whether it was Bayern just being Bayern and stopping this from happening in the game, or whether Arsenal just stopped giving the ball to Bukayo Saka, I actually thought Davies was there for the taking and could’ve been targeted by Arsenal for the rest of the game.”
- “Kai Havertz and Declan Rice – Rice in particular – getting through yesterday’s game without picking up a booking which would’ve seen them miss the second leg, is absolutely massive for Arsenal’s chances of progressing.”
- “This is Bayern’s entire season in one game now, and their fans will know that. But with that also comes a lot of pressure, and so while the atmosphere in the ground will probably start off really buoyant, I think if Arsenal can get a foothold in the game early on, and just get that Bayern crowd turning, they could definitely go and get a result.”
Arteta can have no complaints when it comes to Raya error
Chasing the game so late on, and getting out with a 2-2 draw, you have to look at Tuesday night positively if you’re Arsenal. After the first five minutes or so, I thought Arsenal were in control of the game. The Bukayo Saka goal is a great finish, and then they had the Ben White chance, but the big thing for me was that they had the crowd so involved, and that shell-shocked Bayern, in my opinion.
I just thought if Arsenal could’ve scored again and made it 2-0, it might have ended up being a bit of a rout. But all of a sudden, one moment, and one goal, completely changed things. It was just a clearance as well, from Jamal Musiala; it’s not a pass… you can see he just hooks it out to clear his lines, and then Arsenal just get themselves in all sorts of bother. You know, the goalkeeper was so far out, Gabriel was going back towards his own goal, wanting to drop it back to David Raya, but he wasn’t there. Jakub Kiwior was on the stretch to get back in and help them, but it was just a case of one thing leading to another. And then the balls ends up at Leroy Sane’s feet, and he plays an unbelievable pass into Leon Goretzka, who plays another great pass to Serge Gnabry, who finishes it.
The goal was unbelievable from a Bayern stance, but it was so easily avoidable from an Arsenal perspective. I was thinking about this after the game, and I don’t think Mikel Arteta can really have a pop, because he’s brought David Raya in for that exact reason; he wants him high up the pitch, being a part of the build-up. He’s great with his feet, David Raya, and this is just one of those situations where it is what it is; that’s the way Mikel wants to play, and I suppose you always run the risk of getting yourselves involved in a little bit of bother like that.
Manuel Neuer is in no man’s land… it’s a stonewall penalty and it isn’t even a question
It’s a stonewall penalty on Bukayo Saka… I know people have said he moves his right foot towards the goalkeeper, but Manuel Neuer is in no man’s land, and Saka takes it around him. Whether he moves his right foot a little bit… you know, maybe he’s tried move his right foot to plant it again, to then push off – we don’t know what Saka is thinking. But what I do know is that, nine times out of ten, if that’s any other referee, it’s not even a question.
The big thing for me is the confusion around whether or not it went to VAR. In the Premier League, we always seem to go to VAR for any incident like that, but from what I saw and heard yesterday, it seems as though VAR try and stay out of it a bit more and let the referee dictate the game. But with big decisions like that, I don’t know… it just throws me sometimes. For them not to even go and have a look at that incident, or be told to go and have another look at it… what’s that all about?
And then, to be fair, the Bayern one, when they show it back… you’ve got to say they’ve got a point as well. I didn’t pick up on it in the game; I don’t know whether the camera was somewhere else, but when you go back and listen to the referee blow his whistle for the goal kick to be taken, well then it just has to be given as a penalty.
I listened to Thomas Tuchel after the game and he’s rightly frustrated with the excuse or reason for not giving the penalty. So you’ve got two huge talking points there that the referee has got wrong. But, on the whole, I thought it was a great game, I’ve got to be honest.
Arsenal missed a trick last night… they could’ve been playing against 10-men
Bayern sat in probably more than they would’ve liked, but with everything that’s going on with them domestically, confidence is low and they just had to be more dogged than I’m sure they’d have wanted to have been. Their game plan was all about sitting in and using the pace out wide of Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane. Those two were fantastic on the night, and you’ve got to say that even one of them being out for the second leg would be a great advantage for Arsenal… if both miss out then that’s absolutely massive.
Alphonso Davies is suspended, and that’s a massive plus for Arsenal heading to Germany next week. I don’t know whether it was Bayern just being Bayern and stopping this from happening in the game, or whether Arsenal just stopped giving the ball to Bukayo Saka, I actually thought Davies was there for the taking and could’ve been targeted by Arsenal for the rest of the game. They should’ve just kept giving the ball to Saka out on that right-hand side. You know, he’s Arsenal’s biggest threat at the best of times, but even more so when he’s up against a full-back on a booking after nine minutes.
Whatever you say about the freak season Bayern have had in the league, they are still top, top players. What we saw yesterday was a top team.
Rice avoiding a yellow is absolutely massive ahead of second leg
Kai Havertz and Declan Rice – Rice in particular – getting through yesterday’s game without picking up a booking which would’ve seen them miss the second leg, is absolutely massive for Arsenal’s chances of progressing.
Declan Rice’s impact on that Arsenal squad, since his arrival, is there for everyone to see. When you look at who their most important players have been this season, Rice is up there in the top two for me, along with either Bukayo Saka or William Saliba.
For him to be available, when you consider what he brings to that Arsenal team, is massive. Going over to Germany, you wouldn’t want to be bringing in a Thomas Partey – who has been out for five months – or an Emile Smith Rowe, and that’s not me disrespecting either of those players. It’s a massive game next week, and the alternatives probably just haven’t had enough football this season. They’re top, top players, but you want your best players available, and Declan Rice is Arsenal’s best midfielder, without a shadow of a doubt.
Right call was made for Kane booking
I’ve got to be honest with you, I thought the Harry Kane booking was the right decision. If you slow everything down and use all of the camera angles you’ve got available to you nowadays, you’re probably going to come up with loads of those kind of incidents. If we had VAR in the era I was playing in, there’d have been sending offs all the time!
Harry Kane just holds his ground; yes, the arm does move but it’s not flailing, and it’s not particularly high. I think sometimes, as a striker, when you’re trying to control a ball, your arms do have to come out like that. Everything plants, everything becomes solid and you know there’s a defender coming to hit you from behind. So your arms do come out and your legs do end up becoming that little bit wider because you’re waiting for the hit.
He left a little bit on Gabriel, but I think it’s a yellow card, and therefore it’s one that the referee – to be fair to him – probably got right.
Arsenal will beat Bayern 2-1 next week
I can see Arsenal getting a result in Germany next week, yeah. They’ve certainly got the quality to do so. We’re at the business end of the season now, and I think if Arsenal can keep their cool, they can definitely go to Bayern and beat them. Bayern are not in great form right now, whatever you might say about the talent they’ve got within that side.
I don’t know much about the atmosphere inside that stadium right now, but this is Bayern’s entire season in one game now, and their fans will know that. But with that also comes a lot of pressure, and so while the atmosphere in the ground will probably start off really buoyant, I think if Arsenal can get a foothold in the game early on, and just get that Bayern crowd turning, they could definitely go and get a result.
I do think we’ll see a different Bayern, I’ve got to be honest; I don’t think we’ll see them sitting off Arsenal. I think they’ll go and press them, so I don’t think it’ll be easy for Arsenal to play out from the back. Bayern will be more aggressive – with and without the ball. I don’t think we’ll see the mid to low block which we saw yesterday; I’d expect them to come out and try and take the initiative.
I’m going to go with Arsenal to sneak through… I’ll go with a 2-1 win inside 90 minutes.
Arsenal are currently second-favourites to win the 2023/24 Champions League, with odds of 11/2.
