Arsène wants to approach the game. We over commit too early and we’ll get punished so I don’t expect Podolski to start the game. Tomas Rosicky is usually a starter of big games the issue is that both Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had good games against Everton but given that I expect the team to do plenty of pressing, I think Arsène may well try and save Chamberlain and Podolski until later on in the game when the team will try and get the needed goals. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see us play not to concede first and foremost. Personally I want to see the Ox start the game. His defensive game has improved considerably and his pace is a form of defence

‘It’s the hope that kills you’ is a popular recent saying amongst Arsenal supporters. We were given very little hope before the first match on February 19th. At the full time whistle after that game we all waved our white flags, it was as good as over. The second Bayern goal was the stake through the heart in our heads. Time to focus on the league and the FA Cup.

But we are football supporters and that means we are fickle by nature. Today I am starting to dream, to be honest this is nothing new. I am fully aware of what I am like, I knew that today I would be feeling rather bullish about the whole thing. Ok, bullish isn’t the right word, a better couple of words would be open minded.

Imagine being a Wigan blogger before their trip to Manchester and then writing about how it was possible that they would overcome the most expensively assembled squad in English football that had already ripped through the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham amongst countless other Premier League clubs. In fact Wigan had traveled to that very stadium in September last year in the Capital One cup and had taken a 5-0 shafting. Why on earth would the weekend be any different?

It was different because this is football and football can be unpredictable. I see the game as a sequence of rolling dice. The better you are the more numbers you have to choose from, the more times you roll higher than your opponent the more chance you have of winning. But should we start the game with a 6 and Bayern roll a 3 in the early exchanges then doubt will creep into their minds and confidence will grow in ours.

Imagine we play an aggressive pressing game that knocks them off their stride and we score an early goal? Just as the case in 90 minutes, when a team pulls a goal back to make it 2-1 the psychological game changes in an instant. But let me get one thing clear, while I am a dreamer I know the chances are not great. I am sure the odds are far shorter for Bayern to win tonight 4-0 rather than the 2-0 we need to take the game into extra time.

This time they have Frank Ribery who was in fantastic form before his injury. I cannot count the amount of goals they have scored at home this season so we’ve got our work more than cut out but while there is a chance, I want to believe that this can happen.

As for injury news, we have no left backs which is usually the case every season for at least a few games. Our options are basically Flamini or Vermaelen. The former will be needed in the middle of the pitch so I expect Thomas Vermaelen a chance to play his second consecutive game of the season.

The only other possible changes I can see from our remaining squad is Tomas Rosicky and Lukas Podolski but I am not sure I can see where you can fit them in.

I guess it depends on how Arsène wants to approach the game. We over commit too early and we’ll get punished so I don’t expect Podolski to start the game. Tomas Rosicky is usually a starter of big games the issue is that both Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had good games against Everton but given that I expect the team to do plenty of pressing, I think Arsène may well try and save Chamberlain and Podolski until later on in the game when the team will try and get the needed goals.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see us play not to concede first and foremost. Personally I want to see the Ox start the game. His defensive game has improved considerably and his pace is a form of defence on it’s own. His presence enough to make David Alaba not join the attack as much as perhaps he would like.

Yaya Sanogo has an injury so the centre forward question is now just an answer, even more so when the likes of Nicklas Bendtner has been left out of the squad entirely.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up:

So we’ve until Sunday before our next big game so why not put our all into this game? I’d say the most important thing is not to pick up injuries and then the next important part is trying to get the right result.

Let us blow the dice and see what numbers fall.

COYG.