Lee Dixon: Expect a Rovers reaction from Arsenal but don't expect a win

 

A visit from Bayern Munich is always daunting but facing the German giants when you've been knocked out of the Cup by lower league opposition is extra scary.  Nevertheless Lee Dixon thinks the Gunners can get something out of Tuesday night's Champions League clash at the Emirates...

 

Once again this season I'm reflecting on a dreadful Arsenal result. Last time I wrote about my old team after they'd struggled to get past Brighton in the FA Cup. This  time round they've been knocked out by Blackburn Rovers.

 

And next up it's Bayern Munich, undoubtedly one of the very best teams in Europe. No wonder my old club are 4.5 to qualify from the two-legged tie.

 

There are no excuses for the Blackburn defeat. A few key men may have been on the bench but the team that Arsene Wenger sent out should have beaten Rovers. If Wenger  believed that XI was up to it then they should have got the job done, and it just seems complacent to me that they didn't perform.

 

The fans let the manager know what they thought about it and will be on the team's back in the first 20 minutes if Arsenal don't impress in the early stages. On the  plus side for the home team, a few of the big names have basically had the weekend off so they should be rested for Tuesday night. The first XI is capable of beating  any team and I do think they'll avoid defeat against Bayern.

 

There has to be a reaction from the men in red. In the past they have been able to pull out a winning performance and I'm desperate for that to happen.

 

They'll need to show it early. There's a fractious atmosphere at the club and the faithful are on the edge of their seats, just waiting to have a go.

 

When things are going badly and the anger is pouring down from the stands, I don't feel that there are enough characters on the pitch who can turn it around. Arsenal  lack a natural leader and it's a problem - they need the type of person who makes performances happen by geeing his fellow men up, whether that is a quiet word in the  ear or a loud one. The team is very quiet.

 

Everyone says that there is great team spirit and that everyone gets on but I don't want that. I want to see Arsenal winning football matches and I want to see the  players rattling into each other if that's what it takes.

 

There's every chance they'll need a rattling at some point against Bayern as there are no weak points in the Munich team. They have an extraordinary defensive record;  one of the best central midfield partnerships in Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez; pace in the shape of Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery and then Mario Gomez  upfront. Phew!

 

But for all that quality they will be wary of Arsenal at home. Jack Wilshere drives the team forward, while Theo Walcott has frightening pace. I'm expecting Arsenal to  sit back and play counter attacking football and I think they will react to that poor result against Rovers with a much improved performance. They can bag a draw, and  a low-scoring one at that.

 

It probably won't be enough to qualify but it will be far better than Saturday.

 

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