Pep Guardiola’s decision to target the left of Arsenal’s defence proved decisive with both goals coming from attacks on that side

Even before Bayern Munich found themselves enjoying a numerical advantage their strategy was obvious: they were constantly charging down the right flank, an approach which eventually proved decisive.

Pep Guardiola is a dedicated student of his opponents’ recent matches, locking himself away with just a television and a notepad and writing down every area of weakness. Presumably he watched Liverpool’s recent 5-1 destruction of Arsenal and noted how frequently Nacho Monreal was isolated at left-back when Santi Cazorla drifted inside.

The personnel changed but Bayern replicated Liverpool’s route of attack.

Guardiola started Arjen Robben on the left with Mario Götze drifting inside from the right, encouraging Philipp Lahm to overlap energetically. Bayern wobbled in the first 15 minutes but once they settled down and dominated possession, their superiority down the right became clear.

Whether in defiance of Guardiola’s strategy or as a clever part of it, Robben drifted over from the left side to overload Arsenal further, forming neat triangles with Götze and Lahm. At one stage it seemed Götze and Robben were playing a game of chicken about who would dutifully drift across and defend the left flank – both wanted to play down the right.

Circumstances did not help Arsenal down that side. Losing Kieran Gibbs to injury was a big blow, with Monreal on as his replacement, and then Wojciech Szczesny’s red card meant Cazorla was sacrificed, so Mesut Özil was now protecting Monreal – hardly the ideal combination against Bayern’s strongest area.

At half-time Guardiola reshuffled his defence, introducing Rafinha at right-back with Lahm returning to his now customary central midfield role and Robben on the right. This made life even more difficult for Arsenal – Robben’s use of space was brilliant, continually drifting out wide before cutting inside to create space and at points both Lahm and Rafinha provided overlaps.

Arsène Wenger did not move Özil away from that flank and must have wished he could use both Monreal and Gibbs together, his favoured defensive tactic. Almost everything Bayern created came down that flank: 41% of passes, compared with 26% down the left.

Bayern’s movement was cohesive and the passing triangles increasingly intricate. Lahm eventually created both goals from an inside-right position – a short pass for Toni Kroos’ superb curled opener and a clever chipped ball for substitute Thomas Müller’s header. It was an evening to forget for the hosts but for Bayern everything was all right on the night.

• Football tactics
• Arsenal
• Bayern Munich

Michael Cox

theguardian.com