Joshua Kimmich was not too impressed by the style of play imprinted by Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta into his team after Bayern Munich slumped to a 3-1 defeat against the Gunners in the Champions League on Wednesday. The German international explained that Bayern simply couldn't deal with the "sheer number of corners" they conceded, playing right into Arsenal's set-piece supremacy.
Arsenal outclass Bayern in the Champions League
Arsenal proved they mean serious business this season after defeating Bayern 3-1 in the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, with the defeat bringing an end to the German heavyweights' 18-game unbeaten run across all competitions in the ongoing campaign.
Jurrien Timber broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, but wonderkid Lennart Karl made it all square 10 minutes later. The two teams matched each other in intensity in the first 45 minutes, although the hosts seemed to be in better control of the proceedings.
However, Bayern were all over the place in the second half. Hampered by an attack that failed to impose their influence on the game, Bayern could only muster six shots in the 90 minutes, only two of those on target. Harry Kane's return to north London didn't go as planned, as he cut a frustrating figure against his former rivals.
Arteta's men tightened the screws in the second half, thanks to their dominance in midfield and immaculate pressing structure. Bayern finally succumbed to the pressure after keeping the hosts at bay for the first 23 minutes of the second half, with substitute Noni Madueke converting Riccardo Calafiori's brilliant delivery in the 69th minute. Gabriel Martinelli put the tie to bed eight minutes later and will be thankful to Manuel Neuer for making a mess just outside the Bayern box.
The result not only cemented the Gunners’ status as the only team in this season’s Champions League with a perfect record, but also strengthened their reputation as arguably the favourites to go all the way.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportKimmich undermines Arsenal's victory
Speaking to reporters after the game, Kimmich admitted that Bayern deserved to lose, but also claimed that Arsenal weren't their toughest opponents yet.
“It was definitely a deserved defeat. I thought we didn't do well at all with the ball. We weren't brave enough, we weren't active enough, we didn't give ourselves enough options," said Kimmich.
"We weren't physically up to par against the ball, although it was clear what kind of game it would be. It was clear that it wouldn't be a game like the one against Chelsea, where it's mostly about playing football. It was clear that it would be a lot about fighting, lots of long balls. Arsenal then naturally made every ball dangerous.
"I think the main problem today was the sheer number of corners we conceded. At some point, it simply becomes difficult to defend against that over and over again.
"This is an extremely important game for us. I'm convinced that we'll take a lot away from it, that we'll learn a lot from it. There were many aspects that we need to improve. Last season we had a few games, like the Barca game [from last season], which also weren't good, but we learned a lot from those as well."
Having beaten Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain already in the competition, Kimmich was asked if the London club have been the toughest opponents so far.
"No, I don't think so! PSG was our most difficult opponent… Arsenal is completely different. They rely a lot on set pieces. Against Paris, it was more of a football match," he said.
Arteta 'extremely proud' of Arsenal's display
Arteta was thoroughly delighted with what he saw from his players on Wednesday. The win stretched their unbeaten streak to 16 games across competitions.
"Well, I'm extremely proud to what I've seen tonight. I think, we've seen a team that, in my opinion, playing against the best team in Europe has behaved with a real presence, authority, determination, and belief, and that's what I wanted," Arteta explained. "You need some huge performance individually. We certainly had that. We took our moments, and I think overall, we just have to win the game.” His summary highlighted not only the collective strength on display but the individual excellence that fueled the win.
Arteta also spoke about the impact of his substitutes, who played an important role in the win. He added: “Yes. I mean, everybody's ready. Whether it's a starter and a finisher, the impact that the boys are having is tremendous because we have dealt with a lot of injuries, this season already. But, the fact that everybody's raising the level is hiding a lot of those issues, and I'm very pleased because, everybody's important. We're gonna need them, and I'm happy that the ones that even given the chance, they're constantly taking it."
Getty Images SportBayern's next opponents – St. Pauli
While the defeat to Arsenal is sure to raise several questions, Bayern can nullify the external noise by returning to winning ways this weekend. The Bundesliga table-toppers will welcome St. Pauli at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.