FC Bayern vs. Arsenal Reaction 👀 Ale questions Harry Kane’s role | ESPN FC

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ESPN FC reacts to Bayern 2-2 Arsenal: Kane's role and Bayern's midfield absence in focus

The panel reacts to Bayern and Arsenal's 2-2 Champions League draw, focusing on Arsenal's tactical shift, the impact of Joshua Kimmich's absence in midfield and Harry Kane's free-roaming role. The overall view is that the draw helps Arsenal more, while Kane's performance and Bayern's resilience with key players missing earn praise.

ESPN FC’s Kay Murray, Ale Moreno, Jurgen Klinsmann, Frank Leboeuf and Stewart Robson react to the 2-2 draw between FC Bayern and Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC

Transcript

Nice stuff. Nice game. 2-2 it would finish between these two sides as we welcome in the rest of our panel tonight here on ESPNFC FC. Frank Lebuff Stuart Robson and of course our favorite Jurgen Jurgen Klinsman. So let's start with you if we can Jurgen. What did you make of tonight's game? >> Well, we talked about it yesterday and and we were looking forward to that uh big match and it was I think it was a big match. was very interesting to see how both teams approached it. Um it took um them a while to get a rhythm. I think Bayern Munich kind of after 20 25 minutes got a little bit uh on the front foot and in a moment where you thought okay they're getting closer to to a first goal possibly there came this beautiful ball from what they got into and it was 1-0il Arsenal with obviously a beautiful finish there. um question a little bit the backline of Bayern Munich in that moment as Alejandro said uh when we saw the images um then I think Bayern Bayern came back um beautiful ball from from Harry Kane into Alonso Davis and I think this is a bit the story from a Bayern Munich perspective is that we see Alonso Davis back in the team we see him going up and down the side and when he's when he's in a good physical condition then he he's a differencemaker and the way he scored that goal was was fantastic. Um sec second half was open. Both sides had their chances. Then came the penalty for for Harry Kane. He got his uh um goal against his favorite opponent with Arsenal and then obviously you know Declan Rice was able to to equalize it. I think it was interesting from a coaching perspective to see a bit the midfield battle uh because Bayern Munich they lost Joshua Kimish prior to the game. Um and uh and I I think that's where they had Arsenal where they had in the upper hand, you know, with Declan Rice, with Odigard. Um they made they made Tom Bishov and and uh and Pablo suffer a bit more. Um it was um fairly even. I think the 2-2 is a is is a good result, but um it helps a bit more Arsenal. I think you know Bayern after they gave away already two points last week. you know, you want to get your points in early because you want to climb into these top eight in the in that Champions League format and uh I think that's uh it damages more Bayern Munich than Arsenal. >> Uh Kimick and not in the game because there was a death in the family and we send our best wishes to Kimik that's why he didn't feature tonight. For the Arsenal side of things, what did you make of it, Robbo? Well, I was interested to see how Arsenal approached the game because much of the game, uh, David Ryer went from back to front out to the right wing. Uh, in the first couple of minutes, Sacker almost got in behind the fullback, Stannis, uh, and didn't quite do so. He obviously went off went off after seven minutes, but whoever was playing out on that right hand side, that was the ball they kept on trying to hit and they continued to do it and continue to do it and then try to pick up the bits and pieces. So it made the game very spread because Arsenal's back players were looking to get it off the goalkeeper and the front players were looking for it to go along. So the game became spread. It became a game of knockdowns. And uh when Bayern Munich started to win the knockdowns, that's when they started to dominate the game. But it was that last 20 minutes when you thought that Bayern Munich might go on and win with Luis Diaz coming on and Carl coming on, that's when Arsenal changed their game plan slightly. Yes, they did go long on occasions, but they started to play football. Bayern Munich went deeper and deeper. they started to play round them and that's how Declan Rice got his goal. So there was a lots of different things from Arsenal uh went long for much of the game but also when they had chance to play they played and of course a great ball from Eurard for the goal. >> I suppose a positive point for Bayern is who they were able to do it without tonight some of the big names and that we've mentioned obviously Kimik Alise Diaz came on later on Mousiala and they still got this 2-2 result. Yeah. And I and I think structurally the absence of Joshua Kimick is a big deal for Bayern Munich. And the personality of Joshua Kimick and his absence is also a a big miss for Bayern Munich. And I think Arsenal to um to Jurgens's point took advantage of that. And Declan Rise and Martin Ogard started dominating the midfield. And uh to Stewie's points, this happened later in the game than I thought it would have because you look at the names and you look at the numbers in the midfield and you think, well, this is where Arsenal is going to have an advantage. And they didn't really make it count. They they dominated the possession for long periods of time, but they didn't really make that count into real goalcoring opportunities or into chances or into sort of giving themselves a a chance to go and create opportunities in the final third until late in the match. and they did so consistently. That's where the gold comes from and Steuie touched upon that. In order to make up for the absence of Joshua Kimik, who do you call on if you're Bayern Munich? Uh Tom Bishop? Nah. Alexander Pardovich nine. Harry Kane. Harry Kane. I have no idea what position Harry Kane plays. I have no earthly idea by definition in terms of what is his role for this team. I have no idea what he plays because he's taking goal kicks, because he's taking balls from center backs, because he's distributing play from deeper positions, because he is providing an assist, and because he is scoring a goal. So, by definition, all the things that I just told you, they actually factually happen on the game. I'm not making this up. This is not me hyping up his performance or misrepresenting the truth of what happened in the game. All the things that I just told you he did, he did on this game. He is everywhere for Bayern Munich. Now, I suppose that works today. But when we picture what Bayern Munich can be in this competition, it's going to be necessary that you find Harry Kane not just in playmaking positions, but that you find them inside the 18 yard box because that's where he is most effective. But the fact that he's willing to do what he's doing and it's a it's it's like redefining the liberal role. He is he's playing center back, he's playing in center midfield, he's playing attacking midfielder, he's playing forward with the freedom to do as he pleases. I don't know that Bayern Munich can depend on this happening all the time, certainly in this competition, but today it was a really impressive performance from Harry Kane. Yeah, Frank's going to tell me off now because there's no surprises for guessing what he was asked about after the game, after a performance like that, Frank, and that was the upcoming Balonor. >> Oh boy. >> I'm sorry, Frank, but it falls there because we're talking about Harry Kane. What are your thoughts on it? >> Well, the guy is a genius. He knows how to play. He's exactly knows what he has to do. Even goal kicks is perfect for that. I guess he can also play goalkeeper maybe. Well, you know, yeah, I don't know who's going to be the Bondor and I maybe for the for the O carrier and for the season that he had last season, maybe hurricane deserved it. But allow me to to add also Martin Odard in that game where I think I saw two players who exactly know what to do with the ball, who know what they have to do even before they receive the ball. So, I really enjoyed that game and I enjoyed the fact Arsenal played last yesterday. We were uh four out of five that in the in the show only Craig is not here where we were wondering if Arsenal will play or will be only defensive like they've done since uh they came back from that loss against Brighton. Uh and I said you know that I thought that they would be able to play like they did from the beginning of the season and they did today. They played and and he played because Martin of the guard was spot on and I think there are he has a good influence and a big influence so he has to make sure that he can be that guy for the rest of the season or otherwise Arsenal will will struggle. I enjoyed that game differently than Paris and Jame yesterday against Barcelona. But I was very organized, very thoughtful. Even the two coaches changed the tactic. That that was a that was a very good game. I just want to go against Ali on the fact that he doesn't like French people and especially because he criticized him defensively and offensively today. But I want to say that for people who didn't watch the game, Upameo was pretty big today again. and Yogen can witness that to with me. >> Okay. All right. Okay. First of all, I do not hate French people. Let me let me make that very clear. I may hate Frank, but that's a different conversation. He doesn't speak for all French people. >> Well, that's what I mean. >> Uh my point about is that in the first goal, initially, he makes the correct decision that he's going to he's running diagonally. He has the angle on essay. doesn't mean that he's going to go and get there in time to block the shot, but his presence takes an angle away from Essie. And the fact that you got this big old physical presence as Upano full speed, if you're an attacking player, you're seeing it out of the corner of your eye. You're seeing this guy coming and it makes you rush. It makes you, if you think about Essay and the picture that he's looking at, well, there's no pressure coming from over here. So, I'm gonna allow the ball to bounce once, bounce twice. I look up. Oh, that's the angle I want. That's the far post. Let me find that over there. He had all that time to think as to what he wanted to do and he allowed the ball to bounce perfectly so that now he could hit it cleanly. If you have coming, I think he influences how that chance is finished by Ev. Speaking of finishing, it'd be nice if Frank would just let me finish rather than jumping in. But there you go. >> French pundit. No, no, I want to jump in because I know you're going to talk about the offensive action, but I just want to say that if I can agree with what you say because that's a decision that make that was a wrong decision. But I think he thinks that Limer has a time to go on EZ because he think that if he goes on EZ is going to cross to I don't know who was there, maybe hurricane or somebody else. Calur Calafury. Thank you. So it's why he is between two and he say okay I want to cover Califur maybe Lur has a time to go which which was a mistake. I agree with you. It was just a joke. >> Ah I see. >> Well I see >> Frank did try to bring Jurgen into this. So let's see where Jurgen stands on this whole upo thing. >> No I think overall upo had had a good game. But in that instant I think yeah I I I think Ali is right in a split second there the decision has to come from him to go out and and try to block a just in that specific situation. It was a bit curious to see that you know um Kane took off Kim and Jay at halftime and brought in Ta. Um so we don't know if he was injured or what was the reason for that. Um when I look at Bayern Munich um as of today you know how they presented themselves today. Obviously, we know that Joshua Kim uh couldn't play because of what happened to his dad and uh it's very sad, but uh um I'm I'm kind of missing leave aside obviously this phenomenal Harry Kane that does everything there. Um but I I I miss some sort of leadership uh at the moment and there are a couple of question marks that maybe go into the next few weeks for this team is is where is Muziala standing? Where's the development of Leonard Khal in in that moment? Is he just kind of calm at the moment? It's just not the same way that we saw him explode last season. Um, so who's taking things into into the hands if it's not Harry Kane? Um, so there there are many question marks coming out of that game against a very strong Arsenal side and I have to give them a lot of respect actually to take the game to Bayern Munich especially in the second half then uh was was impressive. It was a impressive performance by Arsenal. Um, but I'm very curious to see what happens at Bayern Munich the next few weeks. >> Do you have questions about Bayern Stuart? >> Uh, the with the team they had out today with Noah Alisa obviously we know Lewis Diaz without Musala Carl was on the bench and didn't come on and do particularly much without Kimick. Uh, I think it's a fair result for them because I expect him to be dominated by Arsenal. When I saw the team that Bayern had out, I was thinking where's the creativity going to come from? Well, it obviously came from Harry Kane from a deeper role, but I thought overall they did quite well. And I think the reason that they changed Kim for Tar was because so many of Arsenal's goal kicks and balls from Rya were going into that sort of left-sided center half area and Kim didn't deal with them particularly well and I think that's why he bought on Tar just to cope with the aerial bombardment that Rail was trying to give to the leftsided center half and the left back. >> Okay.