Wenger slams Arsenal defending after Bayern rout
Arsenal's defence were "not at the races" and unrecognisable in the opinion of their manager Arsene Wenger after the 5-1 loss to Bayern.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UoQVLqp3o8Nu5eT6XYihb5.jpg)
Arsene Wenger offered a scathing assessment of Arsenal's defending in the humbling 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The Premier League team bounced back from Group F defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos to secure a rousing 2-0 victory over Bayern at Emirates Stadium two weeks ago – a result that was emphatically avenged by the Bundesliga champions.
Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 10th minute and, after Mesut Ozil had a goal disallowed for handball, Thomas Muller made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark.
Full-back David Alaba scored a stunning third and laid on the fourth for substitute Arjen Robben either side of half-time, with Muller grabbing his second in the final minute after Olivier Giroud netted a classy consolation.
Injuries deprived Wenger of right-back Hector Bellerin and centre-back Laurent Koscielny, but the manager had little sympathy for the players that took to the field in their absence at the Allianz Arena.
"You have to give credit to Bayern for their quality, but we made things easy for them," said the Frenchman.
"We were extremely poor defensively – not at the races.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"Defensively, I did not recognise my team."
Arsenal must win both remaining group matches to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout rounds, but Wenger is not giving up hope entirely.
"There is still a chance to qualify," he added. "It's a small chance, but there is still a real one."
![LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 5: Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool congratulates Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the 4-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q3ie7X2vDDiU7X6C9HVRK7-840-80.jpg)
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
![CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 02: Wales captain Ryan Giggs shakes the hand of manager John Toshack after being substituted on his last International appearance for his country during the Euro 2008 Group D Qualifying Match between Wales and Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium on June 2, 2007 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by (Stu Forster/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ooQ9oNmgvfUUG8TBUhn6BK-840-80.jpg)
‘I trained at Spurs and thought they’d give me a chance. But I received a letter thanking me but saying they didn’t think I was good enough – I was gutted’: How Tottenham missed out on signing Wales legend John Toshack