Can Arsenal beat Bayern on Wednesday? 7:45 "CAT 8:45"

When Arsenal take to the Emirates turf to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, it will have been exactly one year since they were consummately outplayed by the very same side.
On February 19th 2013, the Bavarians battered the Gunners, racking up a 3-1 lead to take back to Germany. The return of the formidable Bayern will doubtless trigger traumatic memories for many fans. However, Arsenal supporters should take heart: this time, Bayern will come up against a very different Arsenal.

A year ago, Arsenal were a club in turmoil. Robin van Persie’s defection to Manchester United hit the team hard. With the Dutchman’s goals widening the chasm between United and Arsenal, any hope of claiming the Premier League title had long since slipped away.
Immediately before facing Bayern, the Gunners suffered a humiliating FA Cup defeat at home to Championship side Blackburn Rovers. Arsene Wenger’s future at Arsenal was questioned, and his pre-match press conference for the Bayern game was an especially tense affair.
Arsenal were a team bereft of confidence, and a club lacking direction. Bayern arrived at the Emirates expecting to find a stoutly-defended fortress. Instead, they were free to loot a ruin. Within 21 minutes, it was 2-0 to Bayern, and the tie was effectively dead.
This time around, Arsenal are in far better shape. That first leg of the Bayern tie was arguably their nadir. Since then, things have dramatically improved. The catalyst for change was the return leg, which Arsenal won 2-0. It wasn’t enough to secure qualification for the next round, but it did create a blueprint for success that has reversed Arsenal’s fortunes.

  Turning point: Giroud netted after three minutes against Munich in last year's second leg

Wenger dropped Thomas Vermaelen, thus installing the partnership of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker at centre-back. Almost overnight, an Arsenal side that had been characterised by defensive errors was transformed. That defensive solidity remains the foundation of Arsenal’s recent success: in their last 12 home matches, they have conceded just two goals.
The summer brought more progress. Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Ozil arrived to bring steel and sparkle respectively to the Arsenal midfield. The Gunners are firing again, and Arsene Wenger’s name is once more sung with pride at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal’s improvement is reflected in their league position: rather than battling for the top four, they’re genuine title contenders. After seeing off Liverpool at the weekend, their FA Cup campaign remains on track. Last season, the tie with Bayern represented a final improbable shot at silverware. This year, they’re still fighting on three fronts.
There’s a newfound resilience to this team. For years, Wenger has espoused the importance of mental strength. This season, the team’s strength of character speaks for itself. Every time a setback threatens to derail their campaign, the Gunners respond with startling tenacity. This year’s Arsenal are a very different proposition.
 
The worry is that Bayern seem better too. Pep Guardiola has proved his ingenuity by inheriting the best side in Europe, and finding ways to improve it. It wasn’t broke and yet he fixed it. Guardiola has shifted the structure of the Bayern midfield, converting former full-back Phillip Lahm in to an elegant holding midfield player.
He oversaw the acquisition of Mario Gotze from Dortmund, and has since experimented with using the diminutive German as a false nine. The Bayern steamroller shows no signs of slowing: they’re now unbeaten in 46 Bundesliga games.
But Arsenal are ready. The one thing missing from this superb season is a truly landmark result. The Gunners have thus far failed to beat Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea. Beating Munich would send out a message that would reverberate beyond the Premier League to the rest of the continent. Bayern Beware.