Structure, set pieces & Saka: What makes Arsenal so dangerous

FC Bayern host Arsenal on Wednesday evening for a Matchday 3 clash in the league phase of the Champions League. The London side travel to Munich on the back of a perfect start to their campaign: their 1–0 win at Napoli was followed by a 3–0 victory over Lille. In the Premier League, Arsenal are hot on the heels of league leaders Manchester City, though they did fail to impress in their narrow 1–0 win at Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

Kick-off at the Allianz Arena against last year’s Champions League finalists is at 21:00 CEST – it will be the first real test for both Bayern and Arsenal in the league phase against a top European side.

Arsenal off to a perfect start in Europe

The Gunners are particularly strong in defence, having won their first two Champions League matches without conceding a goal. Against Lille, Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka wrapped up the win in a seven-minute period.

Otherwise, the North London side are currently struggling a bit in the Premier League with a mixed bag of performances. Whilst they beat Leeds 2–1, they suffered a 3–0 defeat at Brighton. Overall, however, they've recorded ten wins from their last 11 competitive matches.

The Gunners also won their most recent head-to-head clash with FC Bayern, beating them 3–1 at the Emirates Stadium just over a year ago. Arsenal went on to reach the Champions League final, but lost to PSG on penalties.

Arteta’s clear tactical approach

Head coach Mikel Arteta is shaping Arsenal with a clear tactical style. The London side patiently look for space when building up play and draw the opposition out of position with short passing sequences. This creates an overload in the centre and additional opportunities for the centre-backs to drive play forward. Declan Rice provides stability and a strong presence. As soon as a gap opens up, Arsenal look to play a vertical pass into the channels. 

Threat from the wings

One of the Gunners’ most dangerous players is Bukayo Saka. The England international prefers to play on the right wing, but often cuts inside to look for the finish or play a through ball. He's supported by the full-back pushing forward and the movements of the central midfielders.

On the left, Eberechi Eze provides pace and drive. Arsenal look to get down the flanks to reach the byline, creating a threat with low crosses or cut-backs into the box.

Up front, Viktor Gyökeres brings extra depth and physicality to the team. The Sweden international is capable of holding up long balls, tying up defenders and making quick, deep runs as soon as his side win possession. But it's Kai Havertz who has started the last seven Premier League games in the centre-forward role. Arteta had previously addressed doubts about the 27-year-old’s goalscoring abilities – he last found the net over a month ago – saying: “Kai needs to play regularly. He has the ability to be a top striker.”

Set pieces a major strength

Set pieces are one of Arsenal’s key weapons. At corner kicks, for example, the team regularly gets several players who are strong in the air into the penalty area. Gabriel, William Saliba and Rice bring a lot of physicality and goal-scoring threat to these situations. The opener Bayern conceded at the Emirates in November 2025 also came from the home side’s first corner.

That's why it will be crucial for FC Bayern to defend set pieces consistently and not lose sight of second balls. Where possible, they must do whatever they can to avoid conceding free kicks in dangerous areas.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are vulnerable to quick counter-attacks if their high press can be bypassed swiftly. This can create space for FC Bayern, which must be exploited cleverly and ruthlessly, for example through runs in behind the defence. Just as in the 1–1 draw last season, when Serge Gnabry set up Lennart Karl, who made history with his second Champions League goal: at 17 years and 277 days, Karl is still the youngest player to have scored in his first two Champions League starts.

Arsenal with ambitions in Europe

Arsenal have continued to develop over recent years and, at the very least since reaching the Champions League final, have become one of the established forces in top-flight European football. However, despite their illustrious history under Arsène Wenger, who was head coach for 22 years, the club is still without a trophy in Europe’s premier club competition. The current squad combines technically precise possession with high-intensity pressing and real quality from set pieces. Players such as Saka, Rice, Eze and Gyökeres are capable of deciding matches at any moment with a piece of individual brilliance. And then, of course, there's Havertz.

So FC Bayern will be up against top-class opponents who combine tactical discipline with individual brilliance. Patience in their build-up play, sharpness in the final third and the utmost focus when they lose possession will be essential. Because the Gunners don’t wait for mistakes – they force them.