Why Arsenal Can Still Qualify Despite Bayern Munich Mauling in Champions League

It seems that when Arsenal beat Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in their previous Champions League fixture, they merely angered the beast. Bayern bounced back with a stunning 5-1 victory to leave the Gunners reeling and staring down the barrel of Champions League elimination.

However, there is a surprisingly accepting mood in the Arsenal camp. Despite this disastrous result and the fact Olympiakos snatched a 90th-minute winner against Dinamo Zagreb to continue their push for second place in the group, there is still optimism the Gunners can claw their way into the next round.

After the match, Arsene Wenger stressed to the club's official website that he and his staff must “analyse and not be too negative." He went on:

"

There is still a chance to qualify. Olympiakos have to lose here, we have to beat Zagreb and then we will see when we play Olympiakos away. It’s a small chance but it is a real one. We have to realise with that kind of performance that we had today that our chances are minimal. 

No matter what percentage we have, we have to dig in for the chance to qualify. We now have to focus on the Premier League on Sunday and bounce back with a different performance because we are in a good position in the league. It’s important that we realise what we did today and we know that.

"

What Arsenal did was defend diabolically. Shorn of Hector Bellerin and Laurent Koscielny, their back four looked to be in disarray. In the game’s early stages, Gabriel Paulista tried and failed to play Robert Lewandowski offside, and the Pole gleefully accepted the consequent opportunity afforded him.

Unfortunately, that pattern of defensive ineptitude continued throughout the match. It wasn’t just the back four: None of the Arsenal players were suitably switched on to keep Bayern at bay.

Boris Streubel/Getty Images

The result leaves Arsenal in a position where they must win two games against sides that have already beaten them in this campaign. First, the Gunners must triumph over Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates Stadium while hoping Bayern beat Olympiakos in Germany.

That would lead to a final-game shootout in Greece, which Arsenal would need to win by two clear goals to secure progression. It won’t be easy, but as Wenger insists, it’s still a “real” chance. By that stage Arsenal could well have the likes of Koscielny, Bellerin, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back in the squad.

If they defend as they did against Bayern in the first meeting, they certainly have the attacking potential to go to Greece and score goals. As poor as they were against Bayern, only sloppy finishing prevented them from adding a couple more goals to their tally.

Before that, Arsenal have as significant Premier League test to overcome. On Sunday, the Gunners face Spurs in the north London derby, where they’ll hope to continue the pattern established at the end of October. They lost heavily in the Capital One Cup at Sheffield Wednesday before recovering to beat Swansea City comfortably at the weekend.

If Wenger’s men put their local rivals to the sword on Sunday, the anguish of the game at the Allianz Arena will be swiftly forgotten.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.