Arsenal have long since moved past the stage where they want any more lessons from Harry Kane, and yet he insists on delivering them anyway. Though one of his counterparts in Arsenal blue might have played a critical role in the equalizer, this 2-2 draw came with indications aplenty of the value of a striker who can do it all. Like the North London derbies of old, Kane played the role of spoiler supreme for the Gunners, his 16th goal in 21 meetings an expertly struck penalty that capped an outstanding display from Bayern Munich's No. 9.
The penalty he scored was the relatively easy part. He had won that spot kick by finding space to meet Konrad Laimer's deflected drag back, Jurrien Timber making the fatal error of having arms while defending his penalty area in a UEFA-organized match. Scoring was not the half of what Kane brought tonight.
Shorn of his primary running mates -- Luis Diaz fit enough only for the bench, Michael Olise suspended and Jamal Musiala still unavailable -- Kane took on even more of the creative burden. It is sometimes easy to think that any false nine can put up a dozen-plus assists to go alongside his goal a game when he is aiming for the best wide forwards. Today he was putting it on a plate for repurposed left back Alphonso Davies, his through ball delivering the sort of opening you'd back even the most agricultural defender (which Davies is not) to roll it in.
With no Joshua Kimmich either, it fell on Kane to help out a youthful midfield with the ball progression too. Kimmich, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric: even the best ball-playing midfielders of their generation would have done well to ping what was effectively a goal kick following an Arsenal corner, a 70-yard pearler that pierced the best defense in the world in a flash. This truly was a striker who could do it all, a worthy Ballon d'Or winner.
As for his counterparts at Arsenal, they did their part. It should be noted that the Gunners would likely have suffered their first defeat in the league phase of the Champions League had it not been for a magnificently measured touch by Viktor Gyokeres with his back to goal, easing the ball into the path of Declan Rice, who thundered in a merited equalizer for the Premier League champions. Kai Havertz too offered value of a sort.
Arsenal were insistent that they would not play through Bayern's man-to-man press and would instead go over it. Havertz proved to be a valuable outlet in that regard, ensuring that Arsenal had a bit more of the territory, possession, shots and non-penalty xG. Mikel Arteta's game plan was a well-executed one, the sort that if replicated in the away leg of a big knockout tie at this ground, would have Arsenal firmly in the contest.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
