What Joshua Kimmich just said about Arsenal feels painfully bitter & dishonest

Arsenal beat Bayern Munich, and they were the better team throughout the entirety of the match. It never really looked like the Gunners would lose the match and lo and behold, they won it fairly and comfortably.

Of course, Bayern Munich is a side that isn't accustomed to losing. We mean it as a compliment to say that it must have hit Bayern like a ton of bricks to lose that game, particularly in the manner that they lost it.

For the most part, the response has been fair. Bayern Munich have held their hands up, and admitted defeat to a better team. Like the serial winners they are, Vincent Kompany and Harry Kane, for example, spoke very fondly of Arsenal after the game.

Joshua Kimmich, though, had a more scathing review of Arsenal. He accused of Arsenal of being something they are not, reliant on set pieces, and practically said that's what won the Gunners the game, alongside their game management.

In his own words, Kimmich said: "Arsenal is completely different. They rely on set pieces. They love to play long balls. They love to fight for second balls. It was a completely different game against PSG. It was more of a football game."

"Today was not so much about football. It was more about game management and duels. Arsenal did this really well tonight. Their win was well deserved but we have to learn from this game."

Joshua Kimmich's Arsenal comments look worse when you see the data

Arsenal scored from one set piece last night, that's the most important thing to note. If we were to remove set pieces from the equation, which would be extremely weird but we'll do it anyway, Arsenal would have still won 2-1.

The fact that the Gunners were a threat from set pieces says more about Bayern's inability to defend them rather than Arsenal's ability to score them. After Jurrien Timber headed home the first goal, Bayern's last five goals were conceded by set pieces.

After that goal, which was soon replied by Lennart Karl, Arsenal scored a well-worked goal, knocked home from close range by Noni Madueke. Then, the long ball which Kimmich referred to, was put home by Gabriel Martinelli.

Frankly, what Kimmich said is nonsense. It is like saying a team relies on goals to win football matches. Like, of course they do, and frankly, it doesn't matter too much how they go in.

Not every goal has to be a beautifully crafted work of art, despite what some football purists might tell you. Arsenal tried that in their worst years, to no avail.

Bayern Munich is one of the best clubs in the world, and they are on a pretty dominant streak right now. So, it's understandable that the players have forgotten how to react to losses, but the false set-piece accusation was not it.

Per FotMob, Arsenal created slightly more xG from open play (1.58) than they did xG from set pieces (1.54).

This means that Arsenal created 3x more xG from open play (1.58) than Bayern Munich did (0.47).

Not bad for a team that relies on set pieces.