Arsenal fans call for Eidevall’s sacking after Bayern humiliation | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Champions League got off to an awful start as they suffered a 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich, leading to growing doubts about Jonas Eidevall‘s future at the club.

The loss has sparked calls from frustrated fans for immediate change, with Eidevall’s tactical decisions and his ability to get the best out of the team being brought into sharp focus.

MUNICH, GERMANY – OCTOBER 09: Glodis Perla Viggosdottir of Bayern Munich celebrates scoring her team’s first goal with teammates Jovana Damnjanovic and Giulia Gwinn during the UEFA Women’s Champions League match between FC Bayern München and Arsenal FC at FC Bayern Campus on October 09, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Rumours of unrest regarding the manager’s position had already been circulating before the match. It was suggested that Richard Garlick, Arsenal’s Managing Director, had begun to lose confidence in the 41-year-old, particularly in the wake of Arsenal’s goalless draw against Everton at the Emirates.

With crucial fixtures against Bayern and Chelsea looming, Eidevall found himself under immense pressure to deliver.

Arsenal started brightly in Germany and looked to be on level footing with their opponents in the opening half-hour.

Mariona Caldenty put Arsenal ahead, and the Gunners appeared well in the contest. However, the tide quickly turned when Bayern equalised before the break. Not long after the restart, they took the lead.

The situation then began to slip out of Arsenal’s grasp after Eidevall prepared a triple substitution. Despite Lia Codina managing to pull Arsenal level at 2-2, the changes were still made, introducing Beth Mead, Alessia Russo, and Steph Catley for Frida Maanum, Stina Blackstenius, and Katie McCabe.

MUNICH, GERMANY – OCTOBER 09: Players of Arsenal show dejection after the UEFA Women’s Champions League match between FC Bayern München and Arsenal FC at FC Bayern Campus on October 09, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

What followed was a disastrous 20-minute spell that saw Arsenal crumble under Bayern’s attacking pressure. Pernille Harder, repeatedly left inexplicably unmarked, tormented the Arsenal defence with a 13-minute hat-trick, turning the match into a humiliating 5-2 scoreline.

Eidevall’s substitutions failed to have the desired impact, and the Gunners’ capitulation left fans fuming.

“We have no choice but to put this game behind us – take the necessary learnings from it and get ready for the task on Saturday,” Eidevall said post-match.

The focus now turns to the clash against reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea at the Emirates, but many supporters believe it could already be too late for Eidevall to redeem himself.

A loss to Chelsea could spell the end of his tenure, and for some fans, that can’t come soon enough.

MUNICH, GERMANY – OCTOBER 09: Sarah Zadrazil of Bayern Munich is challenged by Caitlin Foord of Arsenal during the UEFA Women’s Champions League match between FC Bayern München and Arsenal FC at FC Bayern Campus on October 09, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Discontent was rife on social media, with many voicing the belief that Eidevall’s time should already be up.

One Arsenal fan wrote, “He is well past his sell-by date. If we are being honest, he has taken this team backwards compared to our rivals.” Another commented, “Shouldn’t last until Saturday, looks clear the players have lost any faith. If he can’t get a performance out of those players, he’s doing something wrong.”

“He’s been average at best for us,” added another fan. “If you look player for player, we have the best squad in the league now, and with the signings we made, this season should have started miles better.”

Others questioned whether Eidevall had ever been the right fit for Arsenal. “To be honest, I’ve never really been too sold on him in many aspects. He seems to have struggled to get Arsenal purring in the final third more often than not in his tenure.”

Despite the anger, there is still hope that the team could deliver a performance against Chelsea. “We might just get a result at the weekend because this team will not lay down and die like that at home to Chelsea in front of a full Emirates,” The Arsenal Women Blog said. “But he has to go regardless, so I’d fire him now. I don’t see the result on Saturday being any worse without him in charge.”

With confidence waning and key players seemingly struggling to find their rhythm under Eidevall, the pressure is now firmly on Arsenal to make a decision that could define their future.