Ben White concurs with Mikel Arteta’s assessment that Arsenal needs to enhance their game to succeed in the Champions League.
In their recent UCL match against FC Porto, the Gunners suffered a defeat, with Porto appearing more experienced and adept at the tactical aspects of the game.
The Portuguese side demonstrated a mastery of the “dark arts” and showcased a greater streetwise approach compared to Arteta’s team.
This Champions League campaign marks Arsenal’s return to the competition for the first time since 2017, and they haven’t reached the quarterfinals in a decade.
Porto, being a frequent qualifier for the competition and often advancing to the latter stages, displayed a tactical prowess that got under Arsenal’s skin, leading to their defeat.
Post-match, Arteta admitted to actively teaching his players about the intricacies of the “dark arts” to better navigate such challenges in the future.
White agrees with his manager and says, as quoted by Mirror Football:
“I think so. The Champions League games are always tough. You go over there and you have seen the amount of fouls and stuff that is happening … I think most of them were on me.
“But it is kind of like different rules when you play in the Champions League: it’s a lot softer, you can’t make any tackles because you are going to give a foul away. I think we can probably be more streetwise and it is a new experience for us. It’s one we learn from and take into the next game.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
It is great that our manager and players now recognise that the rules are different in Europe and they have to play continental games differently to win matches.
LOONEY TOONS! Revenge is sweet
Watch the latest podcast from our friends from DublinArsenal discussing our win over the TOON ARMY and looking towards Sheff United
Do you want to read our whole collection of history articles? Check out our Just Arsenal History section
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
