Arsenal v Porto
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Confirmed Arsenal team to face Porto – No Jesus and Trossard starts

Arsenal face Porto in the second leg of the Champions League this evening knowing only a win will do and this is the team that Mikel Arteta has selected to achieve that.

Porto secured a victory in the first leg with a last-minute stunner in Portugal and will now aim to avoid a loss at the Emirates against the Premier League leaders. Consequently, it is anticipated that they will adopt a low-block defensive strategy, intending to frustrate Arsenal at every turn.

Arsenal is bracing for Porto to engage in defensive tactics and perhaps deploy β€œdark arts” to disrupt their play. The Gunners are aware that a narrow victory may not be sufficient; they need to secure a win by at least two goals to guarantee progress to the next round.

This sets the stage for an intriguing match where Arsenal is likely to dominate possession, striving to create openings against the Portuguese giants. Simultaneously, Porto will be keen to exploit counter-attacking opportunities that may arise.

With pressure mounting on both teams, the outcome will hinge on which side holds its nerve, and hopefully, Arsenal emerge victorious in this crucial encounter.

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150 Comments

  2. Will be nervy for about 25 minutes

    But after we score 2 goals, it would become much easier & the game will feel more like what we initially expected:

    “The superior team toying with her opponent”

  4. Everyone needs to give there all in this massive game, from the ball boys, fans ,bench and the players. Porto might end up doing what we aren’t expecting, may be they gonna attack us and still do the dirty game, patience , calmness and cool heads are needed to navigate this. The earlier we score the better. It’s now upon the players to turn up and turn the score emphatically.

  6. Ref is a good one so i expect him to not fall for porto simulations,diving and time wasting tactics like the incompetent one in the 1st leg. He is a no bs type though our players better not argue too much.

  10. A timid start – as if more concerned about not conceding
    However, much better after the 12/14 minute mark

      1. Not good vibes either but when I wrote that we had improved from a shaky start

        Definitely know we are in a match

  12. We need to step up the pitch by 10m….we are giving them a lot of time on the ball to pass sideways and backwards. Havertz and Ode pressing nicely but then the rest of the team are too far behind IMO.

  14. Something I’ve noticed…sorry…but Odegaard is not chasing the goalkeeper down. He’s letting their goalkeeper dictate what he wants to do. Not good.

  16. Porto are looking quite comfortable tbh. We’re being out-muscled physically and Porto are pressing much quicker than we are.

  23. These are the kind of games where you can clearly see we need a box2box midfielder to be able to mix things up depending on opponent.

    What a great ball from Ode and run from Trossard.

  25. Beautiful goal. Odegaard’s delaying and final pass, and trossard’s calm finish were all just perfect. Porto have been brilliant, and the quality we needed for that goal just highlights it. Hopefully this opens the game up.

  26. Odegaard has unbelievable flair and thank heavens that Trossard finished it. That work of MO was superb

  30. Only 1 bloody min added for all that time wasting. As soon as we score another goal ball boys must be instructed to hide all balls.

  31. The players should not be sucked into Porto’s dark arts and rather focus on the game.

  32. Outplayed first half, if we are honest. But second half I expect us to be a lot better. Porto look more physical than us, that very unusual.

    1. More like ” they play we win sue” can’t be worse second half, at least that’s what I’m hoping for

  33. We look naive, unable to breakout of their straitjacket and are far too slow getting the ball to our attacking players.
    Whatever happens from now on, the first half has been poor by us.

    Both wingers havs been ineffective and then Trossard did his one good thing all half.

    Saka is our worst player and only Odegaard of our attacking players has looked good.

    1. A good expression- straight jacket- for how we performed for large parts of the half – only wriggling out late in the half

  34. Must say saka has been disappointing so far, not holding the ball well and easily bout muscled. We need to improve overally in the second half, more energy and physicality to pull through

  35. What a class goal all round. Odegaard was utter insane and that finish from Trossard… wow! Enjoy the 2nd half gunners!

  36. I’m struggling to contain myself watching these creeps do their nonsense! Guess we are at fault for handing them such opportunity.

  38. Partey might be coming on early, jorgi complaining of back pain and partey had an different warm up than other sub.

  43. I think this season I’ve watched at least 90 mins of BW holding the ball trying to throw in 🀣

  48. We are really showing our lack of experience in the UCL.
    Not to sound harsh but Saka is having a shocker of a game.
    I don’t know why the goal was ruled out 😞 but Arteta needs to calm down and remember these UCL refs are usually triggered very easily.

  49. Arteta should take off Jorginho and bring G Jesus. Revert to a 4141 formation

    We need that second goal asap

  54. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, despite his golden patch of 3/4 games, Jorginho is good in games when he has tons of time and no pressure. In high pressure games like this he offers very little!

    Maybe he does a killer pass in the next 10 mins I don’t know, but it’s very clear overall that he simply isn’t nearly as effective in games like this.

  55. FINALLY playing better, around 6 mins plus about two hours time wasting, which means ONE MINUTE, added on at the end.

  59. My nerves are in shreds
    The energy expended has been unreal and this offside nonsense is ridiculous

    1. Can’t help but feel we gave Porto too much respect and not enough belief over the two legs. Some of our top performers haven’t done enough although, Odegaard has been spectacular!

  60. What an awful 90 mins.
    Bonkers McCoist thinks it has been great though. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE GAG HIM!!

  61. 30 more minutes. For the neutral, its been a scintillating second half, but Porto have been dogged and a far better opponent than has been touted

  62. We need now to make a few changes. Partey & Zinkchencko.

    All depends who comes off now, Kiwior for Zink and Saka for Partey.

    Partey Rice Ode
    Jesus Kia Trossard

    Maybe I’m wrong justvSake doesn’t seem to be his usual self

      1. Who creates more when u need that pass forward and pushing forward? Maybe Zink who gives that extra man in the middle?

  63. I think we’ve been dreadful, no second balls passing dreadful, but the ref has let Porto get away with a lot. They should’ve had a lot more yellow cards and fouls awarded to arsenal

    1. Needed that 2nd goal to relax, was possibly the reason for the dodgy playing, a few nerves defo on show tonight. Mighty hard test for this young team

  64. This team is not ready for champions league football esp Saka. Seems like we’re 2 seasons ahead of schedule. Reminds me of City few season’s back when thy were absolutely torching the league but got schooled in UCL by less talented teams like Lyon and Monaco. You can tell Porto are more at home in this tournament despite being less talented. Let’s on the league, we’re quite short in UCL

  66. Seems that there’s been no pass on the whole game for our CBs to play into the midfield, continuously have to pass sideways or backwards, why our build up is so slow.

  71. WE’RE PLAYING WITH TEN MEN . Saka is also on the pitch, not that you’d know it! How he has not been subbed is alarmingly wrong.

  72. It’s clear after all these years and all the money spent that MA has not built a squad he trusts at all! First 11/12 players are not a squad. Does not seem to trust his bench.

    We will never be able to compete on multiple fronts effectively until he does. Really something that needs improvement.

    1. I get your point, but we do, in essence, have a better first 11/15 if all are fit. Its the remainder that are on the weak side.

      1. Squads are almost never fully fit, that’s just reality.

        Look at Liverpool for eg, look at the players that slot in perfectly with almost no experience while dealing with many injuries

        1. I noticed that too about Klopps kids. Seamlessly slotting and do the job as good as the starters and that’s on a weekly basis this season they have gave youth a chance and they havnt disappointed

  76. Huge 15mins of our season. We have a break now for a few weeks so let’s hope they go out for this 2nd half and fire on all cylinders!! Penalties is not something anyone wants, any sort of goal will do gunners!!

  77. Ten minute of ET LEFT. Whatever happens in this game it s obvious we have not ahope of winning the CL. It would be better for our Prem hopes to go out tonight therefore.

    2. If your in the last 8 your in it see both of Chelseas CL wins and we are not as poor as either of those teams. We literally have the most goals scored and least conceeded in the best league in the world. C’mon.

  79. I beg to disagree, Jon
    A different opponent, a different day.
    We have not been overrun, but have definitely shown that the years without CL football have weakened our DNA in the competition.
    If we make it through, then we should come back stronger next season (all things being equal) even though we would be unlikely to win it

    1. Bad idea, in my book, Gunsmoke. I know where you are coming from, but I’d like to think that Raya has his eye in ( I say through gritted teeth and fingers and toes crossed)

  84. Please please please just keep the penalties simple and clean……in other words…….don’t take penalties like you see in the AFCON!

    1. πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ @PJ. Were their awful penalties at the AFCON??

  86. Oh well my worse nightmare for tonight. 2.38 am now a pen shootouts after that pitiful match. What could go wrong?

        1. Arsenal still on a learning phase, the boys will get there with experience.

          Am happy with the win, anything can happen in the quarter finals.

    1. Yes SueP. This victory is key. Our first quarter final in 14 years. What matters is qualification. I’m really happy

  94. Well done Raya + the penalty takers! Some quality penalties there!

    Hopefully some players can get a rest during the international break!

    Credit to Odegaard, chased absolutely everything tonight.

  96. A proper game of football and I can’t understand some of the negativity in the comments. Porto are a good team but we are better 😊

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