Arsenal is scheduled to face Porto in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match. After losing the first leg 1-0, there are several compelling reasons to believe Arsenal will win this second leg.
1. Arsenal’s current form and momentum
One of the primary reasons Arsenal should be favored to defeat Porto is their recent form and momentum leading up to the game. Aside from that 1-0 surprise loss to FC Porto, Arsenal have dominantly won their last seven games since the mid-season break, scoring 31 goals.
Arsenal finished first in the UEFA Champions League group stage, thanks to excellent performances against Lens, PSV Eindhoven, and Sevilla. The Gunners demonstrated their attacking brilliance, defensive stability, and tactical intelligence in these games, laying the framework for a successful campaign in the knockout stages.
2. Squad Depth and Quality.
Another strong reason why Arsenal are expected to defeat Porto is the breadth and quality of their team. With the players they have, and players like Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, and Fabio Vieira returning from injury, Arsenal will be in a better position when FC Porto visits.
3. Tactical acumen and adaptability
Arteta is likely to develop a game plan that takes advantage of Arsenal’s strengths while exposing Porto’s shortcomings. The Spaniards’ attention to detail, rigorous planning, and in-game tweaks may offer Arsenal a tactical advantage over their Portuguese opponents.
And they now have to cope with a two-man tried-and-true midfield pivot and two pressing monsters in attack in addition to the inverted fullback.
4. Home advantage at the Emirates Stadium.
The final reason Arsenal is expected to defeat Porto is the home advantage they will have at the Emirates Stadium. Playing on familiar ground in front of their devoted fans gives Arsenal an extra dose of inspiration, energy, and confidence as they face Porto.
Gooners anticipate the squad to get to the quarterfinals, and for the reasons stated above, I believe they will; do you agree?
Sam P
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In reality, you have only stated one reason; the home ground advantage. All of your other reasons can be falsified, given that we already lost to Porto while those reasons were still in effect.
I, like other Arsenal fans, expect a win. But putting up a bunch of easily falsifiable reasons will not be the ‘reason’ we win
I wouldn’t even count home advantage either.
We’ve been knocked out of Europe on all three occassions under MA with the second leg at home.
Porto are seasoned CL campaigners, they just demolished Benfica 5-0, and Arsenal are terrible in Europe, so I think we’ve got a tough task in beating them.
Once bitten twice shy….
@Joe there is nothing to worry about. The circumstance for which we lost at group stages in previous Europa matches are totally different. The team is more experience now and in great form. A 94th minute goal at Porto isn’t enough to write off our Boys there is a bit of luck on Porto side. On stats in UCL Arsenal have always beaten Porto at the home with wide magins. I don’t think that would change next week. No worries..
Sylva, statistics based on previous meetings give rise to optimism; however Arsenal has to “do the business” on the day.
Have watched Arteta this season at all? Have you seen how he’s revenged on teams that beat him in the first legs? Do you think it was a coincidence what he did to Lens and Westham? He tweaked his tactics to make the winning easy. I believe he’ll do same on Tuesday night.
Your first point about momentum.
I think before are 1-0 loss to Porto we had scored 15 goals in 3 matches and 18 goals in 4 matches, so we had momentum going into the Porto match and again we lost 1-0. I think CL is a different animal to PL
We lost to Porto so it’s not impossible for us to not progress.
I have a strong feeling that we will win and progress
Arsenal will win because we have the bit between our teeth.
Surely we will start with a very attacking formation, something like a 3 1 3 3, where we are expected to camp in the Portuguese half.
One nil is a very slender lead to defend, but Arsenal would be thinking of attack attack attack, just can’t see anything but the entire kitchen sink thrown at the visitors by the league highest scoring outfit.
We were beaten by Porto because of their very questionable tactics, how they continuously conned the referee, and the way they disrupted play throughout.
They won’t get away with that again (at least they shouldn’t).
…and because they scored and we didn’t😜
Four reasons why Arsenal might not win:
1. Porto will employ the same tactics …11 men behind the ball & theatrically fall over feigning injury at the slightest contact.
2. Arsenal are the team that needs to score (& not concede) which might adversely affect their fluidity.
3. Just because it’s a home fixture doesn’t mean the referee will be any better.
4. Porto are a very well organised team that pose a real threat on the counter.
Ukesox,referees are human too and are susceptible to the crowd. You could argue that the Porto fanbase influenced the decision making in Portugal. The same will be true at the Emirates. The referee is likely to ignore the theatrics when our fans boo the Porto players falling over. I don’t think the Porto players will be as composed as they were without their fans and as such they’ll make mistakes which we can capitalize on. It’s remarkable how home fans can influence a game of football.
For sure Arsenal will win and progress 💯,,,,,3-1 not bad🙏🙏🙏
Porto deceived our players and the referee time and time again with their absurd antics, but i think our players will be wiser in the second leg and the referee is less likely to be tricked by diving with the emirates surrounding him.
Am very sure arsenal going to beat Porto by 3-1
I’m sure we will beat Porto and progress to the next round as a result. a proper thumping will do just fine. COYG!!!!!
Four OPINIONS why we might beat Porto I suggest.
All make sense, what about four opinions as to why we might lose to Porto?
1. Their tactics ub the CL.
2. Their knowledge about playing in front of hostile crowds.
3. Their defensive play and not needing to attack
4. Their undoubted quality – beating us while we are going through this purple patch.
I’m not saying they will beat us, just giving the flip side of the coin – I predict a close game, but if we score first, then a scoreline of three goals difference to the Gunners.
ken1945
I disagree with your points
1. Those tactics won’t work out again
2. The Emirates hostility is always hostile to them
3. The more they defend, the more we will open them up. Ask Newcastle United
4. They got lucky
Good for you then Freddy – let’s hope we humiliate them like we did when AW’s “dross” best them 5-0.
The likes of “Weedy Walcott” Bedtner, Vermaelen, Clichy sent them packing that night.
Just don’t underestimate Porto, they’re coming to the Emirates on the back of being criticised by all and sundry.
Of course, we also need a positive result against Brentford to keep this purple patch going.
I see two wins for us, but both being very tight games – hope I’m wrong and we smash them both.
NEWSFLASH: This is football & nothing is certain in football.
Games are never won until they are actually played and won.
That said, i do expect us to go through, as we’re in a very good moment & appear to be firing on all cylinders.
Surely you simply mean OPINIONFLASH! As your post contained NO NEWS!
Caution, caution all the way. Porto FC are ‘a big name’ in UCL. MA should know this. Arsenal FC have been knocked out of Europe games at home. Taking all chances created in the main thing. Good luck
Apart from deploying Harvetz as a false 9(to start)on this critical day, Arsenal must master ‘the dark arts’.
They must be cool in the face of provocation and crafty pinching and even slaps from Porto players that the referee & VAR may miss,while being quick to point these things out to the referee without seeming as if they are ordering him about.
The fans should equally do the same,especially when the Porto guys fall unnecessarily to the ground during corners. They(the fans) will be key to victory by continually gingering Arsenal throughout the game,even if Porto scores first(God forbid).
There’s nothing that Arsenal will not experience on that day.The team must be prepared to face all forms of trickery & crookedness.
The most important key: mastery of ‘the dark arts’.
The most important thing about this match against FC Porto is that Arsenal continues the quality of finishing exhibited recently in the EPL. The effectiveness in distributing goals across the team has lessened the dependence on a main striker.
Every chance which falls to any Arsenal player must be ruthlessly and efficiently dispatched.
Porto stopped us from having a single shot on target! Theoretically, they would need to do just that and progress. We, on the other hand, need to find a way to break down their defensive and crude tactics that prevented our fluidity. Will Arteta be too fancy about it and make us worse? I hope not. I predict a 0 – 0 score or a 4 – 0 to the Arsenal. We will either crack them and score multiple goals or be nullified again and have another 0 – 0 score
Certain is a word you cannot and shouldn’t use in football which has countless examples where logic and facts went out the window. E.g City were certain to progress to the final against Madrid in 2022 until they weren’t.
We just need a teeny weeny, single goal to throw a spanner into the Porto works. Am sure they are coming to park the bus, 11 men behind the ball. If they sit back, we will lay siege to them like we did Newcastle, wave after wave of relentless attack and they will inevitably concede.
After our goal, they will panic and abandon their tactics, try to push foward to salvage their advantage. That is when the game will become dangerous. If they stick to their plan to play counter attacking football, it’s a done deal. They won’t get another lucky goal against the run of play, no way it’s happening twice in a row.
I felt that Arteta went too cautious and conservatives against Porto in the first leg. Just keeping the ball with absolutely no penetration. It seemed like ge just tried to be too cute, he over planned like we were taking on Madrid, City, Liverpool etc..
Just set us up to not give away too much going against the way he set us up against the likes Liverpool, West Ham Newcastle etc.
I think next week we will see the cut throat Arsenal we have now come to know since January.
1. They stopped us getting a single shot on target
2. They will still be in the game even if we score a goal
3. They are very good on counter attacks
4. Arsenal have been poor in knockout stages under MA
5 A simple mistake leading to goal can put us on panic mode and put Porto in full control
6. Our players are inexperience at this stage
First 20mins will play a big role in the eventual outcome of the march.
If we get that early decisive goal with that rime frame then our job will be much easier considering the pressure will now be so much for the Portuguese side to handle.
I will go with a 3nil scoreline
Arteta needs to understand Portuguese league is filled with South American players, who are naturally technical,
We must start with Havertz upfront, Odegaard is our weakest link against teams like this,
Arteta has to find a way.