Arteta got it right tactically against FC Porto
The match against Porto was massive for both Mikel Arteta and the whole of Arsenal football club, tides have changed and things are beginning to look brighter on the north side of London. We’ve reached the quarter finals of The Champions League for the first time in a very long time and we have begun to show that were not to be messed around with.
Some may say the game against Porto wasn’t as dominant as they expected but, if you know Porto and how they set up to play, you’d understand that the game was always going to be physical and revolve around tactics. Although we are used to seeing dominant win and thrashings in recent weeks, I personally never thought it was going to be like that against Porto. They have a good side, a manager who drills them well and plenty of experience. It might have seemed like we were lucky at some points but I think it was just really well managed.
Arteta made a few mistakes last time out and picked a side that in the Premier League were doing well and flying, but he didn’t take into consideration how physical and tactical Porto would play, but last night was different. Areta set up his squad well and played into our strengths over Porto’s and showed them just how smart he could be.
We have a lot of chances in the first and second half and we probably should have finished them and ended the game early, but Porto also had their chances and luckily enough, David Raya stepped up. I think you also have to give a lot of credit to Arteta for picking Raya this season and sticking strongly with him. Although I do think it was harsh on Ramsdale, it was clearly the right choice and when we sit back and look at the bigger picture, we probably wouldn’t have been able to go this far without him.
We face a tough lot of teams in the Quarter finals and we wont know who we face until tomorrow night but whoever it is, isn’t going to be easy. I think we’ve shown this season that were good enough to beat anyone we need to, and with the guidance of Arteta and togetherness that he has been able to instil in this team, we can take on any challenge that comes out way.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
Daisy Mae
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I’m sorry, but I disagree that we got our tactics right.
We didn’t learn from the first leg, as the second leg was a carbon copy of the first.
That’s taking NOTHING away from our two performances, which showed how together as a group we are.
That was how we overcame them and don’t forget it went to penalties against the team that most people thought was the second weakest (after Copenhagen) left in the tournament.
It was a great result, but a result that came through hard work, not being particularly smart – that will come against Bayern Munich, where footballing skills will be the main factor and not the dark arts… hopefully anyway!!
Ken
I agree with your comments wholeheartedly.
I can’t say I saw much “tactical brilliance” in the second match, it played out just like the first. I didn’t feel that we imposed our typical style of play on them, and we were drawn into their dark arts for the 2nd match as well.
However, great chemistry by our guys, great leadership on the pitch by Odegaard, and great job by Arteta by not panicking during a tightly contested match.
We will need to improve if we want to advance, but our path won’t be obstructed by “negative football” like we saw against Porto.
I agree with you Ken and with Durand, in saying we were not smart at all. I thought we just abour deserved, over the 120 mins to progress, but thanks mostly to around four players. RAYA of course, also White, Kiwior and most of all Odegaard.
The others ranged from average (being kind to them) to poor, and as for SAKA, HE WAS AWFUL.
But we kept our nerve and discipline, just about.
If I ever see DARK ARTS Porto, their sour faced lying manager, or that person ludicrously described as a “referee”, EVER AGAIN , it will be too soon!
Jon
I hope to never see that lot as well. I read where Porto’s manager continues to vomit nonsense, and covers everything from Arteta insulting his parents, to his “superior” team not advancing.
I don’t expect everyone to exhibit class, but best to just say Arsenal was the better team on the day, and leave the loutish, petty, and immature ramblings to lesser people.
After hearing his comments, I wish we had ran them out of the Emirates after a 5-0 thrashing so he could scurry back to Portugal with his tail between his legs. We advance still, but that mean needs a lesson in humility.
“man” not mean.
Durand, the sort of comments you pin to the notice board in the change rooms.
ken, Durand and jon, totally agree on your views of the tactics of Arteta and Arsenal being overrated. Arsenal cut it too fine for my liking. FC Porto got the best they could expect away at Arsenal, going to penalties after extra time. Arsenal were saved by 4 excellent penalty takers and the 2 saves made by David Raya.
Think there is a lot Arsenal can take from the Porto game, it was a wonderful learning experience for our players, who came through a stern examination against one of the most streetwise, aggressive and most organized sides in Europe.
The visitors did produce another defense display packed with discipline and resilience, working insatiable hard to shut down space for us to play inside their half, the European season campaigner did a fantastic job of limiting our attacking threat.
But Arsenal remains patient, never falling into the trap of chasing the game by taking reckless and unnecessary risks.
This was a massive test pass, but to truly appreciate this, one has to understand the nuts and bolts of it, for instance much is made of Saka non-existent in the game, but fail to understand his sheer presence had the Portuguese attention throughout the game.
Admin Pat, I would have hated to see the results, if Mikel Arteta had got his tactics wrong against FF Porto!
They didn’t come to Emirates to win but came for draw and then penalty, but kudos to them cos they’re a very well drilled and disciplined team,
Remember xavi said he will never want to play Porto again