Match Reaction: Arsenal 0-0 Sporting Lisbon

[Master Splinter]

Not an important match in the scheme of well, anything, so it's probably useful to get such an ineffective performance out of the way at this stage.

Mkhitaryan and Ramsey have most likely condemned themselves to the b-team after that.

Sporting offered nothing and we we were completely in control for once, but Ramsey, Smith Rowe, Iwobi and Mkhitaryan just did almost everything wrong in the final third so as to completely nullify any threat.

Annoying performance rather than an overly worrying one.

Holding and Guendouzi probably the best two players on the night.

Also, worst ref ever. Since Taylor, Dean and Atkinson last refereed a game, anyway.

Oh, and get well soon Welbz.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I don't really know why I stole myself away from drifting off to sleep.

Utter pap.

[Marc Overmars]

Had planned to get some last minute tickets for this but thankfully that fell through.

The game sounded shite.

Have we won the group yet?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Didn’t think Guendouzi was especially good neither. Very frustrating night indeed..... and gutted to take an injury to Welbz. Unless he wants to include him Sunday.... no idea why AMN didn’t start.

And Sporting fans virtually took over the stadium

[Mac76]

to be fair we generally defended well especially Sokratis.

Auba had a nghtmare, although tbf if he hadn't been fouled towards the end he might well have scored

but overall we weren't very incisive going forward without Torreira or, actually, Ozil playing

[SMatthews]

https://arseblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/welbeck_ankle.jpg

[Marc Overmars]

:sick:

If that's as serious as it looks then Welbz may have played his last game for us, given his contract situation.

[Özim]

Poor result but we're through at the end of the day, backups really not pulling up any trees, no real hunger to impress to put themselves in with a chance of the first 11 with some of these guys.

As for Welbeck, terrible for him and his career really, bad timing as well with his contract running out, hope he makes a swift recovery. For us though it's not a big deal it's not like he's a key player, he's a backup and replaceable so not worried on that score. Like MO says might have played his last game for us, I wouldn't mind if it is, he's a decent hard working player, but not really a gamechanger.

[Mac76]

From arsenal.com- bits of the Emery press conference:

"on Welbeck going to hospital…
Yes, now he is at the hospital. The news is that we are going to wait - but we think it’s a serious injury

on if it’s an ankle injury…
It’s an ankle.

on how said it is to see Welbeck injured again…
Every injury is different. This [could] be a break of something in the ankle. It’s a different injury to others.

on if Welbeck’s future is here despite the injury…
He’s a very good person. His commitment with us is very big. He’s helped us with his behaviour, with his quality and his capacity. It’s a very big injury for him, for us, for all people who like and love him as a person."

[Chippy]

https://arseblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/welbeck_ankle.jpg

Gutted for Wellbeck. Not a massive game changer as said earlier, but a decent, hard working bloke! Get well soon Welbz. :(

[Özim]

on if Welbeck’s future is here despite the injury…
He’s a very good person. His commitment with us is very big. He’s helped us with his behaviour, with his quality and his capacity. It’s a very big injury for him, for us, for all people who like and love him as a person."

I think the fact he's doesn't commit to anything regarding to the future suggests he's off, this bit sums it up for me:


It’s a very big injury for him, for us, for all people who like and love him as a person.

A nothing kinda statement suggesting he doesn't want to address the future or contract.

[Özim]

Keown said:


Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, working as a pundit for BT Sport, said: "Danny has had two major injuries to his knee and he tried to plant his foot and got it stuck behind him.

"He is a great player and good for that group as he is 27, one of the older players. He will be a big loss for them. It looks like he will be out for a while."

He makes me laugh, a "great player" and "He will be a big loss for them", talk about overstating it, yes he's useful as a sub or to come in to do a job when we're short, but he's not a match winner and certainly not a great player or a big loss, as I said he's replaceable and we have enough in our squad that we don't need to worry too much about it, we've got some decent options in attack, the defence is much more of an issue and much more affected by losing players.

[Mac76]

I think the fact he's doesn't commit to anything regarding to the future suggests he's off, this bit sums it up for me:

A nothing kinda statement suggesting he doesn't want to address the future or contract.

yes, i thought the same

btw i thought Jenkinson had a pretty good game last night including an unreal first-time cross-field pass to create an attack

[SMatthews]

Keown said:



He makes me laugh, a "great player" and "He will be a big loss for them", talk about overstating it, yes he's useful as a sub or to come in to do a job when we're short, but he's not a match winner and certainly not a great player or a big loss, as I said he's replaceable and we have enough in our squad that we don't need to worry too much about it, we've got some decent options in attack, the defence is much more of an issue and much more affected by losing players.

In terms of being a good squad player, adding pace and options as we head into Christmas, with cup competions and needing to rest players, it’s a big loss. Having someone who doesn’t have to settle and gel in is invaluable at the moment. Especially given the smaller resources Emery is being given to work on at the moment. He took the pressure off at the end of the game against West Ham with the third goal, ensured we progressed into the next round of the cup and won us the points against Lisbon away. In context of our current squad and where we are in terms of the season and development under Emery, Keown is right. Iwobi doesn’t score much. Neither does Mikhi. Ramsey is sporadic. Wellbeck not being around is a blow in that regard too. Can we replace him and do better for next season? Yes. But we aren’t there yet and could’ve done with him being around over the next few months at least. Squad players like Wellbeck play a fundamental role in the success of any team. Even Man City who use younger players in lesser cup competitions and latter group stages of Europe.

[Mac76]

In terms of being a good squad player, adding pace and options as we head into Christmas, with cup competions and needing to rest players, it’s a big loss. Having someone who doesn’t have to settle and gel in is invaluable at the moment. Especially given the smaller resources Emery is being given to work on at the moment. He took the pressure off at the end of the game against West Ham with the third goal, ensured we progressed into the next round of the cup and won us the points against Lisbon away. In context of our current squad and where we are in terms of the season and development under Emery, Keown is right. Iwobi doesn’t score much. Neither does Mikhi. Ramsey is sporadic. Wellbeck not being around is a blow in that regard too. Can we replace him and do better for next season? Yes. But we aren’t there yet and could’ve done with him being around over the next few months at least. Squad players like Wellbeck play a fundamental role in the success of any team. Even Man City who use younger players in lesser cup competitions and latter group stages of Europe.

I agree with that - last season I groaned every time he came on, but I think as with a lot of other players he's improved under Emery and had become very useful, so i do think it's a loss given as you say there's not a lot of goals coming from too many other players

Along with set pieces I really think Emery has to get a grip on making sure enough of our players can have a decent chance of scoring from a variety of situations