Porto v Arsenal. 21/02/24. 20:00

[Marc Overmars]

It’s been a long time since we were here and an even longer time since we actually won a CL knockout tie. 14 years to be exact, which also happened to be against Porto in 2010.

No idea if Porto are any good or not but if we play like we have done in the CL so far I’m sure we should be able to get through unscathed.

1-2.

[Mac76]

3-0 Francisco Evanilson de Lima Barbosa - aka Evanilson - hatter

I've not seen them play, but UEFA ranked them as three places above us last year but we've come on since then so hopefully we have enough to do the job

[HCZ_Reborn]

3-0 Francisco Evanilson de Lima Barbosa - aka Evanilson - hatter

I've not seen them play, but UEFA ranked them as three places above us last year but we've come on since then so hopefully we have enough to do the job

That was unnecessary :lol:


Although on the other hand might start referring to our players by their full Portuguese names


Gabriel Dos Santos Magalhães

Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva

Jorge Luiz Frello Filho

Gabriel Fernando de Jesus

Fabio Daniel Ferreira Vieira

[HCZ_Reborn]

So same team as started against Burnley…on one hand I’m naturally concerned about the lack of rotation, on the other hand there is so natural replacements to come in with the exception of Jorginho for Havertz (I think we could be pushing our luck a bit not having more defensive cover in midfield)

What I do note however is that Fabio Vieira makes the bench. I would be surprised if he’s not brought on at some point against his former club.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Porto: Costa, Mario, Pepe, Otavio, Wendell, Varela, Gonzalez, Conceicao, Pepe, Galeno, Evanilson.
Subs: Ramos, Cardoso, Eustaquio, Grujic, Sanchez, Jaime, Namaso, Franco, Baro, Martinez, Borges, Pedro.

Arsenal: Raya, Kiwior, Saliba, Gabriel, White, Havertz, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Trossard, Saka.
Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, Cedric, Sweet, Heaven, Elneny, Vieira, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Nwaneri, Nketiah.

[Marc Overmars]

If we can’t get the better of old man Pepe. :lol:

[Mac76]

Sweet, Heaven

Say wha...?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Champions League theme :bow:

[Mac76]

wtf was Rice doing there, really clumsy tackle and he's got booked?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yellow for Rice already. :lol:

[Mac76]

hospital pass by RIce to Odegaard who is duly taken out, but at least we get a free kick

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Pepe

[Mac76]

whoa how did they not score?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How has that not gone in for them. :lol:

[Mac76]

our passing has been a bit loose so far, need to tighten things up

[HCZ_Reborn]

Don’t know if Rice getting an early yellow unsettled him or whether he’s just not getting the time on the ball he’s used to but he’s stinking the place out

[Marc Overmars]

God knows how we’re not a goal down. :lol:

Fairly dull aside from that moment though.

[Mac76]

Don’t know if Rice getting an early yellow unsettled him or whether he’s just not getting the time on the ball he’s used to but he’s stinking the place out

I'd have said the occasion had got to him, but given his England experience you'd think not

[Mac76]

Trossard :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Porto 0-0 Arsenal, HT. Bit of a non event for us really.

[Mac76]

0-0 HT

hmm, a bit shaky and by rights we should be losing - we need to be on our game a lot more in the second half

i wonder if he subs Rice for Jorg at HT?

[Marc Overmars]

A bit shit but I think that was the game plan anyway. 1/4 done, long way to go.

[HCZ_Reborn]

0-0 HT

hmm, a bit shaky and by rights we should be losing - we need to be on our game a lot more in the second half

i wonder if he subs Rice for Jorg at HT?

Doubt it. Plus let’s be fair, Jorginho is not exactly great either when he doesn’t have time on the ball.

Plus the only reason I’ve known Lego hair to make a half time change is injury

[Mac76]

Doubt it. Plus let’s be fair, Jorginho is not exactly great either when he doesn’t have time on the ball.

Plus the only reason I’ve known Lego hair to make a half time change is injury

I've seen him sub players at half time if he's not happy with them and/or wants to change something, i thnk it's happened to Trossard for example

Rice isn't playing well and he's on a yellow, Jorg is better than you say and has good experience for this game

[HCZ_Reborn]

I've seen him sub players at half time if he's not happy with them and/or wants to change something, i thnk it's happened to Trossard for example

Rice isn't playing well and he's on a yellow, Jorg is better than you say and has good experience for this game

Again I can’t say whether Arteta is being honest or not, but with Trossard, as I recall the reason given was that he picked up a knock. Maybe he’s said that to save them what could be perceived embarrassment for being pulled at half time, maybe Rice will suddenly have picked up a “knock”

And Jorginho is a decent enough player, I would have started him tonight….but on his own it’s asking a lot for a player who isn’t the quickest and has been known to be dispossessed in dangerous areas to deal with a team that’s closing us down high up the pitch.

[Mac76]

well anyway he's not made the switch, no surprise but let's hope Rice keeps his cool a bit better in the second half

[Mac76]

has been known to be dispossessed in dangerous areas

you're getting him confused with Zin, the only time that's notably happened with Jorg is against Spuds that time

[HCZ_Reborn]

you're getting him confused with Zin, the only time that's notably happened with Jorg is against Spuds that time

No I’m not getting him confused with anyone. It’s happened a few times in fact against Man City he did exactly the same thing Rice did tonight…he dithered and ended up getting a yellow card for a foul he wouldn’t have had to make if he’d shown a bit more alacrity of thought.

Plus it was a constant issue when he was at Chelsea. With Italy, they are far more defensive so there’s always cover.


He’s good at regulating play, and he’s a good passer of the ball. But he’s a bit Aaron Ramsey in possession at times

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trossard volleys it over from a corner.

[Mac76]

Trossard :doh: mk II

[Mac76]

Galeno :haha:

[Mac76]

we need to try to pub a goal late on just to make things easier at home

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trosssard off, Jorginho on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Galeno, what a strike.

[Letters]

:doh:

[Mac76]

fucking hell, what a series of cockups before that goal, we did the opposite of playing it safe

[HCZ_Reborn]

FFS right at the fucking end

[Mac76]

Odegaard :rolleyes:

[Marc Overmars]

Sorry but when you clearly have no interest in winning the game, this shit can happen. Only got ourselves to blame.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 FT. Well that sucks.

[Mac76]

1-0 FT

idiots, we were off our game all night but did enough to get the draw, then we totally screw up

[Marc Overmars]

Not exactly a mountain to climb but incredibly disappointing to not only lose at the end there but offer absolutely nothing up front.

[Letters]

Bother.
It's only half time though, as they say.
But it does leave us exposed, one away goal and we need 3.

[Marc Overmars]

Bother.
It's only half time though, as they say.
But it does leave us exposed, one away goal and we need 3.

Away goals isn’t a thing anymore.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Bother.
It's only half time though, as they say.
But it does leave us exposed, one away goal and we need 3.

Away goal rule doesn’t exist anymore.


Plus not really concerned about the tie, just frustrates me that when we can’t score we lose. We didn’t deserve to win, I don’t think we deserved to lose either…the draw was about the right result. We were poor but we weren’t terrible, but it’s just these moments where we lose concentration and are sloppy.

[Letters]

Away goals isn’t a thing anymore.

O RLY? I did hear something about that, I didn't know it applied to the CL. Oh, well in that case it's less of a bad result. Sounds like we should have got the draw though.

[Marc Overmars]

O RLY? I did hear something about that, I didn't know it applied to the CL. Oh, well in that case it's less of a bad result. Sounds like we should have got the draw though.

Our game plan was to just auto-pilot a result and move on. Nearly worked but when you have little intention to attack in the end you’re going to invite danger and leave yourself open to sucker punches.

Confident we can turn this around and hopefully Jesus is back for the second leg.

[Letters]

Just seen the highlights. Looked like a game of few chances although Porto really should have scored that early one. After that it was pretty even so we were a bit unlucky. Hell of a goal to win it though. Bother. I mean, we clearly aren’t going to win the CL, but it would be nice to get a bit further.

[Mac76]

we clearly aren’t going to win the CL, but it would be nice to get a bit further.

I actually thought we had more of a chance of pubbing the CL than winning the PL this season but after last night I'm not so sure

[IBK]

I actually thought we had more of a chance of pubbing the CL than winning the PL this season but after last night I'm not so sure

This.