Evening guys.
Arsenal take on Sporting CP shortly. Any kind of home win and we’re through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League Cup. Like Arsenal, Sporting won 3-0 at the weekend so they’ll be confident.
After the game, Sporting boss Amorim said:
It was a perfect game because the team remained focused,” Amorim said at full-time. “The team’s main priority and responsibility is to win our league games, but it’s better to prepare for Arsenal after a victory and it was an excellent way to start preparing for that game. All the feelings that come with winning and not conceding a goal, like we did today, as well as playing well against a team like Arsenal, give us confidence. We cannot be under any illusions: Arsenal will have a different gear at home and we will have to be smart, but we will be prepared and very confident.
In the first leg, Arsenal were sloppy in defence and not particularly good up front either but, we came away with a draw and now have to make home advantage count. I can’t imagine there’ll be many empty seats at The Emirates Stadium tonight.
Sporting CP will be without both Hidemasa Morita and Sebastian Coates as both are suspended having picked up a booking each in the first leg.
Amorim on the second leg:
We are going to London with the aim of going through. We know that Arsenal will have their crowd there, but if we were a goal or two ahead it would be completely different. We’re going to play our game and try to make the opposition nervous because we have the ability to have the ball. We know we’re going to suffer a lot and if we have to defend with everyone in front of the goal, then that’s what we’ll do. We strongly believe that we can go through.
Mikel on Sporting:
We’re looking to win. That was the same when we were in Lisbon, but we’re going to have to do better than we did in Lisbon to win against Sporting. We haven’t had big European nights for three years due to COVID especially. Tomorrow is probably the first one that we’ve had for a while and hopefully, we’ll build a really good atmosphere and enjoy it. Our supporters will be there against a really good team that is going to put a big challenge in front of us.
Let’s hope for a fast start, an early goal or two and a place in tomorrow’s quarter-final draw,
Here’s the team…
Catch up in the comments.
Rotten start for Tomiyasu..
Well I hope that’s not a serious one for Saliba..
Nice one Xhaka!
No time to relax.
Marquinos got a red card playing for Norwich City last night.
Trossard on for Jesus and it’s pissing down.
Shit ! What a finish? Maybe that will wake Arsenal up.
What a goal! Dreadful play from us but a brilliant strike.,
Sporting have the upper hand now I reckon.
Doesn’t look like it Cicero..
I fear the worst now..
At last, a free kick to Arsenal!
Big disappointment all round really. A couple of real stinker performances in there too. I hope the injuries aren’t serious.
Still, perhaps something positive will come out of it.
Awful ref and some real butchery out there.
Really need an upgrade on Vieira. The difference when Odegaard came on we made three chances . Thought Ramsdale was unlucky with the pens but , he was so far off his line for their goal , it’s down to him really.
Glass half full. Now we can put all our effort into finishing the Premiership in style.
I didn’t get to see the match, but it sounds a shocker of a match, with bad referring, the bad weather, and possible injuries. How did Jesus look.
I am starting to have some concerns with Ramsdale, from what I have read about last night’s match and his performance over the year with him wondering too far out from goal and not to mention him trying to out play the opposition instead of just clearing the goal area.
Must admit that I am not really that disappointed, as I would prefer to concentrate on securing a top 4 position in the premier league and worry about other competitions next season.
New post up