Morning all.
The beginning of what is a huge five days for Mikel Arteta and his players as both the Champions League and Premier League hopes are hanging by a thread. A thread nevertheless which is better than having nothing to hang our hopes on.
Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori have been out for what seems like ages now and none of them were spotted training yesterday. Declan Rice didn’t train either. Piero Hincapie and Eberechi Eze did though so hopefully both will be fit enough to start tonight instead of taking a place on the bench. Hopefully the rest will be on the bench instead, even if it’s just so they get minutes at the end of the game.
Sporting are still in this tie that’s for sure but as long as we don’t lose, we’ll go through to the semi-finals. Sporting haven’t faired that well against English opposition in years gone by, winning just two of their last 14 European fixtures however, in the 2022/23 season, Sporting dumped us out of the Europa League on penalties at the first knockout stage.
Despite our recent domestic shambles, Arsenal have a 100% winning record at home in this competition and to be fair, the team have played a lot better in Europe than in England. Sporting have managed just one win on their Champions League travels this year which came after a very late goal against Athletic Club.
Injuries and suspensions:
On Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta said:
”We have to wait and see how he is tomorrow, but obviously he wasn’t available to train. He’s played a lot of games and that’s part of the issue. But he’s going to try to do everything that he possibly can to be with us tomorrow, that’s for sure.”
No poop Sherlock, all of us could have told Arteta that long before now as he’s looked knackered for a while. He’s not the only one either as Martin Zubimendi has look dead in his feet too. Anyway, a late decision is to be made on all our currently walking wounded with Arteta hinting that one might return.
Sporting have doubts over Fresneda who picked up a knock at the weekend, midfielder Simoes missed the game while Fotis Ioannidis, Guilherme and Santos are all ruled out.
Arteta on his overriding emotion at the moment:
“Fire. I’m on fire. That’s it, nothing else. I’m dreaming so much. I’ve done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I just see beauty, opportunity and I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us, and because they deserve it, because it’s been unbelievable. That’s what has driven me every single day – zero fear. Fear I had when: ‘oh, if we don’t get this done, this club, I don’t know what is going to happen.’ That was fear. Now there’s no fear. It’s just purpose, fire, direction and conviction that we’re going to do it.”
On if he sees that fire in the players:
“Yes, big time.”
A fire maybe but more like one which has not long had a bucket of water thrown over it!
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:
Borges uses a standard 4-2-3-1 with left-sided forward Pedro Goncalves [above] drifting infield to leave space for buccaneering left back Maxi Araujo to bomb forward. On the other side, Geny Catamo is an out-and-out winger who works nicely in tandem with supporting full-back Fresneda.
Sporting’s approach is an attacking style of play that often sees them commit six or more players to moves built inside the opposition half. While they are good enough to play through the lines, they are most effective when going from back to front directly, and centre-backs Goncalo Inacio and the excellent Ousmane Diomande can pick out forwards with deep passes.
Viktor Gyokeres’ replacement Luis Suarez has netted 37 times for club and country this season, with five of those strikes coming in the Champions League. Sharp around the box, with good movement and a natural nose for where chances will fall, the 28-year-old works well with attacking midfielder Francisco Trincao, who loves to shoot from outside the box.
They will pose a threat on the counter as only Real Madrid and Liverpool have manufactured more attempts on goal from fast breaks than Sporting, but in the first leg, when we closed them down with intensity inside their half, Borges’ team looked uncomfortable, losing possession in bad areas. It is vital that we hunt in packs and replicate that tactic.
If Arsenal want to have any chance of winning something this season then things have to vastly improve. Arteta has to be smarter and the players need to find more energy from somewhere. We’ll see tonight if the so called fire is burning bright, on Sunday too. Talk is cheap when the walk doesn’t follow.
Catch up later.
We have seen several times this season Arsenal bounce back after letting a good lead diminish to a “pittance”. Hopefully this will be the case once and for all!
I would like to see Rice on the bench tonight just in case he is needed in the second half. I know he is tired but his expertise is very much needed.
My only big criticism regarding Arteta. He did not rotate his team enough throughout the season to get all of his players playing well together and constantly whenever selected/subbed. This leaves me asking the big question of why did they go through much grieve/negotiations for players they wanted just to leave them sitting on the bench so many times . Once again this has come back to bite Arteta in the bum with their now injuries.
Onwards and upwards. Lets get it right tonight and on Sunday.
Good morning Rico.
A fine pre match, thanks.
We need something different in midfield, someone to win the ball not just try to smother the opposition. Someone like Myles Lewis-Skelly for instance?
Morning all, well setup rico. I think MLS AND Cali, would be a shock to opposition and us! But with a holding midfielder behind, they would certainly carry the ball forward well. Far too adventurous for MA to try though.
England under 21’s beat Moldova 4 – 1 last week Nwaneri got two and Lewis Skelly was in midfield.albeit wearing number 3 and the combination for the third goal came from Hale End.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycujUPJhRUs
Perhaps he could combine with Dowman to do something similar.