Morning all.
As we all know, if one looks hard enough, answers to most questions can be found on the internet so I went searching in attempt to find out what Porto FC are all about. After being bamboozled by tactical jargon, the gist is, they’re going to be difficult to beat.
Their manager is Sergio Conceicao who is renowned for his dynamic and attacking style of play. His favoured formation is the good old fashioned 4-4-2. Out of possession, his players are hardworking and won’t hesitate to get stuck in. They press high and hard through their front two with their midfield players not far behind.
Defensively, they play a high line and the back four play as one unit when defending but when in attack, their fullbacks are their danger men. They attack down the flanks with their wingers moving inside to create a defensive more problems. They’re quick too, especially in transition with short and swift passing.
There you go, clear as mud.
Portuguese teams are often hard to beat, Portuguese coaches are hard to beat. That’s not to say they’re unbeatable though. Two legged European ties and Arsenal haven’t often made good bed fellows though.
In Primeira Liga, they sit 3rd on the table, 7 points behind current leaders Benfica. To be honest, I only recognise three clubs in Portugal’s top league with Sporting Lisbon being the other and they currently sit in 2nd place.
February has been a great month so far for Mikel Arteta and his players, 2024 has as we’re yet to drop a domestic point and have conceded just one goal. Porto however have dropped points against Rio Ave and Arouca – two clubs I’ve never heard of. Their last domestic fixture ended with a 2-0 victory against Estrela da Amadora. Nope, never heard of them either. Benfica await them after tonight, a game they must win really if they’re to have any hope of finishing in the automatic qualification for Champions League football next season.
Porto came through their group as runners up to Barcelona, the only one of the three clubs they didn’t beat. Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp were the other two clubs in the group. Here’s a glimpse of them in action during their 5-3 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk which secured their place in the knockout stages.
This is the fourth time we have drawn against Porto in European competition, all of which have been in the Champions League. We have won all three home ties but are yet to beat them on their own turf – The Estadio do Dragao.
Remember the night we played them at Highbury? It was at the same stage of the competition and we were trailing 2-1 going into the second leg.
Arsenal.com
Yep, Nicklas Bendtner scored a hat-trick as Arsene Wenger’s team thrashed Porto 5-0 in March 2010. Much has changed since that day though for both clubs. By the way, did you see that Mika Biereth scored on his European debut for SK Sturm Graz last week? He scored again at the weekend too. Just saying….
Team news for Arsenal. Both Fabio Vieira and Thomas Partey are back in training. I’m not getting ahead of myself again with Partey as last time he was seen, he broke down again but fingers crossed this time his return is for real.
Arsenal.com
Despite being back in training, Thomas Partey has not travelled to Portugal. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber remain out of contention too. Three younger players travelled with the senior squad – 17 year old defender Ayden Heaven, 20-year-old right-back James Sweet and Ethan Nwaneri.
I’ve no idea who will be in Mikel Arteta’s starting eleven although I’m quietly confident the back five will be the same as the Burnley game with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka included but after that, I’m not sure. I’m sure it’s tempting to start with the same eleven as the weekend, after all, if it’s not broken why try and fix it however, tonight is just the first half of a two legged tie. Tonight is about coming away with a result which we can better at home and making sure we give ourselves a really good chance of getting through to the next round and that might mean Mikel Arteta has to or needs to, tweak his starting eleven.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico. Yes it will be a difficult game tonight but I’m confident that we will come away with a clean sheet. The reason for my confidence? Yesterday’s Telegraph article about Raya, apparently he has the biggest hands of any ‘keeper in the league. So just as we had David “Safe Hands” Seaman, now we have David “Grande Manos” Raya. 😉
Morning Cicero.
Ha ha re Raya. I suppose I think about how we oft struggle in Europe and against Portuguese clubs. Arteta has a lot of experience of CL football from his time at City but I’m not feeling very confident ahead of the game.
Morning Rico and Co, good post.
Who could forget Pat Jennings and his big hands!
Porto will raise their game and the home fans will react so it’s going to be a fervent atmosphere initially, but as long as we don’t drop any early clangers then I’m sure that Arsenal will soon gain the ascendancy and control the game.
Lens will have taught our players a lesson and we’re playing a heck of a lot better now than we was when we played Lens away.
Porto have lost most of their home games against the big clubs that have visited them this season so I’m expecting Arsenal to win.
If we really believe that this Arsenal team is on the verge of doing something special then we’ve also go to believe that we have the Coach and the players who can visit a club like Porto and not only deal with the home atmosphere but to dominate.
Morning Kev, thanks.
I read a bit about Porto. A hostile stadium, good record against English clubs and they used their victory over us a few years ago to name a cup. What a cheek! I hope we batter them..
Mika Biereth is an interesting prospect Rico, if Arteta decides to divert his funds towards other areas of the squad (midfield, wide forward) on the back of Martinelli, Saka, Havertz, Trossard and Odegaard continuing to score the goals we need, then Mika might just benefit by being ‘the man most likely’ just when we need cover for Jesus.
With points deductions in the pipeline for other Premier League clubs it’s likely that Arsenal will reign in the spending and look at internal solutions? Selling Nketiah and maybe Nelson in the summer if a strong possibility because it’s all profit and good for the clubs profit and sustainability. Therefore Biereth might just be the man to replace Eddie?
Blimey is that right Rico, they named a cup after a win over Arsenal?
I guess that that is a kind of compliment but yeah I agree, I hope we batter them.
Morning Rico
Porto will be the carbon copy of Portuguese coaching: Defensive; Dull; Dirty
Two legs means we can be measured and not take too many risks. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jorginho in the starting 11.
I bet the weather is better in Porto than here!
I think so too re Mika Kev. Might he be the strong and tall striker we need? Possibly if he carries on doing well in Europe. Strong lad by the looks of him.
Yep Kev, an insult I think. lol
Morning Pete, summed up perfectly I think. That’s exactly what we can expect. Coming away without injuries will be as important as the result.
I think we can deal with the physical side of the game Pete/Rico. Let’s see how we go when we get a corner, there is bound to be a lot of shirt-pulling, obstruction and feigning of injury from the Ports, it’s what they do and they’re very good at the dark arts, we’ve just gotta be as dark as them.
I’m getting ready to go to Porto…
Ben White will be in his element winding-them-up and yeah, I’d start Jorginho, he knows all the tricks, we need to dive and feign injury just like them.
Boa Sorte JM
I think we can deal with it Kev but will the officials? The ref has to be strong.
Have a good trip Joaquim , give us a wave and bring us a good result.
You’re getting ready early Jm. Lol
Great read Rico as usual. With the quality we have, except we ourselves bungle it, we should come away with a win tonight.
The only problem is that apart from Arteta’s first season when he won the FA Cup, we have been decidedly poor in knock out competitions, both locally and in Europe. Maybe it is because he rotates in cup games, as some of us are even suggesting, or simply games brinkmanship.
Whatever it is, Arsenal only has to worry about City and Real Madrid in this year’s champions league. Apart from these two, only poor management and application will see us eliminated by any of the other teams.
Wishing them plenty luck tonight and praying for an injury free 90 minutes.
Remember, it was in the first knock out stage in last year’s Europa that we lost Saliba against Sporting.
Expecting a tough game but I’m quietly confident. History tells us it won’t be easy,I saw on Sky (they love a negative Arsenal stat) we have played 3 times in Porto,lost 2,drew 1. I’ve been impressed with Arsenal in Europe this season,so fingers crossed.
During Covid when there wasn’t much football around,BT sport at the time were showing Portuguese league games, they were mostly boring,low scoring affairs. The players were technically very good.
It’s always hard to guess Artetas line up. We have a big game on Saturday,I notice it’s then 9 days until our next game.
COYG
Thanks Daniel. I think Arsenal have a dreadful record in Europe full stop. Wenger should have reached more finals with the squad he had throughout his first ten years. Ironically, the squad which finally reached the CL final was much changed to the invincible one.
I agree re Mikel Arteta, but he’s experienced good things with city in Europe, albeit not actually winning it.
Limey, I don’t think British teams have a good record against Porto or Portuguese clubs full stop. As you said, quality footballers but boring teams. At least that’s what I’ve seen too from the handful of matches watched. Not that I made through the entire match…
Thank you Rico. The scouting report about their playing style was very handy. Now I have an idea of what to expect… though it is possible that they may try to clamp things down in a knockout CL tie by being more conservative. Almost all teams that scout Arsenal end up doing that except for Klopp. Respect to him. He will be missed for things like that.
Also, what’s with all these cute names of young players? Heaven, Sweet? I know the name Darling exists so we’re probably looking for one to add to the academy.
Ha ha Nigel, let’s hope not re the academy players.
I read the entire scouting report and it drove me bonkers..
Just caught this on talk shite , I got into my car and the radio was crackling so I changed channel and there they were saying that there next topic was to discuss Arsenal losing in Porto .
Andy Goldstein :- you are a toss pot. !
They really are a bunch of biased buffoons…
In face of Stadium. Waiting for comming in
Who will you be routing for Jm? Lol
Haha!!!! I am here! Yes!!!
Quim, what is your connection to Porto? Is it a long term liking for a boyhood team and does it override your support of Arsenal?
Whatever it is I hope you enjoy the match.
J’ aime but today I support Arsenal! Good environment inside
Arsenal team news
Team to play FC Porto:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Substitutes:
Ramsdale, Hein, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Cedric, Jorginho, Vieira, Nelson, Elneny, Nwaneri, Sweet, Heaven
Good line up
The unchanged line-up makes perfect sense. As I said previously, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
I thought Jorginho might come in to offer more in midfield. Hey ho, good job I’m not a manager, I’d be sacked. Rich, but sacked. 😂
My goodness, what a miss from Porto..
And what a miss from Havertz.
Pretty even I reckon although we’ve had most of the possession.
Our only attempts on goal have come from corners. We need to get Trossard to play more centrally and closer to the box. Unfortunately, possession won’t get us any points.
Jorginho for Rice soon, we don’t want him to be unavailable for the second leg.
One shot on target for Porto, nil for Arsenal. Come on test the goalie!
Thought they had scored, the double strike was so quick.
Blast, Liverpool two quick goals after 0-1 half time.
Back in the room after making a cuppa, bit alarmed by that red mark next to Ars on score! Relieved when realised not Rice!
S**t!!!!
Naivety lost that game…
Sucker punched again ,giving the ball away and Raya off his line .His only problem at full stretch he is too short. Still we got what we thought Porto with a lot of dark arts and a compliant ref but really the most we deserved was a draw and a collapse of concentration at the end cost us.
We now will have to score and win by 2 clear goals or it goes to extra time and penalties as away goals don’t count double anymore.
I didn’t get to see the match, but loosing 1 nil is not too bad, hopefully we can take full advantage with the second leg.
Morning all.
New post up