Loss Champions League Round of 16: FC Porto 1 - 0 Arsenal | Wednesday 21st February | KO: 20:00 GMT | TNT Sports

Prediction

Porto 0-2 Arsenal

 

[Nunowoolmez]

Had Nelson & ESR on the bench & didn't even use em.

What's the point of even having them ?

 

[2Smokeyy]

I didn’t even realise until I heard the original version of the song

 

[lomekian]

Their GK did look good

Yeah, one of the best young keepers in Europe.

 

[BBF]

TNT’s CL coverage is lacking compared to what it was on ITV/Sky Sports.

Darren Fletcher is one of the dullest commentators going.

It's terrible. Whoever's choosing the pundits and the commentators is nicking a living.

 

[BBF]

I didn’t even realise until I heard the original version of the song

I hate how he's such a seething bellend but he comes out with absolute gold you can't not laugh over

 

[TheGreatWright8]

You could easily argue Porto should have won 2-0 with that miracle miss, very fortunate from that aspect.

 

[Trilly]

That late goal has also changed things since Porto can really scumbag their way through the 90minutes

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1760423393029964260

 

[Trilly]

I didn’t even realise until I heard the original version of the song

I hate how he's such a seething bellend but he comes out with absolute gold you can't not laugh over

I’m in tears
This is the kind of anger where he needs to find some other sport to follow

 

[freeglennhelder2]

The bigger concern is have we been fooled into a false sense of security over the last month? Liverpool game aside where we were very good, West Ham, Palace and Burnley just let us play. There was no pressure on the ball but also no real super deep blocks or intent on defending. The Newcastle game will tell us more, have we turned a corner in terms of creativity and goals, or are we still blunt.

Doesn’t really matter what the fans think. Do you really think Major Arteta let’s this kind of belief fester in the players? Nah.

If we beat Newcastle there will still be people saying they are on a bad run and it doesn’t count. Hell, even if we beat City (unlikely) people would just say “it’s not the same City as last year”

 

[Farzad Stoned]

I understand the defeat to Porto was frustrating.

Have you considered that Havertz might have a different role assigned than Ødegaard? Perhaps specifically focused on drawing defenders, creating space for others, or offering a different attacking outlet for long passes and 2nd balls? If so, how do you think he's doing at that?

While his end product could definitely improve, dismissing his overall contribution without acknowledging his tactical purpose is always going to limit your perspective of what we're trying to do tactically as a group. I hadn't seen it until recently.

You're entitled to criticise Arteta's approach in certain matches like Porto but instead of reductively calling it "hope" tactics, let's try to understand the rationale behind our approach and assume there is a plan? Was it to counter a specific type of Porto pressure, exploit weaknesses at defending angled balls, or something else? I challenge you to think deeper.

You're also entitled to call him a "limited manager," but it takes away from some valid points you make about areas Arteta can improve. His in-game adjustments could be more proactive, they don't always have to be after 60 minutes. Jorginho should've come on sooner. He could also make better use of squad players not called Nketiah.

He has a few positive aspects though - the development of players like Ødegaard and Saka, our team spirit, and how he's built a winning culture with a young team that is now defensively solid and competing with Liverpool and City for the title and back in the CL. What do you think of these? Serious question.

Just a couple of things to reflect on.

So Kai’s role is to be the worst player in build up in our attack? His role is to destroy Martinelli by being unable to deliver a simple through ball? You tell me an attacker who can neither pass, score, and is awful in build up how does taking up space and headers make up for that?

I give Mik credit he has certain qualities as a man manager if he likes a player, he does get players to run for the shirt and sells his vision well. These are not minor qualities. But he is the worst manager i have ever seen at rating players because it is all about how he feels about a player not their performance.

This is the 4th season in a row he is destroying by jamming a cr.p player only he believes in chances their play doesn’t warrant. Before he was the Kai lover he was the Holding and Willian lover.

He has done nothing special to aid or develop any of our young studs, in fact he made it harder for them if anything look at Saliba. Look at playing Saka at wingback behind Willian for a season.

Tactically, he is so dumb he can’t figure out in over a year now what to do against same gameplan Dyche used to milk him. A crafty pub league manager can solve that tactical problem in a halftime

 

[Farzad Stoned]

Bro, you spend a huuuuuge amount of CPU time with detailed rants on one of the best backed managers by a club in the league. It could be a long few years for your mental health, unless you find this outpouring therapeutic which is also a possibility I guess

Hating on Arteta relieves me from hating lawyers i am forced to deal with and the fat troglodytes i live among

 

[2Smokeyy]

I hate how he's such a seething bellend but he comes out with absolute gold you can't not laugh over

The comments under LG vs DT on Twitter had me laughing the other day

A wrongun who made a career by criticising AW throwing shade at another bellend who pushed him out of his lane.

Spoiler

 

[GLITCH]

Where would you say the fear comes from? Is it a psychological or possibly management problem? It seems, Tets tactics are too rigid at times, so whenever facing well drilled low blocks, players start panicking if there's no early goal.

I still expect us to win at home, our best players need to step up. I want Ødegaard further forwards; hopefully Zinchenko and Jesus return too.

I think it's a combinations of the manager and the players. They're young, but don’t seem to be the fearless type when there's a bit of pressure. Same can be said for Arteta. They need to play with more freedom and express themselves, but won't happen if the occasion is too big for them. Arteta needs to instil that belief somehow.

 

[Big Poppa]

So Kai’s role is to be the worst player in build up in our attack? His role is to destroy Martinelli by being unable to deliver a simple through ball? You tell me an attacker who can neither pass, score, and is awful in build up how does taking up space and headers make up for that?

I give Mik credit he has certain qualities as a man manager if he likes a player, he does get players to run for the shirt and sells his vision well. These are not minor qualities. But he is the worst manager i have ever seen at rating players because it is all about how he feels about a player not their performance.

This is the 4th season in a row he is destroying by jamming a cr.p player only he believes in chances their play doesn’t warrant. Before he was the Kai lover he was the Holding and Willian lover.

He has done nothing special to aid or develop any of our young studs, in fact he made it harder for them if anything look at Saliba. Look at playing Saka at wingback behind Willian for a season.

Tactically, he is so dumb he can’t figure out in over a year now what to do against same gameplan Dyche used to milk him. A crafty pub league manager can solve that tactical problem in a halftime

See this is where you are unable to get out of your own way. Obviously it’s not, and I think you know that.

Sean Dyche has 2 wins in 8 matches against Arteta. Tf are you talking about milking him? Only Liverpool have more wins than us in the league this season, and the majority of opponents play a low block.

When it comes to facts there’s actually nothing to support what you’re talking about.

 

[MA08]

See this is where you are unable to get out of your own way. Obviously it’s not, and I think you know that.

Sean Dyche has 2 wins in 8 matches against Arteta. Tf are you talking about milking him? Only Liverpool have more wins than us in the league this season, and the majority of opponents play a low block.

When it comes to facts there’s actually nothing to support what you’re talking about.

he does not care about facts,only agendas

 

[Farzad Stoned]

See this is where you are unable to get out of your own way. Obviously it’s not, and I think you know that.

Sean Dyche has 2 wins in 8 matches against Arteta. Tf are you talking about milking him? Only Liverpool have more wins than us in the league this season, and the majority of opponents play a low block.

When it comes to facts there’s actually nothing to support what you’re talking about.

Dyche has draws as well Mik only has beaten him 3 or 4 times and Dyche has managed minnows. This playbook he invented last year now everyone uses it. Low block, double wingers hard and early. It’s tactical grade school any football man can come up with several solutions none of which we ever try. Dyche, considering his talent has a remarkable record of wins and draws using these pub league tactics against Mik. Literally an experienced pub league manager can crack this scheme in halftime adjustments and with a couple subs

 

[Farzad Stoned]

he does not care about facts,only agendas

Who died and made you the judge and jury

 

[MA08]

Who died and made you the judge and jury

You do not need to know, agenda setter

 

[Big Poppa]

Dyche has draws as well Mik only has beaten him 3 or 4 times and Dyche has managed minnows. This playbook he invented last year now everyone uses it. Low block, double wingers hard and early. It’s tactical grade school any football man can come up with several solutions none of which we ever try. Dyche, considering his talent has a remarkable record of wins and draws using these pub league tactics against Mik. Literally an experienced pub league manager can crack this scheme in halftime adjustments and with a couple subs

2 wins from 8 is a remarkable record to you?

 

[GoonerJay24]

I think it's a combinations of the manager and the players. They're young, but don’t seem to be the fearless type when there's a bit of pressure. Same can be said for Arteta. They need to play with more freedom and express themselves, but won't happen if the occasion is too big for them. Arteta needs to instil that belief somehow.

You mention players ages and I get it. But, many have played together for several seasons now. We had one of the youngest teams in history, years ago. That team reached the CL semi-finals.