A Lesson from Porto

[Feis-al]

After watching yesterday's Champions League final match, This is what I've come to think about:

1 - Have a very good defense and forget the Wenger wonderful game but play between typical English and Italian football. In otherwords be really defensive(Italian) and play Hard tackling footie(English). It becomes difficult for teams predicting when we are going to attack and man marking Henry and the rest of the attack we have, Remember the Inter away game!

2 - Patience, Monaco really gave there best attack and looking at how Evra was playing like Ashley, Just explains that Rothen could have been substituted and Evra given a better person to link up well with. They killed Rothen's game and consquently Morientes and Prso had no chance to score. When they(Monaco) needed to hold on the ball upfront patiently and break down Porto, they always lost possesionat the 18 box, Just as Kanu does when we need him to create pull opposition and release the ball (although he always drags his f**kin' feet).

Atleast that is what I noticed and by the way, Luck must be in there too
What was your observation!

 

[lewdikris]

The real lesson - and it's one Wenger's always trying to learn better - is that the basis of fast counter-attacking football, at which we're supreme, is outstanding defence, at which we're still learning some lessons at the very highest level. Simply put, when it comes to a major league game, a playmaker playing in front of a disciplined hard working midfield three gives you tremendous balance and control.

Next season, when it really counts, I want Wenger to ease back even more on the all-out attacks, play Gilberto in front of the defence and Edu and Paddy in front of him, with Bobby or Van Persie making the play. It works. IT'S ALWAYS WORKED at the toughest points of European football. Most of the time it ain't pretty, but it's a winning combination, and we have exactly the players to do it....

That was the real lesson of last night - that negative tactics give you a platform to score some stunning goals.

 

[Sammer]

After watching yesterday's Champions League final match, This is what I've come to think about:

1 - Have a very good defense and forget the Wenger wonderful game but play between typical English and Italian football. In otherwords be really defensive(Italian) and play Hard tackling footie(English). It becomes difficult for teams predicting when we are going to attack and man marking Henry and the rest of the attack we have, Remember the Inter away game!

2 - Patience, Monaco really gave there best attack and looking at how Evra was playing like Ashley, Just explains that Rothen could have been substituted and Evra given a better person to link up well with. They killed Rothen's game and consquently Morientes and Prso had no chance to score. When they(Monaco) needed to hold on the ball upfront patiently and break down Porto, they always lost possesionat the 18 box, Just as Kanu does when we need him to create pull opposition and release the ball (although he always drags his f**kin' feet).

Atleast that is what I noticed and by the way, Luck must be in there too
What was your observation!

I couldn´t agree with you more, Feis-Al.

Sitting in that stadium yesterday I thought a lot about how we would have done against Porto yesterday.

It´s not only about having a top-class defense. It´s about the whole team - especially midfield - acting as defenders and quickly switchting to the attacking mode when needed.

We are brilliant at counter attacking - but we haven´t managed yet (with the exception of Viera) to really perfect our defensive play in midfield.

 

[Andrew]

The Porto team I saw yesterday was almost, IMO, the exact way to play football. Some say it's boring, but I don't think so. They still have the attacking genius of Deco and when they attacked they did it with purpose. That is what it takes to win the Champions League.

 

[westo]

I would rather play attacking football, but Porto have no world class players maybe Deco and Jorge Andrade the right-back. Because they were unknown the teams they played would attack them and Porto would get them on the break. However if we were to adopt the defensive style for games especially away from home we should play a 4-1-3-1-1

normal back for then Gilberto defensive holding the midfeild then Pat and Edu or RaY. Bobby should have the roaming Deco role. Reyes could do the Carlos Alberto role taking players on behind the striker. With Henry up front.

 

[Gurgen]

Yes let's play defensive and boring so we have incentive to watch our matches except the result. Let's throw all those compliments about our style of play overboard, hey, we might even get our nickname back!

I can't believe what I'm reading here, is result really all that matter to you people? What about beautiful attacking football?

 

[Anonymous]

we would have beaten both porto & monaco easily

the trouble is we **** up against chelsea

reason- henry did not deliever when counted.

 

[KingReyes]

we would have beaten both porto & monaco easily

the trouble is we f**k up against chelsea

reason- henry did not deliever when counted.

If that is the case then its quite sad really that we have to depend on Henry to take us to CL glory. Its a team effort, we can't expect Henry to deliver all the time. He delivered against Inter in Milan he couldn't against Chelscum its part of the game.

 

[Sammer]

we would have beaten both porto & monaco easily

the trouble is we f**k up against chelsea

reason- henry did not deliever when counted.

Don´t agree with you at all. It´s neither Henry, nor Lehmann or any individual player to blame our loss against Chelsea.

Chelsea deserved to go through, since were more comitted and determined in both matches (except for the 1st half of the 2nd match).

 

[AFCG7]

Sammer.. i diasgree to a certain extent... Lehmanns failure in dealing correctly with a shot handed them the equalizer and gave them a boost when we were on top and in control.
His botched-up clearance cost us a goal in the first leg.
Henry , as good as he is , was also frustrating.. didnt turn up at all.
We need all our players to turn up in a CL quarterfinal.. just like Porto did , which they did again over 2 legs in the semi and again in the final.

 

[Jose_Reyes_2005]

Yes let's play defensive and boring so we have incentive to watch our matches except the result. Let's throw all those compliments about our style of play overboard, hey, we might even get our nickname back!

I can't believe what I'm reading here, is result really all that matter to you people? What about beautiful attacking football?

Yes im afraid it is the result that counts mate.

So u would rather play beautiful amazing attacking football but lose the game when you could play boring football but actually win the game?

As fans we want to see the club win everything. We couldnt care less how 'beautiful' they play - usually when the players are coming out of the tunnel they'r aim is to WIN the game - not PLAY BEAUTIFUL ATTACKING football.

As for ur points, Feisal - i totally agree with you. AC Milan won the tournament last season mainly due to their amazing defence. Madrid have failed in the competition for the last 2 years because they seem to think that defence plays no part in football. They go out and buy attacking player after attacking player while allowing totally **** defenders to start week in week out.

Its not always pretty - but its brought success to the teams who have tried it.

Milan :- Became Champions League Champions
Munich:- Became Champions League Champions
Valencia:- Got to 2 Champions league finals and Uefa Cup Champions

 

[TRUE GUNNER]

Ok i agree to some point that it doesnt matter how we play as long as we win but thats not the arsenal of now, I mean we got knocked out by chelsea, we were so close.

I've supported Arsenal all my life and the football we are playing right now is unbelievable and for us to stop playing that way would not be right. I mean i dont want us to turn into boring liverpool, Real madrid never won the champions league by playing defensive football, neither did man united.

We dont have to turn into a boring defensive side to win things, the way were playing right now is killing most teams, and were only getting better.

 

[Arsenal316]

If Porto proved anything, it's that you don't have to be flashy and entertaining to win. In the grand scheme of things, good tight defense combined with a powerful counter-attack is all you need.

And yes, no one player for Porto single-handedly took them all the way to CL glory. It was a team effort. All 11 players did their job. So to those of you who are hoping Henry can take us there all by himself, you're dreaming...... :roll:

 

[Gurgen]

Yes let's play defensive and boring so we have incentive to watch our matches except the result. Let's throw all those compliments about our style of play overboard, hey, we might even get our nickname back!

I can't believe what I'm reading here, is result really all that matter to you people? What about beautiful attacking football?

Yes im afraid it is the result that counts mate.

So u would rather play beautiful amazing attacking football but lose the game when you could play boring football but actually win the game?

As fans we want to see the club win everything. We couldnt care less how 'beautiful' they play - usually when the players are coming out of the tunnel they'r aim is to WIN the game - not PLAY BEAUTIFUL ATTACKING football.

As for ur points, Feisal - i totally agree with you. AC Milan won the tournament last season mainly due to their amazing defence. Madrid have failed in the competition for the last 2 years because they seem to think that defence plays no part in football. They go out and buy attacking player after attacking player while allowing totally s**t defenders to start week in week out.

Its not always pretty - but its brought success to the teams who have tried it.

Milan :- Became Champions League Champions
Munich:- Became Champions League Champions
Valencia:- Got to 2 Champions league finals and Uefa Cup Champions

Wow sometimes you wonder why people are fans :roll:

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

Don't read too much..guys. The CL has been won by teams that were strong defensively but also by teams that are reknown for their attacking style. Please lets look at Real Madrid. They have won it the most..recently and its been attackign soccer. Prior to AC winning last year..the Italians reknown for their defense had gone 3 years or so of distatrous results in the CL.

Seems like people think you can't play attacking soccer without a solid defense. I think that is NOT true. Madrid was exposed this year cos their defense was really weak. It wasn't about their attacking style cos they scored enough goals to win most games.

You play on your strength guys!!The Porto team does not have the quality to play open attacking football. Monaco did..and we do. Its not just a philosophy..its the players. Wenger can't play the same style if he goes to Bolto today. And with yesterday's game..if Giuly had taken his first chance the results would have been different. Same thing with us against Chelsea.That equalizer changes everything. So its not that simple guys. Not just about playing defensively. In such a high level a moment of genius/luck is all it takes to win a game. i.e Porto's first goal.

Whats beautiful about US is we know we can play a defensive game..and switch to an attacking game at any time. We have the players to do that. Usually that is the first problem. A coach's tactic is dictated by who he has at his disposal.

Credit to Porto.They do have a pretty descent defense..and fought very well to break Monaco's attack. feisal, Rothen's ineffectiveness was not a result of Evra's style(i.e cole). It has worked very well for them...as it does for us. I think Giuly was sorely missed..cos he really is the creator for them. Porto only had to focus on Rothen.

 

[reggiepaul]

I've begun to realise talent goes hand in hand with the teams collective mentality before during and after games.

We have a great football, admirable play, great players and everything else but at times we have fallen out of competitions that we shouldn't have and this has happened a lot. As much as the feat in the premiership was unique and irreplacable we have faced oppossition who on paper are far weaker than us but on the day, mentally they have been determined to stop us at all costs, no matter what it takes.

This is partly down to teams wanting to beat us because we are the best. So professionally we could be the best but momentarily on the day, these guys will want to be known as the team that beat Arsenal. Mentally, that is something Arsenal need to consider - No mercy basically.

I think overall, from Mourinho and Porto we should learn, if there is anything to improve at Arsenal it's our mentality.

 

[Jose_Reyes_2005]

Wow sometimes you wonder why people are fans

Try to make sense next time u post. :?

 

[Feis-al]

If Porto proved anything, it's that you don't have to be flashy and entertaining to win. In the grand scheme of things, good tight defense combined with a powerful counter-attack is all you need.

And yes, no one player for Porto single-handedly took them all the way to CL glory. It was a team effort. All 11 players did their job. So to those of you who are hoping Henry can take us there all by himself, you're dreaming...... :roll:

Mutahaba
Junior Gooner




Joined: 22 Oct 2003
Posts: 124



Posted: Thu May 27, 2004 6:47 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't read too much..guys. The CL has been won by teams that were strong defensively but also by teams that are reknown for their attacking style. Please lets look at Real Madrid. They have won it the most..recently and its been attackign soccer. Prior to AC winning last year..the Italians reknown for their defense had gone 3 years or so of distatrous results in the CL.

Seems like people think you can't play attacking soccer without a solid defense. I think that is NOT true. Madrid was exposed this year cos their defense was really weak. It wasn't about their attacking style cos they scored enough goals to win most games.

You play on your strength guys!!The Porto team does not have the quality to play open attacking football. Monaco did..and we do. Its not just a philosophy..its the players. Wenger can't play the same style if he goes to Bolto today. And with yesterday's game..if Giuly had taken his first chance the results would have been different. Same thing with us against Chelsea.That equalizer changes everything. So its not that simple guys. Not just about playing defensively. In such a high level a moment of genius/luck is all it takes to win a game. i.e Porto's first goal.

Whats beautiful about US is we know we can play a defensive game..and switch to an attacking game at any time. We have the players to do that. Usually that is the first problem. A coach's tactic is dictated by who he has at his disposal.

Credit to Porto.They do have a pretty descent defense..and fought very well to break Monaco's attack. feisal, Rothen's ineffectiveness was not a result of Evra's style(i.e cole). It has worked very well for them...as it does for us. I think Giuly was sorely missed..cos he really is the creator for them. Porto only had to focus on Rothen.

We are on the same footing mate and the main reason is that, being cautios when away is very good since we have a very decent attacking team in the world. As for you Mutahaba, My point is, Evra was doing all that was necessary but Rothen really let him down. Otherwise I like Rothen but he did what our Henry did against our return leg iwth Chelsea as boys have put it but I don't blame Henry since 9 more players would have performed and Chelsea would be out.

 

[A.M.A.G.]

And yes, no one player for Porto single-handedly took them all the way to CL glory. It was a team effort. All 11 players did their job. So to those of you who are hoping Henry can take us there all by himself, you're dreaming......

Excellent, EXCELLENT point!!!!!!!

 

[goonerling]

if porto winning it showed anything, it's that it's never down to just how i team plays or a manager's tactics. scholes was onside when they played man u. they got a debatable pen and a depor player sent off in the semi . The opposition's key man, guily, lasted less than a quarter of the final etc etc.

You just can't legislate for stuff like that.

Not saying they didn't deserve it, but it's not always the best team in Europe which wins the CL.