A Lesson from Porto

[Aussie]

If Porto showed us anything

ITS HOW TO DIVE

 

[goonerlove]

The lesson is this:

KNOW YOUR TEAM and HAVE A PLAN

Porto had one of the most organized performances I have seen. Their success is a credit to their coach and all their players knowing their team and knowing what the plan was to win the game. They were patient and tactically intelligent.

To be fair, Monaco's defense looked simply horrific. I can't remember if it was the second or third goal, but it was a 3 on 3 and the goal-scorer was left 15 yards of space... it was a good counter-attack, but it was more so a shameful display of defense.

Arsenal plays a more attacking style but we are also hugely successful because our team knows itself and understands AW's plan. Having a good defense is also critical - but if you are keeping the ball and playing on the opponent's side of the field, you give your defense a chance to look really good too.

Goonerlove

 

[reggiepaul]

These days every team uses some form of cheating or mind games on the pitch and sometimes the decisions go your way and other times they go against you.

Now Porto, played all the way to the end. Many fans believe they cheated and were harsh etc etc blah blah blah - but this is something that goes on for every single team and all managers use some routine to get the better of the opposition.

Mourinho is a great manager and he knows the team well, he knows football and strategy well. Saying the team cheated or dived or anything else is just envy, sour grapes, jealousy etc. No point in favouring character assassination just because you can't see quality.

When they beat United I saw a team that operated four levels above United. At that point I thought, United are ****e. Now I reckon, United weren't a crap team and under Ferguson and the squad right now they still have experience to fight off some world class competition, but that being said Porto are quite rightly a better team.

 

[jeromelee]

Come on lets be fair, if we met any other team besides Chelsea we would've had a better chance to going further in the CL's. Of course we don't always get what we want, but we met chelsea. A team that know's Arsenal so well. A team that we haven't lost to in 17 games. A team that knows we have been playing some tough games en route to our match-up in the return leg.

I don't think there's anything to learn from Porto. Our players were tired. We were down on our luck with the schedule we had. And the game against chelsea could've gone either way.

I'm not saying Porto are bad, I'm just saying that a football is round. Arsenal couldn't possibly be judged to be of lower standards to Porto but were unlucky to not win the CL.

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

I don't think there's anything to learn from Porto. Our players were tired. We were down on our luck with the schedule we had. And the game against chelsea could've gone either way.

I'm not saying Porto are bad, I'm just saying that a football is round. Arsenal couldn't possibly be judged to be of lower standards to Porto but were unlucky to not win the CL.

I agree 100% with you. There isn't too much of a gap from the top 12 teams in europe. Its how the ball rolls on that day. Every team can look back at one or two instances that either saved their CL season or wrecked it. The era of invincible teams is loong gone. Maybe this knockout format should be replaced by a league format. Thats the best way to determine a true champion.

 

[reggiepaul]

I'm not saying Porto are bad, I'm just saying that a football is round. Arsenal couldn't possibly be judged to be of lower standards to Porto but were unlucky to not win the CL.

oooooook...

I don't think it highlights in any case Arsenal are a lesser team but Porto posess something that Arsenal don't for going all the way with a lesser team.

We did have a tough schedule but that's the nature of it all and you have to expect that and counter it, our inability to do so and amount to something during that is a reason.

I feel we should have played Henry and then Gilberto for the next Chelsea game.

 

[huyha123]

just want to say. super topic and discussion.

 

[Biggus]

Posted: Fri May 28, 2004 9:26 pm Post subject:



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.

And Goonerling, dont forget the disgraceful offside decisions by those clowns running up and down the touchlines in the final- what a circus :x

 

[kanooo]

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.

You definitely got a point on the Real Madrid quote. Teams that play offensively (without having a very strong defence) can still win the CL. Madrid has really proved it by winning the most CL than anybody else.

We can also observe Brazil winning the World Cup many times more than anybody else - not by being very good in defending.