CL: Porto vs Arsenal | 06/12/06

[Jkreffer]

Sadly doing a Bolton in the CL wouldn't really work as we would have half the team sent off.

 

[Viper]

We just don't have the right players to play on the defensive, and we were all over the place at Porto.

This was the same against Villarreal.

It's like asking a penguin to fly, which is pretty much going to be impossible.

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

We just don't have the right players to play on the defensive, and we were all over the place at Porto.

This was the same against Villarreal.

It's like asking a penguin to fly, which is pretty much going to be impossible.

That you are right about. We don't have the players(physique and EXPERIENCE) to be very defensive. We really don't. Thats why i believe that showing in Porto just like the one at Villareal wasnt' planned. The plan was to play a conservative game..but once its up to the players to implement it properly. The kids just are not mature enough to play a balanced, smart defensive game. I think against Juve (away) we got close to getttint the balance right but it will take time for this team to do so. Key word is TIME. Its not about stop the othe team from playing, we don't do that but its about decising when to push forward when not to how many to go how many to support. You learn all that through experience. All i know for sure and will always preach is if you are not sure what to do, STAY PUT!!!

 

[the dawn raids]

exactly. the results have been a bit misleading, so to say that wenger has gotten it right every time is a very shallow and ignorant way to look at it.

i dont think theres anyone here saying wenger got it right; i know im not. frankly i doubt there was anyone who was pleased to see the team we put out there wednesday. the point is is that the tactics werent so blatantly unexpected as some have made it out to be.

im no fan of seeing it. but weve gotten the desired result every time weve played that way (albeit while looking extremely shaky all 3 times), and im positive wenger will play that way again, much to the chagrin of a lot of people, myself included.

with our squad being so young, wenger now has no qualms whatsoever with getting results the ugly way. i wont be suprised to see something similar tomorrow, especially with toure and gallas out. and i wont be suprised one bit if tomorrow is the game where we thrashed for playing in such a manner. but its already gotten us 3 points at old trafford, and i see no realistic way he'll go against that and change anything.

 

[Captain]

at the end of the day it was a carve up. If Porto had scored we would have scored too.

The result was always going to be a draw.