please log in to view this image Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Thursday 16th March 2023 KO time: 20:00 GMT Overall Record Wins: 2 Draws: 3 Lost: 0 Last six meetings Sporting CP 2-2 Arsenal Arsenal 0-0 Sporting CP Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal Arsenal 3-0 Sporting CP (Fairs Cup) Sporting CP 0-0 Arsenal (Fairs Cup) please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Expecting a solid clinical display tonight which will set us up nicely for April.If defensively we are on the ball I see no reason why we can't win 2 or 3-0. If we can then beat Palace at home on Sunday it means we are 8 pts ahead of City with 10 games remaining and a QF in the Europa and we are in April!
15 mins gone and we look utterly disjointed. Sporting all over us. Need to get a foothold of the game here otherwise we’re going to get dumped out the competition with a whimper. No control at all in midfield. They’re carefully targeting the left hand side that Zinchenko vacates when he inverts into midfield. May be a good idea to bring Tierney on to hold the width and stretch play.
Xhaka! 1-0! Been a bit better last 2-3 minutes, but that is totally against the run of play. Will take it, though. Let’s hope we fix up from here on in.
Second half has started exactly like the first. We are on the backfoot, dropping deeper and struggling to gain any control of the match. We are struggling with their technical superiority and athleticism. Need to fix up otherwise this is gonna be a very uncomfortable evening.
The chasm between our performances in this competition and the Premier League is like night and day. Players clearly not playing at their usual level.
Jorginho, Vieira and Xhaka as a midfield trio don’t work. Too lightweight, not enough physicality and not enough athleticism. This was my worry when we’re up against a motivated, physically-imposing and powerful midfield opposition.
Sporting have no games until the international break and this is their last realistic shot of a trophy, as they are out of the domestic Portuguese cups and are 4th in their league. No wonder they are playing like their lives depend on it. Our attitude in this competition has been awful. And until we learn to cope without having to play an XI comprised of majority first-team players, we are never going to be able to compete on multiple fronts. The players are playing at 80% and you can’t do that against tactically and technically good teams.
This Adan guy has made some incredible saves to deny us from scoring, I have to say. Doesn’t give me much confidence should this go to penalties.