Report: Porto 2-1 Arsenal
Arsenal will have some comeback to do in two week’s time.
The Gunners had traveled to Portugal with a fair chance of progress in the Champions League but a 2-1 defeat to Porto has now slimmed those hopes.
A very frantic, open affair at the Dragao was decided through the blundering prowess of Lukasz Fabianski.
A ludicrous own goal and an early second-half howler from the Polish goalkeeper meant Campbell’s scoring return in the Champions League was only little encouragement.
Even so, that was the away goal Arsenal craved in this ever-vital knockout round and we will learn it’s value on March 9.
Arsenal have had a recent tendency for early defensive slips and an under-hit back pass from Denilson allowed Porto to pour forward. It took a superb tackle from Campbell on Falcao, followed by Thomas Vermaelen’s block from Rúben Micael, to spare the visitors the worst of starts.
A fierce Hulk drive that skimmed past Fabiański’s post kept the pressure on the Gunners, who cracked with just 11 minutes gone as Fabiański fumbled Varela’s low centre over his own goal line.
Arsène Wenger appeared unimpressed in the Arsenal dugout, but his charges responded with character. Nicklas Bendtner speared a deflected effort wide and then a moment that belonged in a script as Campbell headed in from a set piece, just as he had at the Stade de France against FC Barcelona.
Cesc Fàbregas supplied the corner, Tomáš Rosický nodded the ball back across goal from Vermaelen’s flick and the oldest player on the pitch altered the momentum of the tie.
Rosický came close to swinging it even more emphatically in Arsenal’s favour with a whipped shot turned wide by Helton, before Rúben Micael tested Fabiański with similar results.
Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira had predicted an open match and he was being proved correct, as Bendtner became the next player to threaten with a header that Helton did well to palm over.
It was Porto who broke through after the break, though, Fabiański penalised for picking up a Campbell back pass and Falcao finishing from Rúben Micael’s quickly taken free-kick.
Fabiański saved Wenger’s men from falling further behind with impressive stops from Hulk and Raul Meireles, yet conceding for a second time had clearly sapped their morale and they were in danger of wilting as an attacking force.
Theo Walcott was sent on to reverse that trend, Rosický making way, however it was from dead-ball situations that the Premier League outfit looked most likely to respond.
The Gunners left with some job to do.
Fabianski is such a fuckin twat. Funny thing is, yesterday I was telling someone how I hoped he was not preferred to Mannone in the absence of Almunia and now look.
Ever since last season’s run-in I have always thought this guy was clumsy but many of you felt Almunia was so sh*t this idiot had to be better.
Guess what? He’s not!!!
Even young Mannone didn’t have the jiggling nerves of a schoolboy to do some sh*t like this on his first ever Champions League appearance when we went down 0-2 early on to Standard Liege without him grabbing the ball. Even Mannone had the balls to withstand that pressure, so you can’t tell me this Fabianski twat is just inexperienced or nervous.
He is just not prepared for this level
Nothing much to say. The game pretty much speaks for itself. I hope we don’t get knocked out by Porto which I doubt will happen but the way we are giving games away so easily who knows! We have 3 keepers and we can’t rely on any of them! I am extremely disappointed how we are engaging in these games.
Clichy, got burned and Fabianski fumbled as if someone had spread vaseline all over his gloves. When will, Arsene realize how bad, Denilson is playing? Please, don’t put him on again until he proves his worth. Ramesy, should’ve came on for him early on. And, Eboue coming in with 3min left? OK, I’ll stop there!
Emirates or bust! We have to win and we will!
Nothing Flapianski did was impressive.
He’s a cunt. If he was on fire I wouldn’t piss on him.
He wouldn’t get into a Conference side, so how the fuck has he just got a new deal?!
shay given would not of given away silly goals conceded by the professors team in C/L tonight
Our whole team sucked dog balls today..
Fab..don’t even get me started
Barca…got beat numerous times
Sol…jesus where do I start
Verm…had to be pissed for covering everything on D
Gail..can someone tell him how to serve a ball into the box
Denilson..grow a pair and learn how to move the ball forward
Cesc…a captain leads by example..quit bitching and play the game
Diaby..shoot the f’ing ball you two tall charlie brown looking ass
Rosicky…show some leadership and play with some smarts
Nasri..we were better when he was out..he looks like a lesbian
Nicky…cool it, gather yoruself before you dribble.
Theo…sell him please
Vella…invisible today.
What the f happend to our team? Honestly!!!! It’s going to take a miracle to win next week and advance. Can you imagine if we were playinga good team? The score would have been 10-0!
Unreal…give Vito the nod
I disagree with you on Campbell and co, but you’re spot on about Fabregas.
His impact in the last few games has been whining and…
We always had one leader in the squad and that was RVP. He will try to spur a comeback even if we are losing 3-0, playing on rough mud.
I’m thankful of Vermaelen’s addition, he makes it two leaders in the squad.
Gallas is just stubborn (habit of rushing out of defense into attack like a striker and previous talk-talk in the media) while Cesc is too soft and thinks he can show some toughness by moaning and being petulant. It’s the other way, boy.
Lot of rambling nonsense going on. Lets get specific. We need a goalkeeper ,cos none of our first three would get in at Everton, Fulham or Villa. I could have added more.Denilson will never be a decent holding midfielder, he lacks physicality and attitude;He’s a decent reserve in the centre of midfield but then again Ramsey will be better by this time next year
. Up front I dont discount Bendtner, but repeat what I said last year ; big target men, with the exception of Shearer ,rarely emerge fully ’till 24/25.So for heavens sake Wenger get someone in during the summer cos all the stats say that even in a good year Van persie misses 3 months.As to walcott I cant explain it, and for the moment put it down to lack of cofidence. That said there’s only so long you can make excuses. Same with Nasri who seems destined to always give the minimum required and nothing more.
contrary to what everyone is saying and would have you believe, this really isn’t a bad result. The way I see it there is no way that we won’t beat Porto at home and with the exception of a 3-2, etc. that will be enough to see us through. Porto played a good game. They were physical, they frustrated us, but there is no way they will play with the same fire away from their home. I would bet my life that Arsenal go on to the next round. Sure we didn’t play the best but it’s only half time and The Arsenal is a second half team. Look at the past few years, how many times have we moved on to the next round by virtue of the second tie. AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma are some of the more dramatic examples and those were against much stiffer competition and away from home. Expect Arsenal to win the next tie handedly. The thing that most worries me about this result is how we will respond against Sunderland this weekend after such a physical and high energy game. It seems like the type of game that could see us drop two points at home in a draw. A good result this Saturday is essential so we can get the gears rolling again
Overall, a poor performance by our team. Porto was made to look good. Arsenal need to pull their socks in the coming matches.
guys this is not his fault….notice carefully in the video the referee asks him for the ball and he gives it to him…what will he do,throw it away….****** will get booked….he trusted the referee and the bastard started play…mother******
DKD said this on February 17, 2010 at 10:19 PM | Reply
Almunia……… anyone?
who is the arsenal keeper coach again?
Sol was awesome,
Nasri & Denilson should be dropped until next-season.
Denilson’s SIDEWAYS passing is now pissing me off,WHAT does he bring to this team????????SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME.
Diaby was SUPERB,played much better than Fabregas.
Porto will be destroyed @ the emirates.
i think rosicky is our man of the match 4 this game,he pass well,attack well n defend well….wat is denilson do 2day??he totally missing from this match…diaby is so slow 2 pass the ball away n keep losing possesion in the last 20 minute….Porto is hungry like wild dog…u can c them tackle Fabregas more than 15 times…they are targeting our final ball passer…bendtner,nasri,walcott n vela is juz now mature enough 2 b Arsenal 1st team player…but i believe they will b a star in the making……lastly i very dissapointed wif the referee,he almost making the right decision 4 whole match,but he end up with tat silly Porto 2nd goal…he should not allow it or give time our player 2 defend it..but he straight away allow it as he also didnt prepare 2 continue the game…