In the first leg, Arsenal unexpectedly suffered a 0-1 defeat on Porto’s home ground, despite being highly rated and displaying a more proactive style of play. However, this narrow loss is not considered a catastrophe, as Mikel Arteta’s team recognizes the potential for rectification. They are poised to make amends for several reasons outlined below.
The performance of Arsenal football club
Looking at Arsenal’s performance chart over the past two months, it is evident that the color green (symbolizing victory) prevails. Precisely, since their defeat against Liverpool in the FA Cup on January 7th, Arsenal have won 8 out of 9 matches played. The lone red mark represents their loss to Porto in the first leg two weeks ago.
Delving deeper, one would observe Arsenal’s performance to be formidable. In the 8 aforementioned victories, Arteta’s disciples have scored a remarkable 33 goals against their opponents, averaging over 4 goals per match. Moreover, the loss to Porto did not deter their rampant momentum. In the two matches immediately following the defeat in the Portuguese capital, Arsenal scored a total of 10 goals, securing a 4-1 win against Newcastle and a 6-0 victory against Sheffield United.
With such stellar form and sky-high morale, Arteta has ample grounds to assert to his players that the loss against Porto was merely an unfortunate incident.
The deepth and quality of team composition
In comparison to previous seasons, Arsenal this season has undergone more thorough and early preparations for their European Cup campaign. While they may not have acquired two players of equivalent quality for each position, it is evident that the depth of the squad under Manager Arteta has significantly improved. Consequently, he is not apprehensive about the team facing shortages or key players succumbing to fatigue due to excessive exertion.
Another positive development is that before the match against Porto, Arsenal welcomed back a host of key players from injury, or simply have managed to overcome the haunting specter of injuries altogether. Individuals such as Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, or Fabio Vieira returning will undoubtedly enhance the team’s quality, while also providing Manager Arteta with a wider array of options.
Adaptability
When Arsenal was eliminated by Sporting in the round of 16 of the previous Europa League season, despite playing at home in the second leg and having achieved a 2-2 draw in the first leg, the prevailing sentiment was that they were overly “inexperienced.” Manager Mikel Arteta was deemed “inexperienced” due to his limited exposure to high-profile European tournaments. Arsenal players were also considered “inexperienced” for similar reasons, namely their lack of extensive engagement with football cultures outside of England.
However, this assessment may not entirely hold true. Both Manager Arteta and many players in the Arsenal squad possess knowledge and experience of continental football. It’s just that the Arsenal machinery itself was not yet sufficiently polished or adaptable to cope with the demands of European football. Now, things have changed. On one hand, Arsenal has matured; on the other, they have been bolstered by genuine champions, such as Kai Havertz, who has won the Champions League, or Declan Rice, fresh from winning the Conference League.
Therefore, a clash with Porto could serve as a litmus test for Arsenal players to understand what needs to be done in the return leg. If Arsenal can maintain their current form, they are undoubtedly a level above Porto.
The advantage of home ground
In European cup competitions, leveraging the advantage of home turf is a crucial factor for survival. Last year, an inexperienced Arsenal failed to achieve this, falling prey to Sporting right at the Emirates Stadium. However, this year promises a different outcome, undoubtedly so.
Since the beginning of the season, Arsenal has suffered only one defeat at home in the Premier League. They have also only dropped points twice more, otherwise maintaining an impeccable record of victories. In the Champions League, Arsenal has won all three group stage matches convincingly, defeating PSV, Sevilla, and Lens successively. Notably, in these three victories, they scored a total of 12 goals without conceding any.
Tonight marks a pivotal moment, and Arteta is certain to employ every means necessary to ensure that the Emirates Stadium reverberates with enough noise to unsettle even the most formidable opponents.