Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to create something beautiful against Porto tomorrow night.
However, their gritty, hard-fought victory on Saturday evening might just have provided the ideal preparation for their first Champions League knockout triumph in 14 years.
With a narrow one-goal lead, the Portuguese side arrives in north London with a clear mission to disrupt Arsenal’s plans. Brentford’s approach, as described by center-back William Saliba, offered a stark contrast to the typical Premier League encounters the Gunners have faced this season. This experience is likely to prove invaluable as they gear up to face Porto.
Thomas Frank’s Brentford side adopted a compact style reminiscent of what Arsenal can expect from Porto. Despite falling short of causing an upset, Brentford came close to securing a shock draw in a contentious, stop-start affair.
While dominating pliable opponents is commendable, the ability to maintain composure and tactical intelligence to secure a late victory against a resilient and street-smart opponent is a hallmark of elite teams.
This eighth consecutive league triumph not only sustains Arsenal’s momentum but also demonstrates their mental fortitude, which will be crucial in overcoming a Porto side renowned for their tactical shrewdness and gamesmanship.
“We know we have the capacity to score at any moment,” Saliba said. “But sometimes it’s good to win like this, at the end. We can’t win every game five nil or six nil but it was good mentality from the team. We came with good intentions and scored at the end.
“This wasn’t an easy game but we have to keep going. We knew we could score in the second half, we had the capacity and the quality. We didn’t give up. That’s good for the team.”
The key to thwarting Arsenal’s attacking prowess lies in disrupting their rhythm, and Porto is likely to employ tactics aimed at constantly unsettling them. Brentford, known for toeing the line between nuisance and legality, exemplifies this approach effectively.
In a league where every point can be crucial for survival, Brentford demonstrated their ability to frustrate Arsenal while maintaining a threat on the counterattack, notably at 1-1.
During Saturday’s match, which extended to 105 minutes, the ball was in play for only 49 minutes and 26 seconds—a significant deviation from the league average of just under an hour.
William Saliba anticipates Porto adopting similar delaying tactics in the upcoming fixture, with Mikel Arteta already working to incite the home fans to create an intimidating atmosphere.
“Bring your noise, bring your energy, bring your passion,” he said. “Something beautiful is going to happen.”
Among the XI players selected, however, calmness and patience will be required alongside determination not to let whatever antics Porto conjure up to get inside their head. “We know they are smart,” Saliba said. “We have to compete with that but we will be ready.”
Arsenal’s Premier League credentials are in no doubt but tomorrow is their first opportunity to prove they can be Champions League contenders. “Of course,” Saliba added. “We have to win, we can’t wait.”
There remains a question mark over whether Arsenal can get a bit nasty, too, when required and this may be an ideal moment to prove it. That said, Saliba thinks their recent Premier League dominance has been a nightmare for opponents.
“I think we were horrible [to play against] in the last seven or eight games,” he added. “Now we have to keep going like this.
