On a night when Arsenal played poorly and failed to reach the heights of previous recent performances, it looked like we would take a 0-0 draw back to North London for the second leg.
However, late carelessness and a very good finish from winger Galeno sucker-punched Mikel Arteta’s side and left us with a 1-0 deficit to overturn in the second leg in three weeks time.
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
The ratings are hidden by default until you vote, but if you just want to view the ratings and the comments, flick the switch at the top above David Raya.
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Read the Porto 1-0 Arsenal match report and see the goal here
Love Rice but you can’t pickup that yellow. Affected us all night, Odegaard most of all. One to learn from.
Would have taken off rice for jorghino , was t himself trying to play on a yellow . Including last second when he didn’t press the shooter enough
Saka didn’t lose the ball tho like Martinelli , won corners / throw ins rather than turn over possession. Had his full back worried all game , was double teamed at times. Tho I felt him and odegaard didn’t pass sharp enough to each other in tight areas.to get that half a yard of space . So I don’t agree but it wasn’t a good game for him
Can’t use the yellow as his excuse for just allowing that shot in the last minute of the match.
Maybe fatigue… but it was a fatal loss of focus – standing 2m off a player with only seconds to go – what did he think the bloke was going to do!!!
I thought he managed his yellow brilliantly and was still able to make telling interceptions all game and think Rice’s weakness is his passing. Rice is excellent but that through the lines pass to get Ode, Havertz and Trossard on the ball early is not his strength. Zinny and Partey needed back and contributing positively to the team.
Martinelli is not good enough
Saka was just as poor man
When saka plays poorly he isnt a liability to the team. Absolutely zero reason for martinelli to make that risky pass so late in the game.
He did it throughout the game, most of there counters came through taking too many touches as he likes to do and usually get away with. Thought he was poor all game Even when he had Pepe 1vs1 he fucked it up.
We all love both of them, but that last pass from Martinelli was so poor and I don’t think there’s any use trying to point the finger at Saka’s performance given that he’s generally better at keeping the ball, including in this game.
You’re not good enough.
Im just sharing my opinion. Theres no hate behind my comment. Just simply stating that i think we should have a better left winger as a starter if we want to be one of the best teams in europe.
That’s real hate. Martinelli give so much in his play. He can’t be 100 pct all the time.
And just who have we got that’s a better left winger?
Well, actually, who does anyone (in England) have that’s a better left winger?
He has been off it this season. Not that he’s not a good player, just his running around hasn’t led to much of anything. A fit ESR should be competing for his place. He’s become too comfortable as a starter
He’s going through a bad patch this season that’s for sure. But he’s young, let’s stay behind him and I’m sure he’ll improve sooner rather than later.
He’s not the finished article but represents the future
One point of the game I though something was wrong with the ball, how come players like Saka, Ode, Trossard and Martinelli can’t control or pass a damn ball, so so poor, there were times I though I was seeing Maguire trying to play
I really want to see Trossard’s stats for this game, don’t think he controlled the ball all night and then he missed our only big chance.
Trossard was terrible, but on a night when basically everyone was poor I don’t think it helps singling players out.
Saw this as well…players were really havng difficulty controlling that ball
Players also said after the match that the Porto pitch was very fast and ‘skiddy’…
Interesting that Rice actually made a post-match comment about the CL ball ‘being strange’…
Why Am I getting flashbacks from last year’s tie in Europa League…
Same.Even the reaction to the loss. Loads of people coming out how Raya got lobbed etc…Forgetting who got lobbed from the halfway at home last season.
A goalkeeper should position themselves to reduce the highest %age route to goal. The obvious route to goal at that point in time with the midfield out of the equation, defence on the halfway line and a forward ahead of Goncalves was a through ball, so he was positioned just outside his box to mitigate that. Don’t know what ‘at home’ has to do with anything That Goncalves decided to go for the low %age option and execute it perfectly doesn’t mean it was a goalkeeping error. Ramsdale may have reduced a 20% chance of goal via through ball to… Read more »
Nope. And nope. Watch the replay – Raya sees it early and makes the rookie error of leaping too soon, without taking that first side-step that made some of Rambo’s saves so good. Certainly, Declan should have closed Galeno down but it remains the most basic goal-keeping error – call it what it was.
All 2s and 3s for me. Utter garbage from everyone.
Thought Raya was good until the last shot, and even then it wasn’t exactly his fault.
Don’t know about 2s or 3s, but it seems a horrid performance gets you 5-6 and being absolutely top class with goals and assists gets you 8.5. How on earth the last two league games didn’t result in a few 9s from Arseblog is puzzling to me. Fair play, I may be simply too happy to have won 6-0 or 5-0, but if you’re practically flawless all game, get a goal or two, assists… then surely that’s a 9, or more. Yeah, it wasn’t against Real Madrid, but you can’t really hold that against a player who just had a… Read more »
Worst performance in a long long time, no focus and no aggression 1-0 defeat was a fair scoreline. In games like this when we are so obviously below par Arteta needs to take commando and make substitutions way earlier, doesn’t matter if the subs are of “less” quality, it is needed to shake things up, cannot wait until the 75th minute…
Anyway, a lot positives going on let’s keep grinding! COYG
He was just watching the horror show, no action at all when he saw things got bad
Agree nelson fresh legs would have been good on 75 minutes. Played a season in Holland as well
So a season in what is ranked Europe’s 6th best league will stand him in good stead for Europe’s flagship tournament?
Ye cats, that was dire…. 😬
We reverted back to Arteta ball Dec 2023. Sideways. Backwards. Saka and Martinelli glued to the wing. But then nobody could actually trap or pass the ball. I’m sure we’ll beat the falling players at home, but we could use a bench. When isn’t Tomiyasu, Zinchenko, Jesus and Partey not injured. One sub when we played like slugs shows you how little Arteta trusts his bench. I fear for us on Sat. Worn out against Newcastle.
Having so many injury prone players is really hurting us. When you add ESR to that group, plus the ‘just happens’ injuries you pick up during the season (Vieira, Timber) and add players who are probably just not good enough for the level we want to be (you know who they are) then we are several players down every match day. I would love to see some ruthless squad building in the summer, even if it upsets some fans. The best ability is availability.
Thought we were a bit shit. Shame. Fingers crossed for a big bouncy back in the next one.
We live in hope….
We were like freshmen at the college…
Understandable, but unfortunately, CL don’t give a shit.
I forgot how frustrating these CL knockout game were. Slight touch? Throw yourself to the floor. Arsenal player looks at you? Throw yourself to the floor. Ben White gets thrown on the floor? Well, might as well just join in and throw yourself on the floor. Painful.
Very true, but surely you don’t go into a game not knowing what the ref is like?
Porto clearly had done their homework.
Exactly! So why hadn’t we?
Yep – they played him like a Stradivarius, however it still makes him look like an utter muppet for the ease with which they manipulated from the first whistle.
My bonus rating: 1 – somehow the number of subs when the team looked dead after 75′ or so.
In games like this you have to look at the bench to bring something different. The quality on our bench is lacking.
This issue wasn’t addressed last season and it’s not been addressed this season
In fairness you couldn’t begrudge Porto the win. They were more streetwise and more dangerous than us. I felt even before the match that they were really fired up and motivated for this match after being written off. My only wish for the return leg is that we let the handbrake off completely and go for it. I could live with going out and focusing on the league if we had 10 shots on target in a less controlled battle. At least we died with our boots on.
In fairness I really begrudge those cheaty divey cunts the win, they were far too “streetwise” and a decent referee would’ve carded half that team for diving and the other half for snidey fouls. We weren’t great, but that was a huge learning curve for the team and the management, I expect a very different game at the Emirates, hopefully with a far better referee.
Although I think Porto are a bang average European side they were good value for their win. They did what Arsenal did not, i.e. create chances
30 seconds at the end needed to be better. A 0-0 at Porto wouldn’t have been a disaster.
Hopefully the home crowd for the next match means those Porto dives are ignored…
Martinelli’s lack of precision in crossing made me miss Santi Cazorla and (god forbid) Mesut Ozil. For all his speed, his game has glaring holes.
White was at fault for being out of position too many times and too lazy to get back in shape defensively from his inversion fullback role. He gave no support going forward for Saka and left all the defensive duties to Rice when defending. He either is s–t at the new inversion role or he is carrying an injury. He was at fault for Rices yellow card as he should have been the one receiving the back pass, he was also at fault for their goal, because he went missing out of position which gave them all the space in… Read more »
We should call them the navy seals for the amount of diving they do.
Go & have a nice lie down now it’s all off your chest !Bollocks like ! But off your chest ! Ben White is a solid effective player who puts it all in !for OUR team ! Night night from a proper Arsenal fan !
I thought White was our best defender.
Thought the early yellow card on Rice (and if you look at the replay, didn’t merit a yellow at all) deflated the entire team. And why not use ESR, Nelson, Vieira and Eddie at about the 75 minute mark, just to provide a spark.
Why would a yellow card deflate the entire team?
Because our main ball winning defensive midfielder was therefore walking a tightrope until the end. That eats into the confidence of his team mates (particularly the attackers)
Player rating, still unable to vote, what’s going on it’s been weeks?
Agree, have to open in browser and even then it’s so dim as to who each section is about until voted. Not sure why app not working.
Called this before the game. Lose by 1 at Porto, win by 3 at home!
Still gutting to lose in the 94th min though 😑
We will score 4 at home against the navy seals in the return game. As long as we know not to breath on them then they won’t fall to the ground. Bunch of divers.
Not so sure – it will be a real grind. The factories up in the Douro Valley are already hard at working building the largest bus ever seen in mainland Europe… a bus so large that they’re also manufacturing a special purpose built ferry to bring it over!
We looked to be playing for the draw. Still think we will crush them at the Emirates
Very frustrating performance, but we’re certainly capable of much better than that as we’ve seen so far in 2024. For whatever reason we seem to have reverted back to the passive, super slow style of the Fulham away game. Will have to move the ball much quicker if we’re to have any chance in the return leg.
We played for a draw but got caught cold at the end. We’ll take them at home though. He’ll have to go for it and that’s when we play our best.
I’m anticipating a high scoring game at the Emirates as we always leave gaps when we ‘go for it’ :4 v 2 for the Arsenal
Fulham away mode. Any chance of fitting in some warm weather training in Dubai before the Newcastle game?
Sometimes we just have to admit Porto is a good team. They are beatable of course and we will do that in the return leg. Hopefully by then, we have the service of a few more injured players.
It was a matter of time before all players get exhausted. The dubai effect can only last for a month or so. Expect the same thing (dull play) till end of season if arteta won’t rotate. (Which he wont and we all know what happens)
Rotate with what? The options are either injured or a big step down.
1: How glad am I that I do not have to watch that melodramatic bunch of slimy fukkas every week? 2: That ref is a used car salesman’s wet dream – at one point I wanted Martin to take him aside and just ask: ‘Excuse me Sir but who’s reffing this match, you or them?’ 3: Declan’s worst match in an Arse shirt – two brainfart moments book-ending an iffy performance, probably cost us the draw, if not the win. 4: Can’t help comparing Rambo’s double-step and dive in the FA Cup with Raya’s ridiculous early sprawl… very bad error… Read more »
Raya should not be getting beat from that distance…poor positioning.
Cant believe you got downvoted mate – who on God’s green didn’t notice that he leapt too early, instead taking the key sidestep to launch his leap?
Yes – it’s a bit of a Rambo trade-mark, that sidestep, but it’s also goal-keeping 101 and coached as the most effective way to close the distance to any corner-bound shot.
Raya made a rookie error. That’s the simple truth of it.
‘instead of’
Poor management from Arteta , I felt like we needed some energy coming off the bench. We had players on yellow cards and looking leggy. ESR and Nelson must be wondering what they need to do to get minutes.
Don’t think Raya had a chance with the goal. He dived at the right time but the ball was well wide of him and then curled back in. Impossible to save unless he was standing by the far goal post.
Yes, it was a fantastic strike but Raya was too far out of his goal to even give himself a chance of saving it
The only reason he almost saved it was that he was out and he was covering more of the goal from the eyes of the attacker. The shot was great, lobbed in the corner, if Raya was in his line he wouldn’t be able to be anywhere near it.
The nearer the keeper is to his goal line the HARDER it is to lob the ball over him
Maybe it’s just me ? Size really does matter !!!! Ramsdale 2 inches taller with more spring saves that ! Plus the necessity of being that far forward ready to instigate an attack in the 94th minute ? Hmmmm ??? Again Ramsdale doesn’t do that ! Raya has still to convince me although he’s done what he’s needed to in our gargantuan wins & under Artetas watch !
Don’t see much critism of opposing ‘keepers when Saka bends one in!
Every pass at the sharp end was either under-hit, over-hit or just plain inaccurate. We started slow and never really got any rhythm going. We’ll finish this at the Emirates but I’m anxious about Saturday.
I was really impressed with Raya throughout the game, he looked really good in all aspects of a goalkeeper’s game….until that last moment. This is obviously his Achilles heel, not much you can do about his height.
But maybe he can do something about how far he is from his goal?
Never mind the actual game. These ratings have become so inane and meaningless it’s hard to believe any of them.
When we lose EVERYONE was shit. When we win EVERYONE was brilliant.
Nonsense…that’s just impossible either way. Pick your bottom lip up off the floor and try REAL analysis.
You only get something from the game when there is some commitment, i have lost count how many times our 2 centre half’s passed little square balls between them not an ounce of thought of how we can get the ball FORWARD.
ARTETA’s sticky fingers all over this performance.
Everyone had a bad day, couldn’t connect with each other. However, Raya on the goal is abysmal. Why are we playing midg- excuse me, little people in goal?
Its half time and we’re only 1 down after a poor performance. A good kick up the Jackson and we go through.
We are guilty of being too tricky in dangerous areas it has happened in other games this season where we have given up easy avoidable goal. Make the safe decision kick the ball out of play!!