When the Champions League league phase draw was made in August, Arsenal’s away trip to Sporting Lisbon largely flew under the radar, with Gunners supporters agreeing that the eight-match schedule was relatively kind overall.
Three months later, a visit to the Estadio Jose Alvalade looks pretty daunting. Not only have the reigning Portuguese champions carried their fine form into the new campaign – they’ve won all 11 of their domestic league fixtures – Sporting have asserted their credentials on the continental stage winning three and drawing one of their four European matches to sit second out of 36 teams at the halfway point of the competition’s group stage.
While the impact of Rubin Amorim’s recent defection to Manchester United remains to be seen, the form of striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has netted 24 times already this season, including five in the Champions League, means new head coach Joao Pereira has one of Europe’s hottest strikers at his disposal.
In contrast, Arsenal have struggled for goals in Europe this season. Three goals in four games have earned Mikel Arteta’s side seven points (not a terrible return) although the lack of efficiency in the box proved costly last time out when the Gunners went down 1-0 to Inter Milan despite a dominent performance in the San Siro. It’s something the manager is desperate to rectify as soon as possible.
“It’s certainly something that we have to improve,” said Arteta when asked about Arsenal’s struggles in front of goal in his pre-game press conference.
“I think we have made the right steps. Looking back at the way we played against Inter, against a team that has been so dominant in their league and who were in a Champions League final that they should have won, we played and dominated the game as we should have done, but the reality is that after you have to make it [goals] happen and we didn’t.
“Making those steps is what we have to do next. Be ruthless, be much more efficient in the opposition box and when we get there actually do what we have to do to take the three points away from here.”
He added: “The efficiency that we have shown inside the box at this level with the chances that you’re normally able to generate in the Champions League is not at the level required to win consistently.
“That’s something that I always say in the Champions League – it’s about boxes, small margins and details. And you have to get all those right to win, especially away from home.”
The Gunners currently sit 12th in the rankings but need more points on the board quickly if they are to achieve automatic qualification to the knockout stages by finishing in the top eight.
“We wanted to be higher, that’s for sure,” was Arteta’s assessment of the European campaign so far.
“But this is the position that we are in right now and we have to face it and control what we can which is to play in a way that’s going to give us every chance to win the game and fight to do it as quick as possible. And tomorrow we have a great opportunity to do that.”
Despite the press demanding answers for how Arsenal plan to stop Gyokeres – a player linked with Arsenal in the recent past – Arteta made clear Sporting’s threat stems from the collective, not the individual.
“I would like to talk about the team, about the coaches and how phenomenal they’ve been,” said the Spaniard.
“The run that they are in is incredible. That tells you that it’s not only the quality, it’s the set-up as well as the ambition. It’s something about the team energy that they have.
“It’s a great challenge that we have tomorrow to come here and make a statement and show that we are capable against this kind of opponent, be ourselves and win the game.”
After three clean sheets from four games, Arteta stressed that another strong defensive performance will be vitally important.
“When you look at the numbers they produce in the domestic league and in the Champions League at home, where they have won every game and scored always at least a goal, it’s something that we have to really avoid. So we’re going to have to be really consistent and efficient to try to prevent that from happening.”
As for whether new coach Pereira will bring something different to the mix, he said: “I don’t expect the same [as under Amorin] because every coach and the coaching staff behind him would have his own ideas.
“We have always analysed what he’s done, the things that he can tweak and he’s done in the past to be prepared. And we try to understand as much as possible what he can try to do. And especially how we can hurt them. And I’m looking forward to that.”
We can expect a difficult game in tough circumstances, not dissimilar to Porto away last season. I expect they will play a similar style: a mid block rife with traps, emphasize stoppages and play in moments. I hope Arteta plays Jorginho again. He brings so much leadership and know how, not to mention his quality and press resistance. He was a miss at the Dragao and I believe he and Odegaard will have the keys to unlocking this game. It’s going to be all about keeping the ball in play and moving their block around. I don’t think any other… Read more »