The Game

Some are called mistakes, some are called disaster. That Arsenal need a new goalkeeper has been in the headlines for months and months and months, yet we keep on going out there with average keepers who get away with it, sometimes, but gift wins like this one in other occasions.

It’s a gamble at best, like the world poker tour – will the team still win from a good hand even with the goalkeeper showing all his cards to the rest of the table?

Granted, the second goal should have never taken place as Tomas Rosicky seemed to be clearly fouled in the penalty area but then again, one can either look at the penalty and stop there or else question the referee’s decision for not giving it but then spend words and effort where they should be spent: addressing mistakes.

Because luckily, this was a Champions League game and not a Premiership one so recovery is still possible but how many more times do we have to say that the problems which we keep on seeing over and over need to be addressed and fast?

Seriously, this Porto side is nothing special and left big gaps at the back for us to exploit but we didn’t. Instead, we leave the Estádio do Dragão with a defeat for which we have to wait weeks to make up for and this hurts.

Match Video Highlights

Match video highlights are available in the Videos section of our website. If not there yet, rest assured they will be up in a matter of hours.

Player Ratings

Fabianski: 2 – Out of the frying pan and into the fire it seems for us in this role. Three, four solid blocks cannot cancel an amateurish mistake to gift Porto the lead.

Campbell: 6,5 – Terrible lack of concentration, first in back-passing it to Lukasz and then by staying put rather than react to Porto’s quickly-taken free kick. But, he was superb throughout, scoring what could be a very important away goal.

Vermaelen: 5 – Bad timing in a number of challenges. That’s his game, reading the game and challenge early. It failed today.

Clichy: 5 – We keep on getting bombarded on the left wing and really, it’s no surprise. Gael was again left wondering what hit him in the move which led to the first goal.

Sagna: 6,5 – Under heavy pressure and unfortunately, just as I predicted in the preview, got very little help from Rosicky. Still managed to clear the danger a good number of times though.

Diaby: 6 – Brilliant first half, but way too many misplaced passes in the second. Not sure why he didn’t go for goal as I could count three opportunities where he could have tried his luck from distance.

Fabregas: 5 – Never into the game the captain and wasted almost all the set-pieces and corners he delivered.

Denilson: 6 – A much better second half but still drives people crazy when he misplaces a pass and stays there rather than backtrack. Someone needs to tell him this is the game of football and not of jogging.

Nasri: 5 – Again unimpressed by Samir who saw plenty of the ball but rarely produced anything worth mentioning.

Rosicky: 6,5 – I believe Tomas had a very good first half as he was very menacing coming forward and provided the assist to Sol. Having said that, he should have offered more help to Bacary on the right.

Bendtner: 6 – Just like many of his team mates he had a game of two halves. He was brilliant in the first in shielding the ball and creating spaces but faded in the second. Still, it’s nice to have back his physical presence up there, it helps.

(Subs)
Walcott/Vela/Eboue: No Vote – Can’t really judge these three, especially Carlos who was given only 10 minutes. Having said that, a much better Theo compared to last week as he produced a number of good runs down the flank. As for Emmanuel, a couple of minutes were enough to realise that he definitely has to start against Sunderland.