I'm afraid we deserved that

[Peter]

Offered absolutely nothing going forward all night and we've been sloppy.

Had three chances to clear that ball in the last minute of injury time. Silly. :-(

[IUFG]

Offered absolutely nothing going forward all night and we've been sloppy.

Had three chances to clear that ball in the last minute of injury time. Silly. :-(

A naive end to the match.

They're ****. We'll **** them at home.

[Pat Vegas]

A naive end to the match.

They're ****. We'll **** them at home.

At least we will have to go for it now.

[Peter]

A naive end to the match.

They're ****. We'll **** them at home.

Hmmmm..... we'll see. Silliness like that tends to bite you in this competition.

[IUFG]

1 min from decent game managment imo

[WES]

Offered absolutely nothing going forward all night and we've been sloppy.

Had three chances to clear that ball in the last minute of injury time. Silly. :-(

Sloppy yes, but you have to give them credit defensively, they defended in and around their box exceptionally well. It was Mourinhoesque.

What is it about Portuguese teams? Endlessly cynical and negative. I mean I know gamesmanship is part of football (sadly) but these c*nts routinely take it to a new level.

[Peter]

1 min from decent game managment imo

I just think we didn't play well. A lot of loose passes and poor touches. Nervy start, naïve end.

[Peter]

Sloppy yes, but you have to give them credit defensively, they defended in and around their box exceptionally well. It was Mourinhoesque.

What is it about Portuguese teams? Endlessly cynical and negative. I mean I know gamesmanship is part of football (sadly) but these c*nts routinely take it to a new level.

I thought they did well denying us space in midfield in the first half but less so in the second. We had plenty of opportunities to create but we kept losing shape or playing the safe ball.

Ref ****ing annoyed me at the corners. They were the ones shoving and jostling and he kept giving them the free kick or lecturing our players.

The problem with our attempts to control and kill games is our ability to find a way to concede goals. That goal just shouldn't have happened.

This wasn't good enough and Arteta will be fuming.

[redgunamo]

I just think we didn't play well. A lot of loose passes and poor touches. Nervy start, naïve end.

Right. Time for another trip to Dubai, imo.

[IUFG]

I just think we didn't play well. A lot of loose passes and poor touches. Nervy start, naïve end.

The pitch was set up for a **** match. Let's see them on the carpet...

[Peter]

The pitch was set up for a **** match. Let's see them on the carpet...

Never mind that for now. We have Newcastle coming on Saturday. We owe them ,big time.

[IUFG]

Never mind that for now. We have Newcastle coming on Saturday. We owe them ,big time.

**** yes, we do. The Barcodes seem to be a little **** at the moment but they will play exactly like Porto did tonight.

[WES]

Never mind that for now. We have Newcastle coming on Saturday. We owe them ,big time.

Sadly Eddie Howe can be just as negative as this Portuguese prick was tonight :-(

[redgunamo]

**** yes, we do. The Barcodes seem to be a little **** at the moment but they will play exactly like Porto did tonight.

Time to sign a proper striker.

:hide:

[Peter]

Sadly Eddie Howe can be just as negative as this Portuguese prick was tonight :-(

I don't care. I want revenge :-(

[Peter]

Time to sign a proper striker.

:hide:

Tonight we needed a bit more leadership.

[redgunamo]

Tonight we needed a bit more leadership.

Same difference, for me.

[Peter]

Same difference, for me.

Then we agree :-)

Sort of.

[redgunamo]

Then we agree :-)

Sort of.

Yes, indeed. Sort of.

[WES]

I thought they did well denying us space in midfield in the first half but less so in the second. We had plenty of opportunities to create but we kept losing shape or playing the safe ball.

Ref ****ing annoyed me at the corners. They were the ones shoving and jostling and he kept giving them the free kick or lecturing our players.

The problem with our attempts to control and kill games is our ability to find a way to concede goals. That goal just shouldn't have happened.

This wasn't good enough and Arteta will be fuming.

F*ck knows how no one (I'm looking at you Declan) put some pressure on the ball and let that Porto pr1ck have a pop from there - insane

[PSRB]

F*ck knows how no one (I'm looking at you Declan) put some pressure on the ball and let that Porto pr1ck have a pop from there - insane

What infuriated me (apart from the ref and Porto players throwing themselves to the floor) was our inability to play the ball ahead of Martinelli for him to run onto. The space was there and they kept playing either behind him or straight to him.

[WES]

What infuriated me (apart from the ref and Porto players throwing themselves to the floor) was our inability to play the ball ahead of Martinelli for him to run onto. The space was there and they kept playing either behind him or straight to him.

Whilst I thought Havertz was about the same as the rest of them last night, there was a ball late in the first half into Martinelli that would have put him in - he f*cked it up :-(

[PSRB]

Whilst I thought Havertz was about the same as the rest of them last night, there was a ball late in the first half into Martinelli that would have put him in - he f*cked it up :-(

Yes and wasn't a difficult pass. Saliba was pretty awful last night, I'll excuse him one poor game.

[Pat Vegas]

When that bloke hit the post and then missed I was very confused. it was one of the strangest ones like that I have seen, thought my tv had gone wrong.

[John Bunnell]

It's quite depressing how on here the talk is "I dOnT eVeN fEaR rEaL mAdRiD" and then we lose to Porto. 🐸

[Peter]

F*ck knows how no one (I'm looking at you Declan) put some pressure on the ball and let that Porto pr1ck have a pop from there - insane

It is because we won the ball three times and gave it straight back to them. That causes anxiety and pulls people out of position.

You could criticise Raya for being too far off his line but three times he has adjusted assuming we are going to be moving up the pitch....

You can chuck the ball away once but the second time you have to deal with it. We didn't. 9 times out of 10 the guy skies it or curls it wide. You could argue we were a bit unlucky but sometimes you make your own bad luck.

[Peter]

Whilst I thought Havertz was about the same as the rest of them last night, there was a ball late in the first half into Martinelli that would have put him in - he f*cked it up :-(

I remember that ball! In his defence, he was trying to play Martinelli in on goal with a narrower pass, rather than the safer pass wide. Worth the risk there, but he got it a bit wrong.

We are not very good at this game management stuff yet. It affects our decision making about where and when to take risks and often ends up making us slow and predictable. And then vulnerable to errors.

[Peter]

Yes and wasn't a difficult pass. Saliba was pretty awful last night, I'll excuse him one poor game.

He has had several poor games recently. I think something is up. Maybe he is carrying a little knock or is just 'in the red zone' .

[Pat Vegas]

He has had several poor games recently. I think something is up. Maybe he is carrying a little knock or is just 'in the red zone' .

I think he may have become a little over confident. it worked in the past and usually gets' away with it. I think he started to look like he'll deal with things slowly and with ease and it's not really worked.

Gabriel needs more praise. And to think Arteta wasn't playing him at the start of the season.

[PSRB]

I think he may have become a little over confident. it worked in the past and usually gets' away with it. I think he started to look like he'll deal with things slowly and with ease and it's not really worked.

Gabriel needs more praise. And to think Arteta wasn't playing him at the start of the season.

Gabriel has been our best CB this season.

[redgunamo]

It is because we won the ball three times and gave it straight back to them. That causes anxiety and pulls people out of position.

You could criticise Raya for being too far off his line but three times he has adjusted assuming we are going to be moving up the pitch....

You can chuck the ball away once but the second time you have to deal with it. We didn't. 9 times out of 10 the guy skies it or curls it wide. You could argue we were a bit unlucky but sometimes you make your own bad luck.

The thing that REALLY causes anxiety and pulls people out of position is not taking your chances; we ought to have been a couple of goals to the good long before they scored.

[Peter]

The thing that REALLY causes anxiety and pulls people out of position is not taking your chances; we ought to have been a couple of goals to the good long before they scored.

You can't make that excuse in game management mode. The whole point is you control the game and the flow of the ball, regardless of the score.

You can't wet your pants just because someone volleyed over the only chance you created for 94 minutes.

[IUFG]

You can't make that excuse in game management mode. The whole point is you control the game and the flow of the ball, regardless of the score.

You can't wet your pants just because someone volleyed over the only chance you created for 94 minutes.

The corners, P, the corners.

We have been surprisingly good at them recently, and we got some pretty solid heads to some last night. Could, should, have scored with one of them imo.

[IUFG]

When that bloke hit the post and then missed I was very confused. it was one of the strangest ones like that I have seen, thought my tv had gone wrong.

with you on that one, f

[Peter]

The corners, P, the corners.

We have been surprisingly good at them recently, and we got some pretty solid heads to some last night. Could, should, have scored with one of them imo.

If either of those had gone in the ref would have disallowed them for some perceived push, shove or unpleasant comment.

[IUFG]

If either of those had gone in the ref would have disallowed them for some perceived push, shove or unpleasant comment.

The referee was completely tragic.

This notoriously thuggish Arsenal side committed the most fouls in a UEFA Champions League match since 8th December 2021.

As someone mentioned earlier, the Havertz booking :hehe:

[redgunamo]

You can't make that excuse in game management mode. The whole point is you control the game and the flow of the ball, regardless of the score.

You can't wet your pants just because someone volleyed over the only chance you created for 94 minutes.

No, not buying it, I'm afraid. Not even approaching the shop to buy it. In fact, I'm not even going anywhere near the town that has a shop that's selling it!

Goals Change Games. Controlling things at 2-0 up or at 0-0 or even at 2-0 down are entirely different things.

Regardless of the score, indeed! Good. Lord.

[PSRB]

The referee was completely tragic.

This notoriously thuggish Arsenal side committed the most fouls in a UEFA Champions League match since 8th December 2021.

As someone mentioned earlier, the Havertz booking :hehe:

The Rice tackle on the edge of their box was perfectly timed and we would have been through. The only shock was he didn't give a 2nd yellow for it.

[Peter]

No, not buying it, I'm afraid. Not even approaching the shop to buy it. In fact, I'm not even going anywhere near the town that has a shop that's selling it!

Goals Change Games. Controlling things at 2-0 up or at 0-0 or even at 2-0 down are entirely different things.

Regardless of the score, indeed! Good. Lord.

They are different things and we are **** at both. If anything we are more likely to ship stupid goals when ahead.

If you can't cope with being 0-0 then game management isnt for you. You're better off actually trying to win the game.

[redgunamo]

They are different things and we are **** at both. If anything we are more likely to ship stupid goals when ahead.

If you can't cope with being 0-0 then game management isnt for you. You're better off actually trying to win the game.

I know you're right; all that money for a parking meter rather than a striker, says it all. Which consequently makes your second point even more baffling. In England "controlling the game" always meant the same as "time-wasting". We like our centre forwards to have the ball, not our centre-halves or central midfielders.

[Peter]

I know you're right; all that money for a parking meter rather than a striker, says it all. Which consequently makes your second point even more baffling. In England "controlling the game" always meant the same as "time-wasting". We like our centre forwards to have the ball, not our centre-halves or central midfielders.

But we don't have any centre forwards.....

I like our midfielders to have the ball but I like to see them do something with it. Not shove it to their right, retreat 5 yards and then take it back, stand there, roll their foot over it, look both ways and then shove it 5 yards to their left.

There are other ways to control a game. We'll get there, but we are not there yet.

[redgunamo]

But we don't have any centre forwards.....

I like our midfielders to have the ball but I like to see them do something with it. Not shove it to their right, retreat 5 yards and then take it back, stand there, roll their foot over it, look both ways and then shove it 5 yards to their left.

There are other ways to control a game. We'll get there, but we are not there yet.

But that's what midfielders DO! They love it and they'll do it for ninety minutes together, plus stoppage time, if you let them; if there's no strikers there to stop them.

I suspect "getting there" might coincide with us acquiring an international superstar goalscorer (one way or another; Eddie will do). :-)

[Peter]

But that's what midfielders DO! They love it and they'll do it for ninety minutes together, plus stoppage time, if you let them; if there's no strikers there to stop them.

I suspect "getting there" might coincide with us acquiring an international superstar goalscorer (one way or another; Eddie will do). :-)

No, that is what bad midfielders do. Good midfielders kick people, start fights, pass forward, make runs. Basically, they are like Patrick Vieira :-)

Or they pass somewhere. Could be anywhere, but please god let it be somewhere!

Unless they do that, there is no point in having a striker. He will be stood there moaning (which is what most of them do anyway).

You know those diagonal runs Havertz and Martinelli were making at Burnley and West Ham? They were making them for half an hour last night but the pass never came. So they stopped.

Some players are good at doing nothing. We just don't have many of them. Most of our guys want to play the game. It is like trying to get Mick Jagger to stand still on stage. It comes with age :-)