Match Day Thread Sporting CP vs Arsenal - Matchday Thread

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Venue: Estádio José Alvalade
Date: Thursday 9th March 2023
KO time: 5:45 GMT

Last six meetings

Arsenal 0-0 Sporting CP
Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 3-0 Sporting CP (Fairs Cup)
Sporting CP 0-0 Arsenal (Fairs Cup)

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Ramsdale
Tomiyasu
Kiwior
Saliba
Tierney
Jorginho
Xhaka
Smith Rowe
Vieira
Nelson
Nketiah

 

Agree with all of that except Ramsdale. Turner's proven to be pretty competent as a backup goalkeeper and he needs minutes. Would prefer to rest as many key first team players as we can for the Fulham match.

However, Arteta can sometimes field stronger teams than I'd expect, so wouldn't completely shock me to see a few first-team inclusions.

 

Looks like Tierney won’t be involved as he’s ill according to reports.



No Nketiah or Trossard either. But Jesus involved in first team training makes me think he’ll be featuring in some capacity in Portugal.

 

Would be madness to get Jesus involved - I expect he's just flying out with the squad. As far as I'm awaire today was his first day doing full contact training since the injury. Still means he's getting close to a return.

 

To be fair, this is the first day of doing full contact training that we know of. Some people have suggested that he’s had more intense/physical training behind closed doors that hasn’t been captured on video.

I don’t think we’ll see him start the game but would I be surprised if he was an option off the bench? No. Especially given our dearth of forward options at the moment.

 

You wouldn't normally start a player who hasn't had AT LEAST a weeks full training with the rest of the squad. Two or three weeks is more likely - he's been out for a while.

It would be very risky to play him IMO.

 

Interesting team selection. Was hoping a few more players would be rested, but doesn't seem like it. Mix of first team and squad players. Looking forward to seeing Kiwior.

 

When I look at the bench for this match it really does make me wonder where any attacking options are coming from apart from ESR.

 

1-0! Saliba!

Great corner by Fabio Vieira and a towering header from Saliba to make it 1-0. A bit of afters between the players? Not sure what happened there? Bookings for Zinchenko and Coates.

Coates will miss the second leg due to that booking.

 

Zinchenko’s free kick hits the wall and then he fires a fierce shot on the rebound which the Sporting goalkeeper does well to save.

 

Good save from Turner after a shot from Inacio. We’ve given the ball away cheaply and not closed down the distances in midfield and defence.

And Sporting score from the corner . Inacio. Turner should have come to claim that. Kiwior shouldn’t have let him get a free run.

 

Not sure what’s happened to our ability to defend set-pieces, but we’ve conceded so many this year. So frustrating.

 

Turner makes a good save from Edwards’ rasping shot there. Sporting starting to gain a foothold in the match. Winning too many duels in midfield.

 

Martinelli getting booked for…nothing?

Xhaka was the one who should have been booked there. Not sure why VAR didn’t intervene on the basis of mistaken identity,

We almost made it 2-1, Xhaka’s header saved on the line.

 

Sporting players rolling around and feigning injury for minimal contact is just pathetic.

Interestingly, Sporting look vulnerable from wide crosses and balls into the box from half spaces.

 

Turner almost giving them a free goal . We’ve looked lively going forward, but very ropey at the back.

 

HT. 1-1.

Strange game. We started off very well, then looked very rattled every time they came at us or transitioned. I know they've got some dangerous players, but we don't seem calm at all.

We've had the better chances, however, they've also looked dangerous when breaking. Would help if our goalkeeper didn't gift them the ball in our box, too. They've also won quite a few duels in midfield which we need to be better at beating them at.

The corner we conceded was very poor, though. I'm becoming extremely worried at our set-piece goals against record. We seemed to have fixed the issue up until the new year, but since the restart, now we seem to concede all the time. Need to address this asap.

 

Turner looks a bit rusty and you can tell. He’s not played since the City game in Jan, though, and before that, has barely played since November, so it’s understandable.

However, he does need to sharpen up and fast because they’re going to see him as an easy target if he makes mistakes like he did for their equaliser.

 

Ahh almost 2-1. What a ball from Zinchenko, Martinelli should have probably done better with that.