3 positives & negatives from Arsenal 1-0 defeat at FC Porto

Arsenal suffered their second defeat in the UEFA Champions League this season after losing to a last-minute stunner against FC Porto on Wednesday night.

The Gunners remain optimistic about overturning the 1-0 deficit from the first leg defeat, but achieving that goal requires a rediscovery of the composure and determination that initially labelled them as strong favourites.

Until Galeno's impressive 94th-minute winning goal, Arsenal displayed an uncharacteristic lack of initiative, devoid of the dynamic style of play that typically defines them. This was evident as they failed to record a shot on target for the first time since January 2022, notably in an FA Cup third-round defeat against Nottingham Forest.

The atmosphere at the raucous Emirates Stadium during the return leg could serve as a significant advantage, mirroring the supportive environment of the Estádio do Dragão. However, it's worth noting that Arsenal have not won a knockout match in the Champions League since 2015.

Here are the positives and negatives from Wednesday's defeat.

3 positives & negatives from Arsenal 1-0 defeat at FC Porto

Positive #1: A competitive performance

The result did not go the way Mikel Arteta would have liked, but, he knows that his team were competitive against an experienced Porto side in front of their raucous home support. We should not forget that this was a very youthful Arsenal team competing in their first UEFA Champions League knockout tie in seven years. Out of the 11 players in the starting XI, only Kai Havertz had previous Champions League experience (with Chelsea), the other ten were making their debut at this stage of the competition.

I think they coped well. The Gunners controlled the game but Porto were pushy and their high press was coordinated. They also defended in numbers, making life difficult for the visitors and forcing turnovers from players who naturally are very composed on the ball. Yes, it was a disappointing night in terms of result, but they must have learned the lesson that you cannot turn off any second in this competition.

Negative #1: Arsenal looked nervous

Arsenal displayed nervousness right from the start in their loss to Porto. Within 65 seconds, Declan Rice received a booking, and both Gabriel and William Saliba exhibited a tendency to take excessive touches, resulting in a slowed-down build-up play. Surprisingly, Bukayo Saka, known for his proficiency in one-on-one situations in the Premier League, failed to beat his opposing full-back even once in the second half.

Many of Arsenal's attempts in the final third were unsuccessful, and they lacked confidence in their attacking endeavours. In line with Mikel Arteta's post-game remark, there was a sentiment that if you cannot secure a victory, the focus should be on avoiding a defeat.

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