CL: FC Porto vs Arsenal

[Quaresma07]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/FCPorto/SL%20logos/FCP.gifVS http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/FCPorto/75_simbolo.gif

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/FCPorto/27peq_cl.gif
CL Group Stage : Group G game 6
Wednesday December 6, 2006
19h45 GMT / 2:45pm EST


Estádio do Dragão
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/FCPorto/Estadio/EstdiodoDrago.jpg

Last Encounters
Liga dos Campeões 2006/2007 Arsenal 2-0 FC Porto
Torneio de Amsterdão 2005 Arsenal 2-1 FC Porto

[Bossanova]

I'm nervous already...

[Quaresma07]

thx to Boavista we got few doubtful players for this game:

Helton
Quaresma
Bosingwa
Postiga

:ninja

[Bossanova]

They should all be fine for the arsenal match

[Jakey G]

It's got draw written all over it!

Arsenal probable team:
---------------------------Lehmann------------
Eboue----------Toure------------------Senderos------------Clichy
---------------------------Gilberto(c)----------------------------
Hleb------Ljungberg/Baptista----------Fabregas---------Van Persie
----------------------------Adebayor----------------------------

[EeE]

i think porto should look for the win , no reason to chiken out , go all out on arsenal for the win . 2-1 to porto:drinkbeer:nod

[Quaresma07]

http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics06_07/Premiership/Blackburn/mccarthy_fall.jpg

Benni McCarthy has warned Arsenal to expect a Porto backlash in the UEFA Champions League this week.

The Gunners travel to Oporto in Group G's ultimate round of fixtures on Wednesday, with both teams still in the qualification shake up.

Arsene Wenger's side know a draw will suffice for their hopes of reaching the knockout phase, while a single point haul could also be enough for the hosts.

But ex-Porto star McCarthy, who now plies his trade for Blackburn, insists Arsenal would take Porto lightly at their peril.

The striker admits the Portuguese league leaders were disappointed with their performance in defeat at the Emirates Stadium last month and will be doubly determined to rectify that setback.

"If that [a draw] is Arsenal's mentality then they're going to be out because Porto will throw everything at them," McCarthy told Sky Sports.

"Porto were humiliated a little bit when they played Arsenal in the Emirates Stadium so I think they will be looking for revenge.

"Portuguese teams aren't normally like that, when they play away they usually settle for draws and at home they will want to show Arsenal 'what you did to us there, we're going to do to you back here'.

"I think Porto's going to be alright - they're getting their form back and when they play at home they are very strong."

[equinox24]

Bennnnny

[nicodemus]

It should be a thriller.


Only downside is that I'm still not sold on Meireles, bruno alves, and boswingwa.

[tiago vieira]

I think it's a tie, 1-1

[SCP-87]

i also think it will be 1-1

but if it was a do or die match for both teams, I think Porto would win.

[Quaresma07]

http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics06_07/Portugal/lucho_lisandro.jpg

Porto captain Lucho Gonzalez has warned Arsenal they will not play for a draw in their UEFA Champions League encounter.

A draw at the Estadio do Dragao will send both teams into the next round, but Gonzalez insists Porto will be going all out to knock Arsenal out.

"The people that are saying that this is a certain draw do not know us," Gonzalez told skysports.com.

"We want to win to finish on top of the group and if posible to eliminate the English who are a hard rival in Europe.

"This will not be like a training match with spectactors because the two clubs are playing for their European future and that is vital.

"With or without Henry Arsenal are a hard rival and can create problems for us.

"Henry is one of the best players in the world and it is normal that Arsenal will miss him in Porto, but Arsenal have also won matches this season without the Frenchman.

"I am sure about their possible crisis and their last results.

"Their victory over Tottenham is an example of the difficulty that awaits us at home.

"Porto cannot play for a draw because it is a very dangerous tactic and negative for us.

"In football it is necessary to search for goals and not to just pass the ball.

"Our victory in Moscow was key. I am optimistic that we can qualify for the next round of the Champions League.

[Quaresma07]

http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics06_07/Managers/Premiership/wenger-cheeks.jpg

On the eve of Arsenal's trip to face Porto in the UEFA Champions League, Arsene Wenger has revealed he was once approached regarding the top job at the Portuguese side.

The Gunners need only a draw on Wednesday to reach the knockout stages for the fourth year in succession under their French boss, but things could have been so different had Wenger succumbed to the lure of Porto in his early years in management.

The Arsenal boss enjoys a close friendship with the president of the Estadio do Dragao side, Jorge Pinto da Costa, and Wenger has now explained how the Portuguese supremo sounded him out about taking over at Porto whilst he was still forming his formidable reputation at Monaco in the early 1990s.

Wenger felt committed to the Ligue 1 club at the time and turned down the opportunity, but his career then took him to North London via Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight.

"He [da Costa] wanted me to go to Porto when I was a very young manager," said Wenger to the club's official website.

"[I turned it down] Because I was under contract at Monaco."

Wenger will be hoping to orchestrate the downfall of his old friend's side on Wednesday, with a victory in Portugal possibly condemning Porto to a Uefa Cup spot.

[T.Reis]

Anyone know if it's being shwon on the net somewhere for free?

[Bossanova]

0-0 Porto deserved more, Arsenal were only interested in one result

Quaresma hit the post twice

ratings out of 5:

Helton-3.5
Bosingwa-3.5
Pepe-4
B.Alves-3.5
Fucile-3
Assuncao-3.5
Meireles-3
Lucho-3
Quaresma-4 MOM
Lisandro-3.5
Postiga-3

Sub:
B.Moraes----
Ibson----

Cant comment on Moraes or Ibson, game was dead at that point

[trekkervilla]

true.. porto was better throughout.. good for us quaresmo hit the woodwork twice..

[SCP-87]

Quaresma in great form.

IMO its not so bad Porto came second (as opposed to first which they could have got today) because you will avoid some strong teams in the next round which include Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter.

I have a feeling Porto will get Chelsea in the next round lmao.

[nicodemus]

Game summary from UEFA's website:

Arsenal FC and FC Porto made their way into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League as winners and runners-up respectively in Group G after a goalless but thrilling encounter in Portugal.

Point required
Both sides knew before kick-off that a point would be enough for them to hold off PFC CSKA Moskva and secure progress but the Portuguese champions constantly pressed for the victory that would have taken them through as section leaders, with Ricardo Quaresma twice striking the post early in the second half. The hosts were unable to capitalise on their superiority, however, allowing Arsenal to clinch top spot courtesy of their 2-0 home success in the reverse fixture on Matchday 2.

Quaresma industry
Any cynics who viewed the game as an opportunity for these clubs, each with a UEFA Champions League final appearance in the last three seasons, to relax were confounded by Quaresma. The mercurial winger tormented the Arsenal defence from the outset, making light work of the visitors' five-man midfield and finding space to exhibit his dazzling array of skills. Quaresma started the night on Porto's left wing and in Fucile he found a willing partner, the left-back drifting inside Aleksandr Hleb in the 22nd minute and finding Hélder Postiga with a precise pass though the striker could only shoot straight at Jens Lehmann.
Porto press
With the suspended Thierry Henry's replacement, Emmanuel Adebayor, more static and isolated than the Frenchman tends to be, Arsenal struggled to retain possession. As Wenger emerged from his dugout to demand more impact from his players Quaresma added to the sense of menace, flighting an outrageous lob from 40 metres that even the tall Lehmann had to stretch to hold underneath his crossbar. As Porto hit their rhythm, Quaresma and Lisandro Lopéz swapped flanks and the switch almost paid dividends within moments as only a top-class intervention from Kolo Touré prevented Postiga from heading his team in front, before Paulo Assunção threatened with a superb long-range drive.
Arsenal escapes
Within three minutes of the restart Quaresma came close to finally earning his reward with a goal as Lucho González laid a perfect pass beyond Gaël Clichy for the overlapping Lisandro Lopéz, whose cross fell for Quaresma to crack a right-footed shot off the post with Lehmann beaten. Although Cesc Fabregas replied with a free-kick into the arms of Helton, Porto were in total command, and just before the hour Quaresma tricked his way past Johan Djourou on the edge of the area and once more his attempt beat Lehmann only for the same post to come to Arsenal's rescue.
Opponents satisfied
However, Fabregas worked tirelessly to ensure that Arsenal were not totally overrun and late substitute Robin van Persie added energy to Arsenal's efforts to push the contest towards the Porto penalty box. Ultimately, though, both sides were more than happy with the point, although CSKA's defeat at Hamburger SV meant they would have advanced regardless of the result here.

[Viva_Benfica]

Let me tell you. Quaresma and Fabregas are going to be two of the best players in the world.

[SCP-87]

Quaresma is playing better than ever.
He plays well in the CL and the liga.

[Bobo_Snowman]

Quaresma industry
Any cynics who viewed the game as an opportunity for these clubs, each with a UEFA Champions League final appearance in the last three seasons, to relax were confounded by Quaresma. The mercurial winger tormented the Arsenal defence from the outset, making light work of the visitors' five-man midfield and finding space to exhibit his dazzling array of skills.



Think it warrents a NT start? Nahhh Scolari will be right in not even calling him up...

Anyone got clips of his work yesterday?

[nicodemus]

Think it warrents a NT start? Nahhh Scolari will be right in not even calling him up...

Anyone got clips of his work yesterday?


Bs belguim scolari has no choice to start quaresma since simao is suspended.
Besides Quaresma is playing better then Ronaldo right now i believe, i saw both of them play yesterday, and quaresma was simply brilliant.

[SCP-87]

Quaresma will play in the next nt game unless he gets injured.

It seems Scolari lost faith with Boa Morte. Figo is retired so its between Simao (suspended vs Belgium) Quaresma and Nani.

[equinox24]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwHdkx6q6B4

[Super Pibe #7]

You guys should've won this game.