Pregame:
I am not one of those supporters who thinks of cup competitions as a distraction from progress in the league. The Gunners have underperformed in Europe for a very long time and it would be unseemly to tank in Europa League. Barring a complete collapse, we'll be in Champions' League next year, so winning EL is its own reward, and I think a worthy goal. There are challenges with this game. Several players are sick, including Tierney, who must be desperate to show his worth in a meaningful contest. He's been a victim of Arteta's system, which relies on our left back to drift into midfield. That's not Tierney's game. He's a better defender than Zinchenko and is faster, able to overlap and put in crosses and shots. But Arteta wants someone who can combine with the other offensive players in sustained assaults on goal. It's odd that just when we'd found that elusive dependable left back, we changed to a system in which he did not figure.
Eddie, Jesus, Trossard are all unavailable, I think, meaning Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson should start. Saka needs a rest; he can sub in if we fall behind. It's going to be a tough game. It may be all we can do to keep it close so that we can win by enough at the Emirates to progress.
Postgame:
It was a wild one. I could only listen to a play-by-play, but the participants were satisfied that the result was a fair reflection of the play. Turner was iffy on Sporting's first goal and play was disjointed. Surely our first eleven, or nearly all, will be playing the return match at the Emirates. I think we ought to be able to get the job done at home.
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