What a difference a few days can make. Arsenal will now be looking at their 5th round FA Cup away tie with Portsmouth quite differently than they would have been thinking about it prior to last Thursday’s disappointing exit from Europa League competition at the hands of Olympiakos. Mikel Arteta’s mandate for the players will be to set Arsenal back onto a positive course, and to refocus their energy on one of the two competitions the club is still contending: Premier League and FA Cup. Since there was nothing the Gunners could do about the Premier League over the weekend as rival clubs picked up points in the table, concentrating on Portsmouth is their only constructive course of action. The Gunners advanced to this point by defeating Leeds United at home in the 3rd round, and Bournemouth away in the 4th round, and come into the tie knowing Portsmouth will feel they have nothing to lose but everything to win.
The Monday evening match represents only the fourth time these clubs have been drawn against each other in the FA Cup. The precedents came in 1932 when Arsenal travelled to Portsmouth and emerged with a 0-2 win, in 1971 when Arsenal drew 1-1 at Portsmouth but won the replay at Highbury, and in 2004 when Arsenal again travelled to Fratton Park and won by a score of 1-5, with Thierry Henry scoring a hat trick.
Portsmouth were FA Cup winners just 12 years ago when Sol Campbell marshaled Pompey’s defence at Wembley, and another Arsenal legend, Nwankwo Kanu, scored the only goal of the game to win it for Portsmouth. But financial crisis soon set in, and Pompey were relegated in 2010. In very short order Portsmouth were relegated two more times, landing in League Two in 2013 while nearly going defunct as a club due to financial improprieties. In 2017 the south coasters won promotion back to League One where they have stayed under manager Kenny Jackett, who in his first two seasons led Pompey to 8th and 4th place finishes in the table. Last season they missed a chance for promotion to the Championship by losing in the playoff semifinals.
This season’s Portsmouth moved up to 3rd place in the League One table on Friday night with a 3-0 home win against Rochdale. Pompey sit only two points behind the leaders so the FA Cup is not the only competition they are contending at the moment with automatic promotion or a playoff spot up for grabs. In addition, Portsmouth are still involved in the EFL Trophy where they are defending champions, and on 18 February they reached the final with a 3-2 home win against Exeter City. Pompey may still be competing in three competitions, but a home FA Cup tie against Arsenal is no doubt a highly anticipated event for Portsmouth’s management, players and fans. Arsenal have won the FA Cup 13 times, more than any other club, including six times since the turn of the century (2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015 and 2017). The feel of the occasion should be all the more special being a contest of relative minnows against giants, and its Monday evening scheduling can only add to the sense of drama.
In the FA Cup 4th round Portsmouth also played at home, and defeated Barnsley by 4-2 after leading 2-0 at halftime. In their three previous rounds Portsmouth defeated Harrogate, Altrincham and Fleetwood. Pompey’s most dangerous attacking threat is Republic of Ireland international left-winger Ronan Curtis, who has scored 11 goals and added five assists in league play this season. In FA Cup play Curtis has added an assist and two goals, including one of Pompey’s goals against Barnsley. Portsmouth’s other standout attacking threats include centre-forwards John Marquis and Ellis Harrison, who have scored 13 and 10 goals respectively in all competitions.
Team Selection
Mikel Arteta is expected to rest several players who faced Olympiakos, and looked like they had very tired legs by game’s end. At left back, Bukayo Saka may deserve a rest after playing all 120 minutes on Thursday but Arsenal have no obvious replacement for him with Sead Kolasinac out injured and Kieran Tierney having just returned to training on Friday. We can expect Saka to play unless Arteta opts to play Granit Xhaka in that position, which would force him to reshuffle the midfield. Hector Bellerin may be rested in favour of Ainsley Maitland-Niles at right back. Shkodran Mustafi left the game injured halfway through extra time against Olympiakos and is likely to miss out, with Sokratis Papastathopolous ready to replace him in the centre of defence. The Greek international could be partnered by Pablo Marí, who is poised to make his debut after joining Arsenal in the January transfer window, but Rob Holding could feature if Arteta decides the Spaniard is not ready. Emiliano Martínez could replace Bernd Leno in goal, if only to keep the German on his toes.
In midfield Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira may come in for Dani Ceballos and Mesut Özil. So long as Arteta doesn’t move Xhaka to left back, I would expect to see him continue as our remaining midfielder. In the attacking positions, Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Alexandre Lacazette may all get a rest, with their most likely replacements being Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli, but Reiss Nelson could also play a role in this contest. On Saturday four first team players—Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Pablo Marí, Rob Holding, and Reiss Nelson—each played 45 minutes against Manchester City for the U-23 team, and any of them could play at least another 45 minutes at Fratton Park.
The holics’ pound
Portsmouth seem to have a feel-good factor working at the moment, and will hope to catch Arsenal on the rebound from their Europa League exit four days ago, but seeing as they are two levels below us and we need to let off some steam, the verdict must be 1-3 to the Arsenal with Martinelli scoring twice and Nketiah tapping in the coup de grace at the death. Come on Arsenal, put them to the sword! A Cup win would make this week a little less harsh, and help keep two hands firmly on the tiller in the maelstrom of what’s to come in the rest of the season. Wherever you are watching the match ‘holics, keep spirits high, your Arsenal-supporting voices loud, and make it a good one.
Excellent preview bt8. I must confess to knowing nothing about Portsmouth these days and you’ve given me some qualified hope – they are third tier but clearly doing well and as you say will be hopeful of catching us in a vulnerable stat. I dare say they will have the usual lower tier concentration on set pieces so will be sure to give us some wobbly moments.
I think your prediction of a significantly changed team is probably spot on though I suspect there will be some continuity with MA8’s favourite selections over the past few weeks. So I expect Bellerin, Papa (only because Mustafi was injured) and Luiz to continue in defence, Xhaka and Ceballos in midfield and Aubameyang up front with a sprinkling of youngsters around them, probably including Saka, Willock, Martinelli and Nketiah.
I’m intrigued by your reference to the Grecians. I had always heard that nickname used for Exeter City and never had an explanation for the term. i’ve never heard it used of Portsmouth who have always been termed Pompey in my experience but one lives nad learns.
Another fine preview bt8. This is a match we should win but………. we are The Arsenal.
An evening fixture under floodlights,a raucous home crowd and probably an “up & at’em” approach, knowing that we don’t cope well with such an approach.
Well that’s my negative thoughts out of the way and I expect Mikel to choose a strong team to get us back to winning ways and avoid any long term funk after the disappointment of the Olympiacos result. He has suggested that Marí is now up to speed and I expect him to play alongside Luiz – his height alone will give us some much needed gain in this dept.
With a fully fit squad of midfielders and forwards this gives him the chance to “pic & mix” –
maybe Guendouzi’s energy and give Eddie & Reiss more playing time. I do agree with your 3-1 scoreline and onwards to the quarter finals.
I concur with Bath that Exeter City are known as the Grecians & Portsmouth as Pompey (you were researching on a recent match between the 2 sides 🤔). Exeter City’s ground is in the city district of St Sidwell and residents of this parish were known as the Grecians for centuries ( unknown why but most probably a connection with Greece through trade or immigration ).
Excellent preview.
I have very fond memories of Pompey and their fans. I made a visit there some years back now for a league game during the Wenger glory days. We engaged with the locals pre match. who were incredibly hospitable. Their only request, that after the game, whatever the result, we headed back to the pub to join them for more drinks. After a commanding victory a fantastic evening followed with us having to convince our hosts that we finally had to leave to make sure we got the last train back. This was despite the offer from several to actually put us up for the night.
The 2004 match will always stick in my memory. Arsenal were just unbelievable that night. At various stages of the match the Pompey faithful were seen applauding the performance that unfolded in front of them. Henry was sublime and virtually unplayable. As he was substituted Fratton Park rose as one to applaud what they had just seen. He left the pitch to cries of “Henry for Portsmouth” ringing in his ears. I always remember him coming back to do the lap after the game in a Portsmouth shirt to applaud their fans as well as ours.
I still can’t help to feel that Thursday involved a touch of complacency. Hopefully there will be none of that evident tomorrow. If we are professional then I anticipate a good Arsenal win. Anything less will just not be good enough.
Bring it on.
Great memories Steve. I wasn’t at the game but remember it vividly. My wife and I went with another couple to Southwold for the weekend. The ladies went out shopping and my mate Pete and I watched the game on TV, on the BBC as I recall, in the hotel bar. Just as you say, apart from TH14’s mesmeric performance, what sticks in the mind was that reaction from the Portsmouth fans.
A few months later, in March 2005, I took my son to Highbury for his first game, aged 5. The opponents were Portsmouth in the league. We were in the old family enclosure at the front of the West stand. We were close to the Pompey fans and in particular that bloke with the bell, John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood. He looked terrifying but in real life was an antiquarian bookseller. Arsenal won 3-0 with yet another hat trick from Henry. Happy days.
Why is Exeter City’s nickname the Grecians? Here is a couple of explanations:
Grecian mythology or fact? The mystery of Exeter’s nickname
Add salt in the quantities you see as appropriate.
What’s a Grecian Urn?
About €200 per week.
A boom tish. I’m here all week. Do tell your friends because quite frankly I need the money.
exeter city is my second club in england, after arsenal. i stood in the terraces at st. james before they were relegated to nonleague, at the turn of the century. rochdale took them 1-0. i went with my brother-in-law, and have been a grecian in spirit since. but i’m talking *really* second team.
i do remember how chuffed i was when they drew manu 0-0 at old trafford in 2005, and earned a packet that day, and with the return tie. that money saved them from potential administration, and they made it back to the football league on the back of a playoff win in 2008.
bt8, excellent preview. i think maybe we’ll get one more, and might let in one more. but i see a hopeful win on the horizon, as i doubt we have to be wary of pompeyans bearing gifts.
Great preview Bt8 . You do meticulous research and set a game up very well.
I saw the 1971 replay which was a cracker and we needed a penalty from Storey to win, Charlie George scored a goal after a fifty yard run . I also agree the Grecians are Exeter. I was on a board in Exeter and some of the other chaps on it were passionate Grecians. But I refused any presents when I retired. I was warmed about Grecians bearing gifts . I’m here all week too.😃
I think we might scrape this 2-1 but will win more easily if Xhaka doesn’t play
Thanks all for your kind comments and scholarly corrections. Uply’s diagnosis of my confusion is correct, at #2 above. That and all the Greek references from earlier in the week! Great memories Steve of 2004 and TTG of 1971.
Thanks bt8, another informative
preview and as you say a game
we need to win to dispel the
gloom. It’s a cup tie so any win
will do and my guess is a nervy
2-1.
No idea what team MA will
choose, he did say AMN, Rob
and Reiss needed minutes but
he didn’t say he’d give them!
Personally, I’d rest Saka and
play 3 centre backs and put
Nelson or Martinelli on the left.
Hector needs games and so
do Guen and Torreira so I’d start
them too. Something like
Emi
Papa, Luiz, Mari
Hector, Torreira, Guen, Martinelli
Pepe, Eddie, Auba
Any XI we put out firstly needs
to show they’re up for the fight.
Do that and we should win.
On Maureen the pay-off cost
might be a factor if he was
doing an “alright, so-so job”
but he tends to be boom or
bust. Once he screws up
the CL bid this season I think
Levy will go for someone younger
and less high profile – i.e. cheaper –
like say Eddie Howe or his
European equivalent.
Kola out for a month.
Just too early for Kieran.
Cedric back in training next
week – so much for 3 weeks.
Nice one, bt8. You’re giving Henry Winter a run for his money.
I really hope that neither Bellerin nor Saka plays tonight. Both laboured last Thursday, particularly Saka. Get them as fresh as possible for the Hammers. I do expect to see all of AMN, Gundouzi, Willock, Nelso, Nketiah and Martinelli feature tonight, not necessarily from the start. I suspect Leno, Luiz and Xhaka will all start.
And finally, we’ll get to see Mari for the first time in a senior game. I hope he plays well. I hope he has the ability to become a fixture next season.
1-3? I’d be very happy with that.
As someone who do a lot of contingency planning in his career I’m interested in how Arsenal do theirs. Back in the Kjallstrom days we signed a midfielder in the window where you sign someone on loan to be up and running and he had a broken back . Hardly figured in the team.
Suarez last season went in the fetlock after it emerged he joined with an injury. He played four games . Soares, signed as emergency cover, may be fit to play for the first time at the start of April . Mari joined without a pre-season and is ready four weeks after the window closed. If you need players you need them immediately or else why borrow them ?
All a bit beyond me .
Interesting question, TTG. Do other clubs hide the extent of the injuries or do we underestimate them, or not know about them in the first place?
Mari, I suspect, is an exception; you can’t hide a league’s off-season. My guess would be that he was brought in for the long term so the loan period is bedding in/try before you buy rather than emergency cover.
Mari might actually be an
example of good planning !
It makes sense to have a
good look for 6 months
before we sign Luiz’s successor.
Oh…. Ned already said this I
just noticed.
TTG@15, it’s truly an extraordinary record of making loan signings who are crocked when they arrive. As you suggest, I always thought that loan signings were primarily made to fill a gap for an interim period. To add crocks is as fiscally incontinent as our contracts and sales have been over the last few years. Clearly we do not do ‘due diligence’ on any of these loan signings. Do we just ‘hit and hope’?
Being kind I suppose you could
say we thought Soares might
slot in easily during a very busy
April when we had lots of games
across 3 competitions.
Here’s hoping that Mari is the exception and I’ve already read that he has impressed so much in training that we are signalling an intent to make the move permanent at the end of the loan period. If Mari plays tonight I would expect him to be bedding in as part of a back three with Sokratis and Luiz unless he has been SO impressive that Mikel thinks he can handle a lower tier aerial assault with only Luiz alongside.
In that case I would expect AMN and Martinelli to be called on as wing-backs to rest Hector and Saka for the reasons indicated by BtM. The centre might then carry the screening experience of Xhaka(!) and Torreira with Willock or Ceballos playing box-to-box and you can then perm any two from Aubameyang, Pepe, Nketiah and Nelson up front.
1-3 to the good guys sounds a fair and very acceptable prediction to me.
COYG
Disney comes to Pompey.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51413840
If Pompey’s attacking threat comes mainly From their two wingers, are we better off playing a back three or a back four?
bt8@21, i guess they really *are* a mickey-mouse club.
ned, i think we should be playing a back 5, a 4 with torreira holding tight in front of it.
The problem is the absence of any real full backs who are neither crocked nor dead on their feet. I always prfer a back four but shiver at the thought of Sokratis at RB and AMN in LB with a brand new CB pairing. Time will tell. 26 minutes time in fact.
Arsenal: Martinez, Sokratis, Luiz, Mari, Saka, Guendouzi, Torreira, Nelson, Willock, Martinelli, Nketiah
Subs: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Xhaka, Ceballos, Pepe, Lacazette
Interesting line up….
Strong team. Disappointed to see the very excellent Saka start again. MA8 clearly doesn’t rate AMN.
Enjoy, Holics.
Scruz@23: Olympiakos’s 4-5-1 with triple teaming of Pepe and Saka was pretty effective at snuffing out our wing threat last Thursday, so perhaps there are lessons in that for us today.
Bath@24: If btb8 is correct in his assessment that left winger Ronan Curtis is Pompey’s danger man, then Sokratis at right back is going to have his hands full and Nelson is going to have to do a lot of tracking back.
Ronan Curtis only fit enough for Pompey’s bench, I now see. Sokratis will have some time to get settled at right back.
I am assuming the line up is 4-2-3-1 and not 3-5-1 with Saka and Nelson as the wing backs in the five.
Interesting line up indeed Artur. Sokratis at full back seems a risk unless Mikel is setting up as a 3 / 5 / 3. 🤔
martinez
papa mari luiz saka
torreira guendouzi
martinelli willock nelson
eddie
i think torreira’s remit will be to drop back to help, with either center back, and contain any wing threat. with guendouzi box to boxing, and hopefully assisting the center backs. i don’t know who will get the xhaka role of dropping into left back when saka moves forward, but someone will have to as he’s our most assisting player…
Whoops……3/5/2 of course. Ned, if this is the set up, then possibly Guen & Torreira sitting in front of the back 3, Nelson / Willock / Saka up & down. We’ll see soon enough.
3-5-3
I like the sound of it. Good balance in the side. 🙂
“Replays have been scrapped from the fifth round so all the ties will be decided on the night.”
I hope they have been practicing their penalties this week.
No Ronan, Ned? No worries, they have McCrorie and McGeehan at the ready. Not sure they’re attacking players though, just Irish sounding ones.
A very intriguing and versatile team selection. I can’t predict whether it’s 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1. Time will tell how we line up and may we even see some in-game changes? I still don’t fancy Sokratis as a RB. I am pleased and intrigued to see Pablo Mari make his debut though.
that doesn’t look good. lt11 in a lot of pain.
immobilizing his right ankle. fuck. gotta be dani in for him, let’s see.
Unfortunate. Fair challenge I thought. Pity we’re making such an early change.
yep, dani. channel the spirit of santi, please…
agreed, i thought it was fair, as well. looked like he landed wrong, or got caught up.
Bit like last Thursday’s Olympiacos game so far. Sokratis slower than a snail.
We are the masters of the backward pass. Slow as hell on these build ups.
nice way to end the half. papa making up for being so slow.
Agreeing with every word of Jenas’ commentary. Correctly critical of Arsenal. Spot on re Deanthecunt’s booking of Guendouzi.
Yes, I suppose we have to conclude that Papa merited his inclusion. He’s no full back though.
The last time Papa played right back we had a clean sheet at Olympiakos. This time we have a half a clean sheet and Papa’s doing Auba’s job too. What more could you want?
Keown, ‘result much better than the performance at the moment’.
The least I would have expected was all of that and Berkampesque MF play bt8. 🙂
Mike Dean has been man of the match so far. By far the greatest influence on the game. Amazing he gave the goal really.
Great run and finish 2-0!
I do wish Jenas didn’t sound so depressed now that we are winning. The inner Twatt/Tott really keeps coming through. And spare a thought for poor Mike Dean. he must be really hurting inside but he can still make a difference, I’m sure.
Slid in the end. Good experience for the youngsters.
Controlled it much better 2nd
half. Nice goal Eddie to go with
a classic Sokratis finish.
Fingers crossed for Torreira
though it doesn’t look good.
Once more unto the hat we go
We did well in the SH. Controlled the game and didn’t give Dean (MotM) an opportunity to swing it Pompey’s way.
OM, news on Torreira is good. He’s ok, apparently.
Thanks Bath – that is good news!
First goal was immensely important . Changed the mindset in the second half .
Impressed with two loaners. Ceballos is very tidy and I thought Marí was impeccable albeit it in a relatively easy situation .
Loanees not loaners. Damn predictive sex 😃
Game of parts. The first 40 minutes were a proper cup tie. For the rest of the game, we were on cruise control.
Despite the commentators saying the result flattered Arsenal, Martinez had only one shot to save.
Agree that Mari looked solid, if not overly tested.
And Papa had a decent game at right back, though I wouldn’t want to see him playing there week in, week out.
I thought the score was a perfect reflection of the play . They never looked like scoring and we were at least a couple of goals better.
I also thought Nelson was more incisive than Pepe on the right largely because he could take on his full-back on the outside. It was the best performance I have seen from him . Nketiah’s mobility makes him currently a better bet than Lacazette .
Agree on Papa at right back
Ned, though I did think I
needed to adjust my set when
he steered his goal almost
nonchalantly into the bottom
corner 🙂
Your trivia of the day (h/t BBC):
Papa is the first Greek to score in the FA Cup since Apostolos Vellios for Nottingham Forest against Hull in January 2018.
As bt8b said, OM, Papa was channelling his inner Auba with that goal.
Didn’t see the game but it sounds like Nelson and Nketiah are exactly the early March breath of fresh air this team needed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The youngsters did very well as did the new loanee though as TTG observes, he wasnt hugely tested. Nice feet nd put in a good pass or two.