Arsenal were drawn against Sporting CP in the last-16 of the Europa League, avoiding the likes of Juventus and Sevilla. The Gunners will play the 19-times Portuguese champions in March during a 23-day period of seven matches.
Sporting CP knocked out Danish side Midtjylland in the knockout play-off round only to draw potential tournament favourites Arsenal. It was not the opponent they would have hoped to play at this stage having already been relegated from a Champions League group that included the Gunners' north London rivals Tottenham.
To get a grasp on how Sporting might be feeling after the draw football.london spoke to Lisbon-based Portuguese football expert and Sporting supporter Jose Miguel. Jose provided insight on a number of topics including the return of Hector Bellerin, the threats Arsenal will face like Marcus Edwards and Pedro Goncalves plus where the tactical weaknesses of the Gunners’ opponents can be found.
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This is arguably the worst draw Sporting CP could have got, what was your reaction to the draw?
“Definitely, yes. I mean it’s the team which is doing the best this season in the Premier League. Probably the best team playing so far in the top five leagues, I believe.
“I’ve been watching Arsenal this season closely, I try to watch every game, I do my best, and I’ve been thoroughly impressed. They’ve taken the best from players who perhaps were a bit forgotten or underperforming like [Martin] Odegaard and Granit Xhaka, I mean he’s not my favourite player at all but he’s been doing fine things this season.
“I’ve been loving [Thomas] Partey so far, and now with Jorginho, it’s even stronger. [Eddie] Nketiah seemed like he wouldn’t be an option at all at the start of the season and now he’s a great forward.
So Sporting couldn’t have hoped for any worse. I think Sporting have assets that can make a difference against a team like Arsenal but it’s going to be very hard; I mean it’s an impossible task to defeat Arsenal at this moment.
“Above all else, it’s going to be a great game, I think. Two teams that play very positive football, forward-looking but Arsenal have some strengths Sporting can’t even dream to eliminate.”
Two seasons ago Sporting won the league, last season they finished second and now their fourth. What’s happened in these two years?
“So Sporting won the Portuguese title in the first season when Ruben Amorim took over and kind of unexpectedly. No one knew how Sporting would be playing tactically speaking.
“Amorim took players from the youth team, from the Portuguese league that weren’t so famous. He signed Pedro Goncalves from Famalicao who placed sixth that season and Nuno Santos from Rio Ave who placed fifth.
“These were average players, no one seemed to care too much about them, but they made a difference. Even though the players weren’t stars, they made a team.
“He was able to make a team where all the players were working together and taking the best out of them. But I think the surprise effect was what made a difference in that season and it has been fading so far.
“Sporting has not invested, what I believe it should be investing. This particular season it’s been hard, [Joao] Palhinha was sold in the summer [to Fulham], and everyone knew he was going to leave, but in the last days of the window Matheus Nunes was signed by Wolves and no one was expecting that.
“There was even some controversy in Portugal because Ruben Amorim was saying Nunes was going to stay and the next day he was sold. Losing Palhinha and Nunez, the midfield was completely wrecked and I mean Amorim has been trying to make amends with the players he has, which are not at the same level as those who were sold.
“I mean placing fourth this season is fair because Sporting haven’t been playing great. But there are moments when Sporting leave the impression that they’re returning to the old Sporting but it’s occasional, it’s not consistent.”
The obvious link between Arsenal and Sporting is that of Hector Bellerin who joined in January to replace Pedro Porro. What was your reaction to his arrival and how has he performed in the short stint since coming?
“He’s been okay. Hector Bellerin hasn’t played many matches, he’s not played many minutes this season for Barcelona, I think everyone knows that.
“He was a very promising player at Arsenal, I can remember him perfectly playing at Arsenal. Great pace, made a lot of difference in the final third of the pitch and I think he fits perfectly in Sporting’s tactics.
“He’s not Pedro Porro at all. They’re not the same and I know that Porro’s debut for Tottenham was not great, to say the least.
“But Bellerin can still make a difference, he’s very quick. He doesn’t have the ability to face one-vs-one in the last third, which Porro had and he’s still catching up physically and tactically at Sporting so far.
“But knowing that the alternative to Bellerin is Ricardo Esgaio, he’s a great improvement. Esgaio just doesn’t have the level to play for Sporting and I sincerely hope he doesn’t play against Arsenal otherwise Martinelli will have a great time.
“I hope Bellerin returns to his previous levels with Arsenal and even Real Betis who he made some great performances. I think he’s a great asset so let’s see, he’s still catching up so let’s take a rain check on that and see how he does until the end of the season.”
What other threats should Arsenal be looking at? Arsenal and English football fans will be aware of Marcus Edwards and others will know of Goncalves too, are they the two main ones?
“They are the main ones, definitely. I think Manuel Ugarte, the defensive midfielder, he’s not going to play in the first leg because he’s suspended but he’s a great player; I wouldn’t have him as a threat but he controls the midfield very well defensively speaking.
“I think that’s actually a weakness for Sporting. I don’t know who is going to play but they won't be as good as Ugarte.
“But yes, Pedro Goncalves from the left, Marcus Edwards from the right, I think that’s how they’ll play. Goncalves has also been playing as a central midfielder, but I don’t think it’s the best position for him, it takes him far too far from the goal.
“If you watched the game against Midtjylland, I mean, Pedro Goncalves is the best player in the match. He scored a great goal and he’s very like that where he won’t show up for half the game but in two or three moments he makes the difference.
“Pedro Porro was the main threat for Sporting but he’s left so that’s one threat neutralised for Arsenal.
“I think Nuno Santos, who's been playing as a left wing-back, he’s a threat. If you give him space, if you give him the left wing to move up he can be a great threat, he crosses very well, he’s got a good shot and physically he can hold a guy for the full ninety minutes.
“Let’s see how Pedro Goncalves plays. If he plays in central midfield I think that’s better for Arsenal because he doesn’t defend that well; so I think Sporting should play Goncalves on the left and Edwards on the right.
“Then there’s Paulinho (striker) or [Youssef] Chermiti, you may not have heard of him but he’s made a sensational difference in the last few matches. He’s only 18, but very tall, physically very strong and a great forward in the box to score some goals."
That’s the strength but what are the weaknesses in the shape that Sporting play?
“I think the main problem for Sporting has been the right wing when Porro didn’t play. As I say if Esgaio plays instead of Bellerin that’s going to be a problem.
“The back of Sporting’s midfielders it’s a problem as well as we play with only two central midfielders. Ugarte, who defends very well but against three midfielders he doesn’t stand a chance.
“And generally the other midfielder who has been Goncalves or [Hidemasa] Morita are too far up the pitch to help him defend. So between the midfield and the defensive line, it has been a problem and I can see Martin Odegaard receiving the ball in that space and creating chances.
“Sporting plays with three centre-backs. Two of them are very fast, Jeremiah St. Juste and Goncalo Inacio, they have great pace so that is somewhat controlled even if the wingers don’t respond that well but the back of the midfield is a problem.”
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