3 positives & negatives from the 2-2 draw against Sporting CP

Positive #2: Squad rotation

Squad rotation at this stage of the season is crucial, and this match saw many fringe players afforded some much-needed playing time. Matt Turner, Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson all started the game, while the returning Emile Smith Rowe made a substitute appearance.

Their respective performances varied, but nevertheless, playing time against high-level opposition can only be a good thing. Each player has a role to play between now and the end of the season, and if we are to be successful, our fringe players being match sharp is an absolute must.

Negative #2: Poor defending

However, squad rotation comes with risks, and a disrupted backline led to a very poor defensive display. Individual mistakes and systematic shortcomings were rife in this game, making it all too easy for the home side to create dangerous opportunities for themselves. Other than Saliba, and Gabriel when he came on, the majority of our back five were poor and struggled to produce their best form.  In particular, Benjamin White and Matt Turner were especially disappointing.

But, perhaps more frustrating than the poor defending was the plethora of errors when building from the back which put the defence under the initial pressure.

Arteta reiterated this point after the match.

"“We gave too many balls away, too many simple balls in our own half and we gave them hope and we gave them the capacity to go into transition moments that they are good at.”"

A far more defensively solid display is vital in the second leg if we have ambitions of progressing to the next round.

Continued on the next slide…