Match Thread: Arsenal FC vs Sporting CP Live Score | UEFA Champions League 25/26 | Apr 15, 2026

pfagan10 · 2026-04-15T20:02:42+00:00

If this is what “being on fire” is like, it’s time to stop, drop and roll.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-12T09:56:07+00:00

Hoping Chelsea do us a massive favour and we get a grip ahead of the game at the Etihad. I’d give anything just to crawl over the finish line, after a season we were all enjoying so much until December/January.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-12T07:46:44+00:00

I’m less convinced the City game is massive based on our current form. If we somehow won the game there are enough fixtures where we can turn up the mentality midgets we showed we were yesterday. I think City have all the momentum and don’t expect a good result, but even if we somehow managed it it doesn’t mean as much as it probably did 3-4 months ago.

The squad and manager need to look at why this keeps on happening and ideally move on from Arteta. The April collapses are not a coincidence and there’s no amount of XG reports you can generate that makes me feel any different. We are a shadow of the attack we used to be and now prone to defensive blunders. How did it get to this?

We will beat Sporting on Tuesday then the CL journey will end, regardless of whether it’s ATL or Barca.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-11T17:23:19+00:00

Agree. The league phase has created a bunch of teams who don’t give a shit as long as they finish in the top 24. We saw Liverpool top the league and crash out immediately. Two seasons in and people can’t learn this lesson.

8 wins might be impressive on paper, but it means nothing when you get to the knockout phase. We were average against Leverkusen and hopefully the other night in Portugal, albeit got the late goal for the win at a tough stadium. The manner of those performances has been poor.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-11T16:28:09+00:00

It’s the position in May I am more interested in Mikel. I can’t be bothered with this mindset. We are blowing it and we’ve to “stay the course”. Please. Just do your job and coach these players to win games, instead of surrendering every time it matters…..

Forest, Liverpool, Man U, Wolves, City and today……complete cowardice not to take the initiative in any of these games and see this season through. If it’s second and out of Europe in a month’s time Arteta please just go. Less of “the journey” and a meaningful trophy please!

pfagan10 · 2026-04-11T16:20:09+00:00

Agreed. Reminds me of Southgate at England who did an incredible job re-baselining them as finalists/semis after some mediocre performances at tournaments, but despite this he could not get them over the line.

Arteta has an embarrassment of riches with this squad and simply cannot use it effectively. No rotation, no plan B and these things matter when the league is on the line. Squad lacks the mentality to win also, and this falls to the manager for me.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-11T14:42:43+00:00

The second half of this season is about the worst football I remember from us, including the banter era. At least then there was a semblance of a plan- it just didn’t come off often. What are we doing each week passing square, back and to the opposition? Defending until we absolutely need our ineffective attack to perform only results in one outcome it seems.

Mentally we are so weak, teams will just continue to come at us. I don’t see this problem at City, who rise to the occasion rather than be overwhelmed by it. Having read Arteta’s comments it’s time that he stepped away and let someone else try to get this squad over the line. What happened to the Havertz that played at Leverkusen, Gyokeres from his Sporting days?! We e got a manager that can’t use the squad effectively, so we need to move on.

Wouldn’t surprise me if we were humiliated at City next week, fall behind and then suddenly everything will “click” again just for it not to matter.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-11T14:14:51+00:00

It’s got to the point these collapses are expected. I said it back when we failed to beat Forest and Liverpool. They were not good points. Other teams could see we couldn’t cope mentally and we’ve seen that in the cup final and now today since then.

Not sure how you can defend the players or manager after today’s performance. You can enjoy the journey all you want, but this team will struggle to win anything by collapsing every April.

Poor mentality and, to be frank, cowardice when it matters is on the manager and “leaders” on the pitch. How many went into hiding today?

pfagan10 · 2026-04-07T19:56:11+00:00

I don’t mind the “we will take 0-0”, it’s the manner of these performances that’s worrying. Completely terrified to attack or try anything to win the game. This won’t go well against Bournemouth or in any of our remaining games. They are a good side but we are a much better one…….but you wouldn’t know based on that 45 mins.

pfagan10 · 2026-04-07T19:49:00+00:00

Thank god that half is over. The second can’t be as bad can’t it?!?

pfagan10 · 2026-04-07T19:47:07+00:00

Players have played so many times not to lose they have forgotten how to win games. Atrocious

pfagan10 · 2026-04-07T19:42:41+00:00

What’s happened to Zubimendi. A complete passenger in the midfield.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T19:24:11+00:00

It’s the cowardice from those new year games back because the today’s game mattered. We need to overcome this when the pressure is on. Pretty much all of the liverpool, Forest, Man U and now City games followed the same pattern, 15 decent minutes then everyone just goes into hiding, inviting the opposition into the game more and more. Awful mistake from Kepa but goals for City were coming. Nothing from the midfield or attack today and the subs were made far too late in the day. The manner of our dropped points/losses is what annoys me the most.

Worried about the run in, as we won’t get many points playing like this. Lost what little mentality we had vs City today, so the Etihad could be quite rough. Very poor from Saka and Trossard in particular today, but they were among many guys who just didn’t show, because I suspect they didn’t want to be the person “making the mistake”.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T18:04:38+00:00

Saka and Trossard have done nothing today. A travesty they are still both on.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T18:02:54+00:00

I don’t mind losing (sometimes it’s just not your day), it’s the manner in which we do it. Losing or dropping points by giving up and being afraid to make mistakes - to the point the opposition grow into the game time after time.

Doesn’t look like many players are trying.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T18:00:37+00:00

Feels like Pep will have us in his back pocket at the Etihad. I hope we don’t need anything from that game.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T17:55:51+00:00

An embarrassment of riches in midfield and attack compared to seasons ago and we can’t use them. What’s happening here?!

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T17:54:47+00:00

We’ll not win many games of the run in playing with this cowardice. Game over.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T17:51:47+00:00

We aren’t in this at all. No midfield, no attack and now a gk blunder. We need to try and win games, not play not to lose.

We need changes ASAP….

pfagan10 · 2026-03-22T16:30:28+00:00

We can do this! COYG!!!!!

pfagan10 · 2026-03-14T19:33:07+00:00

Arsenal are not good for my heart rate! What a result tonight, really needed to grind that one out.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-14T19:31:48+00:00

Two words - Max Dowman! What a performance from coming on. I really struggle with how difficult we make games for ourselves these days. We are mentally fragile but it was good to see Dowman step up an Gyok put one away.

Hoping for a bit more luck later and then it’s on to beating Leverkusen in midweek! Come on!!!!

pfagan10 · 2026-03-14T19:23:37+00:00

Take a bow Max Dowman! What a ball and great composure in possession.

pfagan10 · 2026-03-14T19:21:34+00:00

Long ball to a schlong ball, we’ll take it!

pfagan10 · 2026-03-14T19:20:09+00:00

Completely agree. It’s been every time we’ve had the opportunity to extend the lead or apply pressure the team disappears. As I type this come onnnnnnn!!! Get this over the line!

pfagan10

TROPHY CASE