Arsenal’s hopes of a Champions League quarter-final berth hinge on a spirited second-leg performance at the Emirates.

After a frustrating 1-0 loss to Porto in Portugal, the Gunners need a galvanizing comeback fuelled by more than just tactical adjustments and on-pitch execution. Declan Rice believes a “rocking” Emirates Stadium is the key ingredient, a sentiment that echoes the crowd’s role in past Arsenal triumphs.

Rice’s rallying cry

“We’ll need absolutely everyone,” Rice told Arsenal.com after the first-leg defeat. “The Emirates is going to be rocking. We feel that when it’s like that at our stadium it’s obviously one of the best places in the world to play football so we’ll be ready for it, I’m already looking forward to it and fans get right behind us. We’ll need everyone.”

This isn’t just hopeful optimism from Rice. The midfielder understands that a passionate home crowd can elevate his team and rattle opponents, especially in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a Champions League knockout tie.

A history of inspired comebacks

Rice likely has Arsenal’s historic 5-0 thrashing of Porto in the 2010 Champions League in mind. That night, a deafening crowd propelled Arsenal as they overturned a first-leg loss in spectacular fashion. While replicating that scoreline is a tall order, the spirit of that comeback remains relevant.

However, Arsenal can’t rely solely on the Emirates’ atmosphere. Mikel Arteta needs to find solutions to the attacking struggles that plagued them in the away leg. Porto, a well-organised and experienced side, will be eager to defend their slender advantage and frustrate Arsenal on the counter…when they can manage to stay on their feet.

“So frustrating,” Rice admitted about the first-leg performance. “We worked really hard, prepared really well. Obviously, it wasn’t meant to be in terms of the way we created the chances tonight. After the start of 2024 we had, there’s a lot to learn, a lot to take from tonight.”

The importance of focus

Rice himself faced an added challenge in the first leg, picking up a yellow card just 65 seconds into the match. “It’s really tough when you look up at a clock and you see one minute thirty, you’ve been booked, for a player like me who makes tackles gets involved in that type of the game,” he reflected. “You have to use your head, use your experience and know that you can’t really be getting involved in too many other duels. But I did get involved in some other duels, won my tackles. Like I said, it’s just about having that savviness and you know and playing with the brain.”

Despite the disappointment of the first leg, Rice sees positives. “I think that’s a real positive, obviously to concede late is a real kick in the teeth but the positive is it’s half-time in two legs. We’ve got the home leg now, which we’re going to be fully up for with our fans, and have that goal to reach the quarter-final.”

With the Emirates crowd roaring Arsenal on, Rice’s belief may prove well-founded. The stage is set for a dramatic second leg, and Arsenal players are counting on their fans to provide that extra spark to ignite a Champions League comeback.

Mikel Arteta laments missed chances against Porto

After the game, Arteta acknowledged the difficult away environment at the Stadio do Dragao.

“It’s tough to play here. They are really well organised and we have some problems, especially in the first half to attack much better,” Arteta told Arsenal.com after the match. Despite periods of control and numerous corners, Arsenal couldn’t break down Porto’s resolute defence. “But when we had total control, dominance of the game and we looked to be more of a threat, play more in the final third, generate I think 10 or 12 corners, we didn’t make enough of that,” he added, lamenting the missed opportunities.

Crucially, Arteta isn’t resigned to defeat. “And then the way we gave the ball away, especially in those deep areas in the Champions League, you pay the price and now it’s just half time. It’s clear what we have to do. Now, it’s more clear than before. You want to be in the quarter-finals, you have to beat the opponent and, we’re going to prepare that for our supporters to have a real go,” he said.

“The last time we faced Porto at this of the competition, back in 2010, we turned round a one-goal defeat from the first leg and triumphed 5-0 at home to progress, and it’s all to play for again when we welcome the Portuguese side to Emirates Stadium on March 12,” he reminded Arsenal fans.

Key to this potential comeback, Arteta believes, like Rice, is the atmosphere at the Emirates. “We have to create a special atmosphere and we have to really go for it, and get some momentum in the game and manage the game really well because today was foul after foul and we had some help from the ref to do that, but I’m sure it will work out.”

Walcott questions Arteta’s substitutions in Porto loss

Following Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League defeat to FC Porto, former Gunner Theo Walcott has raised concerns about Mikel Arteta’s apparent lack of trust in his squad’s depth. Walcott suggests this hesitancy to rotate players contributed to the team’s lacklustre performance at the Estadio do Dragao.

Arsenal appeared subdued throughout the match, failing to register a single shot on target. Despite visible fatigue among the starters, Arteta made only one substitution – Jorginho for Leandro Trossard in the 74th minute. This left many unused options, including Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, and Cedric Soares.

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Walcott reflected on his own experiences as an Arsenal forward: “I remember being in this certain position before and being subbed as a forward player. [Gabriel] Martinelli, for instance, could be tired, he’s worked a lot, he’s worked really hard, tracking his full-back quite a lot tonight.

Walcott then directly questioned Arteta’s decision-making: “Of course, lazy pass, loses the ball [for Porto’s goal], but then I’ve just got to question this squad depth of Arsenal at the start of the game – does Mikel trust the players?”

He further argued that the game’s nature warranted more substitutions: “He only brought on one sub tonight and I just feel it could’ve been a game where we completely just shut up shop, maybe just slow it down even slower than it was and take off certain players, obviously [Bukayo] Saka wasn’t as effective tonight.”

Walcott believes the Emirates return leg will be a different contest but expressed a lingering question: “It’ll be completely different at the Emirates, I’m sure, but as a coach would you feel you’d want to make more subs knowing that the game is stagnating?”

Walcott’s comments raise a valid discussion point: Did Arteta miss an opportunity to inject fresh legs and change the game’s momentum? With Arsenal needing a goal in the second leg, could a greater trust in squad players have made the difference in a tightly contested first leg away match?

Arteta’s in-game management has been a continuous topic of conversation amongst fans and seems to be one weak point in his managerial kitbag.

FC Porto in England

FC Porto have never won a game in England and their record of getting a draw isn’t great, either, which will be a boost to Arsenal.

Having played English teams 46 times, Porto have only won nine, and all those victories came at home.

They have played 22 games in England, losing 19.

After Wednesday night’s defeat against Porto, Arsenal’s record against the Portuguese side reads played 7, won 3, drawn 1, lost 3 goals for 12, goals against 5.