Arsenal will be looking to put the disappointment of the Europa League exit behind them as they now turn attention to the FA Cup, playing Portsmouth at Fratton Park in a last-16 encounter.
The Gunners have done well since Mikel Arteta’s arrival, recently turning promising performances that previously got us draws into decent results. So the task now is to move on from the Olympiakos setback and continue that progression on the domestic front.
Arsenal, of course, the most successful club in FA Cup history, are favourites to beat the League One side but with the added importance of this now our only shot at silverware, Arteta will certainly try to go all the way. First, we need to get pass Pompey and history suggest we should do just that as they haven’t beaten the Gunners in any competition since March 1958.
However, Portsmouth will be up for this game and their captain Tom Naylor has also warned that the Fratton Park faithful brings a certain atmosphere we might not be used to.
Well, while that remain matter of opinion a quick glance at their wiki page tells that they are on a decent run on their own patch; a 19-match unbeaten streak all season, including 10 wins from their 10 games (all competitions). That certainly gives their fans something to crow about.
They come into this match on the back of a 3-0 win to move within three off the top-two on the League One table, with a match in hand over second-placed Rotherham United. In five home games last month they scored 14 goals with only three in reply. So if anything, we do have to keep our wits about us.
Team news
Arteta may have initially been tempted to make wholesale changes, but the Europa result means that he is more likely to name a stronger side.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who instead of given the night off, could play some part, with Eddie Nkeitah still favoured to lead the attack with Gabriel Martinelli up top with him.
Granit Xhaka played each minute of each game since the turn of the year and do need a breather, with Lucas Torreira given a start.
Shkodran Mustafi is an injury doubt, so this is a good opportunity to hand Pablo Mari, who have build up his fitness with the u23’s, his debut.
Prediction
Portsmouth are on an incredible run, especially in home comforts, and will certainly fancy themselves. So this will be no easy game for Arsenal following the trauma from Thursday night.
However, Arteta has since done a great job putting his arm around the shoulders of our players, to lift their spirits. So now it is for them to reciprocate that faith he got in them.
With this a potential banana skin we could be in for an entertaining night, with the Gunners doing just enough to hand Pompey their first home defeat of the season. COYG!
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
We could have a problem if we make wholesale changes.
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Must admit, when I looked back at Pompey’s recent results, esp at home, I got a bit concerned. We cannot afford any complacency tonight, not in our game management nor team selection.
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The trouble is this is a giant in waiting with them being bankrolled by an American billionaire. Apparently they are good at crossing, long range shooting and set pieces at either end. Not sure that’s an ideal place to give debuts and in fact I wouldn’t play Danny either as he tends to dwell on the ball and this is a place you will get eaten alive if you do that ( probably goes for Matteo too).
We need to be strong and fast tonight and no more of that slow football giving the ball to the CBs all game.
Oh just to cheer everyone up its mike dean as well COYG.
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@Ian LOL
Really laughed at the line…
…Oh just to cheer everyone up its mike dean as well COYG.
We should get through despite Mike Dean; the team cant lose unceremoniously 2ce in a row esp having not played over the weekend
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This game is made for Mike Dean
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Just been reading Swiss Rambles twitter thread on the financials, this club really need to sort a few things, sorely missing Wengers wise stewarding. Some say AW ran virtually everything at the club, if he really did, I suspect we are now starting to see why
Good luck Mikel!
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Time for the boys to dust themselves off and get back on the horse. Yes that last game was gutting, Olympiacos reminded of the Greek team that won(?) the euros. Dogged défense and opportunistic. I would think that MA had the guys practising defending balls being crossed into our box. Weren’t the last 4 goals pretty much that same situation?
It will be interesting to see what the boys are made from, I certainly expect them to bounce back.
COYG!
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When I was a Pompey supporting schoolboy in the 1960s and early 70s we used to sing, to the tune of Mary Hopkins hit song,
‘Those were the days my friend,
we are the Fratton End
We’ll sing and fight and never ever lose’.
I wonder if they still sing it all these years later?
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Arsenal Team
Martinez
Sokratis, David Luiz, Mari, Saka
Torreira, Guendouzi
Nelson, Willock, Martinelli
Nketiah
subs: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Xhaka, Ceballos, Pepe, Lacazette
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pedantic George @arseblagger
March 2, 2020 at 1:24 pm
We could have a problem if we make wholesale changes.
just the nine changes
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Positively Vindicated (Blackburn George)
@arseblagger
·
1m
Guendouzi/Torreira, if that works, it’ll be a first.
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Especially if Matteo keeps getting caught in possession, it’s a big game for him today.
However if we win with this very young side it will be a great result COYG.
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Dang, that is a bold lineup.
No way of knowing- unless he says something- whether that’s about the tiredness factor or displeasure with the other night.
It’s risky, but I’m excited to see how young players handle this challenge.
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Did I just hear Eddie took an elbow in the face? is there VAR?
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Eddie hit in the face, sounds like Torriera off on a stretcher.
But don’t expect dean to do anything.
Portsmouth know what they will get away with this cheat
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Surprise surprise a challenge described as alright by that cunt Jenas injures Torreira but nothing wrong with it.
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Torreira off with a bad ankle injury, portsmouth guy followed through on him after getting the ball. dean took no action
Ceballos on
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Looks serious with Torriera, another game, another player lost with what looks like a big injury, lower leg or ankle.
Pompey scum knew what he was doing there, as did the guy who hit Eddie, Mike Dean doing nothing, they know what they can get away with with this cheat
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I hate The English Game, let’s embarrass these cloggers for LT
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And of course Jenas endorsed it as perfectly ok. Arsehole. Wasn’t Lucas sent off for one far less serious. I Hate those fucking bastard Refs/pundits/commentators with a passion
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Didn’t Lucas get sent off for far less. Of course Jenas could see nothing wrong with it downplayed as you would expect.
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Mike Dean scents blood here, literally
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Fucking Hell, these BT arseholes in mourning after we scored Jenas almost in tears
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Sokratissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss makes it 1-0 to the Arsenal, with a powered volley deep in first half injury time
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HT: Portsmouth 0-1 Arsenal
Sokratis with the goal.
Torreira with what looks like a season ending injury, that did not even get the portsmouth thug a booking, mike dean is mike dean
Portsmouth really up for this and are being allowed to leave their foot in time and again.
Arsenal not making the best of the chances created.
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Guendouzi was booked for putting down the ball hard after one of many Dean fuckups and as its Dean we might be best to take the lad off, as our Mike would love to give Portsmouth more of a leg up than he already is doing.
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Eddie Eddie Eddie, makes it 2-0 to the Arsenal
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Mandy
Problem is our sweet FA also hate the English game.
Hence the one final in a home tournament in 70 odd years.
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The English FA and the pgMOB are against English Football? Don’t believe me? Ask Southgate for his thoughts right now. If he doesn’t have the footballs to keep uppy then we can always ask England’s greatest Clough what he thought or thinks of the FA. Though we all know that there’s no need to ask.
A collective of talentless crooks.
How hard can it be to say it? I just did!
Who cares about this nasty venal little associati no n which counts for FA in the modern history of the game save for their talent to humiliate themselves (please refer to the pgMOB and it’s credibility with this stand up souls at FUFA)
I just love the Arsenal.
And Arsene Wenger
And Arsene’s eyes and ears, also known as the prince of the park, also known as
Mikel Arteta.
Did Raul not like that!
COYG!
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this is what Dean booked Guendouzi for, but he did not see fit to book the portsmouth player for smashing Torreira out of the game
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FT: Portsmouth 0-2 Arsenal
Sokratis and Nketiah with our goals, both assists from Nelson
Some reports that Torreira has been lucky to just have a badly sprained ankle and not a break, but nothing confirmed yet.
Sokratis the first non U21 player to score in the FA Cup for us this season
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I think Arsenal should be asking questions as to why we constantly get this referee who fails to protect our players, they must have enough documented evidence to threaten a lawsuit!
Well done to our team for coping with their tactics , and that thing in black.
Let’s hope Portsmouth stay in league 1 and Stoke soon join them
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If anyone still needed proof that Dean was a crook and a joke as a referee, he got it tonight.
He’s well on his way to winning the “Riley Cup for Worst Referee,” and yet there are many other favorites.
Let’s just hope Torreira doesn’t suffer big consequences! Good game. Next up.
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Thank feck we won and I’ve pulled back from how I was feeling first half after another of our players done on Dean’s watch. Pepe was so lucky to escape the scissor tackle in another Dean game this year, and the other in a non-Dean game, but it was third time unlucky.
Really is torture to me at times watching him have such a hand in our destiny, knowing our players aren’t safe with him, and that opposition know they can push it. To the backdrop of a crowd of scumbags jeering our injured player, opponents who will elbow you off ball to face and complain about conceding a free kick. Commentators who ignore it all and are desperate for you to lose.
I truly detest Dean and hope one day, somehow, he gets his just deserts. Jeans,too, but hopefully Spurs will provide some of that down the years.
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Like I said beforehand any result with this young side would be great and so I was chuffed
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Anyway, with that out of the way, pleased to be through. Liked look of Mari. Good second half where quality told to such an extent at times was enough to wonder how teams in general are able to close it as often as they do, although good part of the answer in this case is it is much much harder for Dean to Dean us with a 2-goal lead, though he tried to hang in there and, I expect, hope for any sort of pen shout to materialise, or Guendo to make virtually any foul.
Not today, fuckface.
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On youngsters. Positive night for Eddie. Goal and sound performance. Saka is Saka. We know already he is destined for top career if can avoid the hack-and-smash merchants. Biggest positive probably Reiss. Got to think Arteta really rates him after his comments, and good signs today of why. Decent games Guendo and Martinelli.
Bit concerned about Joe. Needs to find more fairly soon. Or at least if good opportunities continue for him we need to see development between now and next season.
Not looking great for Ainsley at the moment. Sure he had a couple of good performances early on with Arteta so have to suspect some issue behind scenes, maybe to do with playing right back.
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Job done, which with an unfamiliar side and Dean deaning is no mean feat. Papa’s goal was well-struck, and when we could get the ball to Nelson, he was threatening. Let’s hope for a reasonably favorable draw, a good quarterfinal performance, and another trip to Wembley.
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Mandy, my mind goes there on these occasions, wondering what we can do about it.
Was imagining scenario along lines of us requesting confirmation of whether laws/guidelines of excessive force and scissor challenges have been changed or dropped, with clips including the three scissor ones this year, and question of ‘if these are ok, what isn’t?’
Helps me work through a bit of my anger but truth is, who do you take those issues to? Given way things are, how long all this has gone on, with our players being at this heightened level of injury risk, etc, have to assume any of our authorities are happy with it.
Still, I think it would be better doing something, even getting these issues recorded somewhere, rather than just taking it, and on and on it goes. Make sure Riley and co know we know full well what shits they are.
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Wish I knew where they could take it Rich.
But the amount of times we see this ref, and what often happens when we do, they must have a good case, unless they have signed up to go along with it all
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From what I’ve seen, English refs seem to follow a stupid unwritten rule that if the player got the ball then it is not a foul no matter how bad the tackle.
Doesn’t happen in other leagues like the Bundesliga which I’ve watched quite a bit this season.
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*appendix a. ‘Unless that player is an Arsenal player in which case it is a red card’
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While obviously he was silly to react as he did, the sarcastic placement of the ball by Guendouzi certainly suggests that the players know exactly what Dean is all about.
I was thinking about those tackles last evening, and I wondered whether this is something that the PFA should get involved in. After all, it is presumably an organisation that exists to protect and support the players, and if it is anything like the PCA it would take that really seriously.
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foreverheady
I’m sure Pfa would be involved if our games were reflective of the sport in general. It wouldn’t do to have so many bad challenges and injuries.
But…it really does seem something reserved for us. Cup games in recent years I can recall a crazy one in that Sutton game, on Iwobi I think. Elneny being injured same game for a bad one on ankle. Sheffield Wednesday game there was one on Iwobi again which was very dangerous and a definite red. Perez injured in Reading game by some lump who came on for a few minutes and never played for them again.
Seen nothing to suggest lower league teams play that way against any of our rivals.
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I have just written to the PFA – but not mentioned any specific incidents or teams. Depending on their response (should I get one) I may well become more specific.
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foreverheady
Good on you. In unrelated news, Atkinson at the weekend. Think Riley will try hit us with worst of them for a bit at this crucial juncture.
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Twatkinson again. He is possibly the worst for ignoring dangerous foul play of the lot.
How many times is that we’ve had that bastard?
Riley not even subtle. Was his old mate Slurgy in the Directors box for a catch up and update?
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Perhaps Riley is having his last flourish before Wenger, and it seems Wengers boss start laying into certain aspects of the English game, hopefully, imposing a sensible VAR is just the start
If Riley is in post next year, it is because he is doing what the powerful (Liverpool Utd at the top of that tree) tell him, by any other measurement, he and his organisation are complete disasters
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arsenal players should place the ball for every free kick for the rest of this season like this
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