Porto confident of going through as Fabregas is a doubtful starter
It is nearly certain that Arsenal will be without their captain Cesc Fabregas for the return leg of the Champions League against Porto this week, as he has damaged the same hamstring the same hamstring that kept him out for a month earlier in the season.
Arsene Wenger said about Fabregas last night: “He has a hamstring problem and we don’t know how big the damage is yet because it is too early. We’ll see tomorrow or Monday. We have to make a late decision over whether he plays on Tuesday, certainly. It is the same hamstring he hurt before.”
The good news is that Abou Diaby has returned to the team, and with Andrei Arshavin and Theo Walcott returning to form, Arsenal will not be short of quality midfielders.
But Porto have vowed to attack the Gunners at the Emirates, and they had pinpointed Fabregas as their main danger, so will be even more confident without him in the team.
Porto midfielder Raul Meireles said: “We will not be ultra-defensive in London. That’s not our style and to try to play that way would be a disaster for us.
“Arsenal are a dangerous team in attack and to give them the ball would cause chaos for us.
“The big battle will be in midfield. We must stop Cesc Fabregas but also the other men in that area.
“I’m optimistic and our squad have the confidence and belief that we will reach the last eight.”
He may well be confident, but so are Arsenal, and I am sure they will have no problem getting through to the quarter-finals as usual.
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update:: Porto confident of going through as Fabregas is a doubtful starter http://bit.ly/aXYMcE
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I would hate to burst Porto’s bubble but we have a more than capable and readymade replacement for Fabregas in Samir Nasri.Infact i have always insisted that whenever Cesc is absent he should be withdrawn from the wings and be our central creative playmaker.I had been following Nasri from Marseille where he was playing a similar role and he was outstanding.Infact when Arsenal bought him i wondered how him and Cesc would play in the same team.
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Fabregas or no Fabregas , there is no way Porto will win at the emirates, if not for the 2 silly mistakes by our goal keeper, there is no way they could have score us that day. It is going to be 4 nill for Arsenal. Porto will definately fall at the Emirates becos there will be no chance for bad officiating like in the first leg bcos Arsenal fans and the atmosphere in THE STADIUM WILL INTIMIDATE THE REFEREE.
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Porto sounded confindent but beware of the gunners, there are deadly at the emirates. you cannot stop the mon their day but let’s see what happens ok!
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Last season this time around bendtner missed a lot of sitters,remember roma? Arsenal won 1-0 but it should have been 4 or 5,no critism to bendy or cursing him but he needs to kill the teams off. Porto will go through hell at the grove. Its about time Bendtner gets his double hat-trick
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Bendtner might as well get his lesson against Burnley.
He will strive harder to get goals against Porto.
Without Fabregas, we have Rosicky, Nasri, Eboue…
Walcott is showing great performance too.
And Arshavin is back.
His great sense to score will haunt Porto.
So don’t count Arsenal out, they are still very much in the match to win against them.
I will say a 3-0 win against them will be just nice. =)
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Fab is a great player no doubt bt porto shuld stop deciving themselves cos they got a free ride of the second goal by Mr refree,they wll expireance a bigger bollow n painfull one on Tuesday by His Grace.
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