Thierry Henry expressed his belief that Arsenal received a reality check in the wake of their first-leg Champions League defeat to Porto on Wednesday night.
Despite seemingly heading towards a goalless draw and maintaining control for the second leg, a late misjudged pass by Gabriel Martinelli led to Porto’s Galeno driving the ball into the net.
Henry, displeased with Martinelli’s pass, also criticized goalkeeper David Raya for jumping early, as he shared with CBS Sports on Paramount+.
While Galeno’s shot lacked substantial pace, Henry felt Raya’s premature leap and off-course positioning contributed to the conceded goal.
Arsenal’s devastating first-leg defeat did not come as a surprise to Henry, who anticipated the outcome.
The loss highlighted a crucial moment when a late, avoidable counter-attack resulted in a cheaply lost ball.
As the return leg approaches at the Emirates, Arsenal is fortunate that away goals no longer play a role in determining the outcome.
Despite Porto’s advantage, Henry notes that Arsenal remains in the game.
He acknowledges the potential backlash from the audience if Porto scores at the Emirates but believes Arsenal excels in such situations.
The weakness evident in the first leg was Arsenal’s lack of threat from open play, struggling to find momentum and appearing sluggish throughout the match.
Mikel Arteta faces the challenge of revitalizing the team’s aggressive play for the return leg, emphasizing the need to overcome Porto by re-establishing their attacking prowess.
While away goals are no longer a factor, Arteta aims to ensure his players exhibit a more determined and threatening performance.
Henry suggests that if Arsenal successfully recaptures their assertive style of play, they should be well-positioned to defeat Porto in the upcoming leg.
