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Arteta wanted fire but Arsenal limp to semis - does style matter?

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Alex Howell

Arsenal reporter at Emirates Stadium

Mikel Artetawanted "fire" from hisArsenal players but instead got a sluggish performance as the Gunners did what was needed to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

Kai Havertz's goal from the first leg and the goalless draw with Sporting at the Emirates was enough for Arsenal to take their place in the last four of the competition for a second successive season.

"I know the effort, the commitment that they put in," said Arteta.

"There's a lot of work behind it. We've done something that has never been done in the history of our club in 140 years, so that tells you the difficulty of that."

But the Gunners are not producing their best football when it matters. They have won just one of their past five matches in all competitions, scoring only three goals.

So does style count for anything, or is doing what's needed enough?

'We aren't perfect, but there's value in what we've done'

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For Arteta, it won't matter that his side are not producing free-flowing football - the Gunners just want to get over the line and lift a trophy this season.

They are having to produce results without a number of key players, who are injured. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori were unavailable to play against Sporting.

Declan Rice did play, despite being unwell.

And now there is fresh concern for the top of the table clash with Manchester City on Sunday, as winger Noni Madueke limped off with a knee injury.

When Arteta was asked if he sees the physical strain on his players at the moment, he said: "Yes, but when I see them track back when we lose the ball, the habits that they have, it's just amazing.

"There is a reason why we are the only English team in the competition, because this league and this schedule takes the hell out of you and it's very difficult to do what we've done.

"We are not perfect, we need to improve things, that's for sure, we recognise that. But there's value in what these players have done because they deserve it."

Former Manchester City and QPR defender Nedum Onuoha told BBC Sport: "The fact that they are in their second consecutive Champions League semi-final is huge. Their performance itself wasn't perfect, but they just wanted to be in that next round, and that's exactly where they are.

"On a different day, maybe they would create more chances, and perhaps they would actually score more goals. They didn't create very much, but they are still in the last four."

Onuoha referenced words from captain Rice, who said Arsenal just wanted to "go one step further".

"They will look at this game and the things they could have done better, but the fact is there are plenty of clubs around Europe who aren't in their position now who would be absolutely delighted to be there," he said.

"It certainly wasn't a statement performance like some teams around Europe have done in this last couple of matchdays, however Arsenal still have shown they have just as good a chance as everyone else.

"We've seen a Real Madrid side, for example, that have scored four goals across two ties and have been knocked out.

"Arsenal, they only needed one, so you can give them credit for the two clean sheets they've had across the two ties and that's what they needed to be in this particular moment."

Manchester City next - can Arsenal do it?

Now this game is out of the way, Arsenal's focus moves to what could be a title-defining game against Manchester City at the Ethiad Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners are hoping to win their first title in 22 years and are six points clear, but have played one more game than Pep Guardiola's side.

But there is concern that without their attack firing, Arsenal will have to rely on their defensive excellence to get a positive result.

Arsenal only had one shot on target against Sporting and the combined xG of both sides in Wednesday's match was 0.93 (0.64 Arsenal, 0.29 Sporting) - the lowest of any Champions League game in 2025-26.

That is also the lowest in any quarter-final match in the competition since Barcelona v Manchester United in April 2019 (0.68).

"At this moment, it's all about the way you compete, and when you go on to win titles," Arteta said. "That's what's going to define the moment, and we certainly learned that tonight."

Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in eight of their 12 games in the Champions League this season, which is more than any other in the Champions League.

"I have got to say, out of possession Arsenal were excellent," Chris Sutton told 5 Live.

"In that final third and open play, they are just not creating enough, but having said all that, it is just about getting through and Arsenal have found a way.

"If they don't improve, they are certainly not going to win the Champions League and if they don't improve in the final third, they won't win the Premier League."

Sutton believes Arteta will be thinking about Arsenal's struggles in attack "every hour of the day".

"Little things like the wide players are hesitant - they are not quite decisive enough in the way they think or attack.

"With Viktor Gyokeres in the first half, he was clunky. The ball doesn't stick, and you have to find your team-mate in the final third and be cute and be clever. He was anything but that.

"Kai Havertz went on. I am not saying he was brilliant, but they looked cleaner in terms of their actions.

"Eze showed a few moments, but he is not up to speed. At this moment in time, Arsenal have a lot of work to do. Everyone will be thinking in the Premier League that it's Man City's game on Sunday."

'I wish we were doing the documentary this season'

Mikel Arteta celebrates the win at full time.Getty Images

Arsenal may not be be convincing many that they are a team capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League double.

But he called for perspective on what his side have already achieved this season.

"I wish that we were doing the Arsenal documentary this season," he said, referencing the behind-the-scenes film from the 2021-22 season.

"Please, enjoy where we are as a club. There's a lot of work behind it. We've done something that has never been done in the history of our club in 140 years, so that tells you the difficulty of that, and we had to do it in a very special way."

If Arsenal do go on to lift their first major trophy in six years - possibly their first ever Champions League - there won't be a single Arsenal fan who cares about the performance in this game.