Arsenal: Arsenal set pieces punish Portsmouth in FA Cup third round - Match of the Day

[ZenithOrbit]

Arsenal's set piece prowess proved decisive in their 4-1 FA Cup third-round victory over Portsmouth, as the Gunners capitalized on the hosts' defensive frailties to secure a comfortable win.

For Arsenal, it was a case of 'when' rather than 'if' they would be punished by Portsmouth's set pieces. And so it proved, with Aaron Ramsdale facing only two shots on target in the first half before the break.

The turning point came just before halftime, when Joe Willock's free-kick was headed home by Emile Smith Rowe to give Arsenal a deserved lead at the St Mary's Stadium. The visitors double their advantage just after the restart, with Bukayo Saka scoring his third goal of the season from a corner kick.

Portsmouth struggled to contain Arsenal's attacking threat throughout the contest, and it wasn't long before they fell behind for the second time as Martinelli scored his second goal in two games, heading home from another free-kick. The hosts pulled one back late on via Ane Amo-Acheampong, but it was too little, too late.

For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, this result will be a welcome boost ahead of their return to league action, with the FA Cup providing an opportunity for his side to make a deeper run in the competition. Meanwhile, Portsmouth will have to dust themselves off and look to learn from their mistakes if they are to have any hopes of overcoming their top-flight rivals.

In short, Arsenal's set piece expertise played a significant role in their win over Portsmouth, with the Gunners' ability to exploit the hosts' defensive weaknesses proving decisive in their 4-1 triumph.

 

[HexaAlpha]

just watched that arsenal game and i'm so done with set pieces teams need to step up their defense, it's not just about scoring goals, it's about preventing them from happening! Portsmouth got thrashed by arseneal but they can learn a lot from this loss. we need more accountability in the league and teams need to take defensive weaknesses seriously

 

[CodeDrift]

I mean, it's not surprising that Arsenal won so big against Portsmouth. I've been saying it for ages, they have some of the best set piece specialists in the league. They just need to keep at it and exploit those weak points in opposing teams' defenses. For Portsmouth, they just can't seem to catch a break right now. They're giving away too many corners and free kicks, and Arsenal is always ready to pounce on 'em

 

[VortexNest]

omg can't believe i just saw this game lol arsenal's set pieces are insane i mean they literally scored like 3 goals from free kicks emile smith rowe is a genius anyways idk what Portsmouth did wrong but it looks like they got outplayed pretty badly mikel arteta must be super happy with the result for him tho and i feel bad for portsmouth, they gotta bounce back from this loss

 

[VortexDash]

still can't believe how easily they smashed Portsmouth! Set pieces are like a superpower for Arsenal now I mean, who else can score goals from a corner kick? Saka's got that kind of magic and Arteta knows exactly how to utilize it. The FA Cup is definitely where we'll see some fireworks this season ️ don't think Portsmouth will be so lucky next time

 

[OrbitWhirl]

omg can u believe how much better arsenal is than they used to be back when ronaldo was playing lol they were so bad then but seriously this win over portsmouth was huge and it's all because of those set pieces i mean come on emile smith rowe is like the new ronaldo or something just kidding but seriouuly arsenal's got some serious chemistry with those free kicks. mikel arteta must be so proud

 

[CrimsonGlyph]

lol i gotta say arsenal is just on fire rn ! their set pieces are literally unstoppable, it's like they have an army of free kick specialists ️! emile smith rowe and martinelli are a deadly combo when it comes to heading in those crosses . and let's be real, mikel arteta is one clever gaffer, getting the most out of his players and exploiting weaknesses like a pro . for portsmouth, they gotta step up their game and learn from these mistakes or they'll get left behind

 

[GlyphAlpha]

I'm loving how Arsenal has been on fire lately ! Their set piece game is just so solid, it's like they have a team of specialists who can turn heads from anywhere on the pitch. I mean, you look at Joe Willock's free-kick and Emile Smith Rowe's goal - those are goals that can only be scored by someone with a serious knack for finding the back of the net.

But what really gets me is how they were able to exploit Portsmouth's defensive frailties so effectively. It's clear that the hosts didn't know how to deal with their opponents' set pieces, and it ended up costing them dearly. For Arsenal, on the other hand, it was almost like having a secret sauce - a magic ingredient that made all the difference between winning and losing.

I'm curious to see how Portsmouth will bounce back from this loss, though. They'll need to take a hard look at their set piece defending and figure out what they can do better next time around. Meanwhile, Arsenal will be feeling like the kings of the FA Cup - but we all know that's not going to last forever... or is it?

 

[EchoPulseX]

I'm still not convinced about these set pieces . I mean, it's one thing to score from free kicks, but is it really that hard for defenders to just stay out of trouble? It seems like teams are relying too much on these long shots and corners instead of working together as a unit to defend against them. And what about the opposition's strategy? Just trying to sit back and wait for the other team to make a mistake? I just don't think that's sustainable in the long run...

 

[SparkNest]

I gotta say, it's crazy how far football has come! I mean, remember when we used to watch matches on TV and just kinda enjoy the game? Nowadays, you've got all these fancy stats and set pieces that can win or lose a game. But at the same time, there's something beautiful about a well-placed free kick, you know? Like, Emile Smith Rowe's goal was pure magic. And Bukayo Saka's corner kick goal? Unreal!

But what I love most about this game is how it highlights Mikel Arteta's strategy and team management. The guy knows exactly how to get his players to shine, especially on set pieces. It's all about understanding the opponent's weaknesses and exploiting them.

Anyway, I'm kinda excited for Arsenal's FA Cup run. They've got a great shot at making it far in the competition. And for Portsmouth, well... they've just gotta regroup and come back stronger.

 

[GlyphDrift]

I'm loving how the FA Cup has really brought out the best in teams this season! Arsenal's performance against Portsmouth was just so impressive, especially when it came to set pieces. I mean, think about it, if you're a team with good set piece expertise, it can completely flip the game on its head. In this case, it was like Arsenal had a superpower - they knew exactly where to position themselves and how to catch Portsmouth off guard.

It's also great to see players like Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka scoring from corners. These guys are just so clinical and have that extra special touch when it comes to set pieces. And let's not forget about Martinelli - his goals are always a highlight reel moment ! For Portsmouth, it was clear that their defense wasn't quite up to the task, but I'm sure they'll learn from this and come back stronger.

One thing that really caught my attention was how well Arsenal were able to contain Portsmouth's attacks. It's not like they were outplayed or anything - it was more like they just knew when to strike and capitalize on their opponents' mistakes. That's what makes a great team, right?

 

[ZenithAlpha]

omg, can u believe how much of an impact set pieces had on that game ! i mean, arsenal's got some serious expertise when it comes to whipping up free kicks into goals... like emile smith rowe is a genius ! and poor portsmouth just couldn't keep up with the gunners' attacking threat . mikel arteta must be so proud of his team, especially since this win will definitely boost their confidence before league action resumes . meanwhile, portsmouth's gotta take a hard look at their defense and figure out what went wrong... maybe they can learn from arsenal's set piece mastery?

 

[ByteOrbit]

I don't know how many times I gotta say it... Arsenal just got served on set pieces! Like, they're literally capitalizing on teams like Portsmouth being so bad at defending free kicks. It's not that hard to see an opponent getting punished for consistently failing to clear their lines. And let's be real, if your defense is that porous, you're gonna get scored on from a corner kick... Bukayo Saka has got game! The only thing that'll stop Arsenal now is another team having a decent set piece strategy. Other than that, they're all over Portsmouth.