Arsenal V FC Porto: Bank on the Dane bringing home the bacon!

Arsenal V FC Porto

Tuesday, 9^th March – 19:45 GMT (UEFA Champions League)

Matt’s Tip: Nicklas Bendtner First GoalScorer – 11/2 Coral (WON!)

Alternative: Nicklas Bendtner to score in 90 minutes – 2.88 Coral (WON!)

News that Cesc Fabregas. The key creator in the Arsenal ranks, is a definite absentee has rocked the Gunners as they aim to overhaul Porto’s one goal lead from the first leg. Wenger will now need some big performances from those who usually shy away from the limelight, the likes of Theo Walcott, Arshavin, Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky and, more importantly for us, one from Nicklas Bendtner, whom was at the centre of attention on Saturday as he missed a host of clear cut chances in Arsenal’s 3-1 win at home to Burnley in the Premiership.

Bendtner hasn’t been back from injury for too long but has already been thrown straight in at the deep instead of Eduardo, who has been fully fit and raring to go for quite some time, which just goes to show how highly he rates the Danish international, or how little he thinks of that diving Brazilian/Croatian. Either way, Bendtner will get the nod tomorrow and Wenger will need a sharper, more clinical Nicklas on the pitch tomorrow evening in a game where Arsenal need a good few goals in order to keep their Champions League dream alive.

For us, Arsenal don’t have the strength in depth to really challenge the high and mighty for the European crown, but as far as this tie with Porto goes, Arsenal are still capable, still equipped to go through and defy the one goal deficit they currently find themselves in. The one man they need on top of their game is Bendtner though, as he will be their main attacking threat in front of the Porto goal, the one player where all thee through balls, all the crosses are directed to.

If Saturday’s home encounter with Burnley was a sign of things to come then Bendtner should be a certainty to score at the Emirates on Tuesday night, providing that is he gets his right scoring boots on, and not those pink ugly things. Bendtner found himself in so many scoring position on Saturday that he could of bagged two hat-tricks, and that isn’t an exaggeration. He missed one-on-ones, point blank headers and even a couple of open goals, sort of. He was out of sorts on Saturday in terms of finishing and find the goal, but it would be typical for him to regain his shooting radar and bang one in against Porto in a far bigger fixture than the last. If he does manage to get into similar positions to those on Saturday then we’ll willingly risk a few quid on him fairing much better this time around.

As far as qualifying goes, we feel Arsenal might struggle without Cesc Fabregas, although there is no doubt Arsenal still have enough inventory to unlock the Porto defence. We just have that bad gut feeling that it won’t be Arsenal’s night tonight, although these terrible thoughts, naughty if you like, should only arise once Bendtner brought home the bacon for us!