Henry advises Sporting how to beat Arsenal – ‘Didn’t have an answer to that vs Bournemouth’ | OneFootball

Thierry Henry has told Sporting how they can beat his beloved Arsenal on Wednesday after the Gunners “didn’t have an answer” to a tactic used by Manchester City and Bournemouth.

Arsenal hold a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg at the Emirates after Kai Havertz’s late winner in Lisbon last week, but progression is by no means a foregone conclusion despite that advantage and the Gunners’ vastly superior individual quality.

Mikel Arteta’s side are enduring quite the slump thanks to defeat to City in the Carabao Cup final, a shock exit to Southampton in the FA Cup and defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday to reignite bottlejob claims.

And Henry believes Sporting will cause Arsenal problems in their Champions League quarter-final if they employ the same tactics as City and Bournemouth.

“If you’re Sporting, if you see the way Man City played Arsenal and the way Bournemouth played Arsenal at the weekend, the way they put pressure in that 4-2-4 early doors, Arsenal didn’t have an answer on how to step out from that,” Henry told CBS Sports.

“I don’t know what Sporting are going to do, but yes, it is very important for Arsenal to win the game and make sure they can prepare for the game we are all waiting for, what time it is.

“Because for a very long time, I wasn’t even focusing on Bournemouth, even before Bournemouth winning I wasn’t focusing on that, I wanted that game, if I was a player, I want to win at statement, I want to make a statement.

“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but that’s what I’m waiting for.”

Arteta issued a bizarre call to arms in his press conference ahead of the clash with Sporting, insisting he had delivered a message of “pure fire” to his players.

“No fear, pure fire. That’s it,” he said. “Pure fire, that’s what I want to see from the players, the people, myself. The opportunity is unbelievable.

“Let’s confront it, let’s go for it and put everything into it.

“I’m on fire. That’s it. Nothing else. I’m dreaming so much.

“I’ve done so much to be in this position, because I know how this club it was.

“I have done so much that this is beauty. I just see beauty opportunity, and I want to get it done for all these people that they’ve been in this journey with us and because they deserve because you’ve been unbelievable.

“That’s what has driven me every single day. Have zero fear. Fear I had when ‘oh, if we don’t get this done, this club. I don’t know what going…’ That was fear.

“Now there’s no fear. It’s just purpose, fire, direction and conviction that we’re going to do it.”