Arsenal 4-0 Porto: Match Report and Player Ratings

After one of the worst performances you will ever see at the Emirates on Saturday against Hull City, Arsenal fans were desperate for their side to get a positive result against Porto last night.

Well, Arsenal did more than that, destroying their Portuguese opponents in a match that could have ended about 8-2, if the finishing hadn't been so poor.

It was actually Porto that had the first chance, with Rodriguez just powering a header off the crossbar. Then, from a corner, Porto had another great chance foiled when Clichy cleared off the line.

But then Fabregas did what he does best, sliding in Adebayor to finally show some composure and find Van Persie for the finish.

The away side's resistance was broken, and Arsenal went rampant.

Ten minutes later Arsenal went 2-0 ahead with Van Persie and Adebayor combining again, this time the Dutchman took a corner for Adebayor to head home.

Arsene Wenger, who said he was "physically sick" after the weekend's performance, must have been feeling physically in love with the way Arsenal were playing. There were flicks and tricks, mainly attributed to Arsenal new boy Samir Nasri who was back in the side after a knee injury but you would never had guessed it. He was comfortable on the ball.

Overall Arsene Wenger would have been feeling great from the showing in the first half.

In the second half it was more of the same, but worse for Porto.

Three minutes after the break Van Persie toe-poked home his goal after some woeful defending. Now it was time to sit back and relax as Arsenal popped open the champagne early for some vintage football.

As usual there was someone to miss a sitter. Hold your heads in shame Walcott and Nasri.

Despite this, Walcott was brilliant last night—was twisting and turning and scaring the living daylights out of the Porto left-back.

Bendtner came on late to win a penalty and Adebayor scored his 6th goal of the season to make it a 4-0 drubbing.

This performance was just the medicine Wenger needed to feel "well" again.

Match Ratings:

Almunia: 7

Sagna: 7

Toure: 6

Gallas: 6

Clichy: 6

Nasri: 8

Fabregas: 8

Denilson: 7

Walcott: 8.5

Van Persie: 9

Adebayor: 8

Subs:

Bendtner: 7, Vela: 7, Eboue: 5.