Rafael Nogueira
Hjulmand Lambasts Arsenal’s Set-Piece Tactics After Sporting CP’s Champions League Exit
Morten Hjulmand, Sporting CP‘s captain, criticized Arsenal‘s tactical approach following his side’s Champions League quarter-final elimination at the Emirates Stadium. The Danish midfielder expressed frustration with the match’s lack of rhythm, attributing it to the Gunners’ repetitive set-piece delays that he felt stripped the contest of entertainment value.
A Stale Encounter in North London
Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League semi-finals for the second consecutive season, protecting their 1-0 first-leg advantage with a goalless draw. The match proved a largely lifeless affair, recording a combined xG of just 0.93—the lowest in the competition this season. Geny Catamo struck the post for Sporting, but the Portuguese champions could not establish momentum as the hosts repeatedly halted play through tactical tempo management.
Hjulmand’s Candid Assessment
The stop-start nature of the contest visibly frustrated the visitors, who felt denied the chance to impose their preferred attacking rhythm. Hjulmand spoke openly about the interruptions and their effect on football quality:
“I think it was an even game today the impact of the first game that we lost made it more difficult to go to the Emirates and win, especially when don’t often lose at home we knew it would be difficult here. But the game had low intensity and no rhythm, zero goal and I would say boring. I think a lot stops during the game so we couldn’t get the rhythm that we wanted to. A little bit boring.”
Set-Piece Stalling Under Scrutiny
Beyond the absence of goals, Hjulmand pinpointed Arsenal’s management of dead-ball situations as a specific grievance. Sporting believed they were the more creative side when the ball was in open play, yet those sequences remained scarce.
“If I was a viewer from outside 0-0, also the first game 1-0 it’s not the way Sporting wants to show itself. We want to score goals, create chances and we didn’t do it today. During the game I felt a lot of stops, especially during set-pieces and it takes a lot of time out of the game. When we did get the rhythm we did create a lot of chances, especially in the first half. But at the end we didn’t create enough to win the game to be honest.”
Arsenal’s Path Forward
Arsenal lead the Premier League with 70 points from 32 games and face a critical test against Manchester City on Sunday. A defeat would allow City to close the gap to three points with a game in hand. The Gunners’ schedule intensifies thereafter with Newcastle on April 25, followed by May fixtures against Fulham, West Ham, and Burnley, a final-day visit to Crystal Palace, and a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
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Sporting CP return to Liga Portugal action hosting Benfica as they pursue leaders FC Porto. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of Arsenal’s title push and European campaign.