Arsenal's gritty, goalless draw against Sporting CP on Wednesday night wasn't a spectacle, but it was effective. The result, built on a 1-0 first-leg advantage, secured their passage to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in club history, setting up a monumental clash with Atletico Madrid. While the performance sparked criticism, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton is urging fans and pundits not to write off the Gunners' trophy ambitions just yet.

"We know what the narrative will be; people will rip Arsenal to shreds for the way they attacked, or you could say how they didn't attack," Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live. He defended the pragmatic approach, noting, "The objective was all about going through and finding a way. Why should they go gung-ho?"

Sutton acknowledged the team's current struggles in the final third, a concern as they prepare for a pivotal Premier League title race and their European semi-final. "They are not creating enough, and that's a huge issue for Mikel Arteta... The wide players are not decisive enough," he admitted.

However, he pointed to a formidable foundation that keeps them in contention. "I take my hat off to Arsenal in the way they defend and recover when they lose the ball," Sutton stated. "It wasn't perfect by any means, but out of possession and defensively they do a lot right."

This resilience, Sutton argues, is why they remain a threat on both fronts. Despite a recent dip in form, he believes the pieces could still fall into place for a dramatic finish. "I am certainly not going to write them off and rule them out of winning trophies... I still think they are a capable team, and it may well click now before the end of the season."

The message is clear: while the fluency of their early-season play has faded, Arsenal's defensive steel and tactical discipline have earned them a shot at glory. The coming weeks will test whether they can rediscover their attacking spark to complement that rugged foundation.