PSV 1-0 Arsenal – 20/02/07 – (Champions League) 21 February, 2007
Posted by lasagnechef in Cup Games.trackback
Oh Shit. All I wanted out of this fixture was one away goal, I said I’d settle for a 1-1 but I was trying not to sound too confident as I actually thought that side could’ve battered PSV. Somehow, we lost and although it’s a slender lead it does make the 2nd leg tricky; we’re going to have to score twice to go through.
Gallas started at right back ahead of Djourou. I have no idea why, Johann has played well there when called upon and Gallas is a left back if anything. I suppose Djourou is being rested for Sunday but still. We went for a 4-4-2 with Adebayor partnering Henry instead of the 4-5-1 that’d served us so well last season. If Henry was the same player he was 12 months ago then I would’ve said play him on his own, but he’s nowhere near as good as the old Thierry anymore. We started well actually and Arsenal looked the most likely to score. Rosicky nearly did early on but the ‘keeper just took the pace off it and it was cleared from rolling over the line. Also in the 1st half Henry had a good shot, flicking the ball up with his left and driving it with his right, but the shot went straight at Gomes and it was a comfortable save. Henry had a few shots outside the area, cutting in by the left corner of the box and trying a looping and bending shot into the far top corner. Every time it just wasn’t quite good enough but he did have the goalie worried a few times.
I thought in the first half we were by far the better team and it looked like if anyone would score, it’d be us. PSV had a couple of chances on the break but nothing really came of it and Lehmann didn’t have an awful lot to do in the first 45. Eindhoven were coping with us, just, so we needed to come out in the second half all guns raging but we didn’t. PSV were there for the taking and I’m not sure what the hell went on in that second half. We went back to that old Arsenal giving the ball away and not creating anything decent. To be fair PSV weren’t getting much closer to goal either but were not afraid to have a go from distance. In the end it paid off in the 61st minute when Edison Mendez had a shot 25 yards from goal and it went right into the bottom corner. I don’t think Lehmann really had a chance saving it, it was a well-struck goal and I didn’t think we were coming back from it. Toure tried to block it but I wasn’t too happy with Senderos though who just stood there and watched it go in.
The only good chance we had for the rest of the game was Cesc Fabregas’ effort. He and Rosicky played a clever one-two setting up Cesc just outside the area, he hit a swerving shot just going under the bar but it was too close to Gomes and he made a good save tipping it over the bar.
The game finished 1-0 and I’d say overall it was a below par performance. I was pleased with the first half but I just don’t know what happened in the 2nd. Henry didn’t look bothered again, Cesc wasn’t his usual self and Gallas was lost a right back. Senderos and Toure kept the defence well but there was nothing they could’ve really done about their goal. It leaves us with a lot to do at the Emirates and the crowd will need to pull their finger out and show some support.
Why do we need the likes of Spurs and Man United to inspire the crowd to make some noise? On Saturday the atmosphere was shocking, I know it wasn’t a full crowd but it was still 56,000 people and that is more than enough to make a deafening sound. I know if there’s not a lot going on, on the pitch then there’s not a lot we can sing about. On Saturday the players attitude was not very inspiring to the fans but it works the other way round for the players too. We’ve got a few matches to sort it out before the 2nd leg, starting with the Carling Cup Final on Sunday and I can’t wait.
Disappointing and unfortunate a result; Koeman, like Hughes also played for Barcelona and so we all know what to expect in the replay. PSV will make Blackburn look like Barcelona; if you thought they parked a bus in the F.A. Cup tie, PSV will park a fricking aircraft carrier as all they need is a draw and can even afford to ship a goal without losing. This is not the end of the world but this is also not promising for us. PSV is a very good defensive team and they are a lot better than Blackburn and so we will need a bit of luck on the day. We’ll need a couple of free-kicks just outside the penalty area and Henry will have to be spot on each time. Otherwise, it’s going to be more of the same of what we saw last night with us dominating possession but not achieving anything and PSV happy to let us do just that. We’ll need a mini-miracle folks so start praying now….
I agree,I think our best chance will come from set pieces just outside the box. I dont see us breaking down an excellent defensive side who dont need to cross the half way line but will probably leave 1 striker up throughout the match to try and catch us on the break.
How many times did PSV intercept our passes because their man was faster off the blocks than ours? How many passes went straight to PSV ? We lacked passion and commitment in the second half. It was if it was a training exercise. Haven’t we learnt from the Blackburn experience? We will not win anything if we don’t really want to. And we certainly won’t beat a strong defensive unit. I worry!.
Our midfield was awful except Rosicky. He’s was the only guy who was willing to move without the ball and look for chances. Our reliance on Henry killed us, we tried to bomb away the ball to our forwards way too much and they weren’t showing much willingness to actually go after it and didn’t look to score unless a perfect ball was played to them.
Horrible passes, no continuity and late reactions killed us.
The commentators that are commenting on Beckham’s career on Sky are dumb. Of all the midfielders England took to the world cup, Beckham and Owen Hargreaves were their best players. Yes he wasn’t at his best but if that is the argument then Steve G and Lampard should be dropped.
I don’t think he should come back because the coach will make himself look stupid.
it almost seems pointless to comment on the game. I never mind if arsenal lose, as long as they show some style and some fight, but except for toure, rosicky and clichy, the players barely broke into a trot.
PSV defended well, actually. they looked like us last year in that they congested the midfield and disrupted all rhythm. but still, that was seriously un-fun to watch.
the kids will be a bit overmatched in the carling cup by a senior chelsea side but they’ll at least show some spirit.
All this talk of spirit misses the point. Personally I don’t doubt the spirit and committment of this team. A team without spirit would not have gotten some of the results this one has managed in the past12 months. To say they hardly broke into a trot… It’s just bullshit. Are you really suggesting they went out and didn’t care less about the Champions League or didn’t rate PSV? These guys are professionals. It was a disappointing performance and result but I think blaming more abstract focres such as their spirit and committment misses some important tactical and technical points.
Our midfield was struggling because Cesc is running out of steam and needs a break. Diaby and Denilson should get a chance now. Cesc has played so much football, he’s just had a little dip. We rely on him to set the tempo and if that dips, so does the midfield and so does our attack. Furthermore with Gallas at right back, we didn’t exactly have a great attacking option. Our fullbacks are so important in the construction of our attacks. Gallas isn’t fully fit and didn’t get upfield as often as Hleb needed, nor did he get wide enough, often enough. Henry’s touch might have been better during the first half but…
We’ve more than enough to win this tie. It’s tricky but this side is more than capable of putting goals past PSV. If we’re gonna wave the white flags and say they’ll be very hard to break down then it misses the point that a below par Arsenal side still made a few good chances. A better Arsenal performance will do the job. If we score, they’ll get nervous. We score again, they’ll have to come out. At that stage, we have the counter attack ploy. We can do it. Big performance required, sure. But that’s what the Champions League is all about.
ps. The kids will win on Sunday.
Also John Terry got stretchered off tonight. I’m even more confident in the kids on Sunday.
Pabz, I agree that several of the players weren’t up to snuff, and that’s what held us back, but isn’t that what wenger’s job is? To identify the problem and fix it.
That’s always been arsene’s one weakness, and unwillingness to make subs earlier. Gallas was obviously not fully fit, and hleb was obviously struggling after coming back from a cold. if things are broke, you have to fix them. Not to open a big can of worms, but I felt that’s what cost us the champions league trophy last year, not bringing on reyes earlier when we were clearly flagging.
anyways, I think we’ll beat PSV in the next leg, but arsene didn’t make any tough decisions out there and it cost us.
who to bring on? Without Hoyte and Eboue, Djorou was as good an option as Gallas, in that neither would be hugely influential attacking from right back. As for Hleb, the exact same argument could be made regarding Fred – he probably wouldn’t have done much more than Hleb. Neither 100%. Arguably Aliadiere should have come on. I think he would have been a better option than Fred. But it then comes down to squad rotation… what if he came on and got injured and so missed the Final on Sunday he richly deserves to play in? I dunno if that was the thinking. Probably wasn’t. But we’re in a tough spot right now with all the fixtures piling up.
As for Reyes… He made a judgement call and it’s hard to know what would have happened otherwise. He went with Flamini to steady up the defence in a tired team in the final quarter. Reyes would have done fuck all defensively but maybe would have sparked a crucial counter-attack. But given he did fuck all in Europe all season and didn’t do too well on assists or goals in all competitions last year, then I dunno if he would have saved the day.
Pool winning 2-1. Gross.
Glo, the coach is stupid…
Nubwo bwose badusweye mu jisho, ndizera ko Wenger yasomye izi commentaires z’abafana bityo kuri Emirates akazamenya uko abyitwaramo.
Your reserves look better then your first team
And they look better than tottenham too eh BlogHead. Didnt they prove that too just recently. Muppet
Deise this flirting is getting silly now.
I aint up for it mate. I’m already two-timing Clock end Idiot with Gilberto Silva
100% true that wenger is usually late with his substitutions.
That sometimes costs us alot. There r instances when u feel certain players should not even play in the 2nd half, but wenger waits till 80th minute to sub them.
Armand traore should have been subbed at halftime in the Carling cup final. Clichy would have held left-back perfectly.
as for tomorrow (PSV), i pray wenger plays aliadiere and if he doesnt fire let hanry come-on in last half hour.