What a lovely Arsenal free weekend that was! No 90 minutes wasted watching 11 blokes passing the ball slowly backwards and sideways in their own half as though they haven’t a care in the world. I spent yesterday watching the two FA Cup games that were on. First Newcastle lost at home in extra time to Brighton. I very much enjoyed Anthony Gordon’s red card. Having been to SJP twice this season and witnessed firsthand how mouthy some of their fans are, I have developed a deep disdain for the Barcodes. One of the biggest clubs in England in their own minds. Troglodytes.
I then watched Man United lose on pens at home to Fulham which was even more hilarious. One of my favourite things about football is how much of it is about wishing failure on others as it is about your own club winning. I’m not sure any other sport can really match that. Not to the same extent anyway. Imagine how much fun we’d have if we only played one game a month or something like that. Actually, we’d get bored of inaction very quickly, but it would at least give us more time to laugh at others. Isn’t that what life is all about? I think it might be.
But I will put an end to this digression and start my preview because we do, a little bit unfortunately, have a game ourselves tomorrow evening. PSV Eindhoven awaits us in the first leg of our Champions League RO16 tie. A stage in which seven of our last eight UCL campaigns have crashed and burned. Bodes well!
PSV stands for Phillips Sport Vereniging. They were founded by a group of Phillips employees in 1913 and have gone on to establish themselves as one of Holland’s ‘big 3’ clubs along with Ajax and Feyenoord who were our other possible opponent for this round.
They have a good history domestically and in Europe winning the Eredivisie 25 times and 11 Dutch Cups. some of you will be old enough to recall (apologies for the reminder of your oldness!) their UEFA Cup success in 1978 and their European Cup triumph a decade later. Some incredibly famous names have turned out for PSV over the years including Ruud Guilit, Ronald Koeman, Romario and the Brazillian Ronaldo.
We do have some history with PSV, some of it very recent indeed. This will be our third double header with PSV in three seasons. They are very much our new Olympiakos/Bayern/Barca. However, prior to that, our first meeting was at the same stage of the competition back in 2007. Following a 1-0 defeat in Eindhoven, a 1-1 draw at the Emirates dumped us out of the competition at the first knockout round having reached the final the previous year. The Brazillian Alex, who you might remember went on to play for Chelsea for a few seasons, scored at both ends that day.
We had to wait 15 years for our next encounter with PSV, as the two sides were drawn together in the Europa League Group stages in 2022/23. A 1-0 win at the Emirates was followed by a 2-0 reverse in Holland. However, we still managed to top the group with PSV going through as runners up. It was a similar story the following season, as we were again placed in a group with PSV, this time back in the Champions League. In our first game back in the competition in seven seasons we absolutely hammered them that night, a 4-0 win on probably the wettest night on record at the Emirates. The walk back to Finsbury Park Tube was horrendous. My jacket is still in the tumble dryer! We travelled back to Eindhoven on matchday 6 for what was a dead rubber (remember those?) and played out a 1-1 draw. Again, we won the group with PSV going through as runners up.
This does of course mean we are yet to win in Eindhoven. Our recentish record in Holland isn’t exactly sparkling, the only other Dutch side we have played in the last 20 years is AZ Alkmaar back in 2009 with whom we drew 1-1 in Holland although we did beat them at home. Going by the UEFA website, our last win in Holland came against Ajax in 2005. We went on to reach the final that year so could that be a good omen should we win tomorrow? Of course not because why would a result 20 years ago against a different team have any bearing on this result or any future results? It can’t but it’s the kind of pointless stat you’d read on a BBC Sport preview as though it’s supposed to mean anything. We really are streets ahead of those guys when it comes to quality of publications over here at GoonerholicsForever.com.
So what about PSV in their current iteration? Well, they are the current Dutch Champions having won the title at a canter last season. However, this season they sit second, eight points behind Ajax having lost 3-2 to Go Ahead Eagles on Saturday evening. They do have some decent players including former Spud Ivan Perisic who was instrumental in their play off victory over Juventus, as was midfielder Ismael Saibari. Also amongst their ranks are highly rated USA international Malik Tillman and Man United loanee, Tyrell Malacia. In January they signed a certain Lucas Perez formerly of this parish of course. He will no doubt have the game of his life.
PSV generally adopt an attacking front foot approach. Last season they whacked in 111 goals in 34 Eredivisie games. They are managed by Peter Bosz who has had spells at Dortmund, Leverkusen and Lyon. Bosz likes to adopt a possession-based game with aggressive high pressing. Our 4-0 trouncing of them last season was very much an anomaly in their season.
We are likely to have two very tough games against very able opponents. Given our lack of options, the team pretty much picks itself and we will likely be reliant on our sturdy defence and set pieces. To be truthful, I’d take a draw if you offered it to me now. We have no fresh injury concerns as of now, although I’m sure Arteta will reveal in his press conference later that the squad has been ravaged by the three headed hamstring monster, and we will now have to play Win the Dog and Gunnersaurus in attack with Sterling in goal and Ødegaard’s new baby at left back. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me.
But not even a mythical three headed creature can stop me from predicting a win. The score will be 1-0 to The Arsenal with Merino nutting in a header from a corner. Win the Dog with the assist and Gunnersaurus to be shown a straight red for decapitating the head of a PSV player which according to Michael Oliver doesn’t come under the remit of serious foul play. Thankfully he won’t be in charge tomorrow although I’m sure he’ll somehow find a way to make it all about him.
COYG
Highly amusing preview, 21CG, brimming with irreverence and wit. Just what we need, given the lack of options in our playing staff seems to mitigate need of tactical analysis of our potential approach.
I always find Dutch league teams a great source of confusion. Their domestic league is not terribly strong, yet they produce quality players by the bucketload and generally give us tough games. I’ll be viewing this one in full 1970’s Doctor Who mode – safely ensconced behind the sofa, watching through white knuckled fingers.
Cheers 21CG. I’d love your 1-0 scoreline but not the hamstring monster!
That brought a warming chuckle to a freezing afternoon, 21CG. Bravo.
Feyenoord, PSV and Ajax are all top 30 clubs on UEFA’s Club Coefficient Rankings so any one of them would be a tough opponent. Squeezing out a win in Eindhoven will be a good evening’s work.
Lucas Perez was let go by Deportivo La Coruña in January before PSV picked him up as unattached. Should we have swooped first? He is only 36.
However, Bosz will likely go with a younger striker on Tuesday evening — that wily old campaigner Luuk de Jong, 34.
It looks as if Tillman will be off-games with a leg injury.
Fine preview 21cg, complete with just the right tones of humor and irreverence. Not sure it will be enough to bring home your 1-0 prediction but I’ve decided to go with it. Cheers!
Entertaining preview, 21CG. I’ll be delighted with 1-0 to the Arsenal but, in truth, quite happy with a draw, given our circumstances.
8-second release rule for goalkeepers next season.
https://apnews.com/article/soccer-rules-goalkeeping-wasting-time-75c5380bd98574a2f0864a4364e14f17
‘Eight-seven-six-five-four-three-two-one-corner’ is going to be the chant of the season.
What was wrong with just enforcing the existing six-second rule?
What about a time-limit on VAR decisions, too?
A thoroughly entertaining review 21CG, and I will very happy ( and a tad surprised) to come away with a 2-0 win given our paucity in putting the ball in the net. I feel the team has been playing with good energy – we just need dem breaks.
Ned, I’m full of trepidation at how incompetently / erratically the PGMOL will implement the incoming 8 second rule for keepers ( for a start how many of them can count down from 8 to zero ? ). On the other hand it could increase the amount of corners we are awarded should we return to “Corner FC” specialality.
COYRRR
Uply@7: What could possibly go wrong?
Cheers 21CG.
I very much remember PSV’s 88 triump when then maimed their way through my Girondins in the QF and somehow won the European Cup without winning a single match in the last three rounds in fact.
Win for the win? I think I’ll actually take a draw today, and save the 1-0 for the return leg.
(One leg, he’s only got one leg. Was that ever a chant?)
I’d feel very confident if our full first team were taking to the field tonight. Absent our first choice front four, I’ll be happy if Team B comes home having earned a draw. Some goals would be a welcome thing to behold.
Come on the team in black.
Nice one, 21CG – full of chuckles – especially as I misread this “ They have a good history domestically and in Europe winning the Eredivisie 25 times and 11 Dutch Cups.” as them having won the Eredivisie 25 times and 11 Dutch Caps ! Matron !
If Merino is going to continue as emergency striker we really need to change our game to more of a ‘big man – little man’ tactic and get early high crosses in to him. He is not a back to goal forward and threading balls through the eye of a needle has not worked.
If we are to continue to do that I think Calafiori might bring more chaos in the centre and, hopefully, more success. Otherwise, it’s doen to Win the Dog or Gunnersaurus – anyone, please, except Sterling.
Ollie @9. I think that was only ever a chant in Trev’s house, and he’ll be glad never to hear it again!
Heh GSD @ 12. I am sure he will rightly be glad indeed!
Ollie@9: Regularly heard wherever Neasden FC played.
For what it’s worth, Sterling is a yellow card away from a one-match ban in the CL.
Neasden FC, Ned ? As managed by grey haired, ashen faced Ron Knee, 59 ? 😉
Ned @15 – any chance ha could get it in training this afternoon ? 🙏🏼🤞🏻
Trev@16: The very same. Sid and Doris Bonkers would sing it to the rafters of the Neasden Bridge Stadium whenever Wally Foot was playing. The other great chant there, of course, was ‘We’re on the way to Wembley’.
@17: Tsk! Tsk!
Entertaining preview 21CG!
I think when we played them away at Europa a few seasons back I wrote a preview where I was overly optimistic about what a the then full strength Arsenal can do, and my illusion was thoroughly shattered. Tough place to go to.
Arteta is not one for too much surprises, but given that PSV will come at us and won’t sit deep, it gives us the opportunity to use fast counter attacks through the middle and the wings. Instead of Merino, Nwaneri can be a useful option through the middle. My eleven would be
Raya
White Saliba Gabriel MLS
Ødegaard Partey Rice
Timber Nwaneri Trossard
Timber is well capable of playing on the wings — fast, intelligent, good dribbler, has a great cross.
Given that the expectations are low, a narrow 1-0 win for us while not dominating possession is quite possible. 🙂
Come on Arsenal!
Consider me educated on Neasden FC and its members. Cheers folks.
The famous ( infamous ) Neasden FC manager Ron Knee was well known for continually bellowing out to his players “tork to each uvver”.
Cheers 21CG, a very enjoyable preview. I certainly enjoyed watching
Gordon get sent off too, deserve had everything to do with it.
I watched part of the Juventus play off, PSV looked ok, no big difference
from last time we played them. Leo for the 1-0 win.
21CG
A very enjoyable preview . If I can add to it we beat PSV 4-0 in Eindhoven in 2002. I had arranged to watch the game at a friend’s house who lived about half a mile away. I arranged to bring the beer but left my departure late and arrived , sweaty having run the 800 yards and in the process dropped the beer which exploded as one opened the can . As we mopped up the game began and Gilberto scored in about seven seconds . The game at our place was a boring 0-0
Their big danger is Bakayoko who I watched cause Juventus severe problems in the round of 24 . We need to ensure whoever plays left back has protection on that side ( so don’t play Sterling there ).A draw will be a very good result particularly as we are unlikely to score . Fingers crossed .
Enjoy your pancakes tonight Holics !
I see Bakayoko isn’t playing so our big worry is De Jong . He is surprisingly hard to contain
TTG – did Cliff Richard sing about him and his brothers ?
Well played Arsenal.
Brain dead Partey.
The ref has got every call right.
Who put the ball in the PSV net?
Who put the ball in the PSV net?
Who put the ball in the PSV net?
Half our fu##ing team did!
Everywhere we goooo
Stadiums get empty!
Well that was fun 🤩
This was so boring I fell aslepp after about 10 minutes.
I had a nice dream though, we won that match 7-1 and then….what? Oh.
Who the hell expected that? Great stuff.
That was absolutely magnificent!
Good to see all our forwards score and so many good performances all round.
Loved the Hale End second, and the message overall from the team
>>>>>>>