Hello again my fellow Gooners. It is a rare pleasure to review a game in our packed December schedule where we (and PSV come to that) have absolutely nothing to lose today. Accordingly, I should warn you that some untoward flippancy may lurk in the darker corners of this review.
Our first – and last as it will disappear next season – Champions League group stage, after what seems like a millennium in the Ropey League, draws to a close with a trip to Eindhoven in North Brabant on a cold Tuesday in December. Happily, our goal-crazed rampage against the unfortunate Lensiocians has resulted in this match being an exercise in rest and recuperation for several of our overworked players (I trust) and in gaining some playing time in the case of some lesser spotted squad players or promising youth team members.
The Opposition
The one and only Ned and his monks have already provided us with a richly detailed breakdown of PSV and I have attached a link to that review for those of you wishing to refresh your memories.
I have also included a picture of a traditional North Brabantian abode at the top of the page for those of you whose interests tend to the socio-cultural. We are a broad church here at GoonerholicsForever.
I suppose I should briefly update on PSV’s current form – they have won 15, drawn none and lost none in the Eredivisie this season, scoring 52 goals and conceding only 6 in the process. They are obviously wreaking destruction freely in Dutch football, which, when you think about it, only makes the whacking we gave them back in September all the more impressive really.
Back in the CL – How was it for you?
Given the circumstances I will include a brief look at our overall group stage results and the impact of playing in the Champions League again. It has only in fact been somewhere over 2000 days and not 2000 years since we last played CL football but for me it has been a very happy return from the wilderness – chalk and cheese compared to the dubious pleasures of the Ropey League. If you want to truly understand the difference then the best advice I have heard is to take the simple chalk and cheese test (kids, this test is for responsible adults only, under no circumstances should you try it yourself) – eat a slice of your favourite cheese washed down with a suitable glass of wine; excellent wasn’t it. Now, eat some chalk. An acquired taste perhaps? That is the difference between the Champions League and the Ropey League in a tumshell, so to speak. If you want to stretch the analogy to the absurd Europa Conference League then simply go outside and ask a passing stranger to punch you on the nose – your resulting bitter tears will be just like the Europa Conference League experience (with my sincerest apologies to Sir Declan Rice).
To return to reality, I would say that excepting a brief stumble in Lens we have done very well to date, a notable win in Sevilla and three home victories seeing us sit atop the group and enjoying a leisurely look at the other groups for potential opponents in the last 16. Opportunely, mention of the last 16 brings me to my next question – how far can we go? My son, who is 25, simply wants to see us get through the last 16 as he was only 9 or 10 years old last time we got to the quarter-finals. Personally, I remember getting to the final and want us to win the bloody thing double quick. Encouragingly, a look at the opposition reveals no scary monsters to fear, after all the holders are 115 Shitteh and we have already beaten them this season. However, realistically it may be a year too early for us as it asking an awful lot of a young team to win a CL in what is their first time up for many. After 6 years away I suppose I should take what I can get as a supporter, so I will and simply enjoy every moment of our return.
The Team
The names below are complete guess work and I will be pleasantly surprised if I have managed to get 8 right to be frank. The other thing to add is that it is most unfortunate that Partey, ESR, Tomi and Vieira are all out, most likely until January at least it would appear. They are missed. However, one player’s misfortune does mean an opportunity for others and I am hoping that Mikel will take this opportunity to give a few of the younger players a run. For what it’s worth……………..
Ramsdale
Walters Saliba Kiwior Cedric
Elneny Jorginho
Nelson Nwaneri Trossard
Nketiah
Cedric at left-back made me smile I must admit, but I simply couldn’t think of another option and if we are paying him then he can at least run around a bit. Picking Saliba on the other hand didn’t make me smile in the least, however minus Tomi I think it is difficult to rest both Saliba and Gabriel. I have heard mention of Lewis-Skelly as another knocking on the door but until we see who is seated on the plane and also hear the boss’s thoughts at his press conference on Monday night it is quite difficult to put forward any more coherent suggestions. Whatever happens we will win the group and PSV will be second so regular first-team players may well be thin on the ground on either side, which does make my final task of predicting the result a tad tricky too.
The Score
I have decided to respect the time-honoured tradition of predicting 1-0 to The Arsenal when in doubt. I have no rational basis for suggesting that other than the players may be somewhat rusty on both sides although I accept that is also an excellent argument for a 5-5 draw!
To conclude this somewhat less laser-focused than usual preview let me wish you all every enjoyment of a match that should be an opportunity to sit on the sofa and relax for a change.
Ouch! That punch on the nose thing was bloody painful!
I’d love to see that team take the field tomorrow night. Isn’t there some danger though that Arteta would be sentenced to two weeks in Barlinnie for fielding an under-strength eleven?
Enjoyed the review, Matt. Enjoy.
Matt
A fine and enjoyable preview of a game that could not matter less . Yet come 8 pm I shall be kicking every ball and emitting as we struggle with the Dutchmen . We’ve done really well in this tournament especially at home and tomorrow is a great opportunity to get the measure of our youngsters . PSV are likely to test some players too
I like your team but think White might be CB with Kiwior, Sousa may play LB and I’m sure Walters will play . I hope Ramsdale goes too
Your front six looks spot on but ESR was apparently in training so he may play a part as may Sagoe Jr and Lewis- Skellyu
Nwaneri got five in the Youth cup on Saturday . I also think Havertz will play some part . I don’t expect us to win ( we lost there last year) . But it couldn’t matter less!
Thanks Matt for your typically amusing and informative preview. The dot.con report indicates that we must already have landed in the low countries, even if Mikel’s prematch presser hasn’t been held yet
“We head to the Netherlands on Monday afternoon for our Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven, but before the flight over the squad held one final training session at London Colney.
There was a welcome return to action for Emile Smith Rowe after he missed the last six weeks with a knee issue.”
If prominence in the training pictures is anything to go by, some of the featured players include Ramsdale, ESR, Elneny, Trossard and Nketiah. In other words, Matt may be well on his way to the targeted eight correct players predicted. No guarantees though. I would enjoy that 5-5 but I’m not sure we need it. 1-0 may it be.
That was a jolly romp, OM, and thanks for the shout-out over the home leg preview. Like you, I have no idea who will play. ESR has trained, but who knows how available to play he is. Jorge Bird reports that Reuell Walters, Ethan Nwaneri and Lino Sousa are all in the travelling party to Eindhoven. Seemingly Myles Lewis-Skelly and Charles Sagoe Jr trained with the first-team squad but have not travelled.
BtM@the previous drinks: From the training video, it looks as if it will be the coaches who are rotated in rather than youngsters. Arteta certainly looked up to it. Elneny, for one, was clearly worried about competition for his place given the knee-high studs-up sliding tackle he put in on one coach, although it was an impressive piece of hurdling on the coach’s part to avoid it.
Re: our last ever game in the CL group stage for all those struggling to keep up with format changes to come next year: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67603918
Great preview Matt.
TTG if you watch at 8pm you’ll be watching Man United v Bayern Munich. We kick off at 5.45.
Please don’t play Saliba Mikel. Very happy with the rest of your team Matt.
That’s a fine preview, Matt, particularly given the uncertainty around the travelling party and our shared hope that we will see none of our first team playing in this game. I would be happy to see Ramsdale, Kiwior, Jorginho, Elneny, Nelson, ESR, Nketiah and a bunch of kids (no names, I don’t have the knowledge of TTG). I certainly don’t want to see Saliba (who may benefit from R&R more than Gabriel) or Ben White (as 21CG said in another place, we are one injury to BW4 away from Cedric at right back until BW4 or TT18 recover fitness/return from Japan) in the team.
Given that both our own and our opponents qualifying positions are already determined and will be unaffected by the result tomorrow, it would be preposterous if we were sanctioned for fielding substantially a youth team but then UEFA’s committees share DNA with the FA blazers and FPGMOL (you may speculate, I couldn’t possibly comment) so an irrational, preposterous response is clearly distinctly possible! For the non-cognoscenti, the Bar-L is a somewhat austere residential institution of considerable repute for Scotland’s Neds but strangely has not yet welcomed some of the SNP’s finest.
Matt’s 1-0 prediction would be huge disappointment. I much prefer his alternative of a 5-5 draw.
What I would really like to know (or would I?) is what exactly TTG anticipates emitting at 8pm? As C100 points out, the game starts at 5.45 GMT.
Cheers Matt – like the title and picture 😉
Is it Elneny and Jorginho’s kids we’re thinking of playing – or Mikel’s own, so to speak 😳
Sky are reporting that ESR had recovered from injury and will play. So hope that lad can finally stay fit and make his claim. We could really use his skill set in the first team.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see UEFA hit us with some preposterous sanction for fielding an under strength team – they would probably claim it would hit potential advertising revenue. That’s why we’re kicking off at 5.45pm after all.
As amusing and entertaining as the previews come, thank you Matt!
Agree with all the cognoscenti here that none of our regular starters should play in this match. They can stay on the bench and periodically perform some stretches and even solemnly pretend to change their jackets and tracksuits for the match day kit but on the field they really need not go. Must not go.
So I like your starting eleven except for Saliba. We must have some academy defender who can stand tall and play elegantly… the images of Ignasi Miquel comes to my mind. How about Sagoe starting on the right and Nelson starting on the left with Trossard on the bench?
I would like Ramsdale to put in the captain’s armband. But I think Mo Elneny will. Equally deserved but Aaron probably will feel the gesture more satisfactory.
Can be like an exhibition match. But still, a win will be nice, as always.
Come on Arsenal!
Thanks all for your kind comments as ever.
I didn’t want Saliba to start either but didn’t know any of the younger players to suggest as CB. However, if Sousa is on the plane maybe we will suggest Cedric pretend to be a CB or I do have a vague memory of Mo Elneny once moving to CB in an emergency. Anyway, let’s see.
The thought of a fine for an under-strength Xl never even occurred to me to be honest. If UEFA don’t want under-strength teams then return to straight knockout where there are no pointless matches. Two hopes of that of course but if we do get fined I never want to hear UEFA mention the words player welfare again.
Despite our idealistic aspirations that we rest our first XI and play a team of back-ups and kids, this morning’s blogs from Keenos at She Wore and Arseblog reveal that that is just not going to happen. A win tonight is worth £2.4m so the club isn’t going to merely throw that away. I think that Matt’s selection is close to the team that MA8 will start but I suspect Gabriel will play at the back rather than Saliba and Havertz as the ‘8’ in midfield rather than Nwaneri.
Excellent preview, Matt. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it. And isn’t it nice to have. “Pressure off” game before we get back to the PL treadmill? I wasn’t aware that CL wins were so lucrative. I still don’t expect a win tonight and will be happy to come away with no injuries. As, no doubt, will those fans brave/foolhardy enough to venture over to Eindhoven
@C100 Very grateful for the 5.45pm wake up call. Like TTG, my planning (or more correctly, lack of planning) had me taking my seat at 7.55pm.
Your guide to this season’s CL prize money:
Total CL prize money is €2.03 billion.
Results payments account for 55% of it:
Winner €20m
Runner-up €15.5m
Semifinalists €12.5m
Quarterfinalists €10.6m
Round of 16 €9.6m
Group-stage wins €2.8m
Group-stage draws €930k
Reaching group stage €15.64m
A further 30% (roughly €600m) is distributed based on what is called the co-efficient payout, essentially a payment for past European tournament performances over the previous ten years, with the lowest-ranked team in the group stages getting €1.1m and the top-ranked team €36.4m. We are 12th in the ranking, which is worth €13.3m.
The final 15% (around €300m) is accounted for by media rights revenue, which is split between clubs and the federations they come from under a complicated formula that factors in the relative value of national TV markets and how far a club has progressed in the CL.
Really looking forward to seeing ESR tonight. He has some qualities that we often seem to lack. Give him the ball and he immediately looks to drive forwards, straight at the opposition defence. He has the ability to go either side of an opponent and can drive through the centre of midfield. He is also willing to run past the ball to create openings where we often play too much in front of the opposition defence and our chance creation is too slow. He also has the knack of arriving in the box to score goals, which he was doing brilliantly two years ago.
A super player, then ? Actually, potentially yes. If – and everything crossed – he can just stay fit. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Re: The 5.45pm wake up call, that is an 11:45 wake up call for me. I think it’s time for a nap. 🥱
Mike McDonald does not hold back. Long read.
I will be emitting ( not saying what ) at 5.45 pm. I didn’t know what the kick off time was because I only look at the time of games I’m going to .This is good because I can then support Bayern. I’m also supporting Bayern because they are being very kind to my grandson who is in Munich at the weekend with the family . They are giving him a VIP tour of the facilities and he is going to watch them play Stuttgart . I happened to sit next to the CEOof Allianz at a dinner . He arranged it very kindly for him without me saying a word .
Re the kids I will be really peed off if Saka plays tonight . We have decent young wingers and this game really doesn’t matter a jot . I also hope we give Nwaneri some playing time Saliba, Saka, Rice, Gabriel , Martinelli , Odegaard should not have travelled .
My team
Ramsdale
Walters White Kiwior Sousa
Jorginho Elneny
Havertz
Nelson Nketiah Trossard
Subs – Hein , Cedric , Zinchenko, ESR , Nwaneri , Lewis- Skelly , Sagoe , Edwards , Ibrahim
C100, Thanks again for posting the links to Mike McDonald’s pieces which are always so insightful, and this time primarily for his comments on the deleterious impact of the referees on the English game. It has been so bad that this year, for the first time, I realized that I was enjoying watching Arsenal’s European games more than their domestic games, simply because of the higher standard of refereeing in which a foul is called a foul without equivocation.
I understand that Bukayo has not travelled to Holland. Good
From the BBC
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; Cedric, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Elneny, Jorginho, Trossard; Havertz, Nketiah, Nelson
Whoever advised TTG that Saka didn’t travel was wrong. From the BBC
Subs: Raya, Hein, White, Saka, Odegaard, Jesus, Smith Rowe, Zinchenko, Rice, Nwaneri, Sousa, Walters
I was going to say that TTG’s source was as porous as Dutch cheese, but realized that it’s Swiss cheese that’s got the holes in it.
I’ll get my coat..,
Apologies
I read it on NewsNow this afternoon .
One wonders why we let Rob Holding go. He hasn’t had a peep at Palace and now has to shop in Croydon
Meanwhile we risk our two CBs in a meaningless game
Mikel really doesn’t use young players much does he? What a chance to use lads in a risk-free environment. We beat PSV youths 3-1 away this afternoon. Apparently Sagoe and ACD were brilliant . At least one might have made the bench tonight
That is a heavier-duty bench than I would have preferred to see. I hope Walters and Sousa replace Saliba and Gabriel after no more than an hour. Twenty minutes for Nwaneri and 15 for ESR to get Havertz and Trossard off, and leave the subs at that.
Bukayo Saka is one of those who did not travel to the Netherlands but Arteta stressed there are no injury concerns around the winger.
BBC website 16.35
Well I got 9 right so somewhat selfishly I am happy.
Actually to be honest I am amazed we are risking our first choice CB partnership in a meaningless game. Fingers crossed time.
I read that Martinelli was unwell and couldn’t travel but Saka could.
Re : TTG @18. Supporting Bayern, and even Harry Kane, should be alright for one night so long as they don’t disappoint and they succeed in booting Man U right out of the competition
Many thanks OM for your very readable preview.
It appears Arteta is not willing to trust the youth for the defensive set up and thereby gambling on no injuries to our 2 wonderful CB’s. PSV will be looking to gain revenge for their earlier hammering at TNHOF and I expect they will put a strong ish team out. Hopefully if the match is being negotiated relatively safely he can substitute players at @ relatively early stage. A win / draw would be very satisfactory- no further injuries even more so.
COYRRR
Early kickoff appears to have helped with local TV coverage, in Spanish at least. Vamos chicos.
Michael Owen talking utter bollocks on TNT. In a changing world, it’s good to see some things are immutable.
Hahaha, it would be difficult to lower my opinion of Owen
Re: Dutch cheese with holes in it. As if you needed documentation, here it is:
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/dutch-cheese-with-holes-on-a-wooden-old-board-and-cheese-knead-vintage-photo-dairy-gm1001739370-270758738
PSV playing well. No surprise with their record this season.
That Bakayoko is slippery. Quick and good feet.
We miss Rice not surprisingly.
Bakayoko has been on a few radars I think
20 years old and a Belgian international. Would mae a good Saka back up.
Mo’neny shot just a bit too far left
How about we call it nil nil and all go down the pub?
Yeah, unlucky Mo but we have ridden our luck a little as well, to be fair.
I have emitted a couple of times so far
That’s the Kirin beer.
EDDIE!
Yay!
Get in Eddie!
Good save by Aaron at the end of the half.
It was a nice finish from Eddie but it was also nice to see that group of players celebrating the goal in a very “teamly” sort of way
Fine effort in an understandably low-key game . Super finish by Eddie .
Impressed by Havertz, Nelson and surprisingly Elneny and Cedric . Kiwior is struggling with Bakayoko but he looks mustard
What was Owen saying pre-match . Has he discovered his genitalia ?
Ni ce goal for Eddie, and nice save by Aaron from the shot by Bakayoko who continued looking dangerous throughout the half.
worth our lead, especially with the second string out there. ramsdale looking confident. eddie and reiss playing well. we could be in trouble against better teams, but this is a great run-out for the squad.
how i wish mo’neny’s arrow had gone in.
Half ton anyone?
Well in scruz. Out of nowhere, one might say.
nowhere and everywhere, bt8. thanks for the nelsonesque assist.
Keeping in mind those figures quoted by NBN @14,
Group-stage wins €2.8m
Group-stage draws €930k
It appears we have reason to protect our lead
PSV deserved that goal. They’ve been very good. Aaron no chance.,
I must admit I laughed when I read Ned’s numbers.
Is there a sadder fucking excuse for a football match?
PSV score. We appear to be down to an incentive of €930k. Not even a million
Rice, Odegaard and Benny coming on. WTF?
Declan at centre half.:
WTF indeed C100. Couldn’t ESR have come on for Elneny ?
Young lads very unlikely to get on .
Kiwior goal disallowed but the referee didn’t look at the replay even though itvwas the last replay shown that it was Kiwior who scored, not the offside Gabriel. Hmmm maybe I spoke too soon in favor of the European referees.
I think the refereee has been excellent .
The Offside was given by the linesman and VAR decided elsewhere
At least in the Premier League I know the VAR HQ is at Stockley Park. Who knows where UEFA have put theirs?
a miracle win just missed. tross should have passed to eddie. oh well.
no injuries, good squad runout, top of the group. onwards!
Nobody injured that I could see. If so, a decent result under the circumstances, the 1-1.
It was quite an entertaining game . PSV are a good side and it underlines how good our home performance was against them. Perversely neither of our centre backs was perfect tonight . Saliba was slightly at fault for their goal and Gabriel made a potentially serious mistake at the end .
I think the pick of our team were Nelson and Havertz. Jorginho was quietly effective and Nketiah worked hard and took his goal beautifully. I felt Ramsdale gave us much more feelings of security than Raya has since he came in.
Good qualification campaign though
bt8@63: I think UEFA puts their VARs in a truck outside the ground where the game is being played.
If the kids aren’t going to get on in a game like that, will they ever?
Ned, In unmarked truck, I presume so as to avoid targeting by irate mobs?
Apparently Zinchenko played a dozen or so games on loan at PSV nearbyhebstart of his stint at Citeh. If the link doesn’t work, it’s a picture of him giving his shirt to a PSV fan.
https://editorial.uefa.com//resources/0288-19adc45cf49b-00a5ebb2003e-1000/format/free1/psv_eindhoven_v_arsenal_fc_group_b_-_uefa_champions_league_2023_24.jpeg?imwidth=2048
bt8@68: I have to correct myself. UEFA’s VARs are all at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland.
They gave up the trucks before last season.
Unfortunately I fell asleep and missed the last 30 minutes due to a second bottle of Tuscan red at 4AM but I thought we played ok and learned that Mikel really does want to win every game – hopefully not for the wonga waved by the mothertruckers in Nyon but to send a message to all and sundry.
Good to see ESR back.
A belated reply to TTG @24
Quite agree we could have used Rob in that game, I was kind of hoping we had let him go so he could get a regular starting spot at a mid table outfit like Palace. In other words a thank you for his excellent attitude despite rarely starting and best of luck type send off.
It’s a pity it doesn’t seem to have worked that way, he really needs regular football and he is not a bad CB.
OM – a second bottle of Tuscan red at 4AM? Good man.
Inept Red Mancs banished from Eurofooty competitions (from UEFA:)
“Man United 0-1 Bayern
Kingsley Coman’s clinical close-range finish ended Manchester United’s hopes of a last-16 spot as Group A winners Bayern edged a tense encounter at Old Trafford. Coman steered his emphatic strike out of André Onana’s reach with 20 minutes remaining after latching on to Harry Kane’s clever through ball.
The Red Devils, needing to win to hold any hope of Champions League football after the winter break, began both halves brightly with Luke Shaw forcing a save from Manuel Neuer and captain Bruno Fernandes sending a curling effort wide, but were unable to find the breakthrough and finished the campaign bottom of the section.”
The round of 16 draw is bound to be interesting…
https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0286-194ebf171ecc-ecd438b4baf4-1000–round-of-16-draw-details/
OM
My hero. An excellent choice in wine – Chianti ?
And a second bottle . I felt like one watching England’s T20 team but I’m a man of iron discipline 😀🤤
It was a Rossi di montalcino TTG, the cheaper Sangiovese cousin of Brunello.
To be honest I had been thinking of skipping the game but my Italian
restauranteur friend delivered two cases of wine and gave me his 30% trade
discount 😃 I was so happy I decided to drink a couple of them immediately…..
>>>>>>>