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news topic: European news FAQ previous story...
 First string second class in loss to PSV by Rupe
on 21/2/07 at 12:01
this is story 380 of 381 in this topic to date
PSV Eindhoven (0) 1 - 0 (0) Arsenal:
Philips Stadion, Tuesday 21st February 2007
Champs League knockout stage, first leg
Arsenal:
               Lehmann
     Gallas Toure Senderos Clichy
Hleb (Baptista 75) Cesc Gilberto Rosicky
            Henry Adebayor
Another poor result for Arsenal, from another lacklustre display. PSV looked there for the taking in the first half, little to offer up front, little strength in defence. But we failed to capitalize with a performance which lacked any of the intensity of the great run we'd been on this year, up until the bore draw with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. Arsenal continually failed to raise the tempo and pressure the home side in that first half, letting them pass the ball around in their own half and waiting till they got well into ours before stopping their attacks. The latter was easy enough, it's just that the lack or urgency meant that we didn't create enough to deserve to win the game, despite looking a far better side.

Tomas Rosicky had a decent game, and went close early on after a great move. Playing a one-two with Thierry Henry on the edge of the box he got in on the left and hit a shot low past the keeper towards the far post. But the keeper got down well and got a hand on the ball to slow it down, allowing a defender to get back and clear off the line.

Tommy also tried a far top corner curler from the left later on in the half, and Henry had a couple of those too. Henry forced a save late in the half after he'd done well to control a high ball near the penalty spot and flick it up for himself, but he was falling and stretching as he struck the volley and it went straight at the keeper.

He'd also gone on a good run in from the left touchline but ended it with a weak shot. I actually thought Henry had a fairly good game, especially in the first half. There seemed to be 3 defenders on him all the time but he kept making things happen anyway.

PSV were mainly restricted to long range efforts which didn't look like they'd ever trouble Jens Lehmann. They got into the box a couple of times but Kolo Toure and Philippe Senderos dealt with it easily enough.

We expected to see Arsenal fired up for the second half but if anything it was PSV who came out with more belief. A few minutes after the break a cross from their right went over Gael Clichy and was met with a volley from Kolo Toure's international teammate Kone, but he sliced it harmlessly across goal.

Just after the hour, though, they did get through, a low shot from 25 yards by Ecuador international Mendes, which was well struck and bouncing as it reached the goalline. Almost impossible to save.

Arsenal slowly managed to raise their game again, but PSV were looking dangerous on the break now. Cesc Fabregas hit a thunderous shot from the edge of the box after nice interplay with Rosicky, which the keeper did well to tip over the bar.

Senderos got booked for a comical handball. It was over on the right wing, near the halfway line, and a striker had beaten him and left him on the ground. So instead of letting him start a run towards goal Phil just reaches over and grabs the ball from the opponent's foot, as if he thought he'd been awarded a free kick. I don't believe for a second that that's what Phil thought.

Mendes had another go from long range but it didn't trouble Jens this time. Julio Baptista came on for the well under-par Alexander Hleb and got involved fairly well for the 15 minutes he was on. 10 minutes from time Henry was running from left to right halfway inside their half when he got fouled from behind. The ref didn't give it but despite stumbling badly Henry somehow regained his footing and carried on with the ball. Only to be fouled again. This time the ref gave it but the free kick was wasted by a tame shot from the Beast... round the wall but very easy for the keeper. He took it quite quick and it looked like Henry was pissed off with him - perhaps he'd planned to take it himself and Baptista was trying a sneaky one.

William Gallas was poor at right back. He's not a right back. If we needed his experience why not at centre back where he's supposed to play? Strange one, and tough on the player to come back from injury and be used straight away in two different wrong positions in two games.

Can't really blame anyone in particular for this. Tactically it just seemed wrong, so perhaps it's Arsene Wenger's fault. He's put himself in a tricky position now, with all these great players he's found/created. Because you look at a performance like this and can't help wondering if the young players who battled so hard to win that replay in Bolton last week wouldn't have made mincemeat of PSV.

Arsenal ought to be able to win the return leg, but it's going to be far from easy against the tactical nous of Koeman. PSV should have top scorer Farfan back too. No giving the opposition a goal start this time, please.

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 in-topic context...
 Team news for PSV: what's the bigger risk?
7/3 at 17:28
 First string second class in loss to PSV
21/2 at 12:01
 Arsenal strong for PSV as reserves rested for Sunday
20/2 at 01:26
 PSV in CL, could have been worse
15/12 at 17:43
 Champs League draw possibilities
7/12 at 12:32
 Porto draw inevitable? Not this way
7/12 at 12:06
 Come-back win over Hamburg takes us top
22/11 at 02:11
 A draw would take both Arsenal and Porto through
22/11 at 00:29
 Arsenal vs Hamburg - team news and group calculations
21/11 at 17:12
 Arsenal's poor finishing lets CSKA off hook
2/11 at 23:55
 Clichy and Hoyte play tonight
1/11 at 19:44
 See below for entries around this date in other news topics, or here for latest.
 Other news 19/2/07 at 19:10
 FA Cup news 19/2/07 at 14:38
 Old Boys 14/2/07 at 19:49
 Lads & Ladies 13/2/07 at 00:13
 Premiership news 12/2/07 at 13:09
 Squad news 9/2/07 at 12:16
 Transfers 3/2/07 at 02:01
 League Cup 2/2/07 at 15:34
 Shopping news 16/5/06 at 12:09
 Internationals 7/4/06 at 18:20
 News from Abroad 2/3/06 at 11:55
 ArseWeb news 28/2/06 at 11:07
 Tickets/fixtures 3/10/05 at 17:15
 Stadium news 5/10/04 at 12:09
 non-UK TV 5/8/03 at 10:51
 UK TV/radio 21/10/02 at 13:51
 Cybury Gooners 21/8/01 at 07:27
 


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