Sep 14
A thoroughly unconvincing effort, at home no less. Arsenal’s lone goal comes from PSV defender Alex on an own goal.
Questions:
Why can’t Arsenal create the same offensive thrust in European matches that they can in the EPL?
Or
Why don’t other EPL teams adopt the tactics of Arsenal’s European opponents to clamp them down?
17 Responses to “Arsenal 1 - 0 PSV”
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September 14th, 2004 at 4:49 pm
A nerve wrecking 1-0 win. A win nontheless. Better start than last season when we went down 0-3 to Inter. Key players like Bergkamp, Pires and Reyes must be feeling the pressure to perform in the Champions League. Henry wasted a few chances. Pires goal was not offside looking at the reply but I guess this kinda of make up for decisions that went Arsenal’s way in the Fulham game.
Why don’t other EPL team adopt the same tactic to frustrate Arsenal - you say? Well IMO, not many EPL teams have tacticians like PSV has in Hiddink - except possibly for Murinho. And not many EPL teams have the discipline to carry out instructions to play deep against Arsenal.
Although Arsenal did not play their ‘normal’ game, they did managed to grind out a win against a well organized team. A season or two ago, Arsenal may have lost the same game!
Panathainikos is now top of the group by virtue of their 2-1 win over Rosenburg.
September 14th, 2004 at 5:31 pm
It could be said that if other EPL teams COULD adopt Arsenal’s Euro opponents’ tactics then THEY could be in the Champions League as well!
In other news…ohhhhh snap, Larsson scores at Parkhead. Damn. That had to hurt. Poor Bhoys…
— Geoff
September 14th, 2004 at 5:34 pm
Sucked that the PLUS audio was down for this game.
Well said Geoff, think that pretty much sums up the tactics bit. I’d just add that the dynamics of a group stage are not the same as a league table.
Definitely glad we could get the win out of it, especially in a match where we sounded very much on the defensive (and still without Sol) towards the end.
September 14th, 2004 at 6:00 pm
At least Edu looks lively. Really hope Lauren is OK. Saw a bit of Barca at halftime and after we’d finished - sublime, especially the Ronaldinho- Deco goal.
September 14th, 2004 at 6:40 pm
One quick note: whoever has any doubt towards Chelsea’s ability, check this out - away at PSG, won 3 - nil. They have now played six matches, won five, conceded only 1 goal. And this team has just been together for one or two months. They will only get better. Let’s hope our players can stay focus, ‘cos Chelsea this season is for REAL.
September 14th, 2004 at 6:52 pm
Quite happy with the result. AW claimed before the match he would change the game plan a little, stressed a little more on defence, and i think it worked. As a team we didn’t take too many unnecessary risk and push everybody forward. The team played with a little bit more patient and did not rush for an opener.
Paddy was back. No matter how we feel abt him, he did always pull his weight didn’t he?
Great to hear the news Sol is on the way to be back. ‘Cos at the moment Cygan looked more and more like a liability to our defence. We could have got paid by his mistake a few mins from time, leaving a PSV player completely unmarked at the edge of six yard box.
The players looked a bit tired, after the international duty last week and the weekend game. Let’s hope they can recharge in time to prepare for our next match.
September 14th, 2004 at 9:03 pm
PSG hasn’t won a match in their league…
so please… how impressive is that?
Sorry…… I am still utterly unconvinced of Chelsea.
September 14th, 2004 at 9:05 pm
A win… in the Champs League… no matter how you slice it is GOOD.
How can we commend Chelsea for playing defensive and grinding out wins versus lesser teams in the EPL… and then not be happy when Arsenal do the same in the CL??
We can’t… good result. Thats all that matters!
September 14th, 2004 at 10:09 pm
stag i understand ur frustation of postings that comment of this and that despite us winning. well, looking at it as fans, we gotta be satisfied with that 3 pts last nite. but hopefully wenger isn’t satisfied.
it was a scrappy win by all means. partly bcoz most players are too tired to play, maybe thats why we lost a lot of possesion last nite. but you gotta admit PSV’s men behind ball and discplined markings worked well. we lost many possessions, we can’t play our passing games.
as much as many other EPL clubs wanted to use this tactic, they don’t have the quality. they are just inviting us into their area and that’s a suicide.their best option is to attack as well.
As to why arsenal can’t damage psv like we usually do, PSV defensive line was very organized, they don’t need to outpace our formula one players to stop our flow. they just had to position themselves at the right places, closing all the gaps. This is mentioned before, but in this kind of game, ability to score from set pieces or crosses is vital.
lastly, the everlasting talk on our defenders. Strangely I was quite happy with our defensive performance last night. More solid than previous game. But I still can’t see how I can ever trust cygan. Bad header clerances, bad positioning, slow to trace back. I know that does not happen all the time. but a few times of cygan’s kidn of error is enough to punish us.
We’ll be alright when Sol is back? True, and better pray that Sol will always be available when we are facing top teams.
September 14th, 2004 at 11:06 pm
Shini… I would say none of the Arsenal are satisfied with scraping out a 1-0 win at home… but as you said… its not Norwich we are playing! PSV are a good team who can obviously defend.
Sol will only make the defense much better. We did post a shutout v. PSV… thats with Cygan… and the opponents can’t play BOTH ways. If they pack it in defensively and put many players behind the ball, then they are not going forward much and not really threatening us. If they come forward… we have all the tools and skills to punish them. Either way, I like our chances… ALOT.
I am happy that Cygan plays in a few of these matches because you can’t replace EXPERIENCE… and thats great insurance if there is an injury. He has played now all year, and in the CL…. and we have won every single match. Can’t be all that bad.
September 15th, 2004 at 12:22 am
i think that aw is justified in putting forth a slightly more hesitant side. with all of the upcoming fixtures, a little pace is in order. the teams faced in the cl are of a slightly higher caliber than, say, norwich! don’t get me wrong, i would love to see 4-0 demolitions every match. i’m all for scoring, scoring instead of boring, boring. however, what shape would we be in come february? the majority of epl teams don’t have the manpower to handle the invincibles, and i hope that this is the year the rest of europe doesn’t either!
cheers to all you gooners!
are there any gooners in the dayton, ohio area?
September 15th, 2004 at 12:28 am
does anyone else miss sol as bad as i? poor cygan is ill suited to replace the daunting force that is campbell. i feel he is the lone weak spot in an otherwise impeccable squad. at every other position, there is an extremely capable replacement waiting in the wings (cesc!) sol, get well soon!!
September 15th, 2004 at 1:53 am
You know, one thing I don’t think anyone’s considered yet is that this is the frickin CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. These are the Top Teams in Europe.
By all rights we *shouldn’t* be waltzing through this like it’s West Ham. If we are….something is WRONG with the whole setup somewhere.
— Geoff
September 15th, 2004 at 4:23 am
I agree with you here Sir. For some reason lots of people thinks all Arsenal have to do is turn up and the game will be won. Nope
September 15th, 2004 at 4:29 am
Well folks this is the CL football and you have to play well to win it. We manage to win somehow but to be honest I guess some of the players like some fans taugh they should just turn up and it will be fine at the end of the day. Nope..
I feel sorry for Bolton. We will killed them for yesterday’s performance.
September 15th, 2004 at 8:25 am
I don’t think the players thought they just had to turn up to win but maybe some of the fans did. Like some have said it’s the CL and so you have to expect tough games. Arsenal play with great confidence in the Premiership because they believe they can always score and if they draw or even lose it’s not a disaster. To lose at home in the CL group stage put’s qualification in doubt so it’s sensible to be cautious and given their previous record it’s understandable that they were nervous.
September 18th, 2004 at 12:12 pm
It’s a bit late, but look at our Champions League record at Highbury versus away. PSV and others actually adopt the same tactics as a team like Bolton but have far better players to execute them. It is not accident we lost 3-0 at Highbury then scored five on Inter at the San Siro. The tactics we employ even when we know they won’t work like today against a fresher Bolton side which knows how to frustrate us work far better on the bigger wider pitches than on our beloved pitch and ground. We can exploit our pace and skill far better on the larger grounds where defences cannot keep it tight across the box and stuff mid-field with five and even six. Remember we buried PSV on their ground with a classic Wenger-Era display of pace and passing and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if we bagged four there again this time around. This is heresy but maybe we shold surrender the first five rows around Ashburton Grone to make the pitch longer and wider so the Boltons and the PSVs can get the stuffings they’ve got coming to them…