Arsenal fail to ignite as they suffer defeat to PSV

 

PSV Eindhoven 2 Arsenal 0 
Europa League Group A - Matchday Five 
Thursday 27th October 2022 6.45pm (local time)   

It’s been a good run, but the signs that Arsenal’s impressive start to the season is winding down have come in recent matches – narrow wins with at times, an element of fortune. The team looked a little leggy in their draw with Southampton. 

Granted, as usual in the Europa League, Mikel Arteta did not play his strongest eleven, although there were six starters from the weekend, and the other five that began the game at St Mary’s entered from the bench during the second half. His side needed just a draw to ensure they topped the group, but now they will have to match PSV’s result next week to be sure of that. At least they are at home to the underwhelming FC Zurich, although the manager would have hoped that fixture would prove academic, with the visit to Chelsea the following Sunday.

The first half in Eindhoven was a far more entertaining game than the previous week’s clash between the two sides, with the Dutch team taking the game to their opposition and looking far more dangerous. One thing that you have to say about Arsenal’s defence last night is that their high line did actually work – in that they caught PSV offside several times with goals being chalked off as a consequence. It did feel like walking a tightrope though. The interval came with no goals, but attack-wise, you wanted to see more from the Gunners. A frontline of Vieira, Nketiah and Martinelli simply wasn’t creating enough, or getting much in the way of service. The star performers had been Simons and Gakpo in the Dutch team's attack.

The second half saw PSV introduce the tall veteran striker De Jong from the restart and Arsenal – in spite of having three six footers in their defence, couldn’t really deal with him. He set up an opening goal as Partey and Saka were being readied to come on less than 10 minutes after the interval. So two much needed subs (Odegaard and Lokonga made way) entered with their colleagues 1-0 behind. Not long after it was two – Tierney losing De Jong for a corner and Ramsdale not making any contact as he attempted to punch the ball clear. The forward simply nodded the ball over the line. 

Arteta went for it by switching to three at the back – Holding being hooked for Jesus, but all that followed was another PSV goal ruled out for offside. Nketiah did have a point blank effort saved, and if Arsenal had scored one, then the tide might have turned. They only wanted a point after all. 

Ultimately though, they failed to gel. This was the toughest game on paper in the group, and what may end up determining the finishing places is PSV’s disappointing home draw to Bodo Glimt. Both sides that played in Eindhoven are now through, but one will have to play the extra two matches to qualify for the round of 16. By this time next week, we’ll know if that’s Arsenal.

Obviously, at no stage last night was the eleven on the pitch a familiar one, and against good opposition, you won’t always get away with such selection combinations. There may have been an element of fatigue, or the reality that PSV are good enough defensively to contain… well Eddie Nketiah has scored two goals so far this season and you get the feeling that the club might need to buy more productive backup to Jesus in January. 

In summary, this was an off night, a game to forget and it must be hoped that the team can bounce back on Sunday, then beat Zurich and at least avoid defeat at Chelsea. Arteta has work to do, so that the recent slide after the excellent start to the season is reversed.

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