PSV 1-7 Arsenal Player rating and match reaction

[HCZ_Reborn]

Raya 7 - No chance with the pel, and was a bit of a silly arse near the end dribbling outside his own area but ultimately at that point, what matter


Timber 7 - Struggled a bit at times with Saibari and Lang but got the ball rolling so to speak


Saliba 8 - Couldn’t be got past


Gabriel 8 - Made Perisic his bitch


Lewis-Skelly 7 - Lucky not to get a second yellow (although the first one was harsh so balances out). Made sense to bring him off, although he did well in crowded penalty area to get the ball to Nwaneri


Partey 6.5 - Blotted his and our copybook somewhat by giving away a silly pel, but overall performance was full of energy


Rice 8 -Full of energy and running


Odegaard 9 - Plenty of space to operate in, but with some of his passing and movement saw something of the old Odegaard this evening


Nwaneri 9.5 - Utterly wrecked PSV


Trossard 7.5 - Combined hard work with a finish put on a plate for him by Calafiori


Merino 8 - Lovely finish albeit from horrible defending m



Subs


Calafiori 8.5 - Goal, assist and a pretty good defensive shift


Zinchenko 7 - No pressure on the ball, so seemed to enjoy himself out there


Tierney 7 - Doing the lap of honour prior to leaving in the summer


White 7 - Being reintegrated slowly


Sterling 4 - Oh dear



As stated in the match thread it was hard to appraise this performance, don’t think it was our best performance this season (I think that was the game against Sporting Lisbon) but it was a good one. Equally PSV are probably the worst team we’ve played in Europe (I can remember us putting 7 past Standard Liege in cup winners cup but don’t remember much about the game). Defensively that was the biggest act of self harm since Richey Edwards carved 4 real into his arm (and then insisted on stopping at a McDonald’s on the way to the hospital so his fellow band members could get something to eat)

But no reflection on us of course, I’m still mystified as how they got past Juventus over two legs

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

PSV were terrible and if I was a fan, this performance would be unforgivable.

I'm not sure we learnt anything more about this team besides reinforcing the fact that if a team plays open against them we suddenly look like an entirely different outfit of elite footballers....anyway based on this, I think Real Madrid will suit us more that Atleti as the master defensive tactician Simeone will eat us alive with the way he'll park the bus and counter.

Lets see though, but it's safe to say our CL odyssey continues thanks to this remarkable result that I don't think anyone saw coming.

[IBK]

Great to be able to enjoy such an unexpected scoreline. Special mentions to Rice and Odegard who really turned up last night.

Agree with 21GS's comments - and here's the rub. We have mostly benefitted in Europe from the fact that playing many of the top teams in their divisions means that they don't set up in a low block - our kryptonite.

I don't want to be negative - certainly wasn't last night - but a team that can get big scores against Citeh and PSV but fail against 'lesser' teams in the EPL and the domestic cups (even with most players fit) is one that lacks (a) consistency, and (b) an effective plan B.

That said, this (and our inevitable progression to the CL Quarters) was an important reminder that this team has quality. I don't even disagree completely with Rice's post match comments that we have played like this all season. We have done - bar 2 or 3 miserable performances - but the problem has been scoring the goals needed. It's vitally important that the players retain belief in this project (particularly with key contract negotiations), and this result helps with that.

[Marc Overmars]

Put Calafiori up front please. His movement is better than Merino’s and he’s a lot more aggressive too.

[Letters]

We have mostly benefitted in Europe from the fact that playing many of the top teams in their divisions means that they don't set up in a low block - our kryptonite.

I was thinking about this. Real Madrid won't be employing a low block. And we aren't bad defensively.
I expect us to lose but I reckon we'll give them a game. It could be a decent tie.
I also expect Old Trafford to be a complete slog this weekend.

[Marc Overmars]

Very much hope it’s Real Madrid. 19 years since we’ve played them and I’d like to see our defence against their star forwards.

I mean, I’d put my house on us going out whichever Madrid team it is, but you want to face the best and enjoy this competition for what it is.

[HCZ_Reborn]

So I went back last night and I watched some of the highlights of PSV’s champions league games (most notably their two recent home games against Liverpool and Juventus) and it’s fair to say that last night wasn’t a one off in terms of how open they are and how poor they are defensively. Liverpool’s pel against them comes from the left back passing to the centre back who cant control it first time and ends up fouling Liverpool player who nicks it off him

They were caught in possession in their own box against Juventus and were almost punished for it. What won them those games is that they are good going forward. I thought they were decent last night, managed to get in between Gabriel and Saliba a couple of times in the first half, forced the situation where we had to substitute Lewis Skelly to prevent him from being sent off.

I think we defended well for the most part, I just think they didn’t always make it easy for us…but they commit players forward and they aren’t good at clearing their lines.


On top of that they are in miserable form in the Eredivise, having had a six point lead over Ajax at one stage they are now 8 points behind. That’s quite the collapse, and even coming into this game they had lost at home to Go Ahead Eagles in the cup and lost to them away last weekend in the league. So they weren’t coming into this fixture with bundles of confidence, but then again neither were we

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Put Calafiori up front please. His movement is better than Merino’s and he’s a lot more aggressive too.

I mentioned something like this in the match thread just as he was coming on.

Like you pointed out, there is just something about the way he moves and uses his body. Also his general composure and always trying to seem like he's in control (even when he's not), all these attributes can really annoy the average defender . The kid is a bag of talent and I really scratch my head wondering where his best position is, for now I still think its probably as some sort of attacking CB, but that could easily change as one keeps watching him.

Anyway, Merino was great yesterday and really put in a shift for the team. I really do like him as a squad player.

[HCZ_Reborn]

That was definitely a centre forwards finish from Calafiori yesterday

But then you could argue it was the same when Steve Bould put Tony Adams in against Everton in 1998

[Letters]

That was definitely a centre forwards finish from Calafiori yesterday

But then you could argue it was the same when Steve Bould put Tony Adams in against Everton in 1998

Adams just put his laces through it