PSV Eindhoven comes calling early Thursday evening for our fourth Europa League group stage tie; it is the fixture postponed for lack of plod following the Queen’s death.
Embed from Getty ImagesWe last played PSV in March 2007 when they knocked us out of the Champions League, 2-1 on aggregate in the Round of 16. Their Brazilian defender Alex scored all the goals in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates after we had lost 1-0 in Eindhoven, our only loss in six Champions League games against them. The clubs also met in the group stages in 2002 and 2004. Our overall record stands at two wins, three draws and one loss.
Like us, PSV has its roots in a works team, for the employees of Gerard and Anton Philips’s light bulb factory in Eindhoven, then an emerging industrial town in the North Brabant region of the southern Netherlands. Today, the club’s formal links with the company are lighter, although its Philips Stadion stands in the same spot where PSV’s precursor, Philips Elftal (‘the Philips XI’), played its first game in 1911.
Frits Philips, Anton’s five-year-old son, ceremoniously kicked off that match. He was involved with the club throughout his life and attended games up to his death in 2005. His seat in the Philips Stadion, section D, row 22, seat 43, is always left vacant in his memory. Frits was also a real-life Schindler, saving several hundred Jewish employees during World War Two by having them designated essential workers. (Your bonus historical trivia: Frits’s grandfather was a first cousin of Karl Marx.)
PSV, Ajax Amsterdam and Rotterdam’s Feyenoord comprise Dutch football’s Big Three. Only Ajax has won the league title more often than PSV, 36 times to 24. PSV also has ten KNVB Cups and a record 12 Johan Cruyff Shields, a Community Shield equivalent, including this season’s 5-3 win over post-ten Hag Ajax.
A perennial in European competition, it won the UEFA Cup in 1978. Ten years later, it won the European Cup despite failing to win a game from the quarter-finals onwards: two ties decided on away goals and the final on penalties. Never in doubt, eh?
PSV fans revel in their Brabantian regional identity and call themselves boeren (‘farmers’) to contrast with the big-city followers of Ajax and Feyenoord, no matter that Eindhoven is a hub of advanced engineering. Yet it is also an expression of North Brabant’s complex historical, religious and cultural relationship with the rest of the Netherlands. It is the only one of the four provinces of the old Duchy of Brabant to lie outside modern-day Belgium, and neither the traditionally Roman Catholic Brabantians nor the Calvinist Dutch have ever regarded it as being Dutch Dutch. There is a lot of political previous.
Perhaps uniquely, PSV allocates its fans a squad shirt number, 12. No player can wear it.
The opposition
PSV is currently managed by Old Horse Face himself, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will need no introduction to most here. It is his initial season in charge of the first team after coaching PSV’s age group sides for several seasons.
His team sits second in the Eredivisie, with 24 points from ten games, one fewer than leaders Ajax and one more than third-placed Feyenoord. PSV put six past Utrecht last Sunday and seven past Volendam at the end of August, plumping their goals-for column to a league-leading 35.
They have won all three of their Europa League games after dropping down from the Champions League following elimination by Rangers in the Qualifying Round. Last time out, they put five past FC Zurich without reply, having beaten them 5-1 away and previously drew 1-1 at home with Bodø/Glimt. They trail us by two points, but the Zurich wins give them a plus-nine goal difference to our plus-five.
Their most familiar name will be Cody Gakpo. Reportedly of interest to Arteta but probably following the same path out of Eindhoven to the OT as his manager before him, Gakpo is a local boy and this season’s leading goal-scorer with 13 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, operating, at pace, from the left wing.
For the opposite flank, Barnet-born England U-21 international Noni Madueke is back in the squad after the latest in a series of injuries, but a start might be too soon. Anwar El Ghazi, who won two Dutch caps in 2015, will fill in unless van Nistelrooy switches from his preferred 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1, as he has done for Europa League games. Mexico international Erick Gutierrez would then come in as a second No 6.
With Mario Gotze returned to Germany, 19-year-old Xavi Simons, who spent nine years in Barca’s youth set-up, and the Zambian-born but otherwise very Dutch Guus Til share the 10 role. Til, five years Simons’s senior, arrived from Feyenoord in the summer, where he had been on loan from Spartak Moscow. He is on the fringe of the Dutch national squad and has seven goals and two assists this season. Simons has ten goals and four assists. Joey Veerman (six goals and five assists) is the box-to-box central midfielder. Ivory Coast international Ibrahim Sangare (four goals and one assist) plays the Partey role and provides the muscle. All four are getting covetous looks from some of Europe’s top clubs.
It is a young, pacey and energetic midfield whose goal tally points to the impact of the protracted injury absence of veteran club captain and centre forward Luuk de Jong. Like Madueke and Mauro Junior, a regular at full-back last season, de Jong returns to the squad for the first time in a while.
Academy youth product Armando Obispo and journeyman Brazilian André Ramalho will likely be the starting centre-halves. German international Philip Max on the left and the Austrian international Phillipp Mwene on the right will flanks them, assuming Mauro Junior does not start (like Tomi, he can play either side). Argentine Walter Benítez will be between the sticks. He arrived in the close season from Nice ahead of Kasper Schmeichel exchanging the sun-drenched, sparkling waters of the East Midlands for the mundanity and grey skies of the Cote d’Azur.
PSV has quality, but we should have better.
The Arsenal
After fitfulness in the fjords and alarms at Leeds, Arteta will not want palpitations against PSV. We need one win from our final three group games to ensure a play-off place; a win and a draw against PSV or any two wins secure top of the group, avoiding two extra matches in January.
Not an easy team selection to predict. Arteta needs to juggle picking a team strong enough to win with resting some weary legs; we still have half a dozen games to go to the World Cup break In mid-November. I hazard that Arteta will err on the side of strength, including deploying Tomiyasu to shackle Gakpo and starting MØ8 over Vieira. That may be why our captain came off so early on Sunday.
Turner
Tomiyasu, Saliba, Holding, Tierney
Lokonga, Xhaka
Nelson, Ødegaard, Marquinhos
Nketiah
Bench: Ramsdale, Hein, White, Cedric, Gabriel, Partey, Vieira, Jesus, Martinelli, Saka, Smith and Edwards.
The ‘holics pound
At 8/15, the bookies have us as shorter odds favourites than I would have expected. Not much is available above tens in the score betting unless we hit four or more. Pleasing though that would be, especially if goal difference comes into play later, a 2-0 win seems more realistic against the second-strongest team in the group.
Enjoy the game, ‘holics, near and far.
Re: post-ten Hag Ajax
Wouldn’t that be eleven?
Ha, ha, bt8!
*Hopes PSV will not have turned it up to that number a la Spinal Tap.*
What a terrific preview Ned! Many thanks for the historical colour as well as the football insights .
I am off to the game tomorrow and am delighted that I will meet my friend Scruz and his long-suffering wife for a bevvy at the Tollie pre-match . Scruz only attends 3-2 victories so there is your scoreline !
I suspect we may see Gabriel for Saliba and I expect Saka and Vieira to start wide . Otherwise I agree with Ned’s team . I don’t think we’ve had too pressurised a schedule yet and if we can get to the WC break without serious mishap we can add numbers and quality to the squad .
Thanks Ned, for an excellent preview spiced with your usual scrupulous research.
I think we may see an even more experienced team than the one you expect, with Gabriel instead of Saliba as the latter was uncharacteristically the more jittery of the centre backs throughout the game against Leeds, despite the former’s lapse into retaliation as he was barged to the ground by Bamford. We may even see Partey start this game rather than Sambi given the power in the PSV midfield and he may instead be rested against Southampton. While I expect Eddie to lead the line (please get back among the goals, young man) and either Marquinos or Nelson to start (the latter needs to grasp these chances with both feet), I also expect either Saka or Martinelli to start, probably the former given his current eye for goal.
This is a tough one to predict. I think the second half at Leeds showed how much the sequence of 1) high intensity NLD, 2) relatively smooth home game vs Bodø, 3) high intensity Dipper game, 4) trip to Norway for a high intensity game on a plastic pitch followed by 5) the high intensity Leeds press has taken out of the legs and minds of our regulars. I would therefore not be surprised if we struggle in this match and again against Southampton.
Given the latter team’s current travails (though with the caveat that we do have a habit of helping lost causes), I would be inclined to front load the experience on this PSV match to try to ensure we can take the final two Europa League games in a relatively more relaxed manner. Hence my thoughts on the team being a bit stronger. With that stronger team, I hope for at least a draw. I find that I cannot be more confident.
COYG
“lack of plod”, ned? sounds like they have an abundance, rather. tip of the cap to you, i always love finding out what you have the monks dig up.
i would be remiss not to tip another cap to faustus for the fine leeds review. what a game, which (based on my radio listening) was spot on reportage.
great ST reference, bt8.
ttg, i’ll live with a 3-2 win if only so mrs. scruz can enjoy the crazy!
Ned I learned many things from your erudite preview, but the fact that officially the fans at PSV are the number 12 is fantastic! Sadly I can’t be there on Thursday, as I transferred my tickets when this match was due in September when I was on holiday. So I’ll be sharing the BT Sport coverage with many. After our, frankly fortunate, but gritty, win in Yorkshire, I think the team will be encouraged and will sweep into a 2-0 lead from which we will win 3-0. Manchester Rowdies play the Spuds tonight and as usual I will be happy with anything but a Spurs win, plus six red cards and several hammies. My wife and daughter have gone into Cambridge tonight to watch plays in Greek (neither of them speak Greek). I was offered the opportunity to join them but politely declined (CER will berate me). So my son (who is cooking me spaghetti alla carbonara) and I will settle down to watch Amazon Prime. I may have a glass of wine.
Thanks Ned for the Brabant history lesson, and review of PSV’s season so far. I think we are really missing ESR’s energy but Mikel needs to put his faith in the fringe players this week to give some of the starters a breather.
Martinelli sat out training today, and Arteta says he will assess his availability tomorrow. It sounds 50-50 as to whether Gabi will be fit. I wouldn’t risk him at this stage of the season. If he sat out the game, there would be room on the bench for Cirjan.
I couldn’t see any sign of Partey or Gabriel in the training photos on the club site — although I am sure Arteta manages their selection as carefully as he does everything else so as not to give anything away. Ben White and Tomi could possibly play on the right side of the defence, yet I thought during the Leeds game that White looked more in need of a rest than Saliba.
Bath@5: I went back and forth in my mind over whether Vieira or Ødegaard or both of them might start. A mind is a terrible thing to make up, but that is why Arteta gets the big bucks, not me. 🙂
Scruz@6: from the OED:
NOUN
1
A slow, heavy walk:
he settled down to a steady plod
2
(also PC Plod)
British informal
A police officer:
a bunch of plods arrived, offering me a lift to the cop shop
Enjoy Thursday evening. Make sure TTG behaves himself…
Ned @9, that is indeed a tough call given how much more effective Ødegaard usually is but how badly he dropped off in the SH against Dirty Leeds. I wasn’t convinced that Vieira added anything but a show of energetic running. I went with your final decision on the basis that at least a good half from Ødegaard might tip the game in our favour but MA8 may decide he’s too close to the ‘red zone’.
I would prioritise this game over the weekend as a win would effectively give us a bye in the next round of the EL (if we can rely on a home win against Zurich) and I think we could find a side made up of fit first teamers and backups to beat the Saints.
Excellent preview, Ned. My prediction is a 2-goal difference win for the Arsenal, 2-0 or 3-1. As for the team, I suspect Cedric, Gabriel, Holding and Tierney will start in front of Turner. Vieira, Sambi, Xhaka, Eddie and one of Saka/Martinelli are pretty much guaranteed to start. Nelson and Marquinhos starting would depend on how happy Arteta was with their most recent performances, I suspect he wasn’t quite enamoured by it. Finally, two or more out of Odegaard, White, Tomiyasu, Jesus, Saliba and Partey starting would suggest that Arteta currently considers PSV the biggest threat to our season, I don’t think that’s the case.
Cheers Ned. Probably will miss a big chunk of the first half due to work, being on public transport until I can refill and stupid kick off time.
Think we’ll concede tonight so I’ll go for a nervy 2-1.
Excellent and enlightening as usual Ned. 🙂
Given winning this match is crucial towards avoiding the play-off after the group stages I expect Mikel to play a stronger starting line-up, including Saka, Tomiyasu and as Bath observed may decide to play Gabriel as the most natural of our left sided central defenders instead of Saliba to partner with Holding.
PSV supporters maybe wearing the number 12 shirt, but the home supporters in Emirates who will give Arsenal the 12th man advantage. We need to start well.
Come on Arsenal!
Thanks, all, for the kind words.
Huge kudos to the women’s team for demolishing Lyon. Apparently, it was Lyon’s first WCL defeat by more than one goal since 2009.
Saliba is our number 12, so PSV fans can chew on that one
Very strong team:
Turner
Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney
Lokonga, Xhaka, Vieira
Saka, Jesus, Nketiah
Bench: Ramsdale, Hein, White, Partey, Ødegaard, Martinelli, Saliba, Cedric, Nelson, Marquinhos, Cirjan, Edwards.
I think the prospect of a bye into the round of 16 has coloured MA8’s judgement for tonight when a win tonight is critical to make that a probability. Plus Southampton have already played this week so the weekend game is not likely to show the stark difference in the effects of an extended rest period for our opposition that we saw on Sunday.
COYG
Well played Arsenal, well taken goal by GX34, and well defended all around. On to Saints.
Lost in France somewhere at the moment so missed another game, but 1-0 to The Arsenal is always welcome. Seems by all accounts to have been a better performance than at the weekend
Talking of France the Arsenal Women hammered the European Champions Lyon 5-1 tonight. Great result for them.
Tonight Matt? Are you sure you are not lost in time too?
Professional win tonight. That will do. Sunday’s another big one (they all are in the league now).
Yeah, time too it seems, I’m a day late already.
I was in Lyon last night to make it worse.
Ha, oops! Hope you’re having a nice time.
A much improved performance on the weekend. A lot of nice work just let down by the final ball or poor finishing but a lovely finish from GX with his chocolate leg. A surprisingly Spursy performance from PSV. We were by far the better team and the arrival of Partey and Ødegaard pepped us up even further and shows the difference those two classy operators make compared to the best efforts of Vieira and Sambi.
Have a great time in France, Matt.
Gerrard’s managerial career may be hitting a speed bump. From the BBC:
Villa fans turn on Gerrard
Having booed their players off the field following Saturday’s home defeat by Chelsea, the Villa supporters once again made their feelings known as the visitors traipsed off the Craven Cottage pitch at half-time – and again in the latter stages of the contest.
Unmistakable chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” and “Steven Gerrard, get out of our club” echoed around the ground following Mings’ own goal, which capped a desperate performance from the away side in west London.
Well, it looks like he’s just been dismissed, bt8.
So ‘you’re getting sacked this evening’ would have been a more accurate chant if only they’d tried to be a bit more original.
Well, Ollie, elsewhere the BBC reports this:
The final whistle brought more negative chants and American Marsch’s position is starting to look shaky.
Jesse Marsch is 4/1 to be the next PL manager to be sacked.
bath@26: I thought Sambi had a decent game. He is a work in progress and not the finished article like Partey, but regular Thursday football is improving him. Vieira struggled to get into the game; he barely seemed there in the first half. Even when MØ8 is off the pace, he is a presence. I also think we did well to cut off the service to Gakpo, Simons and Til. They made little impact overall. Arteta won that tactical battle.
The bookies have Unai Emery, formerly of this parish, in the frame to replace Gerrard at Villa, although Pochettino is the favourite. I can’t see him feeling the need to return to English football, though.
Meanwhile, Earth to OM…
Thanks Ollie, Bath.
Happily staying in an old farmhouse in Julienas today, catching up with
old friends I haven’t seen for the last three years.
I’ll try to keep my feet on the ground Ned, firm ground that is, not
Marsch. Funnily enough I was thinking of the monks today Ned, as
I read someone amusingly saying we are the first team to stay unbeaten
throughout a PM’s term in office 🙂
Julienas. Hmmm. Brings back memories: when I started working, the local admin had named all the workstations by wine names. That was one.
It’s a nice place Ollie, some gently rolling hills and friendly folk willing to share their wine and enjoy a pastis on Sunday morning😉
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