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It is a while since I saw a match in the flesh and then wrote the report for the blog so it was nice to resume normal service tonight in the Europa League. Nobody likes Thursday night football (unless you’re West Ham) but this was a game that began at 6 pm and was preceded by a chance to meet scruzgooner and his lovely wife who was in the process of becoming a fully-fledged Arsenal fan.

scruz arrived after a frantic chase across London but was relaxed by a Guinness and a calm stroll from the Tollie to the ground. We were in the same section of the North Bank Upper which was about 80 % full but filled by a lot of non-regulars if my section of the ground was anything to go by. 

PSV are coached by a man much hated by Gooners everywhere, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, or ‘Old Horseface‘, as we know him more properly. His team are currently the second best in the Netherlands, just behind Ajax and they despatched FC Zurich 5-0 to stay on our coat tails in our Europa League Group.

We have, of course, got ‘Super Mik Arteta‘ who knows exactly what we need and his choice was to field  a strong team with Jesus and Nketiah starting for the first time together with  Saka on the  wing. Lokonga and Vieira began in midfield with the increasingly popular Granit Xhaka who played a little deeper, especially in the first half, than he has been of late. Tomayisu and Tierney were our full backs and Gabriel joined Capitola Rob whose luxuriant thatch grows ever more er…luxuriant. Turner was in goal.

While the atmosphere was positive and supportive the decibel level was relatively muted compared with recent matches and the team’s subdued opening reflected the different atmosphere. Who would have thought that the absence of Countrymen Junior and Senior would have had such a notable effect?! 

Arsenal controlled almost all the first half. PSV had one attack when Simons bore down on goal but the nosebleed he suffered from finding himself so high up the pitch prompted him to sky the ball. Arsenal pressed PSV very hard but Vieira has yet to develop the physicality necessary to bully the opposition so PSV were able to survive as they often found an out ball through his channel. Pressing has to be consistently applied. It’s not optional if you are a pressing team.

Jesús played through the centre with Eddie out wide and Nketiah’s wing play left a little to be desired. Jesús fired one shot just wide of the left-hand post and it became increasingly obvious that Saka had the Dutch team’s left-back on toast. Arsenal’s approach play was neat and occasionally innovative but they failed to test the Dutch team’s keeper much. PSV failed to trouble Matt Turner at all. For me the difference in quality and ambition between the two sides was stark. We tried to find a comparator to PSV in the current Premier League and identified Bournemouth as about the same level. 

Despite Arsenal looking much the stronger side they failed to show many signs of being likely to score in the first half. The last pass went astray or some brave and often fortuitous blocks from the PSV defence kept Arsenal at bay. The interval arrived with the match goalless. The only reassuring feature was that Granit found a way to get himself booked for a relatively innocuous tackle on the left flank after about 30 minutes. I’ve never joined the conspiracy theorists about Xhaka and the witch hunt against him but there was fuel for such theories in that incident.

I’m not sure what Ruud said to PSV at half-time whereas I know as a consequence of watching ‘All or Nothing’ that Mikel was explaining Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to his boys. As the second half began Arsenal seemed to increase the tempo, used Saka more, passed more quickly with a better tempo and tried to be more direct. In the meantime, the much-vaunted Cody Gakpo (a tall lad) had spent the first half in Tomayisu’s pocket and probably stayed in there at half-time to hear the Maslow lecture. He was no more noticeable in the second half except that Ben White replaced Tomi after 70 minutes and allowed him no more space than Tomi had. PSV’s only breaks of note involved the fast and dreadlocked Noni Madueke, their only English player and an ex- Spud who deserved to be booed a lot more because of his associations. He produced two moments of menace but Turner, who looks increasingly assured, was equal to them both.

Arsenal produced some more concerted attacking play. Benitez saved from Jesus and Saka and some more brave and often fortuitous blocks started to frustrate us. The answer seemed increasingly to feed either Jesús or Saka who turned his left-back inside out at will. While the crowd began to get restless and at least three people started to suggest ‘it looks like one of those days’, Saka Tomiyasu cut a ball back in 70 minutes and Xhaka hit a crisp right foot half volley past the PSV goalkeeper to give us the lead. 

Arsenal 1 (Xhaka, 70), PSV 0 

The goal was scant reward for our overwhelming superiority. A raft of substitutions had taken place from the 65th minute onwards with Partey, Ødegaard , Martinelli and latterly White and Nelson coming on to replace Sambi Lokonga, Vieira, Jesús , Tomayisu and Saka. Saka got a well-deserved standing ovation and Tierney and Ødegaard got yellow cards for roughing up the PSV full back on a break.

We had few alarms from then on. PSV were plucky but also lucky and at the end of the game we could reflect that as Tony Adam’s prepares to lift the Glitterball, it is fitting that the strains of ‘1-0 to the Arsenal‘ have been heard for the third successive match. 

Result: Arsenal 1 PSV 0 

We now lead the group, five points ahead of PSV who we should surely master next week if we choose to play a reasonably experienced side although it won’t really be necessary to do that because we have  qualified for the knockout stages and almost certain to win the group. 

We have a very definite team style with a strong press, high intensity and when we choose to, very quick passing. Having watched the awful Spud performance last night it is clear that we are playing football on a completely different tactical level from them. Most players did well but Sambi and Vieira need to make a more consistent contribution. Nketiah is not suited to playing wide and Tierney is not as assured as the Tierney of two years ago although he had a decent game tonight.

Our standout players were Saka, Jesús and the revelation of the season, Granit Xhaka, attacking midfielder supreme. He was excellent tonight. Congratulations to Arteta who juggled his resources well and is maintaining good momentum. On to St.Mary’s now for a big test on Sunday . It is one we should pass on tonight’s evidence.

19 Drinks to “A familiar refrain is back in fashion!”

  1. 1
    Noosa Gooner says:

    Thanks TTG
    I haven’t seen the highlights but now feel I don’t really need to.
    I’ll take 1-0 to the Arse anytime.
    UTA.

  2. 2
    Countryman100 says:

    Excellent report TTG. It’s not easy to go to a game and write the match report. One small correction, the assist for Xhaka’s goal came from the excellent Tomiyasu rather than Saka. I agree with you about Eddie. He didn’t have a bad game, showed willing numerous times and made several strong runs from the centre circle to the penalty area. But at the moment he lacks the tricks to beat a man one in one in full stride and the runs came to naught. I prefer him in the middle where his instincts and skill set are better suited.

    Saka was just immense all night. He is so strong and well balanced. All he needs to add is more consistency in the box and he will be turning in 10/10 performances. Jesus has been a little unlucky. A hat trick on Sunday could be incoming.

    6pm is not a good time for a game (ditto 12 noon). That may explain the lack of 100% attendance and the slightly quiet atmosphere. Seven games to go until the World Cup break.

  3. 3
    scruzgooner says:

    ttg, if that was a race across london, it was with the slowest driver ever. folks, stick with black cabbies who know how to move!

    we finally got to the tollie and i had a guinness waiting (mrs. scruz requested water). sparkling conversation was had with ttg and his long-time mate alan, who i’d met last time i went to a europa league game, 3 years ago. ttg looked dashing in his vintage “san jose gooners” scarf. one down and it was off to the ground, picking up a program on the way.

    trev had arranged with his friend tony for us to use tony’s fine seats in the front of the north bank upper. which meant i was given instructions to go to egress D on the north bank and look for dre, a young lad whose picture i’d never seen; he had mine. rather than yell out “dre” or ask passing likelies if they were he, i waited…and suddenly he was there with his twin brother (trea?). tickets exchanged for cash, and in we went. a glorious sight awaited (the pic was too big to attach).

    i won’t go into the game much, except i thought eddie did rather better on the wing than others, and it was tomi who lifted the cross for xhaka to stroke home on the half volley. it was quieter than the pool game, but the ground didn’t fill up until 15-20 minutes gone (and then not to capacity). the perils of a 6 pm midweek start? nonetheless, i shouted myself hoarse. mrs. scruz said i alternated between a foghorn and a steam whistle (the ref got most of those, and all the boos).

    we had a chippie/doner after the game and saw many police rushing to control the dutch horde. some dutch louts were singing something unsavoury and i asked (gently enough) if that was the dutch translation of “1-0 to the arsenal”…they looked confused, we passed them, and got the tube for home.

    besides the score line the best part of the night was mrs. scruz deciding (finally) she is an arsenal fan. she was eager to check out the armoury after, and we’ve a return trip scheduled for tomorrow morning 🙂

    and as i’ve said before, thanks to all who made this trip be so special. it has been a top, top experience, with the handbrake fully off. you are an amazing bunch, the mutts (in holic’s terms)!

  4. 4
    OsakaMatt says:

    A fine report from TTG and some top quality recruitment from scruz!
    One new supporter, one goal and three points towards making the
    final group game a much more relaxing stroll.

  5. 5
  6. 6
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    Cheers TTG. Top report of a weird game where we played lots of excellent attacking football and without looking particularly threatening. Still, definitely the best performance of our recent run of 1-0s.

    Great that you had such a good time scruz, and fantastic news of the newest convert to the red and white. Welcome to the fold Mrs scruz!

  7. 7
    bt8 says:

    (From the last drinks)

    You had best be careful, OM. I googled Julienas and according to my sources it’s a commune. 😱🤪

  8. 8
    Bathgooner says:

    Great match report, TTG – a most enjoyable account, extremely swiftly produced but delayed in publication by the necessity of sleep!

    Great result from a much better performance until the final ball/shot (bar one) in one of the most important games of the season to date (think about having two fewer fixtures to play in February – such a benefit!). Onward to St Mary’s.

    Great to hear that your trip has exceeded expectations, scruz and that at minimum it has finally cemented mrs scruz’s Goonerdom. Safe journey, home.

  9. 9
    North Bank Ned says:

    Fine report, TTG. I will confess that ‘it looks like one of those days’ crossed my mind at one point. Equally, we were making enough chances that it seemed just a matter of time before we managed one clean strike that would make the difference. Props to Arteta’s tactics. Playing four in midfield behind Nketiah and Jesus nullified PSV’s attempts to play out and play in Gakpo, Simons and Til (all three named today in the provisional Dutch World Cup squad). As you mention, when Gakpo did get the ball, he couldn’t do anything with it from inside Tomi’s pocket. I hear Vieira is doing weight training three times a week in an attempt to bulk up. You are right that he needs more physicality, but also to get into games more. He was invisible for long periods yesterday.

    Scruz: Sounds like you had a fantastic trip. Cherish it.

    OM from the previous drinks: :). Campaign was longer than tenure.

  10. 10
    Pangloss says:

    An excellent report on a game that I haven’t seen, that returned an excellent result.

    In other news, Lord help us if you ever do subscribe to a conspricay theory or join a witch hunt.

    COYG

  11. 11
    North Bank Ned says:

    Two-year contract extension for Gabriel.

    https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63350482

  12. 12
    bt8 says:

    An excellent and atmospheric report, TTG. An excellent scruzdrink too, and excellent about Gabriel’s contract. Extend Saliba and our central defence could be golden for a few years what with Benny Blanco and Capitola Rob right there in the frame.

  13. 13
    bt8 says:

    Interesting article about the short tenure of Premier League managers points out the fact that Mikel Arteta already has the sixth longest tenure of the 20 PL managers.

    https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63341798

  14. 14
    bt8 says:

    Hasenhuttl is one of the five with longer tenure but seeing as he is rumored to be on the ropes at the moment, Mikel could move up a notch if he betters him this weekend.

  15. 15
    TTG says:

    Pangloss,
    I’m a simple fellow and sometimes your subtlety escapes me .
    Are you suggesting I AM a peddler of conspiracy theories and witch hunts ?

  16. 16
    Countryman100 says:

    TTG. On a point of order. Pangloss has not accused you of conspiracy theories. He has accused you of conspricay theories. Two very different things, as any fule knows!

  17. 17
    TTG says:

    C100
    Noetd tahnks.

  18. 18
    OsakaMatt says:

    bt8, yeah, funny system but I expect it made sense in the long ago.
    Nice wine though. Beaujolais nouveau has given many people a very
    distorted picture of the quality of beaujolais wine but in fact it’s well
    worth a tour round the the various small regions (13 from memory)
    – or should I say communards?

  19. 19
    Bathgooner says:

    >>>>>>>>