Did you guys by any chance watch Arsenal’s women v West Ham yesterday? I couldn’t believe what I was watching as West Ham raced into an early 2-0 lead. Renée Slegers had been talking in her pre match press conference about not giving up on the title, controlling what her team could do – all very similar to what Mikel Arteta had been saying, certainly pre West Ham and then lo and behold, it looked like the same club were going to end what little hope the women had of chasing Chelsea down. When Chloe Kelly halved the deficit, perhaps there was a chance I thought but then West Ham went 3-1 ahead with just over 30 minutes to go.
Those 30 minutes were incredible. Katie McCabe started Arsenal’s comeback with an outrageous goal from an almost impossible angle. I thought her only option was to cross the ball from the left side of the box, almost level with the goal, but no, she beat goalkeeper Kinga Szemik at her near post to make it 3-2. Leah Williamson scored the equaliser just 2 minutes later with strong header from a corner and then just a few minutes later, Mariona Caldentey buried our winner from the penalty spot. it’s worth watch the highlights just to see McCabe’s goal. I watched it and thought of Kanu…..
For both the men and women, securing a Champions League finish is the best they can hope for in my opinion. The gap between them both and the top spot is too great.
Both teams are still in the Champions League though with Real Madrid being the next opponents for Renée Slegers side in a couple of weeks time and PSV Eindhoven for the men tomorrow night.
Arsenal and PSV have played each other a few times in Europe before but the most recent was during the 2022/23 season when both clubs reached the knockout stages of the Europa League. Granit Xhaka gave us a slender 1-0 home win but things went wrong in Holland as we crumbled to a 2-0 defeat.
PSV reached this stage of the competition through the playoffs having finished 14th in the table but along the way they did hold PSG to a draw and beat Liverpool 3-2 although I’m not entirely sure Slot fielded a full strength side for that one. The stand out result though came in their last match against Juventus. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, they forced the Italians into extra time before beating them 3-1. But, they’ve lost both domestic fixtures since that night in February.
Academy players Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Ismeal Kabia trained with the first-team squad earlier today, both no doubt hoping to make an appearance at some stage tomorrow. 17 year old defensive midfielder Ife Ibrahim trained. Another one to keep an eye on for the future perhaps.
My expectations are pretty low ahead of tomorrow’s game, not because I’m being negative but because not only do we go to their place with so many players missing, we’ve not been playing at all well either. Understandable to a degree I suppose as our injured are mainly attacking players but somehow, Mikel Arteta has to get more from who he does have available for the next three months. Easy to suggest, hard to achieve I’m sure.
Another but… we’ve actually been pretty good in the Champions League so far. To finish 3rd, ahead of many of the so called big clubs is no mean feat. We lost just once to a harsh penalty awarded to Inter but battered both Monaco and PSG, although we did have Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka playing then. Nevertheless, we still have a very talented group of players who just need to do a bit more and do it with a bit more purpose.
Do that and we might just be in with a chance of progressing through to the next stage when the clubs meet again in a weeks time.
Understand Andrea Berta is now the top candidate to become new Arsenal director in order to replace Edu. Discussions already took place, Berta left Atlético after building the team with key signings in the recent years. Talks at advanced stage, not done/sealed yet.
If he’s the man Arsenal want then let’s hope his appointment is confirmed soon. He’s a busy summer ahead…
Catch up in the comments.
rico
50 thoughts on “PSV thoughts & Sporting Director talks at advanced stage…”
Al m says:
Tonight? You mean tomorrow!
We have one chance against PSV and that is that the opponent has two off days
Good evening Rico, I watched the game yesterday and was not impressed. Too many loose passes going astray, weak defending for the first two goals and only some favourable refereeing allowed us to keep eleven players on the pitch. The goal just before halftime changed the game, the passing got better mad the introduction of Blackstenious put extra pressure on the Hammer’s defence. A nailed on penalty was rightly awarded but it took some almighty, and desperate, scrambling to deny West Ham a last minute equaliser.
Good entertainment maybe, but it was hard to watch at times.
Cicero says:
Whoever takes the D o F job needs to hit the ground running and just keep going.
I wouldn’t mind a Bendtner right now, at least he’d be a target in the box.
Cicero says:
Talking of a target in the box, Benjamin Sesko has a release clause of €80 million (£66 million) which can be activated in the summer.
Wavy says:
I’m sure he’s the chosen man and is/was the reason didn’t make a panic buy at Xmas. I’ve no evidence but the bits and pieces you pick up from the hacks but they seemed to suggest that Sesko would not leave until the end of the season and then………?
PSV 1- Arsenal 1. All to play for at the Emirates!
Cicero says:
Jason Ayto was effectively D o F during the January window. He had been Edu’s deputy so must have been fully aware of the striker situation at the time. His failure to appoint a goal scorer leads me to believe that he is not the guy we need to lead the club forward.
I read a piece in the Athletic which kind of hints that it was the club, including Arteta who decided not to sign a player in January. Reading between the lines, Ayto wanted to sign a striker…
Apparently the recent form of PSV is even worse than ours. I think the players will be relieved to get away from the Premier league.
Our defensive record in Europe has been exceptional. A draw wouldn’t be a disaster but I’m backing an Arsenal win.
Seven goals six different scorers, who needs a striker? 😉
Whoever the new D o F is his first job is to sign up Nwaneri to a ten year contract. He is a revelation. His work rate is absolutely first class. His confidence is matched only by his ability. I don’t think Arsenal have ever had a better young player than Ethan Nwaneri.
Clubs throughout Europe will be trying to tap him up, so we need to sign him up right now.
Good Morning
If one wanted a win one couldn’t have scripted this better and there were so many +s .Odegaard was back to his best(it’s been a long time),Nwaneri is sensational,two footed and as I read elsewhere won’t replace Saka but will add enormous strength to the attack and probably given time will be our star player .MLS has a discipline problem and Arteta took no chances and subbed him.
To me Calafiori is going to play further up the field and scores goals,his defending isn’t great.
A huge lift for the squad and hope this continues.Only down side is Sterling,a very expensive loan flop.
My ideal full backs would be Timber left and White right.
allezkev says:
It is amazing Geoff, but it kind of sums up this crazy season, we beat Man City 5-1, we beat Sporting (a) 1-5, we remain unbeaten against the top teams, we lose all of our goal scorers and then beat a PSV team that eliminated Juventus by a whopping 1-7 in front of their own, rather stunned, supporters. At the same time we lose to the likes of West Ham and Bournemouth.
It’s the deep or low block teams we stumble against, anyone who takes us on are either thrashed or given a real scare. So solve the deep block issue and we’ll be good to go…
Tonight? You mean tomorrow!
We have one chance against PSV and that is that the opponent has two off days
I did mean tomorrow…
Good evening Rico, I watched the game yesterday and was not impressed. Too many loose passes going astray, weak defending for the first two goals and only some favourable refereeing allowed us to keep eleven players on the pitch. The goal just before halftime changed the game, the passing got better mad the introduction of Blackstenious put extra pressure on the Hammer’s defence. A nailed on penalty was rightly awarded but it took some almighty, and desperate, scrambling to deny West Ham a last minute equaliser.
Good entertainment maybe, but it was hard to watch at times.
Whoever takes the D o F job needs to hit the ground running and just keep going.
Evening Cicero, agree, the defending was dreadful.
McCabe’s goal was pretty good though..
“Hard to watch” – it’s the Arsenal way…
I hate to say it but……if we had a striker like Thierry Henry it would be a joy to watch Arsenal.
unfortunately Henry’s dont grow on trees
Fabrizio Romano
@FabrizioRomano
·
2h
🚨🔴⚪️ More on Andrea Berta and Arsenal story reported earlier today.
The negotiations are at advanced stages as Berta is giving priority to Arsenal as next destination.
All parties are confident to get the agreement done this month, with details still left to be sorted.
I wouldn’t mind a Bendtner right now, at least he’d be a target in the box.
Talking of a target in the box, Benjamin Sesko has a release clause of €80 million (£66 million) which can be activated in the summer.
I’m sure he’s the chosen man and is/was the reason didn’t make a panic buy at Xmas. I’ve no evidence but the bits and pieces you pick up from the hacks but they seemed to suggest that Sesko would not leave until the end of the season and then………?
PSV 1- Arsenal 1. All to play for at the Emirates!
Jason Ayto was effectively D o F during the January window. He had been Edu’s deputy so must have been fully aware of the striker situation at the time. His failure to appoint a goal scorer leads me to believe that he is not the guy we need to lead the club forward.
Afternoon guys.
I read a piece in the Athletic which kind of hints that it was the club, including Arteta who decided not to sign a player in January. Reading between the lines, Ayto wanted to sign a striker…
I also read somewhere that there’s a “gentleman’s agreement” between Sesko and his club to make Arsenal move this summer.
I read somewhere that the moon is made of cheese. 🤔
I always thought it was… 😜
Cheese and soup, hence a soup dragon. 😝
Apparently the recent form of PSV is even worse than ours. I think the players will be relieved to get away from the Premier league.
Our defensive record in Europe has been exceptional. A draw wouldn’t be a disaster but I’m backing an Arsenal win.
They’ve not won a game since beating Juventus.
Timmmbbbeerrr and Nwaneri.
0 – 2
Harsh booking for Lewis-Skelly…
Might be wise to sub MLS now…
Take M L S off he’s been booked and lucky not to get a second yellow
Merino with the third!
Sensible imo.
VAR must have been asleep lol…
Var review…it’s a goal!!!
3 shots, 3 goals. Who’d have thought it…
M L S subbed
The first foul was against Partey.. Doh!
Looked that way Rico. 1 – 3
The PSV player made a meal of things Cicero.
Well, that was a entertaining half of football…
Had everything..
Brilliant start to the second half… 😀
Odegaard makes it 4 – 1 and Trossard adds the fifth
And is 6-1
Odegaard….
We can see you creeping out 🤣🤣
Captain with the sixth. The home crowd are walking walking out.
There’s an echo… 😝
7-1 Calafiori 😜
Calafiori with number seven
Another echo
Seven goals six different scorers, who needs a striker? 😉
Whoever the new D o F is his first job is to sign up Nwaneri to a ten year contract. He is a revelation. His work rate is absolutely first class. His confidence is matched only by his ability. I don’t think Arsenal have ever had a better young player than Ethan Nwaneri.
Clubs throughout Europe will be trying to tap him up, so we need to sign him up right now.
Amen to that Cicero. He is one very special player..
Night to you by the way.
Amazing how we can win 7-1 yet struggle to beat the lower teams in the premier league.
Good Morning
If one wanted a win one couldn’t have scripted this better and there were so many +s .Odegaard was back to his best(it’s been a long time),Nwaneri is sensational,two footed and as I read elsewhere won’t replace Saka but will add enormous strength to the attack and probably given time will be our star player .MLS has a discipline problem and Arteta took no chances and subbed him.
To me Calafiori is going to play further up the field and scores goals,his defending isn’t great.
A huge lift for the squad and hope this continues.Only down side is Sterling,a very expensive loan flop.
My ideal full backs would be Timber left and White right.
It is amazing Geoff, but it kind of sums up this crazy season, we beat Man City 5-1, we beat Sporting (a) 1-5, we remain unbeaten against the top teams, we lose all of our goal scorers and then beat a PSV team that eliminated Juventus by a whopping 1-7 in front of their own, rather stunned, supporters. At the same time we lose to the likes of West Ham and Bournemouth.
It’s the deep or low block teams we stumble against, anyone who takes us on are either thrashed or given a real scare. So solve the deep block issue and we’ll be good to go…
Morning all.
What a night eh…
At least we know PSV won’t deploy a low block next Wednesday, they need to score 6 goals at least without conceding. lol
New post up
Agree Kev, that’s where quicker football and speedy wingers come in. Plus a ruthless striker.
Sterling was/is a disappointment but at least he was a body to come on to give others a break when the result was done and dusted.