by In the Philips Stadium, the past of PSV Eindhoven, celebrations of former means such as Romario, Ronaldo Nazario and Ruud van Nistelrooy remembered, who have drawn the club and tortured the defenders. When he walked the corridore between the executive suites, Mikel Areteta could have been reminded of what he was missing.
It is carnival week in Eindhoven and many people descend in the Dutch city in costume dress. It remains to be seen whether any in the robe of an Arsenal goalkeeper came into the robe of an Arsenal goalkeeper or will also pretend to be a striker for one night. The probability is that Mikel Merino will lead the line for arsenal in the Netherlands. The goal scorer of the only goals of the Gunners in the last four games, but a midfielder from trade. After Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were injured, with Gabriel Martinelli only on the way back, with Raheem Sterling’s only goal against Preston this season, Merino could be in attack.
“It’s a nice challenge, especially at the front,” said Jurrien Timber. It is an optimistic way to express it. Another can point out that PSV defensive has difficulty: Since they have scored one of the surprises in the Knockout play-off round, they have confronted themselves twice with Eagles, lost both games and only conceded five goals in the eredivisia as a seventh as seventh goals. “I see ahead, is a team who has eliminated Juventus with a story, so I know the difficulty,” said Areta and paid PSV with a fee.
If Arsenal’s attack is the resistant force, the defense of PSV may be the movable object. A tie of teams for the third time in a row can be a collision of opposites. The Dutch champions can both score and admit; The multi -year English second place sometimes don’t.
But there can be a way to develop in the middle of the lack of drama. “For every team, when you see the story of the team that they were very successful, defense recording is of crucial importance,” said Arteta. In this regard, the last two winners of the Englands two Champions League had identical records: In 2021, Chelsea from Thomas Tuchel only received three goals in seven KO games, Pep Guardiolas City from Pep Guardiola only three goals on the equivalent stage in 2023.
The Arsenal reverberation has made many compliments for its organization and dedication in recent years. There is statistical evidence of its excellence. The North Londoners had the second best defensive record in group phases that were only improved by Inter. “We only granted three goals and the lowest expected goals,” added Arteta. “It’s great and a large platform.”
They started the group stage with clean leaves against Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain. Even when the attack options were reduced by Areta, his defensive increased. Timber welcomed Ben White’s return to fitness, but with only two replacement appearances, the Englishman is likely to be likely that the Englishman will start on Tuesday in almost four months. On the other flank, Myles Lewis-Skelly, which is suspended for the patient situation in Nottingham Forest, is available again.
That was a draining, depressing night for Arsenal; Together with the defeat against West Ham, the end of an ambition, at least for a year, to win the Premier League. Another competition offers a different incentive. “A game to change the story,” said Timber. If Arsenal had worked and cost domestically, Areteta has the feeling that they could have spring in their step. “It is a game that really brings another energy,” he said. “It is a competition that all gets toes.”
It is a competition in which Arsenal has acquired well since Arteta ended her exile. They were eliminated by Bayern Munich last season; Avoid a defeat in the Netherlands and a home record of eight wins and a draw in nine home games of the Champions League are good.
It could be a very open competition. The third place in the group phase does not necessarily make Arsenal the third favorite, but there is a plausible path to the quarter-finals for you, while Manchester City has already fallen on the track and either the Bavaria or Bayer Leverkusen, Real or Atletico Madrid and PSG or Liverpool will follow. Can Arsenal win the competition? “It is an ambition,” added Arteta, emphasizing that his focus was only on PSV.
There is a sense in which arsenal has an unused potential: not so very defensive, but if you can add goals if you can create the type of services that you have gathered against PSG and Manchester City in KO football. “And the fact that we still have equipment with the players we have to bring the game to a different level,” said Arteta. “When it comes to this phase, it’s about lifting the level and the standards.” Arsenal can defensively define the standards. You only need one or two goals.
