PSV held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 game tonight.
Being 7-1 up before even kicking a ball this evening, Arsenal could afford to change much of their team, with three left-backs starting the game.
Kieran Tierney, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Raheem Sterling all earned a rare start.
The Gunners began confidently and unsurprisingly extended their lead to 8-1 early on through Zinchenko.
The Emirates has had nights when the fans expected so much from their team, but this was not one of them, so when Ivan Perisic equalised for PSV, it did not worry Gooners too much.
The Gunners remained determined to entertain their fans and ensure they did not lose the game despite its insignificance, and this led them to threaten PSV several times for the next goal.
It eventually came from another Sterling assist, as Declan Rice restored their lead against a PSV side struggling to defend as was the case in the first leg.
PSV knew they could not overturn the tie, but they did not want to lose in London and it showed in their determination to level the score again.
Their persistence eventually paid off as Couhaib Driouech scored a superb second for the Dutchmen.
Arsenal kept pushing to score what could have been the winner, but it never came, and PSV earned some redemption with a draw.
Arsenal will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals, and there is every reason to believe that Arteta’s men can beat whichever side they end up facing.
Wonderful we are the Gunner’s forever now the quarter final
A bit of a dead rubber of a game after the first. A few first teamers got a rest so lets see if we can improve in the prem. The only minus was the baffling yellow Rice got. Next game in the CL will be a proper game.
scratching my head why Rice even participated in this match honestly. But yea not much to write home about, two nice goals from us. Overall a bit of a sloppy game anyways with zero stakes.
What RSH said 👍
I thought the first half was entertaining. Great to see White back and for some more direct play. Congrats to Sterling and Zinchenko in particular. As much as bringing on the younger guns is important, tonight was more about finishing well at an important stage in the competition and the ‘second string also need to play to be match ready at this point of the season if called upon to take on a leading role.
I couldn’t for the life of me understand what Rice did to put himself under pressure in the next round. The card was such a weak decision
And it’s Real Madrid, very controversially !
Hopefully Saka is back for the Madrid ties!!
Real Madrid it is! Exciting stuff
Sloppy, excused as a non game and new line up but I at least expected the benchers to try to prove themselves. Well, we now know for certain who MUST leave for end season….Sterling, Jorginho, and Kwivior who at center back doesnt read the game well enough.
If we didnt need a bench. Trossard too..
I’m glad we face RM. Atletico would have been a harder nut to crack, in my opinion.
My thoughts too NY Gunner, we struggle with low blocks big time at least Real Madrid will be abit open for us.
Real sit back all the time. They’re a counterattacking side and have been for years. They demand the ball even less now that they dont have Kroos. Neither Madrid side benefits our style of play. We just have to be better than them.
@RSH
But Atletico dig in and keep coming.
I was pleased to see Sterling perform very well. Credit to him in this game.
Sterling had a good game and Jorginho was excellent at times.
So it’s Real Madrid. They always seem to find a way to win whether it’s by fair means or faul. With a forward line of Mbappe, Vincencus Jr. , Bellingham and Rodrigo they will be a real test for our defence. Bring it on! Wonder what kind of accounting helps them get past the fair play rules to have such a line up and still be interested in signing Saliba.
I dont think there’s any sketchy accounting. Rodrygo was around 40mill, Vini around the same. Mbappe on a free, Alaba free, Camavinga was I think 30mill and very available that summer. Bellingham is really the only player on squad they spent an absurd amount of money on. And winning UCL every other year definitely gives you the budget.
Yes. and here our rookie manager gives our players for free then buys below average players on astronomical fee like Viera, Zinzenko, Havertz, Jesus etc.
They win things
Which means their management from football director, recruitment and coaching has been on a much higher plain than ours.
That’s a good point. They do start each season from a position of strength insofar as they have the knack of attracting the best. When RM come calling it’s irresistible as they are such a European powerhouse. Mbappe only wanted them. Bellingham also.
Congrats to the lads and coaches, we are in the QF , the last being in 2010. Our defense can handle RM attack, best of luck lads. Maybe a set piece to the rescue.
Didn’t we reach QF last season?
You are right, last season QF, first time since 2010 we are back to back QF. (2008/9 SF, 2009/10 QF)
There was an interesting observation by Jamie Garragher about Arsenal lack of striker not being the issue but lack of creativity.
On the basis of the game am wondering whether Arteta missed the trick to play Zinchenko as no.8 especially with Odegaard struggling for form….
Zinchenko can really pull the strings with loads of energy on his good day
It makes sense Jose.
Time has come for M.A to be more pragmatic and use every ammunition at his disposal. If Odegaard is having an off day and you have Zinchenko on the bench,just sub him.
I also think think Lewis-Skelly should be played in midfield to get the best out of him.His quick transition of play can be very vital in our attack. I feel he gets so caught out while playing at L.b because he has an attacking gene in him and he can’t just help bombing forward.
The result wasn’t a surprise. PSV are a good side and playing fringe players was necessary. Shame no young striker got minutes. It looks like there are trust issues in the team. Raya doesn’t trust Kiwior and White doesn’t trust Sterling. I wish Raya would play calmly and release the ball earlier, great keepers do this. As for Rice, glad he scored but he is not the attacking answer to winning the league. Investment in attacking midfielder is essential as well as strikers as I continue to say, our best midfielder,Partey, is still not certain to be at arsenal next season. Crazy!
Partey is leaving at the end of the season, accept it. The legal issues around him have scared off the club.
I think his injury record in general since being in England makes the juice not worth the squeeze
Am in agreement Gunner4life about the need for a striker and an attacking midfielder. This is long overdue.
However for now, I don’t see any better person we can rely on as a makeshift goal scorer than Rice.He is a better footballer than Merino and in my view he should be played as our false 9 for the remainder of the season.
He has the physical attributes, pace,a good shot,aerial ability and an eye for goal.Now that we have plenty of cover in midfield, we can really benefit by using his abilities in our emaciated attacking department.
In what was affectively a dead rubber it was nice to see some of the fringe players get a game and some minutes in the legs.
I especially was glad to see Tierney in the starting 11. What a shame it is that he’s so underused. A top level professional in both the way he’s handled himself when being constantly overlooked, and then performing to a good level when he does get the chance.
All four goals we’re well taken. And this is a first for me, on the night well done Sterling. I’m in no way your biggest fan, but credit where credits due.