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Inside the Philips Stadion, there are reminders of PSV Eindhoven\u2019s past, celebrations of former centre-forwards such as Romario, Ronaldo Nazario and Ruud van Nistelrooy who have graced the club and tormented defenders. As he walked along the corridors between the executive suites, Mikel Arteta could have been given a reminder of what he is missing.<\/p>\n
It is carnival week in Eindhoven and plenty of people are descending on the Dutch city in fancy dress. Whether any have come in the garb of an Arsenal goalscorer or will impersonate a striker, even for a night, remains to be seen. The probability is that Mikel Merino will be leading the line for Arsenal in the Netherlands; the scorer of the Gunners\u2019 only goals in their last four games but a midfielder by trade. With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus injured, with Gabriel Martinelli only on the way back, with Raheem Sterling\u2019s only goal this season coming against Preston, it may be Merino in attack. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a beautiful challenge, especially up front,\u201d said Jurrien Timber. It is an optimistic way of putting it. Another is to point out that PSV have defensive difficulties: since springing one of the surprises in the knockout play-off round, they have faced Go Ahead Eagles twice, losing both matches and conceding five goals to a side only seventh in the Eredivisie. \u201cWhat I see is ahead is a team that has eliminated Juventus, with a history, so I know the difficulty,\u201d said Arteta, paying PSV due respect. <\/p>\n
It was a painful February for Arsenal as dropped points added to forward absences (Getty Images)If Arsenal\u2019s attack is the resistible force, perhaps PSV\u2019s defence is the movable object. A tie of teams meeting for the third consecutive year may be a clash of opposites. The Dutch champions can both score and concede; the perennial English runners-up sometimes do neither. <\/p>\n
But there may be a path to progress amid the lack of drama. \u201cFor any team, I think when you look at the history of the team, that they’ve been very successful, the defensive record is critical,\u201d added Arteta. England\u2019s last two Champions League winners had identical records in that respect: Thomas Tuchel\u2019s Chelsea conceded just three goals in seven knockout matches in 2021, Pep Guardiola\u2019s Manchester City a mere three at the equivalent stage in 2023.<\/p>\n
The Arsenal rearguard have earned many a compliment for their organisation and obduracy in recent years. There is statistical proof of their excellence. They had the second best defensive record in group stages, bettered only by Inter. \u201cWe have only conceded three goals and the lowest expected goals,\u201d added Arteta. \u201cThat is great and a big platform.\u201d <\/p>\n
They kicked off the group stage with clean sheets against Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain. Even as Arteta\u2019s attacking options have been reduced, his defensive ones have increased. Timber welcomed the added competition from Ben White\u2019s return to fitness although, with only two substitute appearances, the Englishman may be unlikely to make a first start in almost four months on Tuesday. On the other flank, meanwhile, Myles Lewis-Skelly, suspended for the stalemate at Nottingham Forest, is available again. <\/p>\n
That was a draining, depressing night for Arsenal; along with the defeat to West Ham, the end of an ambition, at least for a year, to win the Premier League. A different competition offers a different incentive. \u201cA game to change the narrative,\u201d said Timber. If Arsenal have been labouring and toiling domestically, Arteta feels they could have a spring in their step. \u201cIt’s a game that really brings a different energy,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s a competition that puts everybody on their toes.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is a competition in which Arsenal have acquitted themselves well since Arteta ended their exile. They were knocked out by Bayern Munich last season; avoid defeat in the Netherlands and a home record of eight wins and a draw in nine home Champions League games bodes well. <\/p>\n
Arsenal\u2019s defensive record can give the Gunners confidence as they turn to knockout football (Getty Images)It could be a very open competition. Coming third in the group stage does not necessarily make Arsenal third favourites but there is a plausible route to the quarter-finals for them whereas Manchester City have already fallen by the wayside and either Bayern or Bayer Leverkusen, Real or Atletico Madrid, PSG or Liverpool will follow suit. Can Arsenal win the competition? \u201cIt’s an ambition,\u201d added Arteta, while stressing his focus was purely on PSV.<\/p>\n
There is a sense in which Arsenal have untapped potential: not so much defensively, but if they can add goals, if they can produce the sort of performances they mustered against PSG and Manchester City in knockout football. \u201cAnd the fact that we have still gears, even with the players that we have, to take the game to a different level,\u201d said Arteta. \u201cWhen it comes to that stage, it’s about lifting the level and the standards.\u201d Defensively, Arsenal can set the standards. They just need a goal or two.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sign up to Miguel Delaney\u2019s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel\u2019s Delaney\u2019s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel\u2019s Delaney\u2019s free weekly newsletter I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy Inside the Philips Stadion, there are reminders […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4206,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n