Arsenal set for Eindhoven Clash

by Joel Martin

Champions League football resumes tomorrow, with Arsenal traveling to Eindhoven to play a very good PSV side. PSV may be the champions of the Dutch League, but they are not a “Dutch” team. They field a very international side, just like us.

Alex, their Brazilian center-half, is one of the strongest, most menacing players our strikers will go up against all year. He is a beast. His partner in the center, the Mexican Carlos Salcido (who was linked with us over the summer before he joined PSV), is a perfect complement: he is small, yet also quick, skilled, and smart.

Their midfield is experienced and strong. Cocu is a force, as is Timmy Simons. Ecuadorian World Cup hero Edison Mendez rounds out the midfield, who many have regarded to be the best signing in the Dutch League.

So far Arouna Kone has been a disappointment trying to fit in to the big shoes left by Jan Venegnoor of Hesselink’s departure to Glasgow. He has scored 12 goals this year, however, so he is a serious threat. Kone is a big, fast, strong, terrifying striker in the Drogba mold, and he may have a little extra motivation playing against his fellow Ivorian Kolo Toure.

Their other threat to score is the Peruvian Jefferson Farfan. Farfan has already scored 15 goals this year, and possesses great pace. We will have to keep Farfan at bay for us to get out of Eindhoven with a good result.

The most interesting story on the PSV roster, however, is that of Chinese left-back Xiang Sun. After being bought in the January window Sun made his debut this weekend. If he gets another start Tuesday, which he should, he will become the first Chinese player to ever play in the Champions League. He is a converted left winger, and he likes to push forward a lot. Hleb should be able to get behind him and wreak havoc on the PSV defense.

Eboue is still out, and Hoyte picked up a hamstring injury, so it looks as though it will be Gallas, who looked a far away from fit Saturday, or Djourou, who hasn’t looked the same since his injury either, on the right. Either way, we will lose the overlapping run from our right fullback, which does hamper the attack.

Hopefully Wenger does not revert back to the 4-5-1 he used last year, simply because it does not fit our players anymore. If we had a legitimate left winger or even a healthy RvP I think we could get away with it, but Adebayor is playing too well right now to sit out. Henry needs someone to run with him, and Adebayor has been performing superbly in that role; the man needs to play.

It is imperative that we leave tomorrow night with a good result, preferably a win, so keep your fingers crossed. The road back to the final starts tomorrow, in Eindhoven.