Arsenal slide to defeat at PSV
The Frenchman will need all his tactical nous to rescue the Gunners
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Tuesday, 20, Feb 2007 11:21
Arsenal have left themselves with a lot to do if they are to repeat last year's run to the final of the Champions League after a lax performance ended in a 1-0 defeat away to PSV Eindhoven.
The Dutch side would have been mistaken for the away team if judged on a timid first-half performance, but Arsenal failed to capitalise on their opponent's cautious start and were ultimately punished by a superb Edison Mendez strike.
Czech winger Thomas Rosicky looked lively from the off and he brought a fine one-handed stop out of Heurelho Gomes early on after darting in off the flank and exchanging passes with Thierry Henry.
A clever curling effort from the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder drifted just wide before Henry threatened for the first time with a smart turn and shot from the edge of the area.
A lone Philip Cocu effort was all the hosts could produce in an unambitious first half and it needed a stern pep talk from Ronald Koeman to inject some attacking bite into the Eredivisie champions.
Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast strike-partner Arouna Kone, whose darting runs unsettled Philippe Senderos all evening, slashed a volley wide with a clear sight of goal soon after the restart.
But his club team-mate Mendez made no such mistake, hammering a sweet strike past Jens Lehmann just after the hour mark.
Worryingly for manager Arsene Wenger, the Gunners seemed unlikely to salvage a draw from the match as they struggled to rediscover the attacking penetration of the first half and the game ebbed away from them.