Mikel Arteta’s pre-match thoughts involved having placed third in the new-format league stage – having won six, drawn one and lost once from the eight games – “we received a bye straight into the Round of 16, where the Dutch champions lay in wait.”
PSV ended the 14th round with a record of 4-2-2, before they won over Juventus 4-3 over two legs in the play-off. They are now between the team’s ranking and the last eight, as the squad plays them over two legs in the next eight days.
A Strong Focus on Consistency and Adaptation
Mikel Arteta, the 42-year-old Spanish football manager, emphasized the importance of focusing on the team’s consistent performance throughout the competition within the Arsenal squad. He stated that the team should compete for their places with consistent displays through which Arsenal can win the Champions League this season ahead of the last-16 tie against PSV.
While the reporters interviewed Arteta during a pre-match press conference, the Spanish coach said that he was interested in working on the team to be more successful and help them continue with their excellent form that they have shown throughout the competition.
He said, “Certainly, focusing on what we have done in this competition and why we’ve done it,”
“That’s the biggest reaction, because this doesn’t happen at that level of consistency for that many months for a random reason, it’s because we have it or not.
The manager believes that the team has been successful because of their consistent performance over the months and their ability to adapt even when different challenges had emerged. He also believes that the individual performances of every player prove to be the most vital element for success in any high-stake match.
The Context is Different This Time: Comparing Last Season’s Encounter with PSV
Arteta talked about the major differences between this year’s clash with PSV and last season’s meeting and said, “This year, we have been much more consistent. We have scored a lot of goals and not conceded almost anything. We have only conceded three goals and the lowest Expected Goals in the competition, which is great. That’s a big platform.”
He also mentioned, “We have those resources, that’s what the team has already done. Now we have to continue to do it. When you look at the teams that have been very successful, the defensive record is critical. Then we have shown the capacity to score a lot of goals in the competition. Now the team is different, but this team still has a lot of resources to do that.”
It is exactly 12 months since the team last visited the Philips Stadion to play PSV in the Champions League. Last year, the squad drew 1-1 in the Netherlands, already qualified from their group stage, and started the group with a 4-0 home victory over the Dutch team. Mikel Arteta feels the situation is quite different this time around.
The two teams have evolved in terms of player changes and current momentum. If you are analyzing the game through the best football betting sites, note that comprehending the differences underlying the player form and momentum this year can provide you with valuable insights and help you predict outcomes more accurately.
