Dutch courage

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger accepted his Arsenal side were “out of rhythm” after his side went down 1-0 to PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash.

The Gunners never really hit top gear in the Philips Stadium, where chances were at a premium.

In the end, it was a fine long-range effort from Ecuador midfielder Edison Mendez on the hour which settled matters — and gave the Dutch league leaders a slender advantage to take back to Emirates Stadium in London in a fortnight’s time.

Admitted manager Arsene Wenger: “I feel we had decent first half and created chances to be in front. We had chances in the first half to kill the game and we could not do it.

“But what happened in the second half is difficult to say. We dropped our level of cohesion, our passing and fluency went.

“We lost the game down to a good second half from PSV and we could have been punished more on the counter-attack. We looked a little bit out of rhythm in the second half.”

The Arsenal manager added: “The way we conceded the goal was disappointing.” I felt that mistakes were made much before [the shot].”

Wenger was also less than impressed with the perceived negative tactics of the home side.

He said: “They started the game to play for a 0-0. After they scored the goal, the defended even more but somebody needs to play.”

Wenger maintains that all is not lost heading into the return leg at Emirates Stadium in a fortnight’s time.

“From tonight I feel we are in a tricky situation because we have to score two without conceding,” he said. “But from the game I have seen tonight, we have enough confidence and belief that we can achieve that.”

There will be little time for the Gunners to digest the significance of this result as they must now prepare for Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium.

“They are two different teams and this will have no influence on the Carling Cup,” said Wenger.

“We are disappointed because we did not have the game we wanted tonight.”

PSV manager Ronald Koeman hailed his side for producing a “fantastic” win. “I am very proud of my team and we got the best and deserved result — especially looking at the second half.

“As the match went on, we put more pressure on them and were more compact during the later stages.”

The former Dutch international added: “We are in a fantastic position, and if we play the same level in the second half when we go to London then we have a chance.”

The PSV coach denied Wenger’s claims that his side had been negative during the first half.

He said: “I do not see that as something negative — we had many injuries and did what we could. We proved that from good organisation, you can also win.”

But Arsene Wenger insisted his side could still qualify for the quarter-finals. “In the second half we dropped physically and lacked cohesion. We never looked like scoring and we were punished.

“We looked heavy-legged and were never really up with the pace of the game. We have to accept that. But we are only 1-0 down and it could have been 2-0. We have a chance to put it right at the Emirates. We will give everything as we have a good chance still to qualify.

As the hour mark passed, the PSV fans — many of whom had been enjoying the town’s pre-Lent ‘Carnaval’ festivities — began to find their voice.

The team responded, with the Arsenal backline continually pressed.

It was no surprise when PSV took the lead after 61 minutes. Mendez was given time and space some 25 yards out to line up a fierce low strike. Lehmann dived full stretch to his right — and although he got a hand to it, the German could not keep it out.