I am not going to criticise Arsenal for last night’s Champions League defeat. I am not swallowing the line of the ITV commentators that the team were not at the races in the second half. PSV simply upped their own game and it was a more even contest. The difference between the two sides was the outstanding display of PSV’s man mountain Brazilian keeper Gomes. He was in such form he might have even stopped an effort such as that which beat Jens Lehmann.

Arsenal needed a goal from this leg and created enough opportunities to get it. They played very well in patches, but PSV’s organised line up, with no intention of going death or glory to achieve a home win, were a step up from the defences the Gunners face week in week out.

I tend to be philosophical about these things. I am not going to get stressed about the second leg, as my simple belief is that if Arsenal are good enough to go on and seriously challenge for this trophy again, they will do what is required. 1-0 with penalties, 2-0, 3-1. Those are the three most feasible scorelines that would see Wenger’s men progress. And 3-1 is a long shot unless Arsenal score two and PSV start taking chances.

It will be a nervy night. But the margins at this level are often so tight that it can only be that way. I can see extra time and even penalties as I believe we will score one in 90 minutes at home, such is the hunger of this group of players to return to the final for another shot at the prize.

Funnily enough, I found last night’s game so much less frustrating than the victory at the Reebok last week (Was that only a week ago? Seems like so much longer!) At least Arsenal’s failure to score in Holland was not due to wastefulness.

PSV were never going to be an option. Historically, they often proved a functional side, despite developing players such as Romario and Ronaldo. In 1988 they won the European Cup final on penalties after a 0-0 draw with Benfica. I don’t even recall watching highlights of the game at the time (or maybe they were so brief they didn’t register), but from what I’ve read the scoreline after 120 minutes tells the story of the evening. Their current manager Ronald Koeman played on the winning side that night, and remembering how defensive his Ajax side were at home when Arsenal faced them about four years back tells us that the man is well capable of getting the 0-0 he now requires in two weeks’ time. Gus Hiddink actually turned them into a more attractive proposition during his time there, but his side were eliminated by Lyon last season at the last sixteen stage.

Let’s hope that Arsenal, who emulate Lyon in accentuating the positive, can also account for the Dutch team. However, if Gomes plays again as he did last night, the odds have to be in favour of PSV progress. Should Arsenal be eliminated the one thing they should do is ensure they sign another Brazilian this summer. Wearing gloves and currently plying his trade in he Eredivisie.

It’s going to be one hell of a fortnight. Chelsea on Sunday, Blackburn away on Wednesday, the bread and butter of Reading in the Premiership on Saturday week, followed by PSV on March 7th. By the end of it all, we could have a trophy in the bank and be sailing on in two further Cups. Or we could be potless with just a top four Premiership finish to retain our interest until the middle of May. And no fixture pile-up worries.

It’s a critical two weeks alright. But most of the squad are fit and the manager knows he can rotate with confidence. Now is the time to deliver. Don’t let us down boys.