Cocu calls Arsenal a crisis club

Chris Hatherall|Steve Stammers|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Phillip Cocu has launched a fierce attack on Arsenal, claiming they are "in serious crisis" and plagued by "rookie mistakes in marking".

The PSV Eindhoven star taunted Arsene Wenger's side ahead of tomorrow's Group E Champions League clash. PSV are top of the group and their chances of winning increased today with the news that Arsenal will be without Sol Campbell and Dennis Bergkamp for the match.

If the Dutch club beat Arsenal they will progress to the next round as group winners and Arsenal could even slide into third place behind Panathinaikos.

Cocu, who made more than 80 appearances for Holland, believes the Gunners are there for the taking.

He said: "I watched the last few Arsenal games on television and for me there is no doubt - they are going thorough a serious crisis in their game, in spite of the great list of players they have.

"Especially in their defence they make rookie mistakes in marking. And because of their poor defence, it is easy for the opposite team to score. If we play with the same concentration as we have in the last couple of games, it will be almost impossible for them to surprise us.

"They will be under more pressure than us, and that's never a good thing."

Cocu, 34, also criticised Arsenal's leading scorer Thierry Henry. Cocu added: "Henry is not playing as he has during other seasons. I don't think he is as cool as before and if he is marked well it will be very difficult for him to escape. He would be blamed a lot for Arsenal's lack of goals."

PSV have already lost 1-0 to Arsenal at Highbury this season, but Cocu insists he wasn't impressed with their performance in that fixture.

He said: "I didn't like anything about them in London. They have become even worse in the last games, but with all their great personalities they are capable of solving that in one isolated game.

That's why the English are so dangerous.

"But we are ready. The media promotes Arsenal for all kinds of reasons and that means that they don't treat the rest of us in the same way, but PSV are playing better than them.

"This could be PSV's year in Holland as well as in the Champions League. We are playing well and we can confirm that against Arsenal."

Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet in 10 games and are hampered by the news that Campbell, who has been out for five weeks with an Achilles injury, is suffering from an upset stomach.

Campbell did not train yesterday

but told Wenger last night that he had improved immensely and was due to travel with the squad this afternoon. But it now seems unlikely that Wenger will risk starting with him against PSV and he looks set for a place on the bench.

One player definitely not en route to Holland is Bergkamp.

The 35-year-old striker has an Achilles problem and a dead leg following the 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at Highbury on Saturday.

Although he was willing to make the journey by car and train to Eindhoven, Wenger has decided to leave him in England to ensure he is fit for Sunday's Premiership clash at Anfield against Liverpool.

Henry is not anxious about the blip in form which has brought a defeat at Manchester United and draws against struggling sides Crystal Palace, Southampton and West Brom.

"We have had to deal with this kind of thing before and it seems that when we have our backs to the wall we bounce back.

"It is going to be really, really difficult because PSV they have been putting in good performances in the league."

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Cocu calls Arsenal a crisis club

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