Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Postby Gunner Down Under » Sat Nov 27, 2010 2:58 pm

Arsenal weren’t in the best form coming into the match with defeats against Spurs and Braga but they looked to turn that around at Villa Park, who had problems of their own, with plenty of injuries and absences- Albrighton, Sidwell, Reo-Coker, Cuellar, Heskey, Petrov and Delph just to name a few. Arsenal started with Koscielny and Squilacci at centre back, Sagna and Clichy out on the wings, Wilshere, Nasri and Song in midfield and Rosicky, Arshavin and Chamakh up front. However it was time to welcome Robert Pires, 37 years young and coming back to England to face his former club.

Arsenal looked bright and lively right from the off with Chamakh finding Rosicky 22 seconds in. Rosicky gets close again two minutes later with his driven effort just wide, as Arsenal hold the ball, working it through spaces in the Villa defense knowing that they would eventually get through. Arsenal’s positioning was top class though, most passes finding its target, through the entire team playing well, with Arshavin having a great game as with Rosicky, looking for his first league goal in 38 appearances. Meanwhile for Aston Villa they had one isolated chance, where Young miscontrolled a pass to end a good move, their only move for the half. Arshavin and Rosicky switched flanks frequently with Chamakh, Wilshere, Clichy and Nasri also providing options, this was vintage Arsenal present at Villa Park.

Villa had a decent penalty appeal turned down and a minute later Arshavin showed us why Wenger bought him from Russia nearly two years ago beating Dunne and blasting past Friedel for the first goal of the game, when we should have been at least 2 up already.

Nasri less than a minute later slid the ball across Friedel but couldn’t find the finish, and Chamakh comes very close as his header is struck straight at the goalkeeper. But from the resulting corner Arshavin found an unmarked Nasri who coolly volleyed it for a 2-0 lead at the break, and as Pires went off for Delfouneso.

But that was the most relaxing part of the break as Villa scored a controversial goal on the 50th minute (ring a bell, anyone) through Clark and it put the scores at 2-1. Aston Villa now were pushing Arsenal all over the pitch and were looking to equalise until Chamakh poked the ball under Friedel for the scores to be at 3-1 as Arsenal relax again.
However Aston Villa weren’t going down without a fight. Clark nearly scored his second from 10 yards out as Villa pushed for their second goal, and got it again through Clark off a corner, just crept in under the bar. 3-2 to Arsenal, and alarm bells were ringing all around, as Arsenal looked in danger of squandering another 2 goal lead.

Now it was box to box football- Villa playing as if they wanted all three points, and Arsenal looking complacent until Gibbs came on for Nasri and Denilson for Arshavin. A tense finish was on the cards even as we headed into 4 minutes of injury time, until Wilshere scored his first league goal this season heading in 3 yards out to make the score 4-2 to Arsenal, inflicting Villa’s first loss at home this season. Not a classy win by Arsenal but a gutsy one, however we are still to learn that we have to defend at all times, and not only when we are in danger of losing after being comfortably up at half time.

Arshavin played well at least for the first half as was the same for Rosicky, who did well. Our midfield and Chamakh had a good game, but it was for the majority of the first half and not much for the second. Being consistent in the season and within 90 minutes is what Arsenal need to learn and take on from this match.
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Re: Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Postby gzagee » Sat Nov 27, 2010 7:29 pm

Well done fella. Notice you don't get alot of credit compiling post match reports.

Keep up the good work.
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Re: Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Postby Massa » Sat Nov 27, 2010 7:30 pm

Nice stuff mate!
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Re: Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Postby Leody » Sat Nov 27, 2010 7:35 pm

gzagee wrote:Well done fella. Notice you don't get alot of credit compiling post match reports.

Keep up the good work.


I've never said it, but I appreciate it... I know I don't like writing about matches. I'm more than happy to throw together a blog about something non-match related, but match reports... no thanks.

Good stuff mate, keep it up. :Peace:
This space used to be more fun...
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Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Postby Git » Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:12 pm

Nice one mate. :)
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Re: Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4

Postby Gunner Down Under » Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:33 am

Thanks for the support guys :)
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