Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Wilshere, Flamini, Cazorla, Ozil, Gnabry, Giroud
Subs: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Rosicky, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ju-Young Park
Two first half goals in a minute were enough for Arsenal to seal three points against Aston Villa although a late rally by the home side nearly saw the Gunners squander their chance to return to the top of the Premier League table. Jack Wilshere scored before turning provider for Olivier Giroud just past the half hour mark before Christian Benteke’s header set up a frantic final final 15 minutes.
Serge Gnabry was handed his third start of the season, while Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Flamini and Olivier Giroud were restored to the starting line-up after their respective injury problems. Mikel Arteta missed out with a calf problem but on the bench Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs were welcome returnees.
It was Arsenal who had the first chance of the game, Sagna sweeping a fine ball into the box and Giroud flashing a header just wide just past the four minute mark. Three minutes later our French right-back repeated the trick only the attentions of Ron Vlaar preventing Giroud from giving the Gunners a lead their near total early dominance deserved.
At the other end a sloppy touch by Wilshere on the edge of the Arsenal box allowed Benteke to flick the ball to Delph who dragged an effort wide when he really should have troubled Szczesny.
Villa had to make an early substitution when central defender Nathan Baker blocked a Gnabry shot with his face and appeared to knock himself out. He was stretchered from the field after seven minutes of treatment to be replaced by midfielder Leandro Bacuna.
Karim El Ahmadi nipped a volley over the bar soon after the resumption of play before Koscielny was forced into a last ditch challenge on Gabby Agbonlahor as the home side upped the tempo. The Villa striker’s pace again caused problems just past the half hour mark with Monreal booked for a desperate lunge which flattened the ex-England man.
Three minutes later Jack Wilshere opened the scoring on the same pitch that he bagged his first ever Premier League goal. Having been given the ball by Monreal, Ozil picked out the onrushing left-back with a beautifully weighted ball inside the left channel. The Spaniard cut the ball back to Wilshere on the edge of the area and he needed only one touch before calmly side-footing the ball low past Brad Guzan in one swift motion. It was a fantastic finish. (1-0)
Within 17 seconds of the restart the lead was doubled. Wilshere stole the ball from Delph in the Villa half, promptly dinked a classy ball over the defence to Giroud whose first touched bobbled kindly off his knee, and was subsequently thumped low across the keeper and inside the right post. It was the Frenchman’s ninth league goal of the season. (2-0)
Arsene Wenger’s men were a little lax in the build-up to half-time, which included eight minutes of injury-time, as Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud all squandered possession cheaply, however, Villa struggled to create anything of merit.
Villa started the second half with more purpose and possession, Bacuna having the first shot in anger within three minutes. It wasn’t long though before Arsenal found their stride again.
Giroud put the ball in the back of the net on 54 minutes with a cute chip but with the flag up for a Wilshere offside in the build-up the attempt was correctly ruled out.
Two minutes later great play by Monreal saw the former Malaga man cut in from the left to swing a shot with his right foot only for the imposing figure of Vlaar to block the effort at close quarters. Monreal jarred his ankle in the process and having tried to continue after treatment was eventually replaced by Gibbs.
In good spirits the travelling Gooners went through their full repertoire of songs inferring Tim Sherwood’s mother may be up to no good while also wishing well to Theo Walcott and Pat Rice.
Cazorla hit a decent effort low from long distance on the hour as we searched for a third, Westwood replied with an effort that stung the palms of Szczesny soon after.
Serge Gnabry, who put in a mature performance, was replaced by Tomas Rosicky on 68 minutes. Giroud could have added a third with a curled effort but missed the target after nice link-up play between Wilsher and Gibbs, before the Gunners had a shot across the bows from Benteke who bounced an acrobatic effort just past Szczesny’s right post.
The Belgian did get his goal with 15 minutes remaining. Santi Cazorla lost the ball on the touchline and a quick cross by Matthew Lowton found the Villa man at the back post to head home with diving effort. Mertesacker went spare at his teammates as Benteke celebrated a first goal in 11 games.(2-1)
The home crowd immediately turned the volume up hoping to maintain the increased pace only for a bloody nose to Rosicky to kill the tempo again. A match that looked won for the Gunners suddenly became a nervy affair. Delph fired low and hard straight at Szczesny, Mertesacker made a desperate headed clearance.
Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Rosicky with five minutes left, the Czech lasting only 17 minutes thanks to his nose problem. Benteke nearly grabbed an equaliser in the last minute before six minutes of injury-time were signalled.
As was the case at St James’ Park a couple of weeks ago it was a horribly nervous end to the game for the Gunners. An increasingly spread game saw Arsenal tempted to go for a killer third while very wary of getting caught on the break by a long ball.
Thankfully, we managed to hold out and it’s back to the top of the table. It shouldn’t have been quite so tough, but it’s the points that matter at this time of the season. Onwards and upwards.
Phew!!!!!!! Heart Attack Alert
Ÿnp. Turned off the tv with a tinge of disgust at our second half performance. Özil was horribly poor. Great goal from Giroud, even though he missed a few good chances.
i loved how our away fans chanted
“Are you Tottenham in disguise?” and “Theo, Theo, Theo”
Hahaha! Brilliant.
Oh, so I wasn’t imagining! I heard Theo Theo on my TV! Great win, tough 2nd half.
Why of all players would you bring up Özil? I think it was the whole team, which was lulled asleep in the second half.
Some should lower their expectations regarding Özil. He may be a magician, but he isn’t god.
Ozil’s intelligent play opened up the space for our first goal – as demonstrated by the Sky analysts. Late on, Ozil was one of the few Arsenal players capable of holding the ball and easing the pressure. I don’t understand why our supporters get off on slagging him off. Better to ask why we resort to lumping the ball up to nobody, as soon as we get ahead – or why Cazorla feels the need to show off his tricks in dangerous areas when there are simple outlets available – or about Jack’s tendency to overplay or hold the ball… Read more »
Cazorla and Wilshere need to buck up. I thought özil was poor because of the number of sloppy passes he made. For someone who came here with a status of a pass-master and a king of the assist, I haven’t seen enough from him. We paid 42.5 million for him and I suppose I expected him to be better. Much better.
I remember an instant late-on when Villa were attacking with purpose and we frantically cleared the ball (unsuccesfully) 4 or 5 times “only as far as” a Villa player. At last when the ball dropped to Ozil deep in our final 1/3rd he calmly penetrated forwards “pretending” to initiate a counter attack however his real intention was to get fouled and deflate the Villa momentum plus waste more time. And that’s exactly what he accomplished. There was another instant when he “pretended” to cross the ball from 30 yards out to Guzan’s far-post (Giroud was nowhere close), knowing that the… Read more »
When they published the Ballon D’Or votes earlier, it was telling when you see who Ronaldo voted for. He misses his assist machine, even if we don’t fully appreciate him yet.
My name is Heroldgoon and i thought Mesut Ozil was absolutely brilliant. where exactly did the “horribly poor” come from? thar’s totally absurd!
ArsenaL.. I Love you, really I do..Love the new found solid defending spirit, but my heart can only take so much..
Super jacK.. Top of the league
I’m sure to get flak but I thought this was the poorest game I have seen from Sagna all season. Head turned? Sick of squabbling over well deserved raise and contract extension?
What did I learn today?
Vlaar is a fucking grub
I hate Agbonlahor
Benteke.. Doesn’t lose much in the air does he? Interesting player
I think I hate going 2-0 up early… Went to sleep for large periods of this game.. Job not done til the final whistle!
Superrrrrr super jack!
Top of the league!
I learned that it is possible to momentarily not love Santi as I momentarily wanted Flamini and Mert to kick 7 shades of shit out of him for that pass.
All is now forgiven.
Also, we are now level with last year’s points based on teams played, THAT FUCKING STAT IS GONE
mertesacker’s flailing angry arm reaction was great to see
this team’s hungrier than the ‘arry redknapp in my basement
I was thinking the same.. If he just plays it out of the field, toothless Villa probably don’t score at all.
Ah well.
what does that mean? Level with last year’s points based on teams played????
Despite our good start we actually did better in the corresponding results last year (draw away to WBA this year – win last year, we beat villa at home last year etc.) Anyway, its level now because we drew last year at Villa Park.
Is it pathetic that I keep a spreadsheet 🙁
Incidentally if we win our next game and then get the same amount of points as we did in the last 16 games of last year then we would end up on 90 points :-O
sorry maybe i dont get it still but at the end of Jan. last year we were 10-8-6
this year so far we are 15-3-3. with 2 more games in Jan. if we add 1 more the best we can be is 18-3-3 (57 pts) which we really should be aiming for considering its: Fulham, Southampton and Crystal Palace)
Life’s tough for the likes of us chambrerougelbc. After a frightening length of time it occurred to me the difference must be the home/away sequence from last season. If that’s still wrong, blame broken Britain.
Hi Edu’s, unfortunately I believe Arsenal are still -1 compared to last year. Also, I think there is something else wrong with your spreadsheet. Arsenal is at 48 pts now. Winning another one would give 51. Last years equivalent results for the remainder fixtures give only 22 pts, for a 73 pts total. Arsenal have really tough matches coming up, like Swansea home, Spur & Chelsea away, ManCity home, Everton away, in which Arsenal managed only one point out of 15 possible last year. Hope it will be better this year, although I think realistically, this time around Arsenal would… Read more »
beautiful. winning ugly
Hope McGilginberry is fit enough for our next game, we’ll need that style of his 😉
Grit…Title winning victory!
His name is Handsome French Bloke, he has a magician’s touch and he’s very handsome. And yes, 1,000,000,000,000 nerve cells died while watching this game.
Giroud’s hold-up play was outstanding tonight, and his control for the goal sensational.
Still, I think this match was all about Mertesacker. What an incredible job.
Is it scandalous to say I wasn’t as nervous as usual? I tried to tell my brain to shut up but it kept saying ‘we are pretty good at this holding out craic’
Massive Points
Big Fucking Points
Learn to close games early Arsenal. my heart has had enough.
top of the league!!!!!
oh my, what a great 2 mins that was!
I went for a piss and missed both goals!
The linesman must be a moron. I’d understand a mistake if Benteke ran in behind Mert from an onside position but he was at least half a yard offside the WHOLE TIME, several seconds before the ball was even played to him.
Eeeeh, no? Kos played him on?
Bacary Sagna. Take a fucking bow. Gotta get him signed ASAP
He didn’t track Benteke for that goal. Not sure what game you were watching, he was average according to his high standards.
Dear blood pressure, you can come back to normal now. Phew
Özils soft and magical touch is like football on ecstasy with a soft skinned woman in a comfortable couch. Wasn’t even worried.
Top of the League
What’s the fun in hammering teams when you can spend the last 15 minutes shitting your pants?
brilliant
Although we won, it’s games like this that I can see why people still doubt us. It just feels a lot shakier than it needs to be.
Very true. But, as I was telling the wife, those first thirty minutes were ample proof why I am lucky to be an Arsenal fan and not supporting some other dross club. The passing, the vision and quick movement, the desire to score not just a goal but a beautiful goal….Arsenal. I love you.
EXACTLY! People start supporting Arsenal for the beautiful football they play, The amazing history behind the club or are just brought up in a family of Arsenal lovers. me, I just love shitting my pants.
Top of the league!!
try laxatives, much better for the heart ;D
3 points, top of the table, let’s go home so we don’t have to think about that performance.
Prettiest ugly win of the season.
Mertesacker MOTM.
Btw, did Benteke lose a header? Not one, methinks.
i like the way he let rip at Cazorla after his mistake. ever seen Verminator do that? Merts my captain.
Bentekke you can win all the headers but alas we won the fucking match!
I don’t know if he was yelling specifically at Santi but I sure think everyone going to get an earful in the dressing room.
Oh, agree totally, but just thought it incredible that he won every single aerial challenge, I think. Giroud is a better player, and unlike some, I don’t actually want Benteke at our club. But you have to admit, he’s unplayable in the air.
Sign Benteke up!
Nice name! Very original.
Really? I must have seen a different game. Prior to his goal I thought he was absolutely shit. Never challenged for the ball, and never quite in a playable position. No way would I have guessed he would score. What do I know? (nothing).
No, you’re right. He won all the headers, but there was either no support, or shit support, so they didn’t amount to much. Also, he hasn’t even come close to the heights he reached last season. His last goal before tonight was on September 14th. You don’t see too many clubs clamouring over him anymore. I think the quality is still there, but he’s part of a shit team with shit tactics, and he’s having a bit of an off season as well. The reason I don’t want him at Arsenal is not because he’s useless (even considering his poor… Read more »
First half, yes. ball popped in the air by Kos, Mert headed the ball out while Benteke could only get high enough to foul him.
Big result , COYG!!
The ox looked very sharp when he came on. Great to have him back. He’s gonna be awesome in the second half of the season. I know it
As did Gnabry. That kid has maturity and poise under pressure. Bright future.
Oh la la, we are top of ze league…
Thank fuck that’s over! Great first half from the boys, not sure what happend second half. Come on you reds!
What a pass from Ozil to Monreal.
He passed it then watched it go like he had caculated its angle way way before he made the pass.
What a man!
asshole clenched for last the last 20 minutes haha but we pulled through. top of the league #coyg
Cliché but would’ve lost or tied that game last year (or previous years).
Mental strength to hold on but should never have let them back in.
Was it Ozil or Santi who gave away the ball on Villa’s goal?
Cazorla.
Santi :/ was very unlike him
Very unlike but at the same time he’s been nowhere near last year’s level. He was number one last year, he’s not in our top three midfielders (Ozil, Rambo, Jack) this year. Can’t explain it.
Seems to be trying too hard when Ozil is on the pitch. Raised his game when Ozil was out the last few games but as soon as he returned Santi again had a poor game. It is strange.
He gave away the ball several times this match, i actually thought Rosicky should have replaced him. I still love that smiley bastard tho =)
It was Santi i felt we should have been the one to come off for Rosicky anyway Wenger again made a huge call today, Chamberlain ahead of poldi. he must be thrilled.
Was Cazorla, he and Jack both gave some sphincter tightening balls away.
What happens when the team just implodes like that? For a good 20 min we just booted it away.
Santi was slightly under par today, turning over possession too easily, although he did play some beautiful driven ball across the field. He didn’t seem to do his homework on the ref and realised a bit too late that the man referees the old way. A tug or a nudge is not a foul in his book. And, to be fair, it did make for a better spectacle.
“A tug or a nudge”
FNARR
Job done in 59 seconds, no more no less. Top of the League! COYG!
Ok. So this may not be the most popular opinion here but… Benteke looks like he would be a good cheap compliment for Giroud.
*dons flame retardant suit*
i think Mathieu Flamini should be called THE SWEEPER.
Fantastic Per!!!
That Rod Vlaar tackle on Monreal was big tackle sponsored by Claude Makelele
We would play so much better if we stopped using our fullbacks as our main form of attack, i hardly remember us trying to score through the middle. Sagna is a good defender and going forward has good crosses (sometimes) but if we actually used our wingers more we could make more chances. Even though we have a very good midfield we don’t actually create as many chances as we used to and as for us switching of in games we are winning comfortably we need to stop.
Most teams crowd the middle against us. Makes sense to use your fullbacks.
Not when u use your fullbacks as wingers , like when sagna plays as a rw it just slows down our play
Meh. Maybe. Not working too badly for us, though.
You know. Top of the league, etc. Just saying.
I think you’ve phrased this wrongly. All top teams have attacking fullbacks these days.
What your really mean is that you’d prefer our attacking “wingers” to actually play wider.
We’ll probably never really do this. Not too much of a crossing team. Although Podolski and Walcott have put some good ones in.
Great first half, laboured second. Still, we’re top of the league with another 3 points away. COYG!
Shout out to the away fans. I heard them throughout the first half as if we were at home.
THEO THEO THEO THEO THEO THEO THEO THEO THEO…!!
Big shout out to them.
ARE YOU TOTTENHAM IN DISGUISE?
Loved that. Also loved hearing it during the FA Cup match last weekend.
so we waited 9 days to watch this. absolute rubbish from the boys. Giroud: good at link up play? what link up play? Arsene please get this team a proper footballer/striker.
….this guy, eh?
You do realize that we won right??
Nah its still not impressive enough. Why cant we do more than win?!? Winnin is so boring, I hate seeing giroud score, wegnar out pls. *end sarcasm*
Boooo
Giroud was great at relieving pressure, and the first touch for his GOAL, WHICH HE SCORED, BECAUSE HE IS A PROPER STRIKER, was as perfect as it could possibly have been. Incidentally, don’t believe anyone who tells you he got lucky with a deflection. Yes it came off his knees/shins, but that is improvisation, and is actually a very useful way of conserving momentum when the ball is bouncing at a difficult height. Santi does it all the time and is heralded as a dribbling magician. Giroud’s goal was absolutely world class. Some of our fans don’t know they’re born;… Read more »
Not happy with his goal then I take it? I thought he held the ball up well, especially in the first half. Not many other players could make their presence felt against a physical side who had 5 men at the back for the first 20 minutes.
I know right? What a disaster! He can’t link up the play, all he does is score!
This “Ace” fellow should be using your name, mate.
I can only assume his moniker is short for ‘Ace of Sharts’.
Well, we really don’t do things the easy way.
Finger nails? What finger nails!!!!
The ones chewed up and spat on the floor.
I don’t know if I am paranoiac, but I am of the opinion that ref seem to enjoy fucking us up. A case in point is that 8th minute penalty appeal for the wrestling style spear by vlaar on Giroud to prevent Giroud from getting at the end of a cross which the ref choose to conveniently ignore. Fuck all english language commentators and hope McGilginberry is fit enough for our next game. Though gingerly and in a painfully nerves wrecking manner we are getting closer 😉
Not to mention there was no call when Rosicky got clattered, it was Agbonlarhor wasn’t it?
To be fair, though, there was a similar wrestling match between Koscielny and Benteke in the second half which also wasn’t called. Putting on my asbestos suit here, but I actually thought Swarbrick did a decent job.
I thought he was pretty good too, and Benteke was doing more to Kos than the other way round if you ask me…neither of them were penalties imo.
Longball Villa
The only thing as predictable as death and taxes is “Guzan boots it long.”
95% certain that Villa didn’t once play it out from keeper to forwards along the ground through the channels. Not once.
The commentary on my channel consistently referred to him as Villa’s playmaker. heh.
Lambert’s cunning plan: Aim for Benteke! Aim for Benteke! If he gets injured, they’re getting relegated.
I don’t know if I am paranoiac, but I am of the opinion that ref seem to enjoy fucking us up. A case in point is that 8th minute penalty appeal for the wrestling style spear by vlaar on Giroud to prevent Giroud from getting at the end of a cross which the ref choose to conveniently ignore. Though gingerly and in a painfully nerves wrecking manner we are getting closer 😉
The most suspenseful team in the league, it was an incredible run in 2013, I hope they keep it up, but they don’t make it easy on the nerves.
I saw Wenger’s Zipper made an appearance coming out of the tunnel at halftime, even here in Denmark the commentators were making fun of the zipper! Get it sorted Wenger, transfer in a new zipper.
Pro-Tip – Buy a coat with just buttons….
Heart-attack inducing game..not our best performance..but as long as we win the games and continue with the form I am happy..this is the mental strength Arsene has been talking about..keep it up lads..
Some poor performances out there today. Great result though. Jack looked back to his best.
I think that’s a fair comment. Players we almost never see give the ball away cheaply did so several times tonight. Wasn’t a great day. But you know that adage–threadbare but true nonetheless–about title-winning form: You win even when not at your best. We really weren’t our best in the second half.
Also, at times like this, you need your defenders to step up, and they did. Big time. Really proud of the back four tonight.
My god I hate villa with a passion normally reserved for stoke & sp*rs,especially Agbonliwhore or whatever it’s name is.The cunt.
Top of the league,that is all.
I’ll happily hate anyone who plays that style of football. Sam Allardyce would probably have been creaming himself at home, that is if he wasn’t so busy filling out his welfare benefits forms for when he’s inevitably sacked.
wouldn’t be an arsenal game without the heart attack. I wonder if AFC accepts life insurance applications….
a win is a win. And we finally got some mental strength
Ugh, Villa park the bus in the first half, but what a great 59 seconds of play eh? And finally, Benteke… Why not have a go at him?
another vital win churned out. superb shift by jacky boy. but is he suspended for the next match? wasnt this his 5th yellow?
It’s up to 10 yellows now
The slate gets wiped clean after 19 matches. Jacky starts over with just the one, now.
Hope we’re all still alive come may
Ok arseblog, the speed of these posts is getting even creepier!
Özil though… Space creating machine. Toyed with them at times.
Stuff of f***ing Champions!!!
Dude, towards the end of that 2nd half, I swear a little pee came out.
What’s it with Santi though! had an awful game
really bad
I think he had a mixed game really. Our midfield almost to a man fell apart towards the end. Soooo many misplaced passes!
Santi didn’t have his best game but I think it seemed worse due to some high profile mistakes. He worked his socks off the whole game and had some wonderful touches. I still love that miniature smiley Spaniard
Agreed. It wasn’t his best, but it certainly wasn’t terrible. Love his work ethic.