Gutted once again.
Arsenal did not show their best this morning against Aston Villa and came away with a lucky equalizer in injury time to keep our title hopes alive.
Aston Villa outplayed us throughout and we seemed to still be feeling the effects of Birmingham and AC Milan. Since losing to Manchester United 4-1 in the Carling Cup we have failed to produce convincing performances which has resulted in three draws. Although we still lead Manu by 1 after their 3-0 thrashing of Fulham we are reeling and need to reinvent ourselves very quickly. We have given up 4 points to Manu in two weeks and no longer have a margin for error, especially since we will be meeting Manu, Chelsea and Liverpool very soon, two of them being away games.
Senderos who had a poor game, scored an own goal in the first half which was all Villa needed to give Gunner fans a foreboding heartache until Bendtner tapped in a header from Ade in the 3rd and final minute of Injury time. We were continually on our heels and Agbonlahor, Carew and Young made our defense look ordinary and their Villa’s no name midfield crew actually looked better than our FAB four.
As I pointed out on this blog yesterday the key match up would be how our central defense managed the interior, and they were woeful, especially Senderos. This was one of his worst games in an Arsenal shirt not withstanding the own goal. He was continually turned by Agbonlahor and looked totally confused. Gallas was better, but just average at best and looked shaky at times.
The midfield was unimaginative for most of the game,frequently gave up sloppy passes and I am unsure who’s task it was to cover when the wing backs attacked, but this coverage was nonexistent. Diaby was like a lost soul but his lack of match fitness probably accounted for this predicament. We really missed a fit Rosicky (trainers’ need to get this boy fit for once.
I think Ade is regretting shearing his locks as he seems to have suffered the Sampson and Delilah syndrome. His first touch let him down time and time again, although he did work hard and opened up the middle for other players on numerous occasions. Missed a few headers which he would have scored a few weeks ago.
Although we were outplayed, we could easily have won “UGLY” as we created more clear cut chances, but as in the AC Milan game were unable to capitalize.
Gilberto played well in his brief CB spell and I have repeatedly said it’s his best position this year due to being a good header, is positionally very aware and reads the game well.
While Theo may be a star in years to come, currently his decision making is poor at best. Needs to raise his head and know when to pass versus taking on the entire opposition by himself. Think he is trying too hard to fulfill his promise as the next “Great English Hope”. All in all he was decent and deserves a 6.
We were lucking to get a point out of this game and hope we can regain our confidence, get back Rosicky, RVP, Toure and Song match fit and make a go for the EPL.
14 Responses to “Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa”
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March 3rd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
you mean 4-0 to Man U in the FA Cup, not 4-1 in the League Cup. The league Cup loss was 5-1 to Spurs. No worries though, it can be hard not to be confused about are many humiliating cup exits at the hands of our fiercest rivals.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Van Perise to travel to Milan; Toure, Rosicky, Djourou, and Song all sidelined:
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3230248,00.html
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
hey… in india is the match gonna come on zee sports or ten sports
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Thanks to Bendtner for the late equalizer.
Bend it ur like Bendtner. Doesn’t have the same ring somehow!
On RVP it’s about time! He’s been out the game for so long now that I hope he doesn’t resort to Dutch courage come tomorrow, like I will be doing.
Go you red and white!
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
“Bend it like Bendtner” LOL…SEH comes through as always
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I am stoked RVP is making the trip. Will we see him for more than thirty? Who knows.
March 4th, 2008 at 12:03 am
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/matt_dickinson/article3479458.ece
How Wenger uses stats and science.
March 4th, 2008 at 12:48 am
AC Milan v. Arsenal in the Champions League.
This is why we support… we follow the sport really.
Massive match for the Arsenal. We’ve played pretty damn poorly of late… lets hope we can rise to the level we are capable of, and play the football that we all love to see.
PRAYING for an early goal for the Arsenal… which would turn the match on its ear.
March 4th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Everyone is wondering whether or not the Gunners will be able to rise to the challange after a string of mediocre results. If I recall, similar questions were being asked before the start of Leg 1, after the disastrous 4-0 exit from the FA Cup… And the Gunners indeed rose to the occasion. Btw, where’s the match preview? (Kick-off is in just 13 hours!)
COME ON YOU RED AND WHITE !!!
March 4th, 2008 at 3:03 am
http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=81545
Cannot trust these websites and not sure where these comments come from. But Gallas’ echoes exactly what I said about Walcott in the previous article (after the Villa game).
March 4th, 2008 at 3:05 am
All we need is a goal.
If we score once and Milan score twice, they deserve to go through.
If we can’t score even once over 180 min, we don’t deserve to go through (unless it’s on penalties like Liverpool).
March 4th, 2008 at 4:54 am
@ SEH, how about that? “BANG it like Bendtner”!!
March 4th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Looks like our starting lineup for the Milan game will be
Almunia
Sagna Gallas Senderos Clichy
Eboue Cesc Flamini Diaby
Hleb Adebayor
Have to wonder where the goals are going to come from? Ade and Cesc are both suffering from a loss of form, the former a short one, the latter a rather long one.
The strategy must be to hold on to 0-0 till the 70 min or so and bring on Walcott and/or Bendtner and/or RvP to score a late goal.
March 4th, 2008 at 10:55 am
I got up really early this morning to finish up today’s work load, clearing time for today’s afternoon game here.
This way my pimp won’t be so angry that they braid my pubic hairs with their tongue, after getting home and seeing me sitting on the chesterfield watching footy (love the word chesterfield it’s so much more eloquent than sofa).
She’s a mean pimp this one and can’t understand why anyone would sit around watching a sport in the middle of the afternoon on a work day. But we understand!
“Butt it like Bendtner” isn’t going to work either I guess.
However they get the balls between the posts doesn’t matter to me, just touch me in that special spot today lads.