Arsenal needed to beat Aston Villa this season to “right one of their wrongs” from last season.
Last season, Villa defeated the Gunners at home and away, denying them 6 points, which would have qualified them as league winners (they lost the title race by 2 points). Arsenal’s to-do list this season, as they aimed for league glory, included getting past Villa, which they did with a 2-0 win on Saturday night, with goals from super-sub Trossard and Partey.
Addressing his side’s loss to the Gunners at Villa Park, Unai Emery admits the game might have gone either way. However, he praised Arsenal’s strength, praising them for their maturity and experience, and pointing out that it is obvious why they have been able to compete for top spots in the league.
The Spaniard said: “You have to accept Arsenal, they are more experienced, more mature.
“They are strong; the last two years they have been very competitive in the Premier League, contender in top four, and even to win the Premier League. Today was a test for us to understand who we are.
“We competed; we faced them; we could have won, drawn, or lost.”
There’s sense to what Villa boss Emery said; though Arsenal’s win showed they progressed from last season, they could have lost or drawn that game. Make no mistake: the Gunners should have been 2-0 down. Ollie Watkins squandered a golden opportunity, and Raya also made the save of the season from his header on a rebound to deny Emery’s side.
In the end, it was Raya, Trossard, and Partey stepping up and delivering key moments that assured the North Londoners came out on top.
Super-sub Trossard significantly altered the Gunners’ tempo, and Saliba cut off Villa’s only avenue back into the game.
Let’s hope Arsenal’s victory pushes them to continue their successful run in their upcoming games. Next up for our Gunners are tough games against Brighton, Spurs, and Manchester City, but like they did against the Villans, it is clear they are determined to overcome any obstacle.
Daniel O
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The fact that Villa missed at least 3 “sitters” means it couldnever have gone another way. Only scoring would have got a result.
not sure what Reggie is on about but Emery is absolute right
had Villa’s elite clinical striker put away either or both chances the outcome could well have been different – all three results in play
substitutions by both sides also important, obviously Trossard, but Villa first 2 subs may be even more so as it changed their shape contributing to our first goal
as bad as was Villa’s finishing was, the goal keeping for our second goal terrible, a fairly tame effort from outside the box to a well covered near post, very poor from the self-proclaimed ‘worlds best goalkeeper’
on one reading Arsenal won due to Villa errors, not sure I fully agree with that but you can see that point of view
so yes Emery has a point that on a different day it could have ended differently – our own fans have been claiming the same this week about our pair of losses to Villa last season for instance!
Ughh, I am on about, you have to score to change results and they didn’t. So it could never be a different result to what it was.
Arsenal need to grow up and take every single game extremely serious. We should not underate any team as they can turn tables against us.
We need a ruthless and aggressive striker to score as many goals as possible in all the remaining 36 games. We have to guard against laxity especially towards and after new year.
We can beat Barcelona to William, and or Lookman. Andigira is a good alternative for Saka.
rest easy BO, Arteta is definitely taking every game seriously, i don’t that is at risk, complacency against lower teams, not a chance, the team, coach and club have never been more focused!
IF is a word that could be used for both sides.
IF Odegaard had scored that sitter, it would have been 3-0, but as it’s him no one’s discussed that.
IF Martinez hadn’t touched Saka’s great strike round the post, we’d have been 1-0 up at the break.
If Havertz had directed his header better we’d have been 2-0 up at half time.
So let’s stop this moaning about Watson squandering two golden chances and The Arsenal being lucky – we beat villa at their ground, we deserved it and also squandered chances.
Two clean sheets, six points, unbeaten and one of the top four from last season beaten at their place – who cares if villa’s top goalscorer couldn’t score?!?!
Your first sentence really says it all Ken. This is just typical “manager speak” after a loss.
Absolutely right in your analysis Ken1945 aka Sherlock. 😉
Watson did miss 2 sitters and Odegaard ballooned a ball into the gods.
There were lots of ifs, but our keeper made a better job of it than Villa’s and we won the day.
All games starts from scratch, they can go one way or another, his message may have gotten lost from interpretation