Match Reaction Villa v ARSENAL - Sat 20th Sep 15:00

[Niall_Quinn]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Marc Overmars]

An easy, energy conserving win.

Good stuff.

[Globalgunner]

Easy peasy. Glad for the 3 points, but where was this team on Tuesday. we are well on our way to 4th place. I hope.

[Power n Glory]

Nice!! Keep it up lads.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Turned up for four minutes, got the win. Great stuff really.

[Niall_Quinn]

For 5 minutes we got the ball and played it FORWARD at pace, we had runners, we had men getting into the box - like any normal team plays. We overwhelmed them and bagged 3 goals. For the rest of the time we did that thing we do. Yes 3 points, yes a win, no, anything but a good performance. We will average, average, average, average out to a 4th place finish again and it's highly possible we won't get a cumulative 90 mins entertainment over the course of the entire season. We got the points but ultimately football is pointless when it is played like this.

[The Dismantler]

my punditry:======> pace of game died down a bit after those three quick goals in first half, welbeck and ozil linked up well up front, hope they carry on like that, villa could ov been right back in the game had they nicked just one in.....erm, defence is still shit, oh ...and wenger out! ;)

[Master Splinter]

Good win at a title rival but disappointing not to score more.

I find the desire to not score from all involved more annoying than just playing like morons as we did on Tuesday. A great chance to rack up the goal difference, for new players to score, for the team to fully gel as an attacking unit and to gain some momentum and confidence just went by the wayside. It wouldn't exactly wear us out in a game where the opponent is gone and we could just have brought on three subs earlier to freshen it up. We haven't truly battered an opponent in ages and we should look to bolster the goal difference to get into the habit.

Welbz was excellent for the 15-minute or so period of decent football. Ozil's touch and radar was back and he actually looked confident. Gibbs is brilliant. Ramsey terrible but still produces killer passes and is usually involved in all the decisive moves.

#coylein

[Syn]

Better result than it seems. We were lucky to catch them when they had a virus going around and players were missing. It could've been a very different game if not for a couple of moments of class by Ozil. Once we pulled away they didn't seem bothered in wasting energy trying to catch us.

Nice to have Welbeck off the mark too.

[Niall_Quinn]

Forgot about the virus - ebola judging by the way they competed.

[Master Splinter]

Squawka Football
‏@Squawka



Arsenal completed 741 passes against Aston Villa today, the most by any Premier League side over the last 2 seasons.


560 in our own half tbf.

[Syn]

I don't think this was one of them: https://vine.co/v/OWYV9t6LpFt

[Master Splinter]

Ramsey is genuinely a pub-teamer at the moment.

[Syn]

Time for a visit to the barbers for a 1 all over.

[Syn]

Btw that was actually an accurate pass, but Mertesacker was too slow to reach it.

[Globalgunner]

At one point Merts must have spent like 5 minutes playing from within 10m of the Villa half such was the rancid quality of the Villa performance. Missed opportunity to put a half dozen goals past their sorry team.

[WMUG]

For 5 minutes we got the ball and played it FORWARD at pace, we had runners, we had men getting into the box - like any normal team plays. We overwhelmed them and bagged 3 goals. For the rest of the time we did that thing we do. Yes 3 points, yes a win, no, anything but a good performance. We will average, average, average, average out to a 4th place finish again and it's highly possible we won't get a cumulative 90 mins entertainment over the course of the entire season. We got the points but ultimately football is pointless when it is played like this.

I agree I'd have preferred a more entertaining match, but taking your foot off the gas when 3-0 up is a way to minimise injury risk, and we certainly don't need any more of those.

Yes, you can argue that that's a symptom of the failure to get more defenders in and yadda yadda, but still. Today, it was probably the smart thing to do, even if it wasn't the most entertaining.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

yay

[I am invisible]

Didn't we do the same thing all the time back in the double-winning / Invincibles days? Go 3 or 4 up inside 10 minutes and then take it easy for the rest of the game, when we were all hoping for a 20 goal mailing?

[The Emirates Gallactico]

Attacking directly with pace and quick movement creates goals, ehhhhh? Who would have thought, Arsene?

Decentish performance and took our chances and saw out the game with minimal effort. Most teams will struggle at Villa Park as they're a good team this year so you've got to be pleased with that.

Ozil and Welbeck linked up fantastically - what a ball in behind for the first goal. I'm going to scream if Wenger decides to put Ozil out wide now.

Also, what's up with Alexis? Hope it's nothing serious.

[fakeyank]

Great win! More of the same please!

[Syn]

Also, what's up with Alexis? Hope it's nothing serious.

Wenger said after the game that he's fully fit but was just rested today. #decent depth when you give Sanchez a week off to prepare for the NLD.

[I am invisible]

This would be a great time to have the £42m Özil back...

[fari]

Silly me for thinking Villa's defense would give us trouble today

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Welbeck superb

Well done Gazidis

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Welbeck superb

Well done Gazidis

This ^

[GP]

This ^

Gazidis for signing Welbeck :bow:


Wenger for signing Gazidis :bow:

Wenger :bow:

[Alpha]

Let's be fair . If you can criticise what is wrong or bad you have to praise what is good . Arsenal got all sorts of sticks for the bad performance against Dortmund they deserve a bit of credit for what they showed against Aston Villa . That was a very good game .

[Munchies]

One thing we have to sort out is marking set pieces

Free header for Demechelis and a free header for Clark

[Grebbo]

Yeah I was just about to type that. Almost another (2) goals from crosses. WTF is going on there?!

Villa were dire but fair play to the lads. Never easy playing away in the Prem after an away champs lge game. Glad Ozil looks to have found some form. Er but what's happened to Ramsey? Looks seriously out of form and had the whole summer off plus a full pre-season so no excuses.

[Globalgunner]

Yeah I was just about to type that. Almost another (2) goals from crosses. WTF is going on there?!

Villa were dire but fair play to the lads. Never easy playing away in the Prem after an away champs lge game. Glad Ozil looks to have found some form. Er but what's happened to Ramsey? Looks seriously out of form and had the whole summer off plus a full pre-season so no excuses.

He also got married: It can go either way with a permanent hook up. The first 6 months are always the most difficult. (trust me, I know). Hopefully he will come out of this period whole again.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Ramsey trying to overcomplicate things again

Keep. it. simple.

[AFC Leveller]

Great 15 or so minute spell where we were simply unplayable and it was nice to see us make the most of our domination. Ozil, Wellbeck, Ches and Gibbs were good.

Dont want to dampen the mood here but Arteta is really poor, we HAVE to get a proper DCM. As soon as a Villa player went near him he panicked and passed the ball back to the CBs instead of trying to buil attacks. His passes were either sideways or backwards and against the really good sides we will need him to be a bit more adventurous with his passing.

[AFC Leveller]

Ramsey trying to overcomplicate things again

Keep. it. simple.

This.

he looks like he's desperate for a goal and he's putting too much pressure on himself.

[AFC Leveller]

http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/villa-vs-arsenal/ozil-no-like-cereal.html

[selassie]

That was a very good result yesterday, I don't think too many teams will go to Villa and take them apart like we did. Encouraging signs from Ozil and Welbeck, in fact we looked very good in spells yesterday, probably our best performance of the season.

Here's hoping we carry the momentum into next Saturday's game against the Scum.

[Niall_Quinn]

Ramsey looked knackered by the end of the game. He's not as fit as he was last season. He's not running the opposition into the ground. Playing him so deep didn't help either.

[I am invisible]

For me, the main thing to take away from yesterday's game is that we really don't have to shoehorn all of our best players into the same XI, and that shape is king. If Ramsey and Wilshere are both best in the same role, then rotate them! Don't sacrifice another place in the side so we can double-up on the same player doing the same job. Ditto for Özil and Cazorla - I know both started yesterday, but in general there's nothing wrong with having them alternate games in the same role. And you could probably go right through the midfield and attack and make the same argument for every place? Keeps everyone happy with an equalish number of games, keeps everyone fit and fresh for a long campaign, and it gives us a balanced shape to work with - not too many drawbacks here...

[Bumble]

Good result and good to see certain player scoring. isn't it like 16 years since we last lost at villa park and they had a virus going round so result never in doubt haha.

but you cant complain with a 3-0 win. Good bit of confidence for the NDL. We will ruin them.

[AFC Leveller]

For me, the main thing to take away from yesterday's game is that we really don't have to shoehorn all of our best players into the same XI, and that shape is king. If Ramsey and Wilshere are both best in the same role, then rotate them! Don't sacrifice another place in the side so we can double-up on the same player doing the same job. Ditto for Özil and Cazorla - I know both started yesterday, but in general there's nothing wrong with having them alternate games in the same role. And you could probably go right through the midfield and attack and make the same argument for every place? Keeps everyone happy with an equalish number of games, keeps everyone fit and fresh for a long campaign, and it gives us a balanced shape to work with - not too many drawbacks here...

Hope Wemger reads this because its exactly what is wrong with the new system.

[Syn]

Hope Wemger reads this because its exactly what is wrong with the new system.

Don't worry, he definitely will.

[Bumble]

also 4th place is sewn up now, so we can cruise the rest of the season.

[GP]

also 4th place is sewn up now, so we can cruise the rest of the season.

Don't worry, we definitely will.

[Bumble]

wow maybe we will cruise into 3rd instead without trying. I think this will be the least open title race for years once Chelsea beat City today.

We don't stand a chance and cant see past the dirty chavs.

this is going to be one boring season as we bundle our way into 3rd place without having to play particularly well.

maybe it could mean we focus more on the cups.

[Master Splinter]

wow maybe we will cruise into 3rd instead without trying. I think this will be the least open title race for years once Chelsea beat City today.

We don't stand a chance and cant see past the dirty chavs.

this is going to be one boring season as we bundle our way into 3rd place without having to play particularly well.

maybe it could mean we focus more on the cups.

United get hilariously mauled.

Arsenal fan cries.

[Syn]

United get hilariously mauled.

Arsenal fan cries.

:haha:

#thingsArsenalfansdo

[GP]

:haha:

#thingsArsenalfansdo

#JustGoonerThings

[Maestro]

That was a very good result yesterday, I don't think too many teams will go to Villa and take them apart like we did. Encouraging signs from Ozil and Welbeck, in fact we looked very good in spells yesterday, probably our best performance of the season.

Here's hoping we carry the momentum into next Saturday's game against the Scum.

The result yesterday, is all the sweeter now. We have no problem motivating ourselves against the spuds, so here's hoping for a cracker of a game and their seasonal collapse against us.

[mr_brighterside]

did Arsene give them the same lasagne he gave the spuds? :unsure:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Nope, it was moussaka this time.

[GP]

I fucking hate moussaka

[Xhaka Can’t]

I fucking hate moussaka

Fucking vile - the first time I ever had it, I thought it was the worst lasagne of all time.

[GP]

You know the easiest way to ruin a lasagne?

Aubergine.

[Letters]

And they say the football debate isn't as good on here these days :cool:

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Well I'll be damned, We won!....lovely jubbly. Almost forgot we were playing whilst being at a wedding.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Well I'll be damned, We won!....lovely jubbly. Almost forgot we were playing whilst being at a wedding.

Did they serve lasagne or moussaka?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Neither but they are both delicious!

[Injury Time]

Neither but they are both delicious!

Ban him now :sulk:

[I am invisible]

I'm with Blink - it's all good!

[AFC Leveller]

Moussaka is tasty man!

Lasagna shits on Mouassaka though.

[Xhaka Can’t]

So does Lassana Diarra