Arsenal vs Aston Villa 18.01.2025 KO 17:30 GMT

Definitely not a fixture I’ve been looking forward to if I’m honest

Only City have beaten us more times in the Premier League than Villa. If not for the fact that Watkins was probably as bad as Havertz has been recently in front of goal in our most recent game, I’ve no doubt they’d have beaten us at Villa Park in August.

Martinez is a good keeper but he is also a howler merchant (we saw this against us at Villa Park). Like most away games we play in, I’m convinced that if we concede first we are fucked, and that’s even though they won at Everton midweek they lost five on the bounce away

I also don’t think we want to overcommit because of their pace and because Watkins likes scoring against us


Anyway 0-3 Tony Morley hat trick

I hope we win, tbh.

But a much tougher proposition than Spurs and I fear our inability to score goals will haunt us again.

3.97 - 0.25 XG.

1-1 FT.

I suspect our midfield will struggle to deal with Rogers again. If Watkins had brought his shooting boots we would have been well beaten at Villa Park.

Not confident for this one but it’s another we simply have to find a way to win to keep Liverpool on their toes.

0-3 Watkins hatter

3-1 Arsenal I would think. We haven't been as tight at the back as last year and they have fairly competent strikers, relatively speaking, so they'll probably get one. But if we can avoid playing at a 1mph tempo we should cut through them like butter from which we should make 15 odd chances of which 3 could be converted.

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Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn

from which we should make 15 odd chances of which 3 could be converted.

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Have you been watching Arsenal lately? Even against Spuds we were much worse than 1 chance taken in five

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Originally Posted by Mac76

Have you been watching Arsenal lately? Even against Spuds we were much worse than 1 chance taken in five

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Villa's defence is pathetic.

Arsenal: Raya; Partey, Timber, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Merino, Rice; Odegaard, Trossard, Martinelli; Havertz
Subs: Neto, Tierney, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Kacurri, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Kabi, Sterling.

Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Onana, Kamara; Tielemans, Ramsey, Rogers; Watkins
Subs: Olsen, Gauci, Bogarde, Nedeljkovic, Digne, Buendia, Bailey, Malen, Duran

So. No Saliba and Partey as right back not the best news