Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
It was a story of two halves as Arsenal’s title problem suffered an actual blow after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Within the first, regardless of a little bit of menace from Unai Emery’s aspect, we performed nicely and had we been higher and extra environment friendly within the closing third, we may have out of sight by half-time. Within the second, our degree dropped dramatically, we didn’t reply, and paid the worth with the concession of two late targets.
Mikel Arteta’s staff choice noticed Gabriel Jesus begin up entrance with Kai Havertz dropping again into midfield. We additionally had Leandro Trossard on the left and Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back. Our motion was sharp, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz discovering house within the channels and in behind. The German had a shot saved after an excellent Trossard go, and Saka produced a superb cross for Jesus who headed large when he actually needs to be hitting the goal from that again submit place.
Martin Odegaard was sensible, pulling the strings in entrance of the Villa defence, and his go to Saka deserved higher than a poor contact and a wild shot large of the close to submit. There was some pleasure with a ball to Havertz excessive, however whereas his working was good, he lacked decisiveness as soon as he received into these positions.
We had been on high, which is what made the second when Zinchenko put the ball out so irritating. Villa had Zaniolo down, pretending to be harm after colliding together with his personal man. In that state of affairs, I need ruthlessness, a mindset which says ‘Let’s reap the benefits of this’, however for some cause the left-back booted the ball out of play. Possibly nothing would have come of it, however at this degree and with a lot at stake, you don’t let any opposition off the hook like that. We had the ball excessive of their half, placing them beneath stress, they gave it again to David Raya. Simply maddening. I’m all for sportsmanship if somebody is absolutely, badly harm, however this was not that.
There was extra Odegaard brilliance, discovering a go to Havertz whose cross was headed over by Saka, earlier than a mistake on the again from Gabriel – firing a go into the again of Zinchenko – noticed Ollie Watkins hit the submit, the ball rebounding throughout the road and simply past the far submit. Then got here what I believe is a pivotal second, after an Odegaard shot was blocked, the ball fell for Jesus who squared for Trossard. He had all of the objective to goal at, however put it straight at Emi Martinez. For me that is way more a nasty miss than an incredible save, and it’s onerous to not surprise how issues might need gone had we taken a lead into the break.
Nonetheless, I used to be comparatively assured. If we may keep that degree, absolutely we’d discover a method via. Sadly, we couldn’t. There’s little doubt Villa had been higher within the second interval, and the very best staff after the break, with out actually creating an excessive amount of. Zinchenko gave them a serving to hand with daft carelessness on the sting of our personal field after we’d defended a nook (did he strive a nutmeg there?!), Youri Tielemans’ shot hit each bar and submit with Raya crushed all finally ends up.
By that time Villa had changed Moussa Diaby with Leon Bailey, and I believe my major criticism of this second half is how gradual Mikel Arteta was to react and to attempt to change the momentum. Takehiro Tomiyasu got here on for Ben White, who had been booked, in order that was roughly like for like, whereas Gabriel Martinelli changed Trossard. That did little to impression the way in which the sport was being performed, or our skill to get a foothold in midfield which, when you think about the gamers Villa had been lacking, isn’t an excellent reflection on how Arteta managed this sport.
It was the eightieth minute when he despatched on Jorginho for Odegaard (Arteta stated he was ‘feeling one thing’ – my guess is: ‘bereft that we don’t have the ahead gamers to capitalise on his first half brilliance’), and Smith Rowe for Jesus. Neither participant helped, and Villa’s stress continued with various corners, whereas we struggled to create something. One other nook introduced their first objective, we received it clear, Villa performed it again into the within left channel, and a speculative ball throughout our field discovered Bailey unmarked to fit house for 1-0.
A ball like that ought to by no means get that far, Raya isn’t actually doing a lot at his entrance submit, and on the again, Declan Rice is asleep, unaware of the place Bailey is. He has been very good for us this season, however yesterday was not one among his greatest days. As for the second, Jorginho – introduced on to present us some safety in possession – gave it away excessive up the pitch, they despatched Watkins clear with one go, and regardless of the efforts of Smith Rowe, it was 2-0. I believe there’s a slight contact of fine fortune concerning the end, in that it hits Smith Rowe and deflects up and over Raya, however while you let a participant like Watkins have that sort of house, there’s actually solely ever going to be one final result when he’s within the sort of type he’s proven this season.
Late targets towards are all the time probably the most painful, however on this title race, and having seen Liverpool lose to Crystal Palace earlier within the day, these felt like actual daggers to the guts. It says one thing about what all of us perceive of the Premier League lately {that a} single defeat to depart us simply a few factors behind Man Metropolis with 6 video games nonetheless to play can really feel like the top of the times, however that’s the truth we’ve turn out to be accustomed to. There’s little to no margin for error, it felt like our blip at Christmas may be recoverable, however while you make one at this level it’s mainly deadly.
In fact, something can occur. It’s potential that Metropolis may drop factors someplace, and that’s the mindset the supervisor and the gamers must have, however ask any fan of Arsenal, Liverpool, or most likely every other staff at the moment, and so they’ll let you know there’s an inevitability about what occurs subsequent. We’ve seen this film earlier than. 115 instances, maybe, however it’s what it’s.
It additionally explains why after a superb 2024, wherein we’ve performed 12, gained 10, drawn 1, and misplaced simply 1, we’re all feeling so down at the moment. Within the context of that run, of what this staff has produced during the last three months, it’s one dangerous sport … perhaps even only one dangerous half … and but it’s actual intestine punch which now opens the door for Man Metropolis to go and do what they all the time do. The truth is that to beat them to the title, you need to mainly be good, and what that second half informed us yesterday is that we nonetheless have work to do to attempt to obtain that. And that’s leaving apart the ridiculousness of getting do this within the first place, as a result of it’s not regular, as a lot as we may be accustomed to it.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta urged his staff to react in the correct method, beginning with Bayern on Wednesday:
Now’s the second to face up as a frontrunner, as a personality to make your self depend as a result of while you win and win and win and win for 4 months, it’s quite simple to do it. The second is now.
It’s actually the one message he can ship, as a result of there’s nonetheless lots to play for. There’s a giant trophy accessible in Europe, and if one thing surprising occurs within the Premier League, we’ve to be prepared for that too. There is no such thing as a different method to method issues, however after a troublesome day yesterday, will probably be a problem for Arteta to elevate his staff, drained legs and all, for what lies forward. Let’s hope he can do it, as a result of if yesterday had us down for a depend of 8, it’s not a knock-out blow … but, anyway.
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Okay, let’s go away it there for now. We’re recording an Arsecast Further for you this morning, so preserve an eye fixed out for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or in the event you’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Podcast needs to be out round midday. Till then.
