Arsenal 1 Aston Villa 3 – Disaster of a start!
Arsene Wenger of Arsenal looks on as a fan behind makes his feelings known during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on August 17, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Arsenal 1 (Giroud 6) – Aston Villa 3 (Benteke 22, 61 (pen), Luna 85)
Man of the Match - Cristian Benteke (Aston Villa)
3 months of agonizing waiting finally ceased yesterday, but on a sour note. All the anticipation of the return of the Premier League to finally enlighten our lives. Unfortunately, it will be another week compounded by frustration and misery, as Arsenal failed to secure any points from a physical and tense opening encounter against visiting Aston Villa.
With a horde of players leaving the club during the summer, and a squad that is beset by injury problems, Arsene Wenger had to do a bit of shuffling with the squad sheet. Thomas Vermaelen, Nacho Monreal, Ryo Miyachi, Mikel Arteta and Abou Diaby were all unfit to start. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain started alongside Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky in midfield, while Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott started upfront.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, having gone through a summer transition, named a bunch of debutants. Star Belgian striker Cristian Benteke, contributor of 19 goals last season, led the line for the Villains.
Arsenal were off to a great start with some slick passing, as Tomas Rosicky released Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on Villa’s right. Chamberlain ran half the length of the pitch to set up Olivier Giroud, who had escaped the attentions of Villa’s centre backs to tap the ball home. It was looking all so good, leading 1-0 after just 6 minutes.
The game soon began to rise as a physical battle between the two sides, as Nathan Baker came the worst in a tussle with Theo Walcott, and had to be replaced by Ciaran Clark. Jack Wilshere then almost set up Giroud, but the Frenchman’s effort was wayward.
Gabriel Agbonlahor and Cristian Benteke were proving to be more than a handful for Arsenal’s fragile defenders, and the lack of a defensive midfielder clearly showed when Agbonlahor made a darting run through midfield, past Arsenal’s defenders, before being bought down in the box by a hapless Szczesny to earn the visiting side a penalty.
Benteke stepped up, and after his weak initial effort was saved by Szczesny, he made no mistake on the rebound to equalize matters. The game got even feistier as the teams contested more duels, on the ground and in the air. Kieran Gibbs came out all bloodied, after a clash of heads with Villa winger Andreas Weimann, and had to be bought off, replaced by Carl Jenkinson. Bacary Sagna moved to left back.
Wilshere earned a yellow card as he reacted to a crude Ron Vlaar challenge. Lack of communication between Antonio Luna and Brad Guzan almost led to Arsenal’s second goal, as Theo Walcott collected the ball at the edge of the box, but his attempted pass to Giroud was intercepted.
More calamitous defending was on view when Szczesny raced clear of his position to mindlessly clear the ball high into the air, only sending it into the path of Benteke. The Pole tried to rectify before Villa almost scored, when Weimann took a shot from long range to force a diving save from Szczesny.