Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 1: Match Review

Tight game, very tight. While Arsenal kept the pressure on Villa, the Villains did their thing on the counter attack. Not one of Arsenal’s most exciting games this season, but it was always going to be a tight fixture. For some reason, Aston Villa have proved to be a thorn to Wenger’s side in recent years and the draw earlier this season meant Arsenal were not unwary. Coming into the game on the back of two successive defeats to lowly Blackburn in the FA Cup and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the Gunners had to make a comeback to winning ways, before they face fourth places, next door rivals Tottenham on Sunday next.

Arsene Wenger made two changes to the side that faced Bayern with Carl Jenkinson deputizing for the injured Bacary Sagna, while Nacho Monreal filled in at the left, with Laurent Koscielny being demoted to the bench.

Aston Villa meanwhile were without captain Rons Vlaar, but welcomed left-winger Gabriel Agbonlahor back into the line-up.

It was typically Arsenal from the beginning, with the home side maintaining complete possession and creating chances to threaten Guzan in the Villa end. Jack Wilshere had an easy opportunity, which was easily saved by Brad Guzan.  Soon they took the lead within minutes as Cazorla netted a goal on his second chance, after being initially blocked by Nathan Baker.

Even when in the lead, the Gunners were tormented down the flanks, with Nacho Monreal still looking vulnerable in his new surroundings. It was either Weimann’s pacy bursts or Agbonlahor and N’Zogbia’s inward runs, that gave the home team an uneasy time on the throne after the initial lead. Wojciech Szczesny was made uneasy by Agbonlahor who had a chance at an equalizer, from a Weimann cross.

With the scoreline looking to be a typical Gunneresque, 1-0, Villa continued to press forward near the half-hour mark, when Weimann had a shot cleared by Szczesny. Another curled shot from Walcott went over the post, before Giroud was denied a goal before the half time mark.

At the 68th, Villa finally managed to take the game to the Gunners as Weimann landed a fine goal past the outstretched Szczesny, after winning the ball post an Arsenal corner.

Podolski was brought on late for Carl Jenkinson to shake up the attack. An anxious north London crowd were denied a winner until the late minutes, when Santi Cazorla scored his second of the day after knocking in a goal, off a pass from Nacho Monreal.

With this win, Arsenal are now one point off the fourth place, behind Tottenham who are yet to play their weekend fixture against West Ham. As Arsenal inch closer to the last Champions League spot, Everton were denied a win against Norwich, after a late Kei Kamara goal at Carrow Road.