Arsene Wenger could not afford to lose this game. Arsenal have already lost five games this season, two more than the whole of the last campaign. A home win would have put six points between Villa and Arsenal; further strengthening the former's chances of securing a Champion's League place for next season at the cost of the latter.
Yet Arsenal could very easily have lost. From the off, Villa were brighter, winning the lion's share of 50-50s in midfield, sending balls down the flanks for the ever-willing Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. The space created in the middle was amply filled by supporting midfielders and even defenders; Curtis Davies should have done better with a misdirected header early on and Luke Young forced a good save from Manuel Almunia with a deflected 25 yard strike.
Arsenal lacked direction and accuracy; a stray pass on the break from Emmanuel Eboue which comfortably missed the target of Robin Van Persie typified the Gunner's poor start. At the other end, Villa were piling on the pressure, hitting the woodwork three times in the first half. Steve Sidwell headed a corner onto the upright, James Milner snook in at the far post only to see his right foot stab come back of the post and Curtis Davies was very unlucky when his turn and lob just inside the penalty area struck the crossbar.
But just three minutes after Davies' effort, Nigle Reo-Coker tried to be a bit too clever in clearing his lines, letting Denilson first block and then cooly slide the ball under the advancing Brad Friedel. A brilliant Bacary Sagna overhead clearance off the goalline prevented a quick equaliser from Ashley Young. The Gunners had a 1-0 halftime lead.
When Abou Diaby finished a flowing Arsenal move just after half-time to make it 2-0 and van Persie struck a post not long after, it looked like all three points were going back to the Emirates.
But this season you cannot do much worse than to underestimate Martin O'Neill's men and Arsenal's inability to see out a game came to haunt them again.
With 63 minutes on the clock, William Gallas committed a clumsy foul in the area while tracking Gabriel Agbonlahor. Gareth Barry drilled home the resulting penalty. The final half hour was, in reality, a relatively equal affair with few chances, but Arsenal failed to sure up the back line and in stoppage time, Villa centre-half Zat Knight found himslef in space fifteen yards out and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
It was no more than Villa deserved, especially considering their numerous first-half chances, but Wenger will be disappointed with Arsenal's gift of a first goal and conceding the second in the 92nd minute. Unsurprisingly, the referee bore some of the blame from Wenger in the post-match interview. Like Arsenal' inability to close out games, some things never change.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment