Arsenal v. Aston Villa 0-2 15/Nov/08

Arsenal's chace for the title had a major setback today at the Grove when an overpowered Villa crushed the young side two-nil. Three points were left behind and all I can do is to say the ammount of game and quality the Villains displayed today. It was far from being expected but nobody is surprised with players like Barry, Agbonlahor and Young in that squad. Even when Aston Villa has represented major trouble for Arsenal in the past years (as Bolton for example) the home side always managed to get a positive result, either visiting or receiving.





First half was a disaster for the Londoners. In the 19', after a horrid display of confussion led by William Gallas (Really, him?), a penalty kick was marked. Ashley Young took it but Almunia saved it. The match was pure suffering, even with those awful Mexican TV commentators I have been referring in the last posts. Villa took Cesc by surprise on a personal mark disassembling all the game play for the Londoners in the first half. All spaces created by Arsenal were used intelligently by the northern side. The Villains waited in their box for a desperate Arsenal, in 30'. Barry was able to always find a teammate alone and with a clear view of pass. The Arsenal was completely overwhelmed by zonal possession and the only remanent midfield work relied was not in Cesc but in Diaby. The main question was what was going to happen to the home side when they began to open for attack if the spaces created were already being used by Villa? This question was the main concern regarding Nasri's dissapearance from the pitch today: zonal space marking.





Second half appeared not as promising for the Arsenal than the first. Cesc's failed pass count rose to eight being three in this match. Many question rose as the one above, such as if Bendtner's fit for the Premier League standard. Villa stroke Arsenal in all its flaws, and perhaps in the most dangerous one: the physical. The return of the "Real" Arsenal, the one that lacked all the perfect attributes against Man Utd, arose. The home side grew desperate by the minute. and by 67', it seemed as the tie would be a winning. Exactly when a man of character was needed Carlos Vela replaced Bendtner. I doubt the nature of this decision but for me is far from being realistic. Can a Carling Cup hattricker give Arsenal the lead?
The question was answered immediately when Young crossed from the left seeking Agbonlahor, but rather found Clichy who scored an own goal, at 69'. After the lead the home side crumbled and the pull was rather by inertia than talent. Agbonlahor put the final touch of missery on the already accumulated by the London side when at 80' he crossed-shot Almunia after a wild long ball from Sidwell. Marking was as usual, awful, and practically Gallas let him score the decisive goal. Some attemtps like Cesc's freekick at 87' or a melee in the box at 85' were the last gasps of a miserable side.