I’ve been saying all season that we are the best team in this league. I said it after we lost to Liverpool in our third game. I said it yesterday after a run of single goal victories that had some fans encouraged and others nervous. Well, you can bet I am still saying it now after watching us thump the third placed team by four lovely goals to one frustrating reply.
Our underlying stats are simply excellent. We have been going through our annual December period where our entire team forgets how to finish chances but it has been clear that as soon as we sorted our finishing out these one goal winning margins would be a thing of the past. So it proved tonight.
Villa have similarities to us in past seasons: they are having a great run but a couple of injuries and suspensions left them looking very thin on the bench. We were without Rice due to a knock on his knee, but Timber returned and Gabriel was able to start. We also had Havertz on the bench which was great to see.
We started well but then had a dodgy twenty minutes when we let Villa play through us far too easily on the break, although they did not manage even a shot on target from some decent positions. When Onana became the latest Villa player to go down on twenty-six minutes, our whole team went over to Arteta and whatever he said sorted the issue out and plugged the leak. We were back on top for the rest of the half.
We had chances. I think we have to accept that in Gyökeres we have a player low on confidence. As such, I am lowering my expectations slightly and acknowledging that he needs to build himself up a little bit. Adrian Clarke on the Handbrake Off podcast made the excellent point that it can take a while for a player to step up and feel like he belongs when he arrives in an environment like Arsenal, where everything and everyone is elite, and Gyökeres has not settled yet. With this in mind, and as I am always as encouraging as possible of anyone in red and white, I thought he had a very decent game.
Early doors, he headed over a Hincapié cross (excellent through ball from Merino). He missed another header a bit later but it was a good run, in front of the defender, and he was unlucky not to score. He pressed well, ran hard, managed a few decent bits of hold up play and won some fouls. It’s not exactly what we wanted for our sixty million quid, but it wasn’t bad and was definitely something he can build on. He has qualities we need, and as long as he puts in a shift like he did today then he’s alright by me.
However, when he dropped into the centre circle to receive a pass from Saliba he promptly lost the ball and Watkins ended up missing a good chance. So, a reminder to all of us that he ain’t Havertz. As we well know, he needs balls into the space behind defenders, not into his feet under pressure in the middle of the pitch. Maybe we could try giving him a few more of them?
We attacked primarily down the left. Trossard, Merino and Hincapié linking well and leaving Saka hungry for the ball on the right. Frankly, it was a bit odd to see so much on the ‘wrong’ side.
Villa’s players knew from kickoff that they were not as good as ours. They played like underdogs, trying to hit us on the break and timewasting from the fifth minute. Those are perfectly sensible tactics from a pragmatist’s point of view (although possibly not from a protagonist’s?) and were somewhat vindicated when Darren England gave a mere three minutes of first-half injury time and the teams went in goalless. However, psychologically I felt Villa ceded something to us, and whatever the boss said at oranges saw us come out on fire.
Almost immediately, Gyökeres held the ball up well and fed it to Timber who won a corner. Martinez pushed Gabriel, then weakly tried to catch the ball under the defender’s challenge. It rolled down his body and our centre half stuck out a leg and bobbled it in. VAR checked it and confirmed it. Excellent stuff. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving keeper!
Minutes later the magnificent Ødegaard won it in midfield, drove forward and played a beautiful pass to the equally magnificent Zubimendi, who had used the full license he is afforded to make a centre forward’s run. He finished the chance with the outside of his right boot, tucking the ball into the side netting past the onrushing Martinez. Just a lovely goal.
Rogers challenged Hincapié with a high foot and was somehow awarded a foul by the erratic referee. From the same passage of play Merino grabbed and held Rogers’ shirt. This time England’s scattergun approach went in our favour as, much like Dias against Forest in City’s last game, our man deserved a second yellow (mind you, we were two goals ahead at the time, not all square). Anyhoo, in this instance, my internal justice-o-meter was satisfied as the first foul given against Hincapié should never have been awarded anyway.
We were all over them. Hincapié slipped whilst marauding into their box. Pity! Martinez made a fantastic save from a well-placed but slightly under-hit Ødegaard shot. Then the magnificent Trossard scored. Timber went down claiming a penalty (subsequent events overtook that incident so I never saw a replay) but we recycled it and Ødegaard crossed for Saka to challenge between Lindelof and Digne. The left back emerged with the ball but Timber nicked it on the edge of the box and Trossard swept it home first time with a sublime finish. Martinez didn’t even move. VAR checked everything they could think of but happily concluded it was a goal. And what a goal it was!
Emery was making his fabled subs through the half. None of them appeared to do much. Our magnificent Gabriel went down with cramp on seventy-six minutes. He and Big Vik were replaced by MLS and Jesùs just a couple of minutes after Nørgaard had come on for the magnificent Merino who was sailing close to a red card.
We looked good. We played out from the back. Ødegaard controlled it on his chest and flicked it over his shoulder in one motion. Zubi beat his man and laid it into Trossard’s path. The Belgian raced onto it and pulled it back for Jesùs on the edge of the box. His first touch of the match controlled it in front of him. His second buried it in the far corner. His smile as he celebrated was a real pleasure to see. He’s just such a likeable player and I hope he stays fit and carries on playing with the freedom he is right now. He could be so, so valuable for us.
Saka missed a good chance, shooting over with his right foot as he has done too often lately. He needs to go back to roofing them. The ref decided that now was the time to properly award injury time and gave eight minutes. With Gabriel off, our recent habit of conceding late goals reared its ugly head. We tried to let McGinn score after he followed up a Watkins header that hit the post, but the Villa captain, on at half-time for Onana, somehow shot straight at Raya from three yards out. I’m sure the Spaniard will take it, but that one was all about the Scot’s lack of accuracy.
However, we gave conceding an unnecessary goal another go and this time we came good. Former Gunner Donyell Malen rode a challenge from Jesùs and another from Saliba. The Frenchman got a foot in but kicked the ball straight into the attacker’s left foot, which somehow saw it land perfectly in front of him so he could strike it with his right without breaking stride. His right-footed shot slid through Raya’s legs, hit the post and rebounded in front of the goal where no-one was marking Watkins, who tapped it in. Hincapié had been sucked across to cover the space where Saliba would usually be and MLS wasn’t switched on to cover him. It was both ridiculously lucky for Villa and downright ugly from us. Arteta will be reviewing that one.
We still had another chance to score, Trossard missing at the back post before Zubi smashed the rebound into Lindelof’s hand (I make no claims to understand the handball rules anymore so I’ve no idea whether that should be a penalty or not) and Ødegaard finished the move by forcing a final save from Martinez. Soon after, the final whistle went and the stadium celebrated a great result.
I’ve only used ‘magnificent’ as a descriptor for our players. It’s good for all of them on the night. If I were doing player ratings then they’d all be right up there. If I had to single one player out it would be the captain – the last two games he has been back to his imperious best. This was a top performance from everyone. The manager nailed it, the players nailed it, the crowd were up for it and they got the combined performance and result they’ve waited all month for. I’m sure they enjoyed it. I know I did.
It was one of the good days and we are, still, the best team in this league. Bring on the new year.
Until next time, ‘holics
Many thanks GSD for your excellent report.
Trossard scored his 50th Premier League goal, and his 25th for our side, if this source can be trusted. https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/116216/leandro-trossard/career
In any case, he continues to be very impressive.
A very big performance today by the whole team. They made me proud, and especially Gabriel and Gabriel Jesus.
Excellent report on an excellent performance after a few troublesome first half moments. The back four is so much stronger when Big Gabi plays. It was a delight to see Littlest Gabi score a beautiful goal with his first touch too. Our captain was superb and my MOTM
We shouldn’t have lost that goal and I suspect that Villa’s movement down the left doesn’t happen if Saka is still on the field. An area for improvement for Noni.
After some frustrating recent reverses it was good to see us stick it right UTV! Top of the League on New Years Day is a very fine place to be.
An excellent report GSD, you describe the goals particularly well. It was a well-deserved result and reflected our hugely improved second half performance. Our much higher press and increase in tempo did for Villa . Almost everyone played very well but I agree that Odegaard was the MOTM and Big Gabby is a huge player for us . Nice to see Havertz on the bench and Benny Blanco enter proceedings .
Arteta is a super- elite coach and while there are idiots in the Goonerverse who would prefer Emery as manager this game underlined why we are so lucky to have Mikel . It’s a good way to end the year
Great report, thanks GSD.
I thought Gyokeres had a decent game too.
I also thought Mikel Merino would walk for that
foul about 8 times out of 10 and we were lucky there.
So many positives on the night as well covered by GSD
and the posts, I would just add Declan got to put his feet up
and will be the better for it.
A 2nd half so enjoyable that I watched it again over a leisurely
breakfast and coffee.
As GSD summed up so well, we are the best team in this league.
And what a squad, we didn’t even bring on some top class talent.
Top-draw report, Dino. You captured the excellence of the performance without going over the top.
Excellent report, Dino, very much the game I saw from a bloody cold North Bank. The performance in the second half warmed the cockles which, in fairness, needed a bit of warming after a rather tepid period in the first half where we might well have conceded. The Onana injury gave Arteta the opportunity to sort out the fact that, as in the away game, they were playing right through the middle of us with ease. After that, they barely troubled us until the bizarre 8 minutes of injury time. Once again I thought the referee was at best erratic, giving them free kicks every time they flopped over and failing to sort out Martinez time wasting. In the absence of a referee in control, we scored and, curiously, Martinez’s goal kicks and restarts speeded up. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, the man will come back as a wasp – needlessly annoying and serving no real purpose.
What a statement win that was, especially without Declan. Through this period of narrow wins and lack of clinical finishing, I’ve been saying that we are creating lots of chances, dominating games and that soon, we will give someone a paddling. And lo, it came to pass. Big Willy and Big Gabby superbly back in partnership. Odegaard back to his creative best. Trossard saying drop me if you dare and surely in the form of his life (top of our goals scored and assists lists). Zubi creatively brilliant.
And Kai and Benny back in the fold. Believe Gooners, believe.
After a wonderful night beginning with a fine meal at the usual Italian restaurant, a chinwag with TTG over a pint before kick-off and a superb performance by the team, once Mikel had sorted out the Declan-sized hole in midfield that Villa could well have exploited two or three times in the first 15 minutes, I was delighted to receive GSD’s excellent match report that covered all the bases.
In the stadium I completely missed any threat of a second yellow for Merino – frankly it would have been completely out of kilter with the referee’s permissive, albeit highly erratic, approach to his use of whistle and cards up to that point, had he waved a second yellow. Once Mikel tweaked the midfield to stop Villa gaining the freedom simply to run through it we were treated to the solidity of the good old Saliba-Gabriel combo – I don’t think Villa would have got their compensation goal had Gabriel still been in the heart of the defence. The return of Timber and Gabriel more than compensated for the loss of Declan’s all action approach to stiffening our defence while Zubimendi took on much of his offensive mantle.
It was a delight to see the humiliation of the pantomime villain Martinez with some great chants from the North Bank crowd rubbing it in with vitriol. His flap at Saka’s corner that resulted in our first goal was divine justice for his flagrant time-wasting from the 5th minute which was blatantly ignored by the pillock with the whistle. The ball boy also decided to extract the micturate by making Martinez walk to him for the ball and then drop it as the keeper reached for it. A hilarious moment for the North Bank. Martinez responded by moving the cone closer to his goal but the wee lad moved it back to its original position. Mind games!
Four lovely goals. Each as good as the next but Jesùs’ goal is enhanced by emotional charm. MØ commanded his manor and pulled the strings with class and is clearly back to his best.
At the end of the match Emery revealed some hidden qualities that I didn’t know he had. His clean pair of heels at the final whistle demonstrated a great turn of speed for a man of his years but also a total lack of class. Shameful stuff.
Good work, Arsenal.
Bath@8: Love the ball boy story.
GSD – marvellous !
What ? Why ? Two questions often asked at the start of the season about Leandro Trossard’s contract upgrade / extension. Well now we know. Nuff said.
Great all round performance. Beautiful goals. So happy for Gabi Jesus – what a finish with his first touch of the game – 55 seconds after coming on. Odegaard back to his best. Lots of plaudits for lots of players above, all richly deserved. So here’s maybe a less obvious one to pick out – Piero Hinkapie. New country, new team, team mates changing around him every game and a new system to fit into. Fills some very big shoes at centre back and plays at back like he even there for years. Brilliant signing.
Unai Emery is a strange little weirdo who is all about Unai Emery. How the Villa squad understand a word he strangles I have no idea. Tactical genius ? Pffttt. Waited to shake hands with Mikel Arteta ? Pfftttt. Watch and learn little man. You couldn’t lace Arteta’s boots.
Hugely enjoyable hymn of praise from Le Grove.
https://www.le-grove.co.uk/p/arsenal-damage-villa-with-savage
Btw, I had to stay hors de contact yesterday evening and watch the game on a recording later on. What a treat I had saved up for myself !
NBN – as you said, Laura knew 😉
Reflecting on last night’s performance – which is a pleasant pastime – although Villa had the better chances in the first half, early on, we pretty much dominated the half until the late chance for Watkins that Saliba superbly toe-poked wide which may or may not have proved offside on review by VAR had he not dealt with it. One of the most pleasing aspects of the second half is the manner in which we went for the jugular from the off and kept doing so and didn’t relax until we were 4-0 up. I was sorry for Raya when Watkins scored as he had pulled off a marvellous save only minutes before that and deserved a clean sheet for that save alone, but then he did let Malen’s close range shot go through his legs so loss of the clean sheet was down to him more than to anyone else. Nonetheless it was a superb performance by the lads. We just need to maintain that standard now.
It is interesting to reflect on our goalkeeping situation.When Arteta arrived we had Leno as our keeper and were very satisfied with him. When he was injured at Brighton by Maupay we were gutted but Emi Martinez came in and was brilliant and played a big part in us winning the Cup and Community Shield . There was considerable gnashing of teeth when we sold him and re-installed Leno as number one . Then we recruited Ramsdale and thought he was the real deal( he certainly did a very decent job.) There was sadness at losing Leno but appreciation of his situation.As we know when we signed Raya it created a degree of mystification but Raya is becoming one of the best Arsenal keepers I have ever seen – and I go back to Jack Kelsey! For what it’s worth I also rate Kepa highly . I also think Martinez is a detestable character who we are well shot of .
Building a title-winning team is about incremental change , improving positions by sometimes small amounts but making steady improvements and brave and often unpopular decisions. I think we’ve done that brilliantly – the squad is very strong and although there are places ( or a place ) where a lot of fans think we can significantly improve we have a lot of options as the last few weeks have shown. It’s still going to be a wild ride but remember our main ( only?) real title rival may yet receive severe sanction before the end of the season. Surely the decision can’t take much longer ? If C130y do take the title having spent a huge amount again ( they are about to sign Semenyo) I suspect the pressure to announce the findings of the panel will prove unbearable . It will be infinitely preferable to just finish ahead of them anyway!
The commentator on the US broadcast said Watkins goal was of no consequnce to anyone exxept Watkins. He is clearly not following the Ropey League!
TTG@14- I have every faith that the lawyers provided by a petro state combined with governmental pressure applied will continue to ensure that no sanction is passed or, at best, it is minimal, I’m afraid. How many years and counting?
A message to all!
CER@16: Sadly, I fear that you are right.
TTG@14: bonus year-end points for an excellent post. Our recruitment and development are an exemplar in building a successful team applicable to any industry, even those where the regular incapacity of key members is not endemic.
Happy new year to all friends of Goonerholic. I sure he could be with us!
That is to say, just to clarify and emphasize, I sure wish he could be with us!
Wot bt8 said 🥂🥂
A Happy New Year to you all though I may be a little early for some 🎉🎉
Happy New Year holics everywhere
COYG
All the best for a glorious 2026
Have at it, Gunners!
I hope everybody had a quite wonderful Christmas and that a Happy New Year awaits for all gooners (Sunderland too) I’ve enjoyed all the previews and match reports and I’m sad that I cannot reply to them all but my sincere thanks to each and every one of you for your time and effort making each one so much fun (educational) to read.
After the Villa game I am full of renewed hope that we have much to celebrate at the end of the season.
Come on you rip roaring, never boring, always scoring and now soaring gunners!!
DG@25: Glad to see you in in such good spirits. Long may that continue into 2026.
A happy and healthy New Year to all ‘holics. Let this be the year…
Adrian Clarke on the Villa game: https://youtu.be/0dAnAyocq8k?si=aPBA927schdyM6UF
Happy New Year! Peace, Joy, and Good Health to everyone. Thanks to the regulars who keep everything humming, make GHF special, and carry on the legacy of Goonerholic. Love to see DG here also.
Victoria Concordia Crescit.
i’m sat in the back corner of the bar that gets the afternoon sun, quietly enjoying all that goes on here. happy new year to holics everywhere! may the blessings of all good things come to each of us and those we love all throughout 2026.
@15 surely not Ned 😂😂
Talking of Ropey League, you’ve led us a merry dance all season 👏👏👏
A tip of the hat for an excellent first half though I haven’t given up yet….
https://gunnerstown.com/arsenal/2026/01/01/every-once-in-a-while-positives-needs-hopes-ars-4-1-avl/
Good to see you in, DG.
All the best to you for a happy and healthy 2026.
May unprecedented success for the Arsenal raise all our spirits.
Happy New Year everyone. I wish you all the very best. And the same for Arsenal!
VCC
Cheers GSD!
UP THE ARSE in 2026!
Happy and Healthy New Year to one and all ! 🍾🥂
Chelsea manager is gone. Reportedly Maresca being told by the hierarchy to give the youngsters more playing time to increase their value. Maresca doesn’t appreciate the interference. Only one winner there.
Thanks for various links gents.
I had thought Maresca was doing a reasonable job and don’t mind him
leaving at all!
The question did pop into my mind when reading TTG’s @14 about Arsenal’s recruitment and team building: what would it look like if a club’s recruitment was geared towards a player-trading business model rather than building a trophy-winning first team? I guess we’ve just found out.
If PEA thought Arteta had been hard on him, how about:
Gabon’s government has suspended the national team, banned striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and sacked coach Thierry Mouyouma after their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cn56z2ye7nro
Handy points dropped for C130y and a four point lead. I like 2026 so far.
As matchweeks go, this was a good one.
St Totteringham’s Day might come early this year. 19 games to go 19 points the gap.
Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you all a joyful and prosperous 2026.
‘Twas a good match week and the current form table
should be a reassuring read for the more wobbly amongst
the fan base.
A good analysis from Lewis at arseblog I thought, similar to our own GSD’s report on a sea change around the midway point of the first half. Looks quite simple really this tactical lark – just move your left back forward 20 yards and dominate the game.
Course there’s the 20 years learning before that to understand which player to move 20 yards and in what direction 😃
Even then some don’t get it and have to stomp off down the tunnel in a strop
May I add my good wishes to all Holics fir a happy, healthy and trophy- laden New Year !
Matt@45 – that’s a really interesting and well explained piece.
Matt/ CER
A very interesting piece . I disagree with a couple of blog pieces I read suggesting Villa were on top throughout the first half, I’m intrigued by how creatively Arteta envisages thei full back roles . Zinchenko , White ,MLS , Timber , Calafiori and now Hincapie play in a way I suspect none of us envisioned even ten years ago . They create chaos and affect games consistently and innovatively . A great example of how modern coaching is altering our perception of the game .
Bang!
TOP EPL HNY UTA!
Well in for the half-ton, TTG.
~@49: The other side of the coin is how elite coaches keep their wingers high and wide to negate the tactic being used against them.
I was a bit surprised that Arteta didn’t use the tactics he switched to after 18 minutes from the outset, as Emery had Villa defending in that narrow central way with fast breaks down the middle after they’ve turned over the balll that they have been using for weeks, so I doubt that what Villa was doing came as a surprise. Merino might have been intended to have the same effect as Hincapie, but it didn’t come off for whatever reason, perhaps, perversely, because he was too high but too narrow. He certainly was playing deeper in the second half of the first half.
Loving this.
https://x.com/arsenal/status/2007150397111046348?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
A quick reminder before the chevrons descend that the latest GHF Predictathon leaderboard and five-week form guide have been posted. One stunning move as we hit the halfway mark. You know where to find it.
>>>>>>>