{"id":9968,"date":"2024-08-25T09:30:18","date_gmt":"2024-08-25T08:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=9968"},"modified":"2024-08-30T21:28:40","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T20:28:40","slug":"2-0-again-no-raya-of-hope-for-hapless-villans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=9968","title":{"rendered":"2-0 Again & No Raya of Hope for Hapless Villans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Arsenal managers past and present \u2013 the right one won today, not the one on the right! <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Arsenal started the first of a run of potentially tricky fixtures this weekend with a trip to Villa Park to face the only Premier League team to beat us in 2024. As I have given the result away in the headline, I won\u2019t indulge in any \u2018could we, would we, shenanigans\u2019 and will move straight to the celebratory Yes, Yes, Yes!! We rolled them over with a controlled performance and, though straw-clutching Villa fans may point to their few chances as a sign that they were in the same league (they really weren\u2019t), a thoroughly deserved three points nestles firmly in the old points bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/strong>st<\/sup><\/strong> half<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big book of adjectives has been well-thumbed in several other reports of the first-half \u2013 dull, uneventful, cagey being the most popular. However, my own preference is for professional, and I suspect Mikel will have been quietly satisfied with the way we came to a Champions League side\u2019s ground, dominated them for 50 minutes, silenced the crowd, and allowed only one real sniff at goal in 45 minutes.  To be honest it was a large sniff, and I certainly inhaled as Watkins managed to side-foot an easy chance wide midway through the first half. Was it a foul on Gabriel before the chance? Regardless, that miss apart, a passive Villa side provided little threat, and a couple of showy Rogers runs aside, lacked the skill or creativity to worry a solid Arsenal rearguard strengthened defensively with the inclusion of Timber in place of Zinchenko. Obviously, a goal for our dominance would have been the preferred icing but we spurned the half-chances and opportunities that did come our way and thus it was goalless at the half-time oranges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2<\/strong>nd<\/sup><\/strong> half<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No changes at half-time and no change in the pattern for about the first 10 minutes of the half until a wide-open Onana was allowed to get in a deflected shot from the edge of the area – I will let Mikel take it from there \u201cI thought it was a goal because I saw the reaction of the defensive line, there was none! The ball goes on to the crossbar and we were all watching the ball. I was going \u2018oh no please` I see the striker in that position<\/em> (it was Watkins three yards out for the rebound) and normally it is a goal but David\u2019s reaction was unbelievable\u201d.<\/em> My own thoughts exactly Mikel. The boss was smiling charmingly as he said this, however, I doubt he will be quite so charming when he talks to the defence about the sin of ball-watching later. The game changed a little at that point and Villa finally remembered they were at home and had what I thought was their best period of the game for the next 10 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, shortly after the hour the baton of fate was to twirl once more, and this time it pointed squarely at Leo Trossard. Emery made two substitutions taking off Watkins and McGinn (somewhat oddly I thought, but fortunately I no longer need to care about his subs) and Mikel made the one that counted, taking off Gabi Martinelli and bringing on Leo. Moments later, Konsa drifted a big chance at the far post wide with a cross shot that turned out to be neither. We immediately went down the other end, \u00d8de dinked a ball into space behind the full-back and Saka, quicker of thought and foot than Digne, just got to it and crossed, via Rogers (I think), the ball came for Leo to slot home a calm and accomplished finish with what I believe my Japanese commentator claimed was his first touch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aston Villa 0 The Arsenal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arsenal faithful were in fine voice, Leo had scored again!  The team also seemed more fired up. We resumed normal service and controlled the game well to prevent any fight back, then struck again to kill it off with about 15 minutes to go. Leo was once more to the fore, bursting down the left, he crossed to Bukayo at the far post, our Starboy waited until the opportune moment and precisely cut the ball back to Thomas just on the edge of the area. It was a finely struck shot from TP5 around the defender to the near post and though Emi got down in time it seems his left hand is not quite as useful as that of David Raya. I was pleased for Partey as he had had a challenging afternoon looking after Rogers, but it\u2019s all about end product and here he produced it from a DM position.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aston Villa 0 The Arsenal 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that, more or less, was all she wrote. \u00d8de blasted one over the bar that he should in truth have slotted home but we never looked in any danger of letting it slip. We were treated to the immaculate timing of a Saliba special as he took the ball perfectly off the toe of Ramsey just as the hapless fool thought he was going to get a shot in. Another treat was William\u2019s nimble feet on the left wing as he danced aside and caused two Villa players to run into each other. Riccardo Calafiori came on for Timber and had to be dragged away from a confrontation with panto villain Emi, Reiss Nelson came on to give our No 7 an additional seven minutes rest, the stadium half-emptied and Oliver blew his whistle for the final time. On we go to a top of the table clash with Brighton next, the only fly in our ointment is a potential injury to Jesus \u2013 fingers crossed for him and that we get Merino done and dusted this week. Mikel did mention that we were a little short up front\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.but I think I will leave that speculation to others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many positives to take from the game apart from the always welcome three points. Firstly, another clean sheet, and in what looked on paper a tricky away game, was great.  Secondly, the finish by Leo, who must be pushing hard for a starting place next week. Thirdly, the performance of Timber; he was a solid defensive presence, he didn\u2019t do anything particularly flashy, he just did his job. Exactly what was required in the circumstances. Fourthly, we gave the ball away less than last week, obviously we can get better but it was progress.  Last, and by no means least, our Player of the Match, David Raya stepped up again when it counted. Well done sir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I should say that volunteering to write this match report was my first act of faith in the team this season, I never doubted we would in Mr Benjamin White\u2019s words \u201cput it right\u201d<\/em>. Talking of Benny Blanco by the way, I thought Oliver did well to keep it calm when the dastardly McGinn deliberately kicked the ball at William, and was then accidentally hit by a ball kicked in his direction by Benny. And on that note, I will finish a report that was a real pleasure to write. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Arsenal started the first of a run of potentially tricky fixtures this weekend with a trip to Villa Park to face the only Premier League team to beat us in 2024. As I have given the result away in the headline, I won\u2019t indulge in any \u2018could we, would we, shenanigans\u2019 and will move […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9968"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9987,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968\/revisions\/9987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}