Arsenal v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[olaftab]

I disagree with it unfortunately, we countered nicely in places but we played far far too deep and it's why we always concede goals late.

Paul not sure if you were at Emirates but I was there and in the first half after the opening first ten minutes we were the better side. Arsenal did not create any clear cut opportunities and we could have easily had two goals from Weimann's attacks on the right hand side. The second half started just as the first but we got back into it and equalised. It was than that we stared playing like muppets by dropping back to the edge of our box. This is not Lambert's fault it is due to lack of experience. We did not play deep as a matter of course. Overall we did not deserve to lose this game.

[Toronto Villa]

If it's us vs Wigan for the last spot then we're going to lose that battle. If nothing else Martinez/Wigan have experience in the latter part of the season of finding results to do enough to survive. My concern is the gap between us and the others will be too large to bridge and like sinking into quicksand we won't have anything to grab onto.

[eastie]

Taking Westwood off for El Ahmadi is just plain stupid.
We look a better balanced side with Westwood on the pitch.
El Ahmadi is truly shambloic.

I would have thought sylla would have been a better than kea , most of lamberts substitutions this season have been poor and i dont really think kea is anywhere near good enough.

The 2 players who he has bought both cant get into the team when it was clear we needed to bring in someone who could go straight into the side.

I was encouraged by the display in some ways but as others have pointed out time is running out and we must stop this habit of defending so deep and inviting pressure as well as conceding late goals.

Bennett seemed better yesterday although lowton looks like he maybe needs to be rested , central defence is not good enough even with vlaar and although we seem to have sorted the front four the defence should have been strengthened last month.

If we have to go to wigan on the last day needing a result i do not fancy our chances , we must start winning games asap and back to back.

[Ron Manager]

I know somebody has probably posted this already earlier in the thread but watching it again this morning the second Arsenal goal was totally the fault of  Fabian Delph who didnt track back as he should have done.

[rob_bridge]

John Matson, BBC Match of the Day commentator:

"Goodness me this was not a convincing performance from Arsenal and it nearly wasn't a victory. Arsenal had so much of the play but Aston Villa, who were so bright on the counter-attack, will consider themselves unfortunate to lose. The end of an extraordinary week at the Emirates."

That's an independent view.

John Motson is a Spurs 'fan' so hardly independent

I disagree with it unfortunately, we countered nicely in places but we played far far too deep and it's why we always concede goals late.

[Ads]

Motson is correct in his summary.

[Holte132]

I know somebody has probably posted this already earlier in the thread but watching it again this morning the second Arsenal goal was totally the fault of  Fabian Delph who didnt track back as he should have done.

I thought, as did MOTD, that Weimann was at fault for not tracking back.

[Ron Manager]

I know somebody has probably posted this already earlier in the thread but watching it again this morning the second Arsenal goal was totally the fault of  Fabian Delph who didnt track back as he should have done.

I thought, as did MOTD, that Weimann was at fault for not tracking back.

Fair enough I will watch it again.

[mrfuse]

If it's us vs Wigan for the last spot then we're going to lose that battle. If nothing else Martinez/Wigan have experience in the latter part of the season of finding results to do enough to survive. My concern is the gap between us and the others will be too large to bridge and like sinking into quicksand we won't have anything to grab onto.

Agreed Wigan although always down there play some lovely football at times which I admire them for.

I felt yesterday that although we knew what was coming, we were playing a top 4 team and inevitably at home a team like that will grind you down  regardless of the fact that we struggle in those areas.

[Clampy]

Taking Westwood off for El Ahmadi is just plain stupid.
We look a better balanced side with Westwood on the pitch.
El Ahmadi is truly shambloic.

Westwood looked knackered when he came off. I'd have probably taken off Weimann towards the end and thrown another midfielder like Sylla on.

[eastie]

Taking Westwood off for El Ahmadi is just plain stupid.
We look a better balanced side with Westwood on the pitch.
El Ahmadi is truly shambloic.

Westwood looked knackered when he came off. I'd have probably taken off Weimann towards the end and thrown another midfielder like Sylla on.

This is another problem with young players, westwood , lowton are both beginning to look tired and there is nobody any good to replace them with .

[oldham_villa]

No manager, barring Ossie Ardiles plays away from home with 4 out and out attackers, especially not against a team such as Arsenal. I'm afraid Lambert is as naive as Graham Turner, who also liked the 4-2-4 formation.

Arsenal were much poorer than in usual seasons, but we should have limited space, minimising their runs off the ball.

I feel a little sorry for Delph as he and Westward had to cover an awful lot of ground.

To say I was flabbergasted when he brought Dawkins in, when a defensive body was required, was a understatement.

I would also say that by the time we play Wigan, they will be long gone from our horizon.

As well as we played at times, this was an utterly naive team formation.

[Surrey Villain]

I know somebody has probably posted this already earlier in the thread but watching it again this morning the second Arsenal goal was totally the fault of  Fabian Delph who didnt track back as he should have done.

I thought, as did MOTD, that Weimann was at fault for not tracking back.

Surely it is not Weimann's job to track back.  He should work from the halfway line forwards. 

[Surrey Villain]

No manager, barring Ossie Ardiles plays away from home with 4 out and out attackers, especially not against a team such as Arsenal. I'm afraid Lambert is as naive as Graham Turner, who also liked the 4-2-4 formation.

Arsenal were much poorer than in usual seasons, but we should have limited space, minimising their runs off the ball.

I feel a little sorry for Delph as he and Westward had to cover an awful lot of ground.

To say I was flabbergasted when he brought Dawkins in, when a defensive body was required, was a understatement.

I would also say that by the time we play Wigan, they will be long gone from our horizon.

As well as we played at times, this was an utterly naive team formation.

I can only guess the idea with Dawkins was to run with the ball upfield and provide an outlet for the pressure, but we also needed a defensive midfielder sub.  If Sylla wasn't good enough or fit enough to be that sub then he shouldn't have been bought.

[eastie]

No manager, barring Ossie Ardiles plays away from home with 4 out and out attackers, especially not against a team such as Arsenal. I'm afraid Lambert is as naive as Graham Turner, who also liked the 4-2-4 formation.

Arsenal were much poorer than in usual seasons, but we should have limited space, minimising their runs off the ball.

I feel a little sorry for Delph as he and Westward had to cover an awful lot of ground.

To say I was flabbergasted when he brought Dawkins in, when a defensive body was required, was a understatement.

I would also say that by the time we play Wigan, they will be long gone from our horizon.

As well as we played at times, this was an utterly naive team formation.

I can only guess the idea with Dawkins was to run with the ball upfield and provide an outlet for the pressure, but we also needed a defensive midfielder sub.  If Sylla wasn't good enough or fit enough to be that sub then he shouldn't have been bought.

Very true sir.