Arsenal v Aston Villa All-in-one Thread (Match #272) (Post-match #993)

[Brian Taylor]

I seem to recall a great 3-0 away at Chelsea under McLeish..didn't last. this time I hope it will.. Please keep it going. Reality after the pleasure and delirium of winning away at the Emirates!

[Dave]

I seem to recall a great 3-0 away at Chelsea under McLeish..didn't last. this time I hope it will..

That was New Years Eve though (and 3-1), and we'd put with a lot of tedium up until that point. It's not like we started out spectacularly (0-0 away to Fulham) only to fall apart later. We were always dull with about four matches of excitement.

[ozzjim]

Getting back to today, am I the only person that didn't think we looked particularly impressive?

We certainly weren't bad but we didn't seem hugely incisive up front for most of the game (in spite of his two goals I thought Benteke was very quiet and a bit wasteful when he did have the ball) and we still looked pretty ropey at the back quite a few times.

This is all very positive, because it we didn't need to be at our best and still won 3-1 away to Arsenal then it's a very good sign, but I'd be amazed if we don't have a couple of games this season where we play better than today and lose.

I am with you on that Dave. I thought Weimann looked really out of sorts, Benteke was not really a threat and Westwood was quite out of the game strangely. Overall I thought we played much better at times towards the back of last season. But then with Bacuna going through at the end we could have ended up winning 4-1! Strange. But I will take it!

[PeterWithesShin]

Sign of a good side when they don't play well and still get a good win. It's a funny old game.

[Irish villain]

I seem to recall a great 3-0 away at Chelsea under McLeish..didn't last. this time I hope it will.. Please keep it going. Reality after the pleasure and delirium of winning away at the Emirates!

Siralex prob gave TSM the Chelsea dossier (see The Secret Footballer article after Fergie retired)

[Percy McCarthy]

Haven't read the whole thread, has anyone commented on what a good game KEA had? Very encouraging signs there I think.

[JUAN PABLO]

so Benteke scored one pen today and one goal  in open play ?

[eamonn]

Yeah, but it was a rebound from a penalty he scuffed so really he doesn't deserve not to have pen next to his name.

[ciggiesnbeer]

so Benteke scored one pen today and one goal  in open play ?

Kinda. He muffed the first penalty and scored with his head in the follow up. His second was a straight pen. Lunas goal (and Arsenals) were the only ones from real open play.

[steffo]

If I recall the last time we won away on Matchday 1 - Newcastle - Shearer got sent off and we reached the FA Cup final... mmmm

Pattern?

[Edvard Remberg]

Not sure if posted before - but this image shows it as a clear penalty (but i didn't see it in the replay because so focused on Gabby's right leg)

[HK Villan]

Getting back to today, am I the only person that didn't think we looked particularly impressive?

We certainly weren't bad but we didn't seem hugely incisive up front for most of the game (in spite of his two goals I thought Benteke was very quiet and a bit wasteful when he did have the ball) and we still looked pretty ropey at the back quite a few times.

This is all very positive, because it we didn't need to be at our best and still won 3-1 away to Arsenal then it's a very good sign, but I'd be amazed if we don't have a couple of games this season where we play better than today and lose.

I am with you on that Dave. I thought Weimann looked really out of sorts, Benteke was not really a threat and Westwood was quite out of the game strangely. Overall I thought we played much better at times towards the back of last season. But then with Bacuna going through at the end we could have ended up winning 4-1! Strange. But I will take it!

I agree - great effort and result but thought we were very wasteful at times.  Sure we will play better many games this season.

[danlanza]

I belong with you, you belong with me my Villa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AndyP]

Tell me if I'm wrong, but just touching the ball does not excuse a foul. Contact is fine, but taking a player down is a foul if you haven't cleared the ball so that player could not reclaim it?

[Edvard Remberg]

Some people think if there as minimum contact with the ball, all is allowed. But in Gabby's case, his left leg clearly is hit by his knee before touching the ball