Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa Post match interaction

[Somniloquism]

For his first half claim, Lego is probably forgetting that a couple of the chances saved by Martinez were offside anyway.

[Somniloquism]

Just want to big up Digne for the cross for the first. To be so far forward and battling in the 84th, and then putting in that ball......

[astonvilla82]

In a pub in Derry and sweet Caroline being sung, guess what I join in

[itbrvilla]

Arsenal fans are a good bunch, but this feels GOOD.

Are they? More like a bunch of goofs

That is a thing of beauty

'Leon Bloodclart Bailey!!!' - I'm howling at that.

[rougegorge]

Whilst they had some pressure in the first half, I never felt we were fully under the cosh. It wasn't as if Arsenal were all over us.

In the second half, it reminded me of Man City at home, how we closed them down and restricted them. We haven't played like that against a  top team away for ages.

I can't fault any of them today; Zaniolo played well Diaby did his defensive duty and we linked up really well in the 2nd half.

Emi really enjoyed his after match celebration at the end.

[RamboandBruno]

Still flying after that. It was an Unai masterclass really. He knew they were going to come after us first half, but it was like he was just testing them out, letting them throw all their punches and tire themselves out. We just took over second half and battered them.
Very similar to the away game at Spurs on new years day last season, only against a superior side in Arsenal.
I know performances and some results have been up and down in 2024, but Unai really is the man.

Hard to pick out individuals today, but I thought Tielemans and McGinn were outstanding in midfield and Zanioloa and Rogers ran their nads off.
Cannot wait for MOTD2 tonight

[pauliewalnuts]

Arsenal fans are the worst thing on the internet.

Their online fanbase is just fucking awful.

[KevinGage]

Up there with the 1-0's in 1990 and 1993, this one.

And poss far more important for our long-term future.

[Goldenballs]

Who's their audience? Why wouldn't Arsenal fans be watching the game rather than some virgin sitting in their bedroom babbling incoherently about it?

[lovejoy]

If those Arsenal TV guys were such good fans why aren’t they at the stadium?!

[PeterWithesShin]

Three, four or five goals!

Lay off the crack pipe before doing interviews mate.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to BBC's Match of the Day: "We're obviously very disappointed with the result, especially with the way we have been performing. The first half was one of the best halves we have played this season against a top team. We should've scored three, four, five, we haven't scored. In the second half, the game changes, we struggle to gain momentum, we struggle to get the ball into certain areas and we were very sloppy with the ball and the game was there with not much happening. A few corners for them and then we concede a very poor goal and then, on top of that, we were chasing it and then we concede another one and it was a painful loss.

"I think we played much better than we did against Brighton in the first half. Much better. I think we should've scored three, four, five goals in the first half and that would've been a very different game. That's not the case and we have to accept that and we have to praise the opponent, they beat us and we have to move. It is about reacting now.

"For sure, because we had the momentum and we were the better team on the pitch but you have to play for 96/98 minutes and we haven't managed to maintain that level in the second half and that is down to us and we have to improve.

On Ollie Watkins saying he could sense Arsenal getting tired: "That's him saying that. No.

Do Arsenal have to win every game now?: "We all know that, the impact is now. How you react to that, there was always going to be a bump in the road. We won 10, drew one. Unbelievable, everybody is on board. Win, win, win win, win, win, win, win - everybody is happy. Very easy to maintain momentum and be on top of that. It is now after that defeat, how you show you character and your leadership and going to Munich, we have a beautiful opportunity to do that."

[Tayls_7]

Just wonderful.  Thank you Aston Villa.  Whole team performance.

[PeterWithesShin]

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins to BBC Match of the Day: "I felt like we grew into the game a lot. The longer Arsenal didn't create much, we could see from their body language that they were getting tired and definitely getting frustrated and I think we used that as momentum and motivation really. We grew into the game and we played some really good football. We didn't go long too much, the boss demanded that we played out and were brave. If we lost the ball and they scored from it, so be it, but that's the game plan and it worked today. We frustrated them and in both boxes, we were really good.

"When I saw Youri's hit the bar and the post, I thought 'ah no, it's not going to be our day is it?' I was always calm that we were going to get something. We were frustrating them, we were creating lots of chances and we could see that they were getting tired and we kept plugging away and we stuck at it. I'm delighted with that, it's a massive win. A lot of people doubted us or definitely favoured Arsenal coming into this game. We've been playing well and been a bit lackadaisical and lost concentration, so today, we showed we're a really strong team and we're fighting for the Champions League.

"Every day, the boss is really demanding. Whether we win or lose, it's back to the training field and work on what we need to do to perform on the pitch. That's one thing we're all very clear on is the game plan. When we're going in, we have long meetings. We had three meetings today, which is tiring but it's clear when you go on the pitch, what you need to do and what is going to happen.

"I think it was from a corner. I could see that they were all pushing up on the edge of the box and I was kind of not goal-hanging but waiting for that ball to come and I thought maybe I had lost the chance a little bit when Smith Rowe was running through, but as the keeper came out, he made my mind up and there was only one finish there to dink it over him. I think it shows how far I have come. I think going back, I probably wouldn't have scored that but I'm definitely very composed in those situations now and I back myself in those scenarios at the end of the day.

"I think it is what it's about. As a striker, you want to score as many goals as possible. I'm not going to lie, I'm chasing that, I'm doing all that I can to help the team to win and for me to score as many goals and assists to my teammates as possible. I definitely have my eyes on the golden boot. I'm not going to lie to you.

[Risso]

Who's their audience? Why wouldn't Arsenal fans be watching the game rather than some virgin sitting in their bedroom babbling incoherently about it?

Always wondered that. It's just a load of simpletons trying to be as over the top as possible and shouting "oh my days blud" over and over again. Weird.

[PeterWithesShin]

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery to BBC's Match of the Day: "100%. Very proud of the players, how faced them being very competitive. Being also struggling at times but waiting our moment and progressively, we were dominating the match. But of course, beating Arsenal here is very difficult and we needed to play and be focused 100% and being very demanding in everything and more organised defensively, we needed the biggest commitment to do better than we did against Manchester City, that was the sample we used for this match and then, tried to face them playing in this level because this is the level I want to get to with our players and progressively, we are getting better. Of course in 90 minutes, we struggled, maybe if they scored one goal the match would be different but we defended very well, we were very competitive in the first half. In the first half, there was more defending and in the second half, we were more competitive with the ball, tried to keep possession and tried to impose our position on the pitch.

"Football is to play with the ball. Without the ball, we tried to get good posititoning, we tried to stop the opponent, we tried to win. We tried to play and then tried to play with our skills. Of course, we did everything in those ways I think very well.

"90 minutes is for everything. The first half, we were being consistent, we weren't doing bad defensively. We were trying to dominate with the ball, keep the possesion tight to avoid players. We didn't do very well, but we were tired but we even got one chance with Ollie Watkins hitting the post. In the second half, we were planning the same but we did better than in the first. We were imposing, but we had more chances and hit the post but then we had two very good goals and we didn't concede a lot then and this is the mentality. The mentality is true and every player is responding on the pitch.

"It is 38 matches, today we played number 33. Today, something is more difficult with some things, but we had to always try to learn and try to improve, try to get to our highest level individually and collectively. Today is a very good example, but we now, we need to keep going, move on positively and now, try to avoid circumstances like how last week, against Brentford at home. But this is the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world."