What to say here then?
I think the title pretty much covers it really and I’m not sure there is much to add.
Indeed, maybe it’s just a case of us trying to keep the score down as much as possible.
I watched Arsenal play Man City the other night and thought they played very well. They ultimately weren’t as cutting as City, but what I found noticeable was the way they seem to swamp the opposition’s goal area when they attack.
Squad news then and Mings is a doubt with the thigh issue that caused him to miss the game last week.
As much as he’s not at all my cup of tea, I am big enough to say congratulations are in order in signing a two year contract extension. I’d have preferred to see us upgrade him, but it’s obvious I’ll have to dislike him for a good while yet.
There’s not really much else to say, except Traore may make the squad and Diego Carlos is back in training.
Arsenal’s Thomas Partey is doubtful with a back problem. Mohamed Elneny and Gabriel Jesus are both out but Emile Smith Rowe is set to return to the squad.
So it’s a stupid 12.30pm kickoff then and I fear for us today; more so than I did against Man City.
I know I said City were more cutting the other night, but I feel Arsenal on their day are extremely dangerous and have more than enough to despatch us easily.
Yet, for some reason I don’t really see a high scoring game. It’s just a guess, but I just have a feeling they’ll be able to play this game in second gear.
I do though, think we’ll nick one.
Hence I’m going for a 2-1 defeat.
It’s a bit short and sweet, but I think I’m writing this game off even more than I did last week’s.
I don’t expect us to get anything at all from the game and it’s just my hope that along with Arsenal, who play some nice footy, we can also put on an equally entertaining display.
One very good thing that has come from Emery’s arrival is that we play some lovely, free-flowing attacking football at times.
UTV!
Comments
52 responses to “Villa – Arsenal; Another tough one”
How good would it be to get something today?
I don’t see it at all though.
Team out:
Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Moreno
McGinn
Luiz
Kamara
Coutinho
Buendia
Watkins
Near enough out strongest team. Can we sneak a point? Or could Duran come in in the second half and turn the game on its head?
Can’t wait.
Coutinho and Buendia will be either great or a disaster.
Bailey and Ramsey rightly dropped imo, but make for good subs to come on later.
The good thing is players should be seeing that if they don’t perform, they’re out if there’s an option.
My thinking as well , we are not at the standards to get results that matter with us 11 th in the league. On another sad day Christian Atsu been found dead in the earthquake.condolence to his family. RIP
Indeed Bill.
RIP to all killed in the earthquake.
Richard Keys: “What’s the name of the stand opposite the Trinity rd?”
Andy Gray: “The Witton lane”
Gray going back to his days there, but it tickled me.
Great goal and a great start by Watkins.
Great work from Cash too.
1-0
Ollie 4 in 4.
I’m chuffed for him.
Mings your brilliant
6s and 7s at the back again just go into panic mode whenever the ball is around or in our box. Arsenal look there for the taking though.
Saka equalises after a poor header from Mings (Townsend’s comment).
1-1
Coutinho, after some cracking link up play there.
Brilliant stuff, 2-1
Good first half and the players are working their guts out to keep the press on.
Just hope we don’t tire before them.
I didn’t see a deflection on Coutinho shot but the Arsenal keeper threw himself the wrong way. Glorious move though. That booking should slow Saka down a bit. He is a handful though.
Yes, great player, but along with most of the Arse side, also very dubious.
He’s got away with a fair bit before that card.
Just seen a replay of Coutinho’s shot and he totally fooled the defender and goalie, who dived the wrong way.
That’s an even better finish than it first looked.
Arsenal equalise. Good strike and I’m not sure if anyone was at fault there.
2-2
And probably means we go on to lose.
What a joke ffs. So typical of us. This shit is Villa all over for how many years!?
Yep fully expect us to lose now. Shit!
I’ve literally just realised McGinn is playing.
Jesus, Konsa doing a Mings then.
Lucky.
6 mins extra time.
I thought the draw was looking a good bet then.
Hold em Villa!
I knew it.
3-2 after the ball bouces in off Martinez’s back.
Shit.
Not Martinez’s finest 90 minutes
Thinks he’s a lot better than he is, I’d happily sell him, makes far too many errors and for every world class save he’ll concede three he should have saved.
Sakas goal, he calls for Ming’s to leave it, Ming’s don’t head it ( poor header I know) and the ball doesn’t fall to Saka.
And I thought he should have saved Zinchenko’s.
That was certainly not his best performance today.
Does he actually shout for the ball, as I think he probably should have done for their first?
And he seems slow to come out sometimes.
Absolutely he should have
Guest I agree. He’s a comedian in football and cost us .Cash was poor, we just don’t have that believe in the game to win . Roll on the end of the season let’s get rid of no hope player’s
I thought cash played ok, didn’t do a lot wrong imo.
Brilliant ball for Watkins.
What’s happening to me I’m watching Nottingham and Man city and hate that player that robbed his boyhood team fiddling a pen. He’s a!! Player I’ve lost respect for, anyway 6 minutes on the clock that’s Fergie time and refs fiddles to me when, when will the fa catch referee’s that support their team in games and are not impartial. We player a fair game but had player’s that lost concentration an one that’s a comedian.
If we don’t start picking up points we’re going to be bang in trouble.
Some must win games coming up
It could be a rare season where more than 40 points are needed to stay up – could be?
If we can’t get more than 12 points from our next 15 games then we deserve to be in trouble although I don’t really see that being the case.
Everton away next – that’s not going to be easy – but then no games in the EPL are easy.
Just noticed another incredibly stupid thing. We have 3 matches in March. And SEVEN on April.
Utter madness.
I’d also wager 6 teams will get less than 38 points, the usual amount required to stay up.
Well just as I said a bloody clown ,Emery said I never told our goalkeeper to go up field and he’s angry I don’t blame him. I bet OLL will pick a few bones about Martinez’s game today ,can we afford a goalkeeper to give silly goals away ? No. It’s demoralizing to player’s on the pitch .
WARRIOR here conceiding 9 goals in 3 games is not acceptable wants to play champions league football couldn’t get in our local team that Mings grandad use to manage another poor performance well and truly pissed off