LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Arsenal hosted Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon with the Premier League season rumbling on. Here are five things we learned from the 3-2 win.
You would be forgiven for thinking that Arsenal were going to do it again. Just as their rivals were floundering around them and the top-four loomed, they would lay yet another egg at home. Aston Villa utterly dominated the Gunners in the first half. Ainsley Maitland-Niles was then sent off. Unai Emery’s side looked devoid of talent, attitude and application. And then, the second half. Matteo Guendouzi sensational, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring, Calum Chambers turning into Cafu. This was mental.
Here are five things we learned from Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: General view inside the stadium as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his team’s third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
5. The top four is on
This was not a very good performance. Do not let the second-half comeback paper over the chasms of the first-half calamity. If Arsenal continue to play as they did before the break, they will not be anywhere near a top-four finish. And yet, a top-four finish is very much possible for this team.
Now, there are issues that must be solved if Arsenal are to genuinely compete for a top-four finish, especially defensively. But Unai Emery does seem to know how to win these wild matches that his team do not deserve, and that will serve them well throughout a long and arduous campaign.
More pertinently, however, the rest of the ‘big six’ are struggling greatly. Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs all lost this weekend. With this victory, the Gunners moved into the top four — it is very early to draw any genuine conclusions from the table at this point. They are already three points clear of United, Spurs and Chelsea, with all looking like they have serious issues. Arsenal are not fine. They have problems. But the top four is still well within reach.
Arsenal were going to do it again. Just as their rivals were floundering around them and the top-four loomed, they would lay yet another egg at home. Aston Villa utterly dominated the Gunners in the first half. Ainsley Maitland-Niles was then sent off. Unai Emery’s side looked devoid of talent, attitude and application. And then, the second half. Matteo Guendouzi sensational, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring, Calum Chambers turning into Cafu. This was mental.</p>
<h2><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pain-in-the-arsenal-podcast-on-arsenal-fc/id1314514440?ign-mpt=uo%3D4%26amp%3Buo%3D4&mt=2%22>Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Conclusions in the Chaos</a></h2>
<p>Here are five things we learned from <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49705154">Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa</a>.</p>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-93070" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1176378693-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: General view inside the stadium as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his team’s third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>5. The top four is on</h4>
<p>This was not a very good performance. Do not let the second-half comeback paper over the chasms of the first-half calamity. If Arsenal continue to play as they did before the break, they will not be anywhere near a top-four finish. And yet, a top-four finish is very much possible for this team.</p>
<p>Now, there are issues that must be solved if Arsenal are to genuinely compete for a top-four finish, especially defensively. But Unai Emery does seem to know how to win these wild matches that his team do not deserve, and that will serve them well throughout a long and arduous campaign.</p>
<p>More pertinently, however, the rest of the ‘big six’ are struggling greatly. Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs all lost this weekend. With this victory, the Gunners moved into the top four — it is very early to draw any genuine conclusions from the table at this point. They are already three points clear of United, Spurs and Chelsea, with all looking like they have serious issues. Arsenal are not fine. They have problems. But the top four is still well within reach.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 4. Rash tackles, simple mistakes </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-93052" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1176367127-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal fouls Neil Taylor of Aston Villa leading to a red card and his dismissal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>4. Rash tackles, simple mistakes</h4>
<p>Let’s look at the six most defensive outfield players that started the match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, David Luiz, Sead Kolasinac, Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi. Of those six, four of them are notoriously rash in their defensive style. And the other two — Maitland-Niles and Guendouzi — do have moments of unhinged defending also.</p>
<p>As a defender, if you eagerly try to win the ball, you have to be sure you can get it. As soon as you fail, you vacate your position and leave the rest of the defence exposed. It is good to have aggressive defenders as a part of your team. You need a balance. To comprise almost the entirety of the defence out of eager tacklers is not a smart move, and Arsenal have consistently paid the price.</p>
<p>This time, it was <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=ainsley+maitland-niles%22>Ainsley Maitland-Niles’</a> turn to make the basic error of diving in when he needn’t have. A debate can be had about whether he deserved the second yellow card, but the fact that he even went to ground to tackle in the first place, out of control as he lunged at full pace, is foolish enough to be punished with a booking. It is getting increasingly frustrating to ask, but when in the world will Arsenal learn?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. The end of Granit Xhaka? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-93071" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1176376008-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Matteo Guendouzi of Arsenal battles for possession with Ahmed El Mohamady of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>3. The end of Granit Xhaka?</h4>
<p>Unai Emery trusts <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=granit+xhaka%22>Granit Xhaka</a> seemingly more than any other player. He is the ‘club captain’, is one of the first names on the teamsheet, and plays a crucial, foundational role in the team. But could his team in the starting XI be coming to an end?</p>
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<p>Xhaka has endured a horrible start to the season. Looking slow and lapse, not only have his defensive shortcomings undermined Arsenal’s midfield impact; his distribution and passing, which he is in the team for, have also been disappointing, not progressing play with forward, quick, tempo-setting passes. And this might have been his worst game of the year, bar the disastrous North London Derby.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Lucas Torreira’s mobility has been crucial to a modern midfield set-up, while his defensive acumen far outweighs the sleepiness of the Swiss international. And then there is Matteo Guendouzi, who, despite his Xhaka-esque error for the opener, was the inspiration behind Arsenal’s comeback and can do everything that Xhaka can do and more.</p>
<p>So could this finally be the end of Xhaka in the starting XI? Well, I am not so sure. Sadly, Emery trusts Xhaka innately and it will take a lot for him to drop his star midfielder. But the evidence is mounting, and at some point, it will be overwhelming.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. You have to want it more </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Wesley of Aston Villa celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>2. You have to want it more</h4>
<p>I do not usually pay much attention to ‘dinosaur’ pundits who dismiss the modern advancements of tactics and analysis and skill and understanding. The relentless repetition of desire, heart, fight, grit and character can get a little tiresome. That said, these qualities do make a difference to a team’s performance, especially when they are absent.</p>
<p>On Sunday, Aston Villa simply ‘wanted it more’. I am still not quite sure what that means, and I am also uncertain about how an apparently professional, competitive team cannot want to win, but simply watching the contrasting central midfield performances illustrates exactly this point.</p>
<p>John McGinn and Jack Grealish were superb. They ran and ran and ran, they beat Arsenal players to second balls, they snapped into challenges and passed the ball calmly and with progression. Matteo Guendouzi and Granit Xhaka, meanwhile, seemingly did not want to be there — just rewatch Aston Villa’s second goal if you want any proof of this. It is obvious to say, and a little ancient analysis, but you have to want it more than the opposition, and the Gunners, predictably, did not.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. Unai Emery is in trouble </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal gives the ball to Frederic Guilbert of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>1. Emery in trouble or not?</h4>
<p>At half-time, there were plenty of fans calling for <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=unai+emery%22>Unai Emery’s</a> head. Arsenal had put it yet another horrible performance, the team looked lost defensively, slow and lethargic in possession, and were largely outplayed by newly-promoted Aston Villa. And many were rightly blaming Emery for these issues.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Had the game continued in that manner after the break, I would have been writing Emery’s will — just to clarify, I would not be calling for him to be sacked, but the growing doubts of recent weeks would only be intensified. But it didn’t.</p>
<p>Arsenal completely changed the game with an inspirational second-half display. It was sensational. The players turned up for Emery. They fought for him. They showed heart, grit, character, resilience, qualities that Emery should be credited for instilling.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: Player ratings" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-player-ratings-what-just-happened/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-inspiring-matteo-guendouzi/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/22/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-player-ratings-what-just-happened/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: Player ratings </a> </div>
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<p>So is Emery in trouble or not? Well, it is difficult to say. There are certainly improvements that need to be made. Arsenal cannot play as they did in the first half and expect much success this season. But at the same time, Emery and his players are fighting hard, and that must count for something.</p><!—pageview_candidate—></p>">
