Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Arsenal

[Lochheads twin]

Thats more like it!

Similar to Wednesday, picking a MoM not easy but for totally different reasons.

Mings just shaded Olie for me. The whole back 5 were all excellent but SJM and Marvellous put in good performances in from of the. SJM more like his old self. Traore played well and always looks dangerous when he had the ball, shame he did not finish that silky turn. We had the better of the chances despite defending in a disciplined and resolute fashion for a lot of the game. For Arsenal, I really like Xaka, he is top class, no doubt.

Shameful (desperate) of BT Sport trying to talk up the red card and penalty issues. Only United would have been given those.

Onwards. A good performance next Saturday night will get us right back on track. UTV.

 

[Dave-R]

Lol arsenal fans saying they should of had a penalty.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Dave-R

[Lerner's Driver]

Superb defensive performance and result - very pleasing. Why do we give the ball away so much though? It invites the backs against the wall performances we have been seeing a lot of recently.

[LondonLax]

We didn’t have a lot of possession but Matt Ryan had a tougher day than Martínez did. 

[tonyh29]

That was a pretty boring game of football on the whole .

Arsenal had more of the ball but their keeper had to work harder than ours did

another quiet one for Jack , Barkley looking like he doesn’t belong in the Prem yet again , Trarore still not able to decide if he’s a quality footballer or a giraffe on roller-skates .

back line stood up to the job well and we owe them for the 3 pts 

[Stockport_Villain]

Very resilient performance. Mings was immense but gave Cashy MoM for the continual denial of attacks that kept coming down his side. Glad Smith used his subs at the right time.

[Mantis]

Kind of weird how we've just plucked this recent good record against Arsenal out of nowhere. Prior to the win against them at the end of last season they'd regularly beat us comfortably, often with us barely putting up a fight.

2015/16 - lost 4-0 away, 2-0 at home

2014/15 - lost 5-0 away, 3-0 at home, plus that shameful 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup final

2013/14 - won 3-1 away, lost 2-1 at home

2012/13 - lost 2-1 away, 0-0 at home

2011/12 - lost 3-0 away, lost 2-1 at home

[theboyangel]

21 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

Lol arsenal fans saying they should of had a penalty.

So contentious it failed to make the Sky sports news highlights  

those highlights made it look like it was a steady afternoon with Martinez having little to do... 

[Sulberto21]

12 minutes ago, Mantis said:

Kind of weird how we've just plucked this recent good record against Arsenal out of nowhere. Prior to the win against them at the end of last season they'd regularly beat us comfortably, often with us barely putting up a fight.

2015/16 - lost 4-0 away, 2-0 at home

2014/15 - lost 5-0 away, 3-0 at home, plus that shameful 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup final

2013/14 - won 3-1 away, lost 2-1 at home

2012/13 - lost 2-1 away, 0-0 at home

2011/12 - lost 3-0 away, lost 2-1 at home

Prior to the Wenger years we were way ahead on head to head.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

Grafted. Not always easy to watch and Arsenal will feel they should have got something out of it, but we earned the points with the effort we put into protecting our lead.

I thought Cash was outstanding, the back four were really, really good, but for me Watkins was man of the match, the effort he puts in, week in, week out is extraordinary he's a dynamo, he never stops running - he gives us a first line of defence and a great outlet, he's brilliant.

In midfield we're still not quite right, Nkamba did very well again and I think will be pushing to start games, McGinn also was back on form, Barkley for me isn't in the game enough and isn't doing enough when he is, but he's playing a strange role and I'm not sure the shape is right with him in the side. 

What's noticeable is that where teams are now closing down and doubling up on Grealish, his fitness means that after about an hour he starts to find space and run them. Traore tires a little bit in games but he's fun to watch and Trez is great off the bench with the extra energy he brings.

Decent performance, but a very good three points.

 

Traore, is a strange one....I really like him, his first touch, is sublime and with his turn he opens teams up, very elusive.....I think it was good business.Trez shows his defensive skills better, but hasn't got the guile of Traore....the substitution timing was spot on.

[TRO]

28 minutes ago, Lerner's Driver said:

Superb defensive performance and result - very pleasing. Why do we give the ball away so much though? It invites the backs against the wall performances we have been seeing a lot of recently.

If there was one neggie....you have found it.

We do give the ball away too cheaply and too often....ball control should be better....Jack is one of the few who has it.

We bring teams in to the game, by being too sloppy on the ball....but Great result.

[srsmithusa]

2 hours ago, osmark86 said:

shoutout for SJM performance. he worked his bollocks off this game and did very well!

I came within a hair of giving him MOTM.  Went for Emi instead but absolutely Shocked McGinn has, as of now 0 votes for MOTM !?!?!

he was absolutely brilliant defensively and placed some simply beautiful balls forward.  He didn't have a flashy eye-catching moment (although one ball over the top to Grealish came close.  He was simply very, very good throughout. 

[The Fun Factory]

Who  is that fella on the guardian football weekly who hates Smith and supports Arsenal? Hope this will shut him up.

Arsenal fans seem to have our Lambert levels of support  circa 2012-2014 on Arteta, even though he is doing worse than Emery.

Edited February 6, 2021 by The Fun Factory

[TRO]

31 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

We didn’t have a lot of possession but Matt Ryan had a tougher day than Martínez did. 

we got the one stat that matters.

[TRO]

Ollie Watkins is some player....but glad Mingsy got MOTM, he deserved it.

Edited February 6, 2021 by TRO

[The Fun Factory]

1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I see Arsenal getting slagged by their fans,

I actually thought they played well.

But we defended WELLER.

 

Yes the walls didn't come tumbling down.

[Villa 59]

2 hours ago, The_Steve said:

Keep holding your dick SJM 

Does it get bigger the nearer we get to a Euro place? ....more Viagra needed

 

[TRO]

39 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

Lol arsenal fans saying they should of had a penalty.

The problem for them is, the one man who matters, thought different.

[Villa 59]

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

If there was one neggie....you have found it.

We do give the ball away too cheaply and too often....ball control should be better....Jack is one of the few who has it.

We bring teams in to the game, by being too sloppy on the ball....but Great result.

Doesn't matter...wherever the ball is Ollie will get it back

[fruitvilla]

1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

But we defended WELLER.

Can the players who defended WELLER,  be called WELLIES?

Edited February 6, 2021 by fruitvilla