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Ratings & Reactions : Villa v Arsenal


limpid

Who was your man of the match?  

75 members have voted

  1. 1. Who was your man of the match?

    • Guzan
      0
    • Vlaar
      0
    • Clark
      8
    • Srevens
      1
    • Lowton
      1
    • El Ahmadi
      1
    • Westwood
      32
    • Bannan
      8
    • Agbonlahor
      11
    • Benteke
      6
    • Weimann
      5
    • Lichaj (for Vlaar 51)
      0
    • Holman (for El Ahmadi 63)
      1
    • Albrighton (for Weimann 90)
      1


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I thought losing Vlaar was when the floodgates might open but credit to our defenders for getting their heads & feet in the way of everything.

The midfield and wide forwards were brilliant today in keeping the Arsenal players from having time on the ball and forcing turnovers.

We were just a little disjointed in attack, but the fact that Arsenal were also disjointed suggests that things were very tough out there for both teams.

In the end I reckon either team could have walked away with a 1-0 win, so 0-0 was probably the fair result.

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Good point, should've won. Westwood, Bannan and esp Holman should play every week. They're great at harrassing and winning the ball back. KEA not so good, ok for subs. Clark mom for me, together with Gabby. Hope Vlaar's okay.

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Full ratings

Guzan - 6 - nothing to do really

Lowton - 6 - not one of his best games but did ok. Actually better when he moved to the centre today

Clark - 7 - solid

Vlaar - 7 - solid as well until he went off

Stevens - 6 - not too impressed today

Westwood - 9 - top class. MOTM

Bannan - 8 - Did well

KEA - 6 - ok, but his booking held him back

Gabby - 7 - Lively

Weimann - 7 - Unlucky, looked better second half

Benteke - 8 - Strong

Holman - 7 - did well when he came on

Lichaj - 6 - not great

Albrighton - N/A

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Vital point at home. That it came against Arsenal and was a clean sheet is even better. Hopefully the work rate shown today is a sign of things to come. I think Holman clearly needs to start ahead of KEA, he's a better tackler and better going forward...seems a fairly obvious choice, IMO.

Impressed by Westwood, Gabby, Clarke and Holman.

Now to grab three points against Reading

Collymore saying unconfirmed reports that MON has offered his resignation tonight

When the going gets tough, Martin O'Neill quits...

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A hard earned and well deserved point. We'd have been really unlucky if we'd have lost that, but I was kind of expecting it given the rotten luck we've had so far this season. Whenever Arse had the ball in our final 3rd I was thinking "oh here we go" but the way we won the ball back today was excellent. Although Holman was unlucky with his effort (saved by a goalie that should have really been sent off forhandling the ball outside the 18 yard box in the first half) I'm just glad that the defense got themselves a clean sheet as that will do wonders for confidence in the crucial three games coming up. I'm actually quite hopeful and we should be looking to win all three.

Brad - 6 - Made a couple of good saves

Lowton - 6 - Worked hard on the flanks and slotted in well after Vlaar went off

Stevens - 6 - Played well and could keep Bennett out of the team

Vlaar - 6 - Solid at the back, hope he is not out for too long

Clark - 6 - Kept Podolski out of the game

Westwood - 7 - Composed on the ball and always looking to win it back. One to watch it seems.

Bannan - 6 - Solid game but deliveries were a bit wayward

El Ahmadi - 6 - Worked hard but the yellow card ruined his game

Agbonlahor - 7 - Put in a real shift and never gave up. Lets hope for more of the same.

Weimann - 7 - Unlucky with his offside effort as we've had those decisions against us. Worked hard all game.

Benteke - 6 - Got stuck in all game and gave the Arse defence something to really think about.

Subs

Lichaj - 6 - Solid enough but still sloppy going forward

Holman - 6 - Gave everyone a lift and unlucky with the effort, ran his socks off

Albrighton - Not on long enough.

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I was impressed today, as I have been recently with how our young side are developing. Westwood has really settled in nicely now and is a great passer of the ball. We have quite a few players now who actually want to receive the ball and do something with it, which was crucially missing last season.

Hope Vlaar's injury isn't too bad as he was excellent. However, Lowton did well at centre-back and Clark played well too. I think he's improved quite a bit recently.

Weimann is impressive. He wants to run at people and make things happen, and also has the energy and willing to track back. He's just missing a creative spark at times and could do with getting his head up just that little bit more quickly at times. Do like him though.

Also, Eric Lichaj has won Movember.

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'held on against Arsenal?'

Apart from the last 5 minutes I thought we were the better team throughout.

In fairness, when Vlaar went off and Enda Stevens was up against Arshavin, were you saying "I think we're gonna win this one"?

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Arsenal were dreadful, good point on the whole. Very boring game but they should take some heart from it. Got to back it up with a win on Tuesday which will be a very tricky game. I think with Ireland and Bent restored we'll have the extra quality to make it count.

Anxious to hear the extent of concretes' calf injury

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A brilliant performance. Our work ethic is fantastic. The only qualm I have is that we seem to tire with 25 mins to go.....Having said that, this is obviously being worked at in training and our fitness levels and energy is improving. Great tactics today. Spot on. It stopped Arsenal's creative players dominating the flow of the game. Just require that little bit of cutting edge in front of goal, but it will come. A massive, massive game on Tuesday. If we can get 3 points, that will really pull us away. I have no concerns if we play the same way on Tuesday, that we will get the 3 points we need.

A few stand out players. As usual, Matt Lowton continues to impress. The guy takes everything in his stride, nothing phases him. He has been a great buy. Westwood also looks very promising.Very composed on the ball...He finds those little pockets of space in the middle. His game awareness is excellent, and his positioning and distribution is superb. He can certinly pick a pass. Great little player.Excited about him. The same can't be said of KEA. To me, he looks very uncomfortable. Maybe the pace of the Premier League has suprised him and he needs more time to adapt. I don't ever feel assured when he has the ball at his feet. Hopefully, he will turn a corner though.

Shame about big Ron going off. Firstly, because Fantasy Football decided I wasn't entitled to a clean sheet and more importanly....We need him fit for Tuesday. The injuries are certainly stacking up. But, we are hanging in there. A cluster of difficult fixtures out the way. Now it is crucial to get some momentum.

Just a shame Holman's strike didn't go under the ball......We are due a bit of luck. A decent point to build on...Hopefully.

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Hard fought point and a rare clean sheet.

Very good approach to the game and good performance by Lowton and Clark, whereas in the midfield Bannan and Westwood are improving.

The only thinh that I haven't understood is the sense of KEA, that clearly is not able to play football, in the starting XI. Holman is not Maradona but is much better than KEA.

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Just got back - outstanding effort and real signs of improvement

Westwood was awesome - ran the midfield

Lambert is assembling a squad that work hard for him and for each other

No way will we go down, absolutely no way - comfortable by new year and mid-table at season end

One in the eye for all the boo boys on here

PS apologies due to Bannan - I thought he was too lightweight to make it in the prem. I think that I was premature in my judgement - he was really excellent today

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