That’s more like it!
After our last appearance on Friday night football, let’s be honest, we feared the worst because you never know what team will turn up.
But we are the Arsenal, and we work hard, we train hard, we try and we very rarely give up!
After a good first half and poor second against Crystal Palace on Monday that saw a 2-2 draw, you could sense there were some nerves from the fans and maybe even some players before kick-off. But the difference was that Arsenal this time round did not disappoint.
With intense pressure and teamwork from the first to the last whistle from all the players, Arsenal finally gave a good performance and one that we know they are capable of. Which is why we get so frustrated when it doesn’t go how we know it could.
56 minutes on the clock and Arsenal were 3-0 up against an Aston Villa side who were well below par and very very rattled.
Or were they? Were they really that bad or were Arsenal just so intense, dominant and so hard to play against that Villa barely got a look in? I will go with the latter because that is exactly what it was.
Every single player on the pitch on the night, played a key part, attacking, defending, pressing and working together no matter their position or role.
Arsenal meant business with a 3-1 win and with goals coming from Aubameyang, Partey and Smith-Rowe, well, this is what we like to see.
Although we did concede one goal late on just like in the Spurs game but we hung on for all three points and a much needed win to begin the weekend on a positive note.
I also want to give praise to Lacazette, of course there would be doubts over whether he would perform at the same intensity and level if he started the game, as he did when he came on as a sub against Palace. Sometimes that is the case when players come on as a sub they impact games, but if they start the next game they very rarely do, but Laca performed very well from start to finish and showed his experience and talent.
The question now is, will the whole team be able to keep this level or performance up or will they drop off again for the next game? Well only time will tell.
But from the players, to the fans at the Emirates on the night, that is what we want to see and hear!
Shenel Osman
@sh3n3l_
First time we’ve played a proper high press since the FA Cup final in my opinion and what a difference it makes.
I think the reality is that our team is horribly unfit. Imagine we were as fit as Leeds, it would make a huge difference.
And being out of Europe we have a fantastic opportunity to work on fitness while others teams have matches when we don’t.
Liverpool attackers always press like duracell bunnies. Maybe we have to hijack their head of fitness/ conditioning, medical rehab/ performance manager and head of nutrition
Their main high pressers also don’t drink alcohol and waste time in nightclubs. I hope our attackers have similar healthy lifestyles
Yeah I agree, look some of our players are very fit but the entire team needs to be to be able to press effectively.
We starved them of the ball completely it the 1st half, it was great.
Gai
That a way to go. This is absolutely up to Arsenal coach. Arteta can always get the best out of his forward players by having a pattern and make demands from his players. I have always said the training and drilling of this players needs a looking. I see an improvement in the way Auba press this days which is good for the teams and he is getting goals too. It’s all about hard work. Top6 won’t come cheap this season. I commend their never given up spirit though. Which was evident against C Palace.
Yeah Aubameyang seems to work harder now
I didn’t get to see the game as had a mates bday .
So just watched the 3 min highlights this Morning so can not really comment on the game but looked at the stats and other peeps comments and looks like a convincing win .
Let’s hope it’s not one of these one off game performances and the next one is stale as seems to happen more often than not .
Anyway upwards and onwards .
It was a very good performance. Like Gunneray has said below, it was like watching the Arsenal of old we know and love. I was even surprised that it felt I was watching Arsenal play. They keep playing like that and a lot of people are going to be happy.
We beat a strong team that are full of high quality players, won against Man United at Old Trafford and recently dominated Wolves
Lacazette is finally able to be the combative CAM required by the team. He might be too slow to do high pressing, but his full commitment in highly physical midfield battles is commendable
We can make the faster attackers to press high up the pitch and let Lacazette do the dirty midfield job for us. Hopefully the same tactic will work in Leicester, otherwise we still have Odegaard to play differently
If Lacazette continues in this vein and score minimum of 15 goals this season, I suggest he should be given a year contract extension. It also seem he would be able to play with Auba. From the win over Aston Villa it should be clear to the players that hard work with a fight is the way to go. No EPL match win will come cheap.
I believe he’s been offered a short contract extension. I’d understand if he’d like a new three-year contract with an increased salary, because he’ll be 31 years old next year
I watched the game on catch up this morning and agree that the performance was a breath of fresh compared to the stodgy match on Monday night. Perhaps they had eaten their Weetabix for breakfast.
The conundrum is why performances differ so much from week to week.
Nail on the head, if we can just do this consistently we’d be a different animal.
I’d also add that even if we had lost I think fans would be a lot more accepting if we played this well and were just beaten by a better team on the day.
Yes, No-one wants to lose but losing to a better team on the day is preferable than going out with a whimper. Give your best is the absolute minimum
I think Tavares was the Weetabix, SueP! He gave us so much energy going forwards and was immense with his tackles getting the ball back!
Many fans seem to believe that when we win we played great and when we lose we played bad. I think Arsenal have played exactly the same every game this season. The Manager was the same, the same basic 14 now 13 man squad plus Xhaka was played, the same formation was set up and the same tactics employed. In my opinion the only thing that changed was the calibre of the opposition.
We lost to CL holders Chelsea and PL holders City. We beat 20th Norwich 18th Burnley. We won home ties v Spurs and Villa who were both in two game losing troughs . We also lost to Brentford away when we were bady affected by injury and ilness. We drew at top 4 Brighton. Even the home draw to Palace was no surprise. So all of our results this season so far have been entirely predictable.
No matter who we pick what the tactics are this is what the results of our next 5 league results are likely to be
Leicester (A) Loss/Draw
Watford (H) Win
Liverpool (A) Loss
Newcastle (H) Win
Man Utd (A) Loss.
And I will be very satisfied with such results
You’ll be satisfied with 3 losses in our next 5 games? Wow
No, yesterday was very different. 442 with Lacazette made a massive difference.
I agree largely with your predictions, but it really matters how we win and lose. If we play like yesterday, it will be a tough game for Liverpool, even if they win; if we play like Monday, it could be a devastating loss.
Same with Watford – if we play like yesterday, chances are we’ll win comfortably, play like Monday we might squeak a win, but a draw or loss are possible.
I’m glad you’re not the owner of Arsenal, fairfan! We need to get rid of mediocrity, not invite it!!
FF, YOUR FIRST PARAGRAPH IS OBVIOUSLY UTTER NONSENSE.
@fairfan nice article,but I don’t see arsenal loosing at old Trafford.
Energy, passion, commitment and result!
That was the first time In a long time I have watched an Arsenal team that resembled a true Arsenal performance. We were at the heals of Aston Villa. Chasing them down and closing the spaces. Choking them and forcing them into losing the ball. Exactly what we haven’t done in a long time.
I hope this is the way we go forwards now. Every player in the starting eleven should be proud of themselves. A massive turn around from the CP game!
I will just say that after Laca went off the game dropped a little. It’s obvious what he brings to the game. We need to tie him into another contract ASAP!
Every player was exceptional – WELL DONE BOYS! COYG!!!!
Well said, GunneRay!! 👍
There were no bad performers yday .. and some really encouraging ones from younger players … plenty of misplaced passes but that was from trying to play forward which has been rare this year .. so lots of learning but it has to be the way to go … I still don’t see aube and laca as our attacking combo beyond this year .. lacazette was very good and aube put in a shift but somehow the combo is less than the parts .. only worry was that some players looked pretty exhausted by 75th minute
A very good birthday gift to the one and only AW. Great performance and a great win, keeping in mind we need to be consistent with such performances. Hopefully, Laca starts henceforth and his partnership with Auba can lead to lots of goals for Arsenal.
Weldone boys, that was a very good performance, we want more of this in every match and you will all win my respect again….