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Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa | Talking Points

Ten-man Arsenal stole a late win against an enterprising Aston Villa, who will feel unlucky to leave empty-handed.

Both sides made a change a piece with youngster Saka rewarded for his Europa League brace with a place in the front three for Arsenal. As for Aston Villa, they welcomed back forward Trezeguet from suspension and it was the visitors who started the brighter with midfielder McGinn stinging Leno’s palms with two efforts from distance.

McGinn wasn’t to be denied for much longer though and when he flicked in from an El Ghazi in the twentieth minute it was no less than Aston Villa deserved. Arsenal’s half went from bad to worse in the 41st minute as Maitland Niles was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Arsenal somehow roused themselves in the second half though as Guendouzi drove his team forward and the young French midfielder won his side a penalty on the hour mark which new signing Pepe drilled down the middle to open his account for the club.

Incredibly Arsenal were level for less than 90 seconds as first McGinn threatened and then Grealish waltzed through to pull back for Wesley to poke in.

Bizarrely from then Arsenal were the better side, with Aston Villa seemingly unsure whether to stick or twist. Again Guendouzi was the driving force with a shot that Heaton saved before his clipped ball saw Chambers try and cross in only for the ball to fall back at his feet, he then floated a clever finish into the top corner to bring Arsenal level with nine minutes left.

Arsenal then had the bit between their teeth and three minutes later Aubameyang won a free kick on the edge of the area which he then drove a wobbling, swerving, knuckleball into the bottom corner as Heaton watched on motionless.

There was still time for Aston Villa to be bizarrely denied by VAR as Sokratis handball stopped a Hourihane shot. Overall, Aston Villa will be heartbroken their display went unrewarded as they remain in the relegation zone. Arsenal were lucky to win but somehow find themselves in fourth place and given the flaws elsewhere in the league, this is an opportunity that can not be spurned.

McGinn a midfield throwback

The Scottish midfielder was linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer prompting questions as to if he was the required standard for the biggest club in the world.

The only questions for United now would be who to drop for McGinn and whether to make him club captain straight away.

McGinn was everywhere on Sunday with six shots, two tackles, one interception, one clearance and a 100 percent pass completion rate, as well as a lovely glanced finish. The Scotsman has an all-round midfield game reminiscent of the days of 4-4-2 when midfielders were asked to contribute in attack and defence. McGinn’s frank attitude post-match when asked if Aston Villa did enough against ten men also suggests the 24-year-old could play higher up the league and he may be subject to a move come the summer.

VAR – what is it good for?

Another week of VAR controversy ended at the Emirates with two contentious decisions that highlight the flaws in its Premier League implementation.

Ainsley Maitland Niles was unlucky to be booked for a second time after a tackle in which he appeared to be in control, made contact with the ball and didn’t look to put his opponent in any danger. If the reluctance of VAR to overrule Jon Moss on that incident was questionable, the reluctance to not award Aston Villa a penalty at 3-2 was laughable.

Sokratis clearly leaned in to block Hourihane’s shot with his arm. The fact Moss didn’t award it was unacceptable enough but for VAR to not intervene seems bizarre. On the evidence of the first six-weeks, VAR officials appear reluctant in the extreme to overrule their on field colleagues and maybe the only way around it to let the on field referee view a monitor and change their own decision – otherwise VAR is redundant in its current Premier League guise.

Emery clinging on to respectability

Villa manager Dean Smith revealed he studied Emery’s Valencia when on his coaching badges. Any manager studying Emery’s Arsenal would learn a lot too. How not to organise a defence. How to play three holding midfielders but still have no defensive cover. How to presumably train all week but appear to have no attacking shape or philosophy.

After receiving a second half peppering by Watford, Arsenal proceeded to concede 14 shots to relegation candidates Aston Villa and were again reliant on Leno who made seven saves to take him to 29 for the season – the most of any goalkeeper in the league. Arsenal have now conceded 10 in the last five and it is only the striking prowess of Aubameyang and the flawed challenges of Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United that is keeping Arsenal in the hunt for Champions League football.

Emery has clearly still got the players on side given the character they showed on Sunday and in the previous home game against Tottenham, but stirring comebacks tend not to be sustainable and with Allegri and Mourinho out of work, Emery needs to find a formula quickly.

Chambers and Holding to the rescue?

David Luiz managed to get through the ninety minutes without an obvious calamity but with Sokratis looking a shadow of the player he did this time last year; could it be that Emery turns to Rob Holding and Calum Chambers to play in a back three with Luiz? Both Englishmen have struggled to impose themselves in their Arsenal careers but have shown flashes of talent when called upon.

Neither of them appear afflicted by the tendency for liability and a back three with the soon to return Bellerin and Tierney at wing-back could provide a secure platform for Arsenal’s only strength – their front three – to perform.

Guendouzi emerges as a leader

Game by game the young French midfielder becomes more and more the spiritual and physical leader of this team. Guendouzi made the most passes of any player on the pitch and as in the last home comeback against Spurs, it was Guendouzi who drove the team forward in seemingly hopeless circumstances.

Against Spurs his lovely floated ball created an equaliser for Aubameyang and a similar ball on Sunday created the Chambers equaliser. He had already won a penalty for Pepe with a driving run and appears to be the only Arsenal player with a bit of spirit and charisma.

Sometimes that feistiness threatens to boil over and spill into petulance as it did last week at Watford but Emery needs more spiky performers, not less and perhaps the fact a young temperamental midfielder is the spiritual leader of the team says more about Arsenal, Emery and his team mates than it does about Guendouzi.

Next Up

Arsenal travel to Manchester United next week with Aston Villa hosting Burnley.

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