Three swipes Three effects Three distinct sound effects. The meat of Jorginho’s boot was cut off by the whip of a perfectly struck football. The orchestral clank of the crossbar at Villa Park. The dull thud as it slammed against the innocent Emi Martnez’s skull. Perhaps this is the sound of salvation. A fourth noise followed immediately after those three: the sound of disbelieving shrieks coming from the away Arsenal fans, as if they had been rescued from the depths of despair they feared they would never escape.
Everyone expected Arsenal to return to the top of the league, but nothing about this seemed easy or predetermined. In point of fact, up until Martnez’s own goal in the third minute of injury time, it appeared as though their race might very well be played in the Birmingham suburbs.
Aston Villa would not have been disgraced with three points in this game if they had led early, led again, and hit the bar on 82 minutes. Instead, they lost by two clear goals, with Gabriel Martinelli rolling the ball into an empty net and Martnez, who had gone up for a corner, watching unintentionally once more.
For nearly a decade, Martnez distinguished Arsenal. However, they probably never loved him more than they did then. Unai Emery also received a sickening sucker punch in his first match against his former club. In the end, they failed due to a common flaw: a failure to defend second balls around their penalty area’s edge.
This will be remembered as a significant opportunity missed by Boubacar Kamara and Ollie Watkins, despite their tireless efforts: a full week of practice against a tired and battered team that had lost to Manchester City on Wednesday.This season, Villa has a tendency to score and concede early.
Arsenal’s title hopes
Therefore, Villa Park had already gone through the entire emotional weather pattern when the score was tied at 1-1 after 16 minutes. After Matty Cash’s stirring surge from right back, Watkins broke the offside trap with a fine left-footed finish that raised the stakes early on.
The Arsenal response was abrupt and cold: After Tyrone Mings, who was coming back, failed to clear with a good header, Bukayo Saka smashed in a loose ball from 16 yards out. Then, as we were? Not exactly. Both teams had demonstrated weaknesses and commitment to an open game. Even so, Arsenal’s re-slicing into pieces after half an hour left something a little shocking.
Kamara, one of the best players on the field, was given permission to receive and completely unchallenged advance into the Arsenal half. After three clever passes and an Emi Buenda dummy, Philippe Coutinho received the ball and gave Aaron Ramsdale the eye and sent him in the wrong direction.
What if Thomas Partey had allowed that to occur? Could Gabriel Jesus? Would Caicedo Moisés? If Arsenal goes out of the season without a player, these are the possible outcomes. However, despite the numerous minor flaws that have surfaced over the past few weeks, there are still indications of optimism.
Before his late heroics, Jorginho had already played well. Saka, who was ripped to shreds once more throughout the afternoon, has not abandoned his threat. Additionally, they continue to have the fortunate ability to create goals almost entirely from scratch.