Good time for a break? Three takeaways from the Aston Villa defeat

Could the international break be exactly what Arsenal need? Three things to take away from the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League

By Adam Le Roux

Let’s face it, Arsenal deserved that defeat. They just weren’t good enough. All over the pitch, Aston Villa dominated, pressured, and pulverised Arsenal into submission, the hosts just couldn’t hack it.  

This is a team that only managed to stay in the division on the last day of last season, a much-improved version maybe, but still, Arsenal shouldn’t be surrendering so meekly to them on their own turf. 

The warning signs were there, when John McGinn rifled in after 48 seconds, Mikel Arteta knew his side were in for a game, but even that didn’t wake them up, and they looked lackadaisical throughout.  

Even when Bukayo Saka turned the ball into his own net and Arsenal went a goal behind, the urgency seemed half-hearted at best, with Alexandre Lacazette pounding a header over the bar, and Rob Holding firing wide after the break.  

Then came the sucker punch, two rapid goals from Ollie Watkins put the game to bed, and the Gunners succumbed to their third defeat in four Premier League matches, that losing feeling has been all too familiar of late. 

Let’s take a look at what Arsenal can take away from Sunday’s game, and the main talking points heading into the international break.  

Where is Arsenal’s Grealish? 

Love him or loathe him, Jack Grealish had another performance that made the Premier League stand up and take notice of him at the Emirates yesterday, with much of Villa’s stacking threat coming through the playmaker.  

The 25-year-old has linked up with summer arrival Ross Barkley with ease, and the duo seemed to be running rings round the Gunners’ defence at times, none more so than for the opening goal of the game.  

Both Grealish and Barkley knocked the ball around like they were down the park, let alone front and centre of a Premier League game. 

The home defence watched on as Barkley threaded through Matt Targett, who’s cross was bundled in for the opener.  

Barkley was involved again for the second, when his first-time volleyed cross picked out Watkins to head home, before Grealish ran the length of the field to set the same man up for the third.  

Watching all this unfold begged the question, where is Arsenal’s Grealish? Or Barkley? That sort of player who can take the game by the scruff of the neck and produce a bit of magic.  

With a front three that seem particularly shot-shy at the minute, and the goals drying up for the normally so reliable Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, you start to wonder where the inventiveness and creativity will come from in the Gunners’ team. 

We are yet to see the best of Willian in an Arsenal shirt, and the lack of consistency all over the pitch is starting to be concerning, with last weekend’s victory at Old Trafford all but forgotten after the Villa horror show.

  

Arsenal are crying out for more creativity at the moment, that bit of spark, and if they don’t find it soon, it could be another long slog of a season ahead.  

Partey time is over 

To add injury to insult, it looks like Thomas Partey could be set for a spell on the sidelines, after the midfielder was withdrawn at half time with a thigh injury.

  

The £45m summer signing from Atletico Madrid has looked promising in his appearances in the Gunners’ midfield since his debut against Rapid Vienna three weeks ago, but this setback could be a major blow for the weeks ahead. 

Mikel Arteta confirmed that the Ghanaian international will go for a scan early this week to confirm the extent of the damage, and then decide whether he is to link up with his country later in the week. 

"We don't know, we have to scan him tomorrow or the day after,” Arteta said after the match. "He felt it straight away after seven or eight minutes.” 

After a solid start to life as a Gunner, Arsenal fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that the 27-year-old will be fighting fit for the trip to Leeds in a fortnight’s time. 

Good time for a break? 

If we’re honest, Arsenal fans could all do with a bit of time off after that defeat. They need to calm down, first and foremost, and Arteta will no doubt need to ponder over the shortcomings of his squad.  

So as much as we all want to see Premier League action week in week out, some time apart could do this team wonders, as they can turn their attention to the international fixtures they have lined up, rather than stew on a turgid performance. 

Maybe Auba can rediscover his scoring touch in Gabon’s double-header against The Gambia, while Nicolas Pepe will have a couple of games against Madagascar to get back into his groove.  

And for those who aren’t playing for their countries, it will be a much-needed break from competitive action, after a jam-packed period of fixtures in the Premier League and in Europe.  

With a couple of weeks to prepare for the trip to Elland Road, Arsenal should be chomping at the bit to be righting the wrongs of the Villa display, and keep themselves in touch with the top of the table.