Things to look out for ahead of Arsenal's Premier League game with Aston Villa
Willian to re-find his form and who's going to stop Jack Grealish? What to look out for as Arsenal host Aston Villa.
Did you know Arsenal have exactly the same number of points as they did at this stage last year?
Believe it or not, the Arsenal of 2019-2020 had also lost two fewer games and scored three more goals than the crop of 2020-2021, all achieved while also playing three of the so-called Big Six early in the season.
Isn’t it funny how stats can be mis-leading?
Unai Emery’s Arsenal were chaotic, without a clear plan and showed no signs of forward progress. Mikel Arteta’s have just won 1-0 at Manchester United, their first Premier League victory at Old Trafford in 14 years.
The Gunners are currently ninth in the table, so not everything is perfect, but this team passes the eye test, whereas Emery’s did not. You can – dare we say it – trust Arteta’s Arsenal far more. So far, at least.
However, if there is one minor criticism of this year's Gunners, it’s that they have not scored enough goals and their attacking play has been stifled, with defensive solidity preferred.
So, step forward Aston Villa and Sunday’s match at the Emirates Stadium.
With away games at Liverpool, Manchester City and United, as well as a home clash with Leicester, all scheduled early this season, there was always going to be a limit on creative freedom.
But Arteta has spoken of his frustration at Arsenal’s cutting edge – or lack of it – and Villa’s visit seems the perfect chance to loosen up a little.
Three points is a must for a Gunners side that has top-four ambitions. If they don’t win, much of the hard work that went into winning at United will have been wasted.
Under Emery, it was always one step forwards, one step back. Now it’s time for Arteta to hit the accelerator.
Will Willian finally shine?
To do that, Arsenal really need their new right winger to find some form. Willian made a fine start to life in north London with two assists on his debut against Fulham in September in a game that ended with a 3-0 win.
But since then, he’s failed to register an assist and is still awaiting his first Gunners goal.
His performances have been sub-par – certainly not at the same level he produced for Chelsea towards the tail-end of last season – while the man he has been keeping out, Nicolas Pepe, has bagged three goals.
Arsenal should loosen the shackles this weekend. Villa have only conceded nine goals but seven of those have come in their last two games at home to Leeds and Southampton and Arteta seems keen to release Willian, Alex Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up front.
Villa’s amazing start to the season, which included that 7-2 win against Liverpool, has petered out and, although they start the weekend ahead of Arsenal, they can hardly be called rivals for the Champions League. These are the games top teams win.
“They [the front three] need to generate that cohesion, that understanding and those relationships on the pitch between the front players in order for things to work better,” Arteta said.
“I can see a development in the last two games and the understanding of things that we do but he’s [Willian] not used to. He’s getting better and better and we all know the quality that he has and he’s a great option to have on the pitch."
Elneny to miss out?
Mohamed Elneny was one of the stars of the show away at Old Trafford but, with all due respect to Aston Villa, they don’t have anywhere near the same kind of attacking quality as United.
To help induce some attacking impetus, Arteta will surely sacrifice one of his holding midfielders for tomorrow’s game and – let’s be honest – Thomas Partey is not here to sit on the bench.
Dani Ceballos has looked sharp this season and has a far greater range of passing, vision and creativity than his fellow midfielders and must be in Arteta’s mind.
Villa are also unlikely to come and play on the front foot.
Therefore, Elneny will probably be the one to make way as Arsenal chase goals but the Egyptian has shown enough in the opening six weeks to guarantee himself regular action this season.
Stopping Grealish
Stop Jack Grealish and you stop Aston Villa.
That’s the secret to overcoming the Midlanders, who have lost each of their three games at Arsenal with an aggregate score of 12-2.
Grealish has played a hand in nine Aston Villa goals so far this season, scoring five and assisting four more, so he’s in red-hot form.
Thomas Partey was brought in to shield the back four and prevent the likes of Grealish from getting too much space between the lines.
He’s done an outstanding job so far but Grealish represents another tough test as the former Atletico player adapts to the Premier League.
If Partey is given the task of stopping the Villa skipper, he might have the most important job on the pitch and hold the key to the result.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
