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Last update: Monday, March 18, 2002 at 10:47:57 AM
Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 2
FA Barclaycard Premiership
Villa Park, Birmingham
41,250
Ref: P Jones
As Robert Pires scored his contender for Villa Park's goal of the season on 60 minutes I commented to my long-suffering neighbour in L4 that Arsenal wouldn't have an easier three points all season. That I was proved wrong by a Villa side that finally lost their respect for their illustrious guests and got stuck in to a rousing finale is some indication perhaps that the long ball game is now so far out of vogue that top defences just donât know how to handle it. Sol Campbell certainly didn't as the outstanding Dion Dublin (yes, that's 'outstanding' and 'Dion Dublin' in the same sentence!) lapped up the new tactics with relish.
As expected, Juan Pablo Angel wasn't fit, but it was a surprise to see his place up front taken by Paul Merson. All week the talk had been about a full debut for Bosko Balaban, but the Croat didn't even make the 16. Graham Taylor is presumably still struggling with that particular enigma, or maybe he's just given up? Hassan Kachloul was given a start on the right wing with Hadji being dropped to the bench.
The first half was an embarrassment. Without ever really moving through the gears, Arsenal showed that they really are in a different League to us. The touch of Bergkamp, the power of Vieira and the class of Pires was simply overwhelming Villa who had no answer at all. Were it not for some outstanding defending, primarily from Mark Delaney (who denied two or three clear cut chances with last ditch tackles) then the interval deficit would have been much greater than the single goal that it finally was.
That goal came from yet another error from Peter Schmeichel. A dubiously awarded free kick was hit through the driving rain by Wiltord and Schmeichel failed to collect it cleanly as it skidded off the pitch at him. Still, the Dane recovered to make a block from Vieira on the rebound, but the ball bounced loose to the Brazilian Edu who scored with ease and celebrated wildly with his manager on the touchline. Schmeichel may well point to his defenders and ask why it was that both rebounds fell to Arsenal players, but his defenders may well say that they'd expect him to catch the ball first time. It was a bad goal all round, and after only 15 minutes you're left thinking that we can't afford to give such quality opponents such generous gifts; and so it proved.
Villa then reverted to a sort of hit and hope football that without a target man was as ineffective as it was ugly. Vassell and Merson, bright initially, soon gave up the race to get on the end of yet another long punt. Neither are exactly famed for their aerial prowess are they? Vassell did test Seaman with one shot from a narrow angle, and Merson did curl one narrowly over, but the gulf in class between the two sides was frightening. Arsenal gave the impression of toying with Villa, showing the home side how pass and move can be executed. Villa seemed content to sit back and watch, and as I say, without the alertness of Mellberg, and more especially Delaney, the damage could have been much greater.
Changes were needed, and Graham Taylor has shown already that heâs not scared to make early substitutions. Once again he used the interval to shake things up. The injured Vassell was replaced by Dublin, and the ineffective Kachloul was replaced by his Moroccan mate Hadji.
Instantly Villa looked more interested in the game. Dublin was winning everything in the air as the long punts finally had a target to aim for and Villa turned the game into something of a battle, with Hitzelsperger and Boateng sending in some crunching tackles in midfield. Arsenal didn't look comfortable with this new set up at all as Campbell struggled to cope with Dublin and Hadji popped up here, there and everywhere to torment the visitor's defence.
10 minutes into the half and Villa were presented with an easy opportunity to level the scores. Barry wormed his way in to the box, and as the ball rolled away from him he fell over under a challenge from Dixon. The referee awarded a penalty, rather harshly I thought, and Barry himself got up to take the kick. It was well hit to Seamanâs left, but the England keeper flung himself the right way and threw up an arm to save the shot, much to the delight of the travelling Gooners.
Within minutes the visitors made Villa pay. A superb cross field ball from Ljungberg found Pires, who with his first touch lifted it deftly over Boateng, and with his second lobbed it gently over the advancing Schmeichel for as good a goal as you'll see. All around me even the Villa fans were standing to applaud a real moment of magic from surely the player of the year, and it's not often that you can say that!
As I say, you might then have expected Arsenal to cruise to victory unopposed. However Villa, to their credit, weren't prepared to lie down just yet. Dublin connected well with Staunton's free kick, but the ball went narrowly wide before the big man did register a well-deserved and well-taken strike with still more than 20 minutes left. The equally impressive Hadji jinked his way down the left wing to the bye line (see, I told you he was a left winger!) and sent over a delightful cross that Dion headed emphatically past Seaman at the near post to score. Game on!
Villa then laid siege to the Arsenal goal, with high ball after high ball aimed at Dion's shiny bonce. Arsenal were restricted to quick counter attacks, and Schmeichel needed to be alert to keep them out once or twice. It was developing into a real battle ö the kind of game you might have witnessed fifteen years ago. Some tough tackles, a classic centre-forward, driving rain and mud all making for an intriguing if not pretty spectacle. Despite their discomfort, Arsenal managed to survive the war of attrition and hold on without any further work required from Seaman, and in the end you got the impression that theyâd been in a real battle, and had been made to work really hard for their points. In defeat, I suppose there's not a lot more that you can ask of your team. After 60 minutes, I would certainly have settled for that.
Villa: Schmeichel, Delaney, Mellberg, Staunton, Samuel, Kachloul (Hadji), Boateng, Hitzelsperger, Barry, Merson (Hendrie), Vassell (Dublin)
Goal: Dublin 68 mins
Booked: Boateng
Arsenal: Seaman, Campbell, Luzhny, Stepanovs (Dixon), Edu, Vieira, Lauren, Pires, Ljungberg (Grimandi), Bergkamp (Kanu), Wiltord
Goals: Edu 15 mins, Pires 60 mins
Booked: Luzhny, Ljungberg
In the end you have to say that it was just about the right result. Although in terms of possession and chances Villa probably just about matched the Gunners, the sheer quality of Arsenal shone through at times. Graham Taylor will now surely realise what his predecessor realised ö to get in amongst the Arsenals and Manchester Uniteds requires having players of the quality of Pires, Vieira and Bergkamp. If our youth system doesn't produce them, how are we going to buy them?
Peter Bosworth
Editor Villa Views
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