Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Arsenal

[Wainy316]

I think Morgan Rogers may become the greatest footballer of all time.  He’s basically Messi.

[Jas10]

 

[switters]

31 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

Who voted the ref very poor?!

There were a couple of yellow cards I'd have liked to be given but in the context of the utter shite that's served up most weeks he was ok

I actually  gave him very good, which I don't often use. Like you say thought couple of yellows not given (Partey, Havertz), but generally thought he called it right and played advantage well on both sides

[Jas10]

 

[HanoiVillan]

34 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

Who voted the ref very poor?!

There were a couple of yellow cards I'd have liked to be given but in the context of the utter shite that's served up most weeks he was ok

He was better than okay! I can't think of a single mistake he made, and he called advantage well on more than one occasion. It was as good as you'll see from a PL referee. 

[wedge]

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Have to take your big chances against the top teams or you get punished. Frustrating but not something to be too downbeat by. They have conceded 3 Goals's away in 2024 and should have conceded 2 more today. 
 

Important we bounce back next week.

 

[stewiek2]

A lesson in finishing. Needed a late goal against West Ham through not taking out chances. Lost today due to the same issue.

For me, Bailey has been alarmingly off it in both games. Think like at his best best last season, he's best as an impact sub. McGinn right and JJ left.

Rogers is a superstar in the making.

[bannedfromHandV]

Very frustrating result, obviously we should have been ahead, twice over, whether we’d have gone on to win who knows but I don’t think we’d have lost, Watkins will be having nightmares tonight I’m sure.

I’m encouraged though, we did not look out of place in the sense that it was a tight game, I don’t think we played well but then we created far clearer opportunities than them and in the end they got lucky with the opening goal in the way that it was crafted.

Rogers was outstanding, his turn of pace and physicality is immense, plus a deft touch, he’s shaping up to be the perfect package. Bailey was very good, particularly in covering the back post defensively.

[sheepyvillian]

14 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

It's his name. Also *diddly

Your takin thu pis. 

[Jas10]

 

[OutByEaster?]

I thought the performance was good - there are plenty of people out there who will tell you that these are the best team in the country and I thought on the balance of play we matched them. They controlled the opening twenty minutes really well, but once we got going, I felt we were on top for long periods and we created some really good chances.

Which we didn't take.

And on such things, matches turn. The three main turning points in the match for us I think were Watkins miss in the first half, Watkins header which was saved in the second half and Partey not being sent off for either of the two fouls after his yellow. 

Around all of that I thought we played really well, Tielemans was very good and Onana strong and diligent next to him, both centre halves did well and Digne did a decent job of controlling Saka - I thought Nedeljkovic did an excellent job of managing Martinelli's trickery and intent, but was then perhaps outfoxed by Trossard's clever late runs. Bailey did okay too, but the standout obviously was Morgan Rogers who was the best player on the pitch and unplayable at times - his ability to steamroller forward with the ball, running through, around and over an exceptionally good set of defenders, is extraordinary, I thought he was fantastic. I loved his performance, I loved the corner routine where Onana comes from about forty yards deep on a long run and I loved the way we battled and defended with great patience when Arsenal held onto the ball - there was a lot to admire in it.

But you have to take your chances.

Arenal are an exceptional side, they have some brilliant footballers and they're well drilled, not many teams will come to Villa Park and win this season - but they'll know they were in a game and I think they'll be aware that we perhaps didn't get what we deserved from that game - it's the kind of result that wins titles and they'll know it and I'm sure they will go home very happy. 

I mean, okay, they are a bunch of weirdos; Screaming Lord Saka, Brown Bennie Blanco and the whole sort of weirdly 'Age of Aquarius' vibe they give out, inspired by their plastic manager; they look like a team that are all familiar with finger cymbals, self help books and the smell of incense - they're just...strange, they make me feel a bit uncomfortable, like Hare Krishnas - but they can play, they really can. They're at least the second best club in the country and I felt over ninety minutes we were a match for them - performance-wise we were as good today as in either game last season and I think we can take a great deal of confidence from that.

Arsenal have had to play well to beat us today, and fair play to them, they did that and took their chances when they came, but I feel pretty good about our ability to take the performance today and beat an awful lot of other teams in this division, we look very good and I think we can take from today a great deal of positivity for the rest of the season.

Congratulations Arsenal, you've beaten us at Villa Park - time will tell, but I reckon by the end of the year, that might have been some achievement.

[Farlz]

Disappointing result with the missed chances. Final ball in general was quite poor today though really. 

Still though, it was a very positive performance with loads to build on. We haven't completely dropped off, we're still far more than a match for one of the likely top 2 in the league this season. Good signs. 

[striker]

To be obvious, missing those sitters cost Villa the game!

That being said I loved the way Villa tied Arsenal in knots by playing defensively in the first half.

Emery has finally learnt you can't play open high line football against teams like Arsenal. It's generally footballing suicide to do so.

Villa will play a lot worse this season and still win!

Rogers was simply magnificent. What a fantastic signing he's been.

Concerning the injury to Cash. It may be a blessing in disguise. Clearly Villa needed a quality RB but my worry was Villa would go with what they had.

Hopefully Villa will bring a quality RB in as a necessity now plus another winger that can play across the front 3.

Only criticism is Villa weren't clinical enough but that should come when Watkins gets up to speed.

[Jas10]

 

[Brumstopdogs]

 

[Jas10]

 

[markavfc40]

Not long back. I thought we played okay and it certainly wasn't a game we deserved to lose 2-0 as I thought we more than matched them. Goals change games though and had Ollie scored the sitter,  or the second half header when we were well on top, then we are almost certainly getting at least a point from this. 

We were nowhere near at our best today though, and neither were Arsenal in fairness. We were often wasteful in possession and making some basic errors. I am not worried in the slightest though as I am 100% certain within a few more games we'll iron that out. Overall our shape was good. 

Morgan Rogers comfortably motm. The lads just glides and he is going to be some player.

Onto next week now where if we can hopefully take the 3 points then that will be a really good start and  I'd have certainly taken 6 points from 3 games before the season started. 

[bakers29]

Did anyone else think the atmosphere was a bit flat for the first half or so?

I know they didn’t give us much to shout about but even before KO it was a bit subdued…

[Made In Aston]

I thought it was fairly even and we limited arsenal to only a few chances. Ultimately it was a game where one team took their chances and the other didn't.

Edited August 25 by Made In Aston