Aston Villa are determined to bounce back to winning ways after suffering a setback in the capital last weekend against high-flying West Ham, while Arsenal look to edge closer to a Champions League return for the first time in five years.
I spoke to Arsenal Vision Podcast about Arsenal’s season so far including their strategic recruitment, their rebuild, and their chances of European football next season.
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Arsenal’s use of the transfer window this season has been up there with the best in the league with the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Tomiyasu coming in to name a few but also Arteta has weeded out the players that don’t want to be at the club such as Aubameyang. How important has Arsenal’s transfer business been?
Arsenal’s transfer business is so important and impressive because it represents a long-overdue course correction. For years Arsenal seemed determined to try to create a shortcut back into the Champions League by bringing in quick-fix solutions or overpriced luxury buys. A decision like bringing in Willian typifies that ethos and not only did it drive Arsenal further down the table but it delayed the progression of a golden era of elite young talent. In fairness, Arsenal was also suffering from the turmoil that followed Arsene Wenger’s departure. That power vacuum was filled principally by the dilettante Raul Sanllehi. He seemingly worked harder to improve the financial conditions of his agent friends than the wellbeing of Arsenal Football Club. Ultimately, this past summer allowed Arsenal to make the pivot towards a brighter future. Every signing was bought with age and long term planning in mind. Tavares and Sambi were brought in to plan for the future at positions where age or fitness were concerns. Tomiyasu and Ramsdale were brought in to fit the manager’s tactical plans while keeping an eye on the longer-term prospects. And Odegaard was the jewel in the crown. A player who could help unlock the immense potential of Saka, Martinelli, Smith Rowe and, next season, the new number 9 who will almost certainly be brought in.
Arsenal Vision Podcast
If you had to rate the rebuild that has taken place since Arteta took charge, what would it be and why?
For the reasons stated above you might think the rebuild has been a 10/10. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a straight line to this point. The previous summer and January windows saw the arrival of players that didn’t make sense for the direction of the club, but also saw more missed opportunities to cash in on sellable assets. Aubameyang is the obvious example of a bad contract that cost the club time and money, but there were also chances to sell the likes of Ainsley Maitland Niles and Eddie Nketiah that were unnecessarily passed up, as well as the decision to stick with Xhaka just this past summer. Failure to sell has been a problem for years with the likes of Alexis, Ramsey, Ozil and Aubameyang all leaving the club essentially for free. If Arsenal is going to truly get back to the top of the game in England and Europe, there will need to be strides made on the selling side of the transfer business similar to the buying side.
Arsenal Vision Podcast
After a less than desirable start to the season, many fans from outside of the club wrote Arsenal’s chances of Europe off early. However, Arsenal currently sit in the fourth position with three games in hand on Manchester United who trail by a point. Is this the season Arsenal makes its return to the Champions League?
I think Arsenal will return to the Champions League next season. There are still flaws in the side but the teams chasing fourth place (primarily Spurs and somewhat United) are both deeply flawed. Arsenal doesn’t have to be exceptional to get top four, just good. And frankly, Arsenal has been exceptional since around early December. The attack is finally clicking and Arteta’s positional game has clicked thanks to a slightly reconfigured formation that is more of a 433 with Thomas Partey granted freedom to run the central midfield and the arrival of Martinelli as a regular starter. Odegaard and Saka have lifted their games as well. All in all, it’s an extremely encouraging time for Arsenal fans.
Arsenal Vision Podcast
What are your predictions for the game?
Villa seems to be in good form and catch Arsenal with short rest after a difficult and physically demanding fixture against Liverpool. If Arsenal plays as they did in midweek, I think we can take all 3 points. But we have to avoid the small mental lapses that let Liverpool convert on their half chances. This game worries me because of the timing, but I do think Arsenal will cause Villa problems on both flanks. If Thomas is feeling fresh enough to run the midfield as he did on Wednesday, we will be okay. A big factor might be second-half subs, and having players like Pepe and Smith Rowe able to come off the bench makes a big difference for Arsenal these days. As the last point, the return of Tomiyasu would be a big boost defensively.
Arsenal Vision Podcast
FORM GUIDE
OPPOSITION FOCUS | Trust In The Youth
What makes Arsenal’s rebuild over the last five or so years seem so impressive is that Arteta has embedded his youth players into the team flawlessly. When thinking about the best academies in the league, Villa deserve a mention as being up there, but I don’t think there is an academy, not just in England, but the world that is any better than the one at Hale End. The three main players who I will be talking about who have taken the first team by storm under Arteta’s reign are Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli.
Let’s start with the latter of the three that I mentioned, the Brazilian Martinelli. The 20-year-old was bought to England in 2019 and quickly impressed the Gunners by scoring an impressive brace in his first-ever competitive match in the Cup against Nottingham Forest. He didn’t stop there though as he followed this debut up with at least one goal in his next four matches, the first to do so for Arsenal since Ian Wright. His start to life in North London did not go unnoticed as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp labelled the youngster as the “talent of the century”. It was Arsenal’s interim manager, Freddie Ljungberg, that gave Martinelli his chance in the Premier League which he took by scoring yet another goal. He became the first teenager to reach double figures for Arsenal since Anelka. So far this season, Martinelli has bagged five goals and three assists and played a massive role in this rebuild.
The next youngster who has taken the Premier League in his stride so far this season is Emile-Smith-Rowe who has been part of Arsenal’s academy since he was only ten years old. The creative midfielder was the first player to play for Arsenal who was born in the 2000s but it wasn’t as smooth of a path as what Martinelli found his career to go down. In 2019, Smith-Rowe was sent to Germany with RB Leipzig to find some game time, but it didn’t work out for him there as he only made three appearances. The next of the two loan spells turned out to be much more successful as he was sent a bit closer to home in Huddersfield. Whilst at Huddersfield, Smith-Rowe scored the goal that would ultimately keep Huddersfield in the Championship in his final home game. The Huddersfield manager at the time, Danny Cowley stated that Smith-Rowe was so good that he would “boo himself” when he took Emile off the pitch. Smith-Rowe made his breakthrough in the Arsenal team in 2020 and was on many Premier League teams’ radar. This season, Smith-Rowe has picked up 10 goals and two assists in all competitions.
Arguably the best player to come through the Arsenal Youth System must be without a doubt Bukayo Saka. Saka was bought to Hale End when he was only seven and progressed through the ranks and made his debut at the age of 17 in the Europa League. A few weeks later he would go on to make his Premier League debut in a comfortable 4-1 win over Fulham. Saka was utilised at wingback in his breakthrough season and was later pushed up to winger showing how he can be used in different positions. Saka went on to be called up to the England squad for the Euros where he went on to miss the final penalty heartbreakingly after having a superb tournament.
In conclusion, it’s clear to see that the future of Arsenal football club is in safe hands and the Hale End boys can continue to push Arsenal back where they belong, in the Champions League and winning trophies.
THE LAST 3 MEETINGS
PREMIER LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
THE LAST TIME AT VILLA PARK
Aston Villa welcomed the Gunners to Villa Park in the hope of securing a first league double over Arsenal since the opening 1992/93 Premier League season following a 3-0 at the Emirates in the return fixture.
Villa started brilliantly as Traore pounced onto a loose pass from Cedric, playing the ball into the feet of Watkins, whose powerful drive ricochet off Rob Holding; wrong-footing the Arsenal debutant in goal Matt Ryan. Watkins’ goal put Villa 1-0 up after only 76 seconds of play with his tenth goal in his first Premier League season.
Arsenal responded quickly however as Granit Xhaka’s free-kick from distance forced Martinez to make an impressive save to deny the Swiss International and keep Villa in front. After a neat piece of play from Ross Barkley, it was Traore who looked to increase Villa’s lead as his tricky footwork enabled him to escape Holding and Gabriel but his shot was dealt with by Ryan.
Villa started the second half the better team as Ross Barkley played in an in-form Watkins who shot from distance and was narrowly denied by Ryan. Arsenal responded through their then Captain Xhaka once again as his pass to Pepe caused Villa troubles as an off-balanced Emi Martinez pulled off an impressive save to keep the scores as they were.
Grealish sprinkled a bit of his magic on the game as he lured three players into the penalty box and skipped past all of them before his shot was saved impressively by Ryan, the ball somehow didn’t fall to any of the three Villa players at the back post and Arsenal remained just a goal behind. Watkins was yet again called into action as his shot at an awkward angle just narrowly missed the target.
Villa secured their three points by holding on to a one goal lead for the best part of 90 minutes. Villa had finally done the double over Arsenal and moved into eighth place in the table.
MY PREDICTION
Arsenal will not be as easy a task as they have been in recent years but both teams are on a good patch of form despite losing their last matches. It would be a hell of a statement for Gerrard to get his first win against a so-called Big Six Club and I think this could be an opportunity to happen given the fact Arsenal played a mid-week and are more likely to be tired. Unfortunately, I can’t see the win coming and I’ll think we’ll draw 2-2 with Coutinho once again showing the world what he can do and making more Villa fans fall in love and Watkins on the score sheet.
Its a really massive game for Villa and we need to make Villa Park buzzing for it. Enjoy the game and Up The Villa!
ELLIS BURNETT | UTV PODCAST
Author’s UTV PODCAST archive ellisburnett – UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
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