Arsenal Regain Lead

Arsenal dominated the first half on the road against Aston Villa, scoring two goals within 60 seconds to take a 2-0 lead (34’ and 35’) then held out against a surging second-half Villa that culminated in a 76’ header from Cristian Benteke after a Cazorla error allowed a pinpoint cross the Belgian pounded in (his first goal in the EPL since September). With the victory, Arsenal restored their position at the top of the league, though now only a mere point over title favorite City and two over Chelsea. It was a tale of two halves, with the Gunners dominating possession against a well-organized Villa side (71 percent in the first half), then ruthlessly taking their only two shots on goal to all but seal the victory. That they didn’t has become a second-hand story this season, and one that could come back to haunt them soon. They already conceded late against Everton, losing two invaluable points in the process. But the victory again displayed the resolve this team has shown since the Blackburn defeat in the FA Cup, finding ways to win even when they are not at their best. A few thoughts from the game …

 

1.  Wilshere Still on the Rise:  Jack Wilshere continued his dramatic upturn in form by playing a part in both Arsenal goals. The first was a smart finish to the far corner from a Monreal cross, the second a steal and well chipped ball to Giroud, who took two touches, getting past two Villa defenders before blasting the ball across goal from close range. Wilshere was better with his possession, made some important defensive tackles and only lost the ball on a couple of occasions, although one led to an inviting counter. The question Wenger will now face, with Ramsey back, is whether to consign Wilshere to the bench, or give Cazorla a rest. The Spaniard did score the all-important first goal last week, but while playing well most of the season, continues to fall short in both assists and finishes.

2.  The Dynamic Duo: Thinking back two seasons ago, one can remember Per Mertesacker constantly critiqued for his lack of pace and suffering through a rather poor start to his Arsenal career. Two and a half years later and some are now calling him the best centre back in the EPL. While I think that argument is slightly exaggerated, the formidable pairing with Koscielny has now produced an astounding undefeated streak of 60 games without a loss. In the process, they have made Arsenal the number one defensive team in the EPL, with the most clean sheets. It is such a dramatic turnaround from the years of defensive frailty, it is almost hard to believe. Yet this pair complement each other so well, with the German a boisterous leader on the pitch (as for example when he yelled at Cazorla after the error that led to the Villa goal) with an incredible football IQ while Kos plays the quieter role, supporting Mertesacker’s height and positioning with his impressive pace. If Arsenal do claim the title this year, these two are the real MVPs.

3.  Ozil Effort?: There is no question that Mesut Ozil has improved the Gunner’s prospects and confidence this season, and his output has been relatively impressive with 5 goals and 9 assists in 22 starts. Yet for all the glitz and glamour, one can’t help notice that his production has gone done in the past two months and that he seems to be a little short on confidence. While he did help produce the first goal with a beautiful through ball to Monreal from midfield, he also passed up shots, gave the ball away at least three times in the first half and did not create any other goal scoring opportunities of note. Ozil will be another key to the second half of the season and one hopes he quickly returns to form as the Gunners move into the heart of the second half schedule, starting with a trip to Anfield in a few weeks.

4. The Window: fears are starting to grow in my cynical Arsenal heart that Wenger is going to let this window pass without any signings. While we might be set on the defensive end and in midfield, it is clear we need to pick up a backup striker to give Giroud needed rest and provide an alternative when the matchup calls for it. The loss of Walcott for the season seems to have made the need clear to Wenger, but who will he go for? Rumours include the dynamic youngster Julian Draxler (though he is expensive, has underperformed this season and will be out until March) Diego Costa (highly unlikely given Atletico’s form and position at the top of the table) and Jackson Martinez of Porto (a good option, in my book), among a host of others. Any of these would be great, though it wouldn’t be surprising for the Gunners to pick up a cheaper option to stand in for Bendtner until his return. The good news for the Gunners is that Ox, Podolski and now Ramsey are all back, meaning we are a Danish superstar (in his own mind) away from being at full strength, ignoring the crushing blow of Walcott’s absence. Let’s hope Wenger makes the right move.

Next up is Fulham, which should provide three more points. Last weekend was the first in which all of the top seven won their matches. That is impossible this weekend, but Arsenal must continue to win if they hope to keep the pressure on Chelsea and City right below them. I might actually find myself rooting for United against Chelsea on Sunday, which would be a first. In any case, COYG!