Full Time Report: Villa 1-1 Comeback Kings

  

Picture from BBC Sport

First Half:

It was a beautiful day at the Emirates while the advertising hoardings displayed the message ‘Get Well Soon Eduardo’ on them after his horrific injury sustained against Birmingham last weekend.

The game started with an early chance for Arsenal, Adebayor heading over from close range while the best chance came to Theo Walcott who tested Scott Carson with a rasping shot. Carew found himself offside a couple of times while tackles were flying in from Gallas and Bouma respectively.

Apparently, the lads went bowling this week to build up the team spirit following Eduardo’s terrible injury - it certainly didn’t look like it made a difference.

Flamini had a shot deflected, Villa put on pressure with their 2 strikers - Carew and Agbonlahor, the latter was more of a threat.

Then the breakthrough came, but for the wrong side. Villa came on the attack and Agbonlahor drilled a cross at Phillipe Senderos, the big Swiss defender got his feet messed up and it stroked past Almunia into the net.

A few minutes later Shaun Maloney struck an amazing effort at Almunia which the Spanish keeper tipped onto the bar.

Villa were a bit unlucky when Reo-Coker and Davies both got injured in seperate incidents. But it didn’t stop the West Midlands side from keeping Arsenal to few chances and making sure that a Fabregas strike would balloon over the bar and maintain Villa’s score of 1-0.

Arsenal really needed to buck up their ideas if they were to keep this title bid in sight. The news that Chelsea and Man United were both winning was certainly not the kind of scorelines Wenger was looking for, but he had to concentrate on his own side.

Second Half:

If Arsenal were to keep their unbeaten record at home this season in tact, they needed to come away from this match with a point or more.

The second half was really all Villa, Ashley Young stung Manuel Almunia’s palm and substitute Marlon Harewood tested the Spaniard with a couple of efforts at goal.

Bendtner, Denilson, Gilberto all came on to try and boost the tempo of the game. Would it change? The Great Dane, Bendtner, chased the ball at every opportunity and looked as if he was coming closer and closer to getting on the scoresheet.

With Toure, Djourou, van Persie and Rosicky all out, there were excuses avaliable for the Gunners. But Arsenal needed a goal, it didn’t matter how it came, but to keep this title bid in balance the boys needed some points out of this game.

Added time was being played, Arsenal really were looking for the all important equaliser. This enthralling match in which Villa largely controlled it was about to get tasty.

Gael Clichy fed Adebayor, Ade laid it off to Bendtner and the Danish striker made no mistake of his strike, tapping it firmly past Scott Carson who was close to keeping a clean sheet against a forceful Arsenal side.

Arséne Wenger looked relieved as the full time whistle went and Martin O’Neill must of thought about missed chances from Villa who really could of got 3 points out of this big clash.

Full Time: Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Senderos (Denilson 78), Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini (Silva 78), Diaby (Bendtner 59), Adebayor, Walcott.

Subs Not Used: Lehmann, Justin Hoyte.
Booked: Gallas.
Goals: Senderos 27 og, Bendtner 90.
Att: 60,097