Some revenge required at Villa Park + Vieira leaves on loan

Good morning.

Today’s game sees us return to a ground where we suffered a fairly contentious defeat last season. A suspended Mikel Arteta sat in the stands at Aston Villa, Kai Havertz had a goal disallowed, Gabriel Jesus should have had a penalty, and the gravitational pull of John McGinn’s arse saw him score the only goal of the game.

We had plenty of chances that day though, but didn’t take them. Arteta was asked about the difference between the sides at his press conference yesterday, and said:

They scored and we didn’t, it’s very simple. In two games we had an enormous amount of chances to do that, and that was the big difference. There were other details for sure which we have analysed, and we will have to do better tomorrow because they are a really good side with a good coach.

I don’t think today’s team will be too different from the one which started against Wolves last weekend. The manager played down the idea of Jurrien Timber being fit enough to start, so unless he deems Riccardo Calafiori ready then it’ll be Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, and I suspect the way Villa play with a very high line makes it more of a Gabriel Martinelli game than a Leandro Trossard game, but you never know with Arteta. He might view the Belgian as more suitable for today’s encounter, but let’s see.

As for Villa, we know what they’re about under Unai Emery who has done a good job there, but in my mind there’s a measure of revenge required today. It’s too simplistic to say the two defeats against them last season cost us the title, because we dropped points elsewhere, but that home game in particular during that incredible run we were on still stings, so I suspect that will be something this team will want to correct.

Ben White referenced that in midweek, saying:

We need to put that right and get that result this time. I’m sure we’ll do that and prepare well for it. It’s always a tough game when you get there. There are a lot of duels,…

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Author : arseblog

Publish date : 2024-08-24 07:27:04

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