Match Preview: Aston Villa v Arsenal; Consistent Confidence is Needed

I’m going to be honest. This match worries me. Not because I suddenly think Remi Garde is going to suddenly inspire Aston Villa to great heights. No, I am worried that coming off of the epic high of the Champion’s League Great Escape that coming into play Aston Villa represents sort of a banana peel for the Gunners.

We certainly have more than enough talent to take apart a Villa side that have looked absolutely abject all season. But one theme that has been evident this season is the fact that we have a tendency to look beyond teams that we shouldn’t be concerned with.

That was how we got into our Champion’s League mess in the first place.

The flip side is of course that the midweek tie turns into a catapult for confidence. It could thus turn the fixture against Villa into a messy affair for the home side. And the fact is that is how we should approach it. Give Villa the respect they deserve as a professional side, but go in with the belief that this team can and should beat its opponents – and deliver on that.

This year’s league title is wide open at this point of the year and with the Christmas fixtures coming fast and furious, it will be the team that can go on a consistent run between now and mid-January, I think that winds up winning the title in May.

There is no reason that Arsenal can’t be that side. Even with all the injuries, there is more than enough talent in the side to go on a successful run. Joel Campbell, written off by many when he was called upon, has quietly built on a string of successful performances, staking claim and hope to a longer-term future at Arsenal. Aaron Ramsey now plays in his preferred centre of the pitch and can work alongside Mesut Özil to pick teams apart.

Then there is of course, Olivier Giroud. I’ve always been a fan of the Frenchmans and felt criticism was a tad harsh. He’s always been solid and the fact remains he scores goals. Throw in all that with the return of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – not to mention Mesut Özil’s POY performance so far – and Arsenal can make the most of December.

But the team can ill-afford to look past opponents like it has. It must view all comers on equal grounds and prepare as they would for any major opponent.

The run for the league title, really begins in earnest for Arsenal this weekend. They’ve done the job of staying in touch through the first half of the season. Now with all the inconsistency, they need to do as they’ve done before and turn the calendar as the league’s most consistent team. The only difference this time is – it matters for something – namely the title.

Players to Watch:
Arsenal. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Ox simply needs to start delivering on his promise. It’s hard to be critical of a lad who has been injured and is still looking for match fitness. The fact remains though that he still relies too much on his directness of play and doesn’t do well keeping the ball. With Joel Campbell’s rise, you wonder if Ox could be the player the Cost-Rican passes on the depth chart.

Aston Villa. Brad Guzan. The United States gets praise for some of the goal keepers it turns out. Brad often got praise but frankly, I’m not convinced he is as consistent as his national team partner who plies his trade at Everton. Brad Guzan could be very busy this weekend. He has to be sharp or it could be a very long day for the American.

Probable Lineups:

Click to Enlarge

Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Sánchez (hamstring), Arteta, (calf), Wilshere (fibula), Rosicky (knee), Welbeck (knee), Coquelin (knee), Cazorla (knee)
Aston Villa: Richards (knee) Amavi (knee)

Match Officials:
Referee: Kevin Friend (M7, Y28, R3)
Assistant Referees: D Bryan, D Cann
Fourth Official: J Moss

Broadcast Information:
UK: Sky Sports; 13.30 GMT
US: NBC Sports Network; 8:30 AM EST

YAMA Prediction:
Aston Villa 0 – 3 Arsenal

• Match Facts: (Courtesy FourFourTwo.com via Opta Sports)
  Aston Villa have gone 14 games without a win, the longest run without a victory in their league history (1888-present day).
• Arsenal have lost just two of their last 14 Premier League away games (W10 D2 L2).
• Aston Villa have earned more points away from home against Arsenal (20) than they have at home (18) in the Premier League era.
• Aston Villa have won none of their last eight Barclays Premier League games at Villa Park (D2 L6).
• Eight consecutive home games without a victory equals Aston Villa’s longest ever run in the league set in March 1921 and matched in October 1987.
• Arsenal have lost none of their last 16 Premier League visits to Villa Park (W9 D7). Only three teams have ever enjoyed better runs of away results in Football League history (Liverpool at Sunderland – 20 games, Man Utd at Aston Villa – 20 games, Chelsea at Spurs – 17 games).
• Petr Cech has kept 168 clean sheets in the Premier League – just one behind the all-time leading goalkeeper in this category, David James (169).
• Olivier Giroud has scored in each of his last four appearances against Aston Villa in all competitions and has currently scored 49 goals in the Premier League.
• Since he first became a regular in the Aston Villa side at the start of 2012-13, Brad Guzan has conceded more goals in the Premier League than any other goalkeeper (202).
• Mesut Ozil has both scored and assisted in his last two Premier League appearances against Aston Villa. Only against Everton (4 – one goal, three assists) has he had a hand in as many goals as he has against Villa (4 – two goals, two assists).