SOCCER PREMIER LEAGUE: Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 0:ARSENAL EXTENDED their unbeaten run to 10 matches in the Premier League at the start of a run of fixtures that promises to define their season but this was hardly a result to vindicate Arsene Wenger's decision to sacrifice the FA Cup on Sunday. There was little evidence of a side overflowing with energy on a night when Arsenal missed out on the chance to jump above Manchester United into second place and lost both Thomas Vermaelen and Eduardo da Silva to injury.
Tomas Rosicky thundered a shot against the crossbar in the 61st minute with Brad Friedel beaten but otherwise Aston Villa created the better openings and Stewart Downing will wake up this morning wondering how he failed to convert one of them, his back post header in the second half somehow drifting wide.
The match was four minutes old when Gabriel Agbonlahor escaped for the first time, the Villa forward running on to Emile Heskey’s pass before sweeping a shot to the far corner that Manuel Almunia turned around the post.
William Gallas was lucky not be booked when he barred the forward’s path in the 23rd minute, Lee Probert, the referee, waving play on. His defensive partner, Vermaelen, having picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Heskey, which led to Ashley Young whipping a free-kick inches wide, the former Ajax player limped off later in the first half and had to be replaced by Sol Campbell. Two minutes earlier Villa had squandered an excellent opportunity when Young barged his way past Gael Clichy on the Arsenal left and delivered a cross towards the back post. Downing arrived in the penalty area unmarked but he was unable to control his half volley and side footed the ball over Almunia’s crossbar from 10 yards.
Arsenal troubled Friedel in the ninth minute, when the goalkeeper clawed Denilson’s shot around the post but it was not until the stroke of half-time that the visitors created another chance. Cesc Fabregas beat Stilian Petrov before beating James Collins and firing a low right-footed against the upright that Rosicky prepared to collect only for Aaron Ramsey to get in his way.
There was more panic in the Villa area at the start of the second half, when Friedel made a hash of dealing with Clichy’s low cross before Richard Dunne’s timely intervention. Back came Villa through Young, the winger’s centre from the right glancing off Gallas and hanging in the air for Downing who inexplicably headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Andrey Arshavin then created Arsenal’s best chance. The Russian skipped past Carlos Cuellar and eluded Collins before Friedel stopped his shot but the ball ran into the path of Fabregas. With Friedel exposed, Arsenal’s captain teed up Rosicky whose shot cannoned off the crossbar, down on to the line and out.
Villa rallied once more in the closing stages when Richard Dunne ran at the Arsenal defence only to be brought to a halt by Campbell. Probert left Martin O’Neill seething when he refused to award a free-kick.
ASTON VILLA:Friedel, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Luke Young, Ashley Young, Milner, Petrov, Downing, Agbonlahor, Heskey (Delph 78). Subs not used: Guzan, Sidwell, Delfouneso, Davies, Shorey, Beye. Booked: Heskey, Dunne.
ARSENAL:Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen (Campbell 35), Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Ramsey, Rosicky (Nasri 80), Eduardo (Bendtner 63), Arshavin. Subs not used: Fabianski, Walcott, Traore, Eastmond. Booked: Vermaelen, Clichy.
Referee:Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
- Guardian Service
