please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal host Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon in the premier league, as Arsenal try and recover from a terrible week. After getting dumped out of the FA Cup by Blackburn, Arsenal took on Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night, the task facing them was huge and Bayern proved why they are a class or two above Arsenal by dismantling the Gunners. So in the space of a week, Arsenal have been knocked out of one cup competition and are on the brink in another. It’s been the week from hell for Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger has to somehow rally his troops for the game against Aston Villa on Saturday. Achieving a top four place is all Arsenal have left to play for, so the game against Villa does matter. Aston Villa have had a terrible season and they are firmly in the relegation dog fight, they currently sit in 17th place and are just a point away from dropping into the relegation zone. But, they did win their last game, which was against West Ham at Villa Park. It was a massive win and also the performance would have pleased their manager, Paul Lambert. Arsenal and Aston Villa played out a dull goal-less draw when the two sides met at Villa Park earlier in the season. It was one of the worst games of the season, as neither side managed to create any real chances. In the league, the Gunners have won their previous two games and have kept two clean sheets in a row after beating Stoke City and Sunderland. The game against Aston Villa could prove to be a massive game in Arsenal’s season. After being all but dumped out of two competitions in the space of a week, Arsenal’s season could truly collapse if they also suffer a defeat in the league. The time has come for some of Arsenal’s best players to stand and be counted as Wenger needs a massive performance from his team on Saturday afternoon. Just three years ago under Martin O’Neill, Aston Villa competed with Arsenal for a place in the Champions League and now they are a team that are trying to fight relegation. Their decline in those three years has been surreal. Last season, they just about managed to remain in the Premier League despite being terribly managed by Alex Mcleish. Randy Lerner, was left with no other options other than to get rid of Mcleish in the summer and he recruited Paul Lambert from Norwich as the man to take over the reins at Villa. Lambert’s work with Norwich was astonishing and he was rated as one of the best up and coming managers in England. Lambert took Norwich from a League one team to a Premier League one in the space of two years. Unlike with the appointment of Mcleish, most Villa fans welcomed Lambert into their club. But Lambert has got a very tough job on his hands and he will have his work cut in getting Villa out of trouble. He was not given the money that someone like Martin O’Neill got from Randy Lerner and has had to rely on young players and some shrewd buys for not much money. Christian Benteke was one of those shrewd buys and he has been the man that has got the goals for Villa this season. The Belgian forward has eleven goals to his name in the league and getting that amount of goals for a side as poor as Villa, is quite remarkable. Benteke is the sort of forward that Arsenal have struggled to deal with in the past, and he provides the biggest threat to the Arsenal defence on Saturday. Aston Villa have only managed to win two away games all season, and their terrible record on the road is one of the main reasons why they are fighting for relegation. Also, on the road they have conceded 31 goals. They shipped eight against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and five against Manchester City. Their defence is mainly made up of young players and those players have struggled to adjust to the Premier League. The likes of Ciaran Clark, Matthew Lowton and Nathan Baker might have bright futures but their inexperience has proved costly for Villa. Ron Vlaar is the one experienced player in the Villa defence and he is also the captain of the team. That Villa defence is going to face an Arsenal side that has already handed out one or two thrashings this season. But, with the confidence so low, we might not see the Arsenal at their fluent best. Right now, most Arsenal fans would just settle for an ugly win and take the points, but Arsenal might need more than a result to recover from the defeats to Blackburn and Bayern Munich. After the Aston Villa game, Arsenal’s next league game is against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Bacary Sagna has been ruled out of the game against Villa with a knee injury, so Carl Jenkinson should take his place in the starting line-up. Nacho Monreal returns after this he was cup tied for the game against Bayern Munich. Arsene Wenger also has a choice to make at centre-back, and with Vermaelen being in poor, Wenger must be tempted to drop him.So it’s vital that Arsenal go into that game with some sort of confidence. Arsene Wenger has faced many testing times at Arsenal and he has managed to cope with it and get his team into the Champions League, and that is what he has to do this season. Aston Villa might sense the opportunity to take advantage of a wounded Arsenal, but in the past Arsenal have shown that they can respond when their backs are against the wall. Last season, Arsenal went out of the Champions League and FA Cup in the space of a week, and they responded by destroying Tottenham in the NLD. Wenger needs a performance like that from his team on Saturday afternoon. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Form Guide: please log in to view this image Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Overall Record vs Aston Villa: Played: 185 Wins: 75 Draws: 45 Losses: 65 For: 293 Against: 262 GD: 31 Last 6 Meetings: Aston Villa 0 - 0 Arsenal Arsenal 3 - 0 Aston Villa Arsenal 3 - 2 Aston Villa (FA Cup) Aston Villa 1 - 2 Arsenal Arsenal 1 - 2 Aston Villa Aston Villa 2 - 4 Arsenal please log in to view this image Manager's Views: Arsene Wenger on the previous two games: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
Anything less than a win and top 4 will look extreme unlikely. Villa will do the usual, everyone behind the ball and try to counter with Benteke
Yep, pretty much that. Also Chelsea are away to Man City while Spurs play West Ham at Upton Park in this round of games. I know West Ham are not great, but they have a decent record home record, so Spurs could slip up. It's vital that we win and put some sort of pressure on Chelsea and Spurs.
Must win for us. We have too much for Villa and should win. Only chance for Villa is us playing poorly and them having a defensive masterclass.
Agreed, this ones our easy one to get straight back into it and put pressure on them. Spurs in particular will be aware of our easier fixture thus add pressure on them. We need to make it count and win convincingly for a confidence boosting win to take into the Spurs/Bayern game.
We will lose 2-0 because half of our team are crap and our manager is a useless knob....or had you forgotten?
You're embarrassing yourself mate. Stay on topic, we are talking about a game between Arsenal v Villa and not about Wenger. Don't let your emotions get to you. I think you need a rest.
I am talking about our chances against Villa 'mate'. Is that not the topic at hand or are you being cretinous again. Now, back to the topic if you please
