NOT GOOD ENOUGH, WENGER
Arsenal fans turn on manager as battling Villa snatch point
ARSENAL fans sang ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ at manager Arsene Wenger when he replaced Olivier Giroud with Francis Coquelin, leaving Jack Wilshere on the bench.
Indeed, only a magnificent save from Wojciech Szczesny saved Wenger’s toothless side from humiliation at struggling Aston Villa.
Gunners fans are starting to wonder how Wenger can deliver a 14th Champions League qualification like this. Only the Poland goalkeeper’s fingertips, diverting Brett Holman’s late shot against the crossbar, prevented another worrying Barclays Premier League defeat for the north London club.
After only 10 minutes, when Christian Benteke looked clean through, Szczesny had raced out to clear the danger. Villa only had themselves to blame when no one attacked Barry Bannan’s inviting free-kick a few seconds later. Why captain Ron Vlaar refused to jump when he might have managed a scoring header was anyone’s guess.
Andreas Weimann certainly was not in bashful mood when he drilled an angled drive at Szczesny with great power, forcing Arsenal’s surprised keeper into an urgent save.
If Benteke had shown the same audacity when Villa’s next chance fell at his feet, or indeed as the opportunity after that landed on his head, the home side would have taken the lead inside 20 minutes.
As it was, Arsenal, who had started brightly then faded, were allowed to find their feet again. Alex OxladeChamberlain drifted in from the right and steered the Gunners’ first real chance wide of Brad Guzan’s near post.
At the other end, referee Lee Mason booked Karim El Ahmadi for diving, a decision which clearly shocked the Villa man.
With freezing rain driven into the stands by a sharp November wind, the fans deserved better and the game needed a moment of inspira- tion. It might have come when Lukas Podolski broke through momentarily, only to be blocked off again by the attentive Vlaar.
Guzan was called into emergency action moments later when OxladeChamberlain fed Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman’s explosive effort took a deflection but Guzan reacted by getting a leg in the way in the nick of time.
Wenger paced the touchline anxiously, especially when Szczesny slid out of his area with ball in hand. Bannan’s pre-planned free-kick found Ciaran Clark, who fired trough a forest of Arsenal thighs. Hitting one, the ball nestled at the feet of Weimann, who calmly netted. Unfortunately for Villa, he was a good yard offside, as the referee’s assistant indicated, and referee Mason disallowed the strike.
Up in the stands, Paul Lambert, serving a touchline ban, looked on passively. He was probably feeling fortunate to be in a warm overcoat away from the worst of the winter elements, though Per Mertesacker might have evoked a greater sense of injustice in Villa’s boss when he seemed to bring down Gabriel Agbonlahor with a sliding tackle in the area. But replays showed that Mertesacker had timed his intervention to perfection, rendering the penalty appeals groundless.
Lambert’s Villa were feeling luckier when Olivier Giroud’s cross found Laurent Koscielny alone in the six-yard box. Anyone but a central defender would probably have turned the ball into Guzan’s net with aplomb. But Koscielny ballooned his attempt over the bar.
Santi Cazorla, who was not shining as much as usual, nearly broke the deadlock soon after the interval, swerving round opponents before lifting his finish narrowly wide.
Villa lost captain Vlaar with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.
With Lambert’s assistant Ian Culverhouse representing him in the dugout, Villa hastily reorganised, with substitute Eric Lichaj playing at right-back while Matthew Lowton moved into central defence.
Ramsey attempted to take advantage of temporary Villa instability with a delicate near-post effort which almost found the net.
Benteke’s shot at the other end lacked subtlety but dipped when it rebounded off Mertesacker, and only just cleared the Arsenal bar.
As Villa began to bombard the Gunners with corners, Benteke had his second real chance with his head, but, frustratingly for the Belgian, his attempt was deflected to safety.
Arsenal began to apply pressure themselves, and Podolski’s shot had to be blocked by Lowton. Ramsey then squandered an excellent chance to put the visitors ahead and lay with his head in his hands.
Villa sub Holman dithered before threading a pass to Agbonlahor, who did at least pull the trigger with conviction. Once again, however, Szczesny was equal to the task.
Wenger replaced Podolski with Gervinho to give his team an extra dimension. But he simply dribbled the ball out of play with his first real touches. It was that kind of game. ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar (Lichaj 51min), Clark, Stevens; El Ahmadi (Holman 63), Westwood; Bannan, Weimann (Albrighton 90), Agbonlahor; Bent. Subs (not used): Given, Ireland, Delph, Bowery. Booked: El Ahmadi. ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta, Ramsey; Podolski (Gervinho 69), Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arshavin 77); Giroud (Coquelin 86). Subs (not used): Mannone, Sagna, Vermaelen, Wilshere. REFEREE: L Mason.