Arsenal fell back to earth with a crash yesterday, as all the good work achieved in the previous weekend's victory over Manchester United was flushed down the toilet by what was unquestionably the side's worst performance under Arteta, and rivals any of the appalling stuff churned out in the last days of Unai Emery.
There is literally nothing from which the side can take heart from this performance. Individually and collectively, the players were under par, and were comprehensively outplayed by a vibrant Villa side that had little difficulty in dealing with anything that Arsenal attempted to throw - it was more like a gentle lob or two - at them. Apart from maybe 10 minutes towards the end of the first half, and another 10 minute spell in the second, Arsenal were palpably second best.
From the way Arsenal set up, to how they played and to how much desire they showed, everything was wrong. Clearly, whilst Arteta has solved the problem of how to play against the better sides, there is much to be done against the blueprint for so-called lesser teams playing against them; the 'low-block', comfortable containment and hit Arsenal on the break. Yesterday, I found it hard to give any Arsenal player (and specifically the Manager) a mark of more than 5 out of 10 as they failed to adapt to what was in front of them.
And in Grealish (in particular), Barkley and McGinn Villa have precisely the sort of player that Arsenal are crying out for. Players with quick feet and brains, and an element of bravery. And this was clear to see all evening. Whilst Arsenal appeared - to my total exasperation - to be happy to knock the ball backwards and sideways when in possession, Villa were decisive and incisive all night.
Indeed, that was the case from the very first minute, when Villa scored what looked to me like a perfectly good goal. And whilst one might argue that this one was chalked off for a simlar reason as Lacazette's against Leicester, I think that most people would agree that both were perfectly good goals and that the Law is an ass. For all that the letter of the Law would argue that Barkley was in Leno's eyeline when McGinn shot, I doubt that even my father's favourite pre-war cartoon character, Ping The Elastic Man, would have had any chance of saving the rasping shot.
Arsenal failed to heed the warning, moving the ball around at a snail's pace as Villa comfortably held them off. In midfield, Partey looked under the weather (and went off injured at half-time, which explains a lot of that) and Elneny showed that whilst he may be suitable to slot into a team set up to defend, this sort of game is not the ideal scenario for him. On the flanks, Saka had one of those nights in which nothing went right, and Willian looked like he really couldn't be bothered - wasting Arsenal's best chance of the first half with a wild slash at a nice set-up by Aubameyang and being generally profligate in possession. Auba himself looked fed up to be consigned to the left touchline, and Lacazette looked utterly devoid of self-belief.
Villa took the lead on 25 minutes. Willian gave the ball away for the umpteenth time - and didn't show too much enthusiasm to win it back. From there Villa toyed with the right side of Arsenal's defence, pulling them out of position (Grealish and Barkley combining well), and from Targett's cross Saka - who had switched off for a split-second - diverted the ball into his own net (Trezeguet would have had a tap-in, to be fair).
But Arsenal should have been level at half-time. A typically pinpoint Tierney cross from the left was met by Lacazette, but from six or seven yards out he failed to hit the target or work the returning Emi Martinez. A poor effort that encapsulated a poor all-round performance from him. And this was during one of the few phases of the game in which Arsenal actually looked like achieving anything at all of note.
The introduction of Ceballos at half-time made a difference, as his vision and the quality of his passing added an extra dimension for a while, but the abjectness of what was around him soon meant that he sunk back to their level And whilst he was singularly responsible for Arsenal's most outstanding moment of the game, that's nothing to shout about as I'm actually referring to a miraculous goal-line clearance from a Grealish piledriver after Villa had sliced Arsenal apart on the break yet again.
Arsenal's best chance of the half fell to Rob Holding, who failed to sweep in a pass from his partner Gabriel, but from then on everything fell apart as Villa punished Arsenal with two goals in swift succession. Firstly, Luiz's crossfield ball was brilliantly volleyed back across goal by Barkley for Watkins to nod in from two yards out, and then Grealish's fantastic 60 yard driving run (having been released swiftly and decisively by Martinez's throw) and cleverly slid pass gave the centre forward the opportunity to smash the ball through the legs of the onrushing Leno. 0-3, and frankly 5 wouldn't have flattered Villa. The only consolation for me is that Watkins is in my Fantasy team :(
So, what's wrong with this Arsenal side? Firstly, the shape. And secondly, the attitude of some of the players.
As to shape, I don't see the point of the way Arsenal press against a team like Villa. Against a Liverpool or a Manchester City, yes, but that demands a different style of play. This doesn't help Lacazette, whose primary qualities are not being used correctly, and the rest of the team looks out of shape as Aubameyang is welded to the left touchline, Willian looks to be going through the motions, and in central midfield there's far too much 'umbrella' passing (side-to-side and backwards). Defensively, I can see that Arteta may feel that Partey gives him the defensive cover to be able to go to just two central defenders, but I'd like to see David Luiz back in there alongside Gabriel and not the inconsistent Holding.
As to mentality, I feel that some of these players need a shake-up or some time out of the side, and Arteta needs to look at trying something different. For all that I can't make sense of Pepe's body language sometimes, I sense that he's a better bet going forward than Willian, and Aubameyang now must surely be given an opportunity down the middle.
So, if it were me, I'd be looking to line up after the Interlull (at Leeds; not an easy place to visit), like this:
Leno
Bellerin, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney
Ceballos, Partey, Xhaka/Elneny
Pepe, Aubameyang, Saka
Lacazette needs some time out, I've seen enough of Willian for the moment, and I'd like to see the likes of Willock and Nelson given an opportunity from the bench. I'm not suggesting that they're the answer, but they can't do any worse than what we saw yesterday from certain individuals.
Just a quick recap of the Europa League game on Thursday now. Another sluggish start and early goal conceded - two Arsenal defenders out of position for that; Mustafi and Kolasinac (plus ca change) - but from then on Arsenal imposed their class. But that's no big deal, to be frank. They're waltzing the group, as one might expect, but they're up against sides who would struggle in The Championship. Another good showing from Willock, and that's why he should feel disappointed not to even make the bench for Premier League games.
So there's much for Arteta to ponder. It's games like this that actually make one wonder if Arsenal have made any progress in the last year. It's up to the fledgling Manager to sort things out quickly as he surveys the Premier League table from the depths of 11th place.
I'll be back in a couple of weeks. Stay safe, guys.
Brian Glanville was never this good!!
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