ASTON VILLA MATCH DAY BLOG

by .

The debate is OVER.

Sambi Lokonga gets the nod in midfield. This is a huge year for him. We heard him bitching about playing time, the key tonight is to show he can make the most of it when it’s offered on a plate.

He’s going to partner Granit Xhaka. The major question is going to be whether he sits a little deeper and allow the Swiss to roam, or does he play in the more advanced role, swapping out where Granit has been playing.

The kid has talent, no doubt, but his 2022 has mostly seen him play with substandard or ‘not ready’ partners in midfield. He’s played with Big Mo, Odegaard, and Charlie Patino. I’m looking forward to seeing how he does with someone better.

Reality is, unless we sign Tielemans, there’s no #6 or #8 that is dropping into the side right away, the better bet is always going to be an internal solution like it was for left back.

Talking of left back,  there’s no Zinchenko for the second game in a row, so we’re going to have to rely on Sambi and Xhaka picking up the progressive passing that has been lost by the Ukrainian and Partey.

Aston Villa have been utter shite all season, they look lost without Dean Smith, and their identity has come crashing down.

That said, this is Arsenal, they’ll be up for showing us a thing or two, so we need to manage complacency, and we have to respect that they have some really talented individuals that can do damage.

We also have to keep an eye on Emi Martinez dropping his annual masterclass against us.

This is a home game, if we win it, I believe this will go down as the best start in our history. Quite the pivot from last season.

Let’s see if we can do it.

We’ll be On The Whistle later, so come and join the party!

434 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
DivineSherlock

5 out of the first 5 , When was the last time this happened ? Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal writing something special , this season is gonna be epic for sure , I can feel it . Hoping Edu pulls something out of the hat for deadline day . Hope Odegaard is okay for Utd , has been sensational from the 1st game . Player of the month for me.

Northbanker

Sanmi – nothing changed last night

Our pressing need is for a hybrid midfielder who can play 6 or 8. We are well stocked with wide players- we haven’t even used Vieira or Marquinhos yet. Eddie can also play wide so can Jesus

If we buy anyone it would be a high ceiling understudy such as Mudryk – that isn’t going to transform our season

A top mid would

I’m not btw predicting what Eduteta will do as I suspect they are fixated like you with this winger non-problem

Useroz

Danilo YT clips don’t seem to wow at all… is he really worth going for when we have obvious first team gaps in MF?

Gonsterous

Another great win. So another 30 for the title then. I’m glad we didn’t drop silly points against these teams.

Haaland is just next level is the next level stuff. City definitely going to win the PL again.

I’m going to save my plaudits for xhaka. We know he’s going to have a brain fart soon and as expected it will be at the worst time possible.

Onwards and upwards my fellow gooners

Northbanker

“Just Incase you are wondering why Lokonga played well, it’s because the job of a DM in this out team is so basic and simple that all you need is composure and positioning”

We are still failing to keep clean sheets at home and that implies culpability with a number of players including whoever has been playing at DM

Gonsterous

ESR can definitely cover for Odegaard. He can press and he is always in top form at no.10.

DivineSherlock

Gonsterous

I’m going to save my plaudits for xhaka. We know he’s going to have a brain fart soon and as expected it will be at the worst time possible.

So Its the game against Utd , isnt it .

Jonnygunner

NorthbankerSeptember 1, 2022 07:55:18
“Just Incase you are wondering why Lokonga played well, it’s because the job of a DM in this out team is so basic and simple that all you need is composure and positioning”We are still failing to keep clean sheets at home and that implies culpability with a number of players including whoever has been playing at DM

North
Are you saying that Sambi was at fault (as a DM) from Villa’s headed corner goal?
I don’t get that,if it was from open play then maybe.

izzo

Danilo(21 years) is who we’re signing. Seeing a bid has been submitted. He can play both DM/CM. Bags of tricks, quick feet, accurate passes especially from deep, pace to burn, aggression, super talent already called up to the National team.
Mudryk(21yrs) is the winger we’re signing. Similar game time to Fabio Viera already a National team player and had 2 goals and 9 assists in 19 games last season so very creative, speed demon(you literally can’t see his legs when he takes off, crazy dribbling skills hence the Ukrainian Neymar nickname) another super talent!
We’re set for the season.

Jonnygunner

Nigel TufnelSeptember 1, 2022 05:11:32 Pedro, You have a guy coming here everyday, called gd4 …saying he “hates” Xhaka no matter what he does for the club. Look up his comments the past few days. Literally said that Xhaka is responsible for all our midfield injuries over the past 5 years. Is this a hate blog now? I thought we reserved that for rivals, not our own players. Nigel, GD4 is a bit ‘touched’ (diplomatically speaking). His posts are quite random and he sparks into a rage at the drop of a hat. However you look at it, it’s not… Read more »

Northbanker

There is a joint culpability with all players who had defensive duties – who was protecting Ramsdale? Who was in front of him and where should a match aware defender be placed?It was not specifically aimed at Sambi but to challenge the point that the DM role is not just point and go – please read the context

kjelli

Was nervous as always watching, we should be scoring more goals. Hope we bring in Neto and
Danilo.. Sambi did alright although he is short on confidence. We will need him in sept/okt.
Xhaka is becoming mr. Reliable if he just could improve with his split/second speed.. he is still
a bit slow in his decision making

izzo

Ramsdale at fault for that goal. He should have stopped jostling with that Villa player adjusted his positioning away from the player to get a better jump to prevent that ball going in. Player was backing into him and there was enough time and space to move away. Ramsdale at this point is going to be a yo-yo in goal and we’ll just have to keep performing in open play to get results despite likely conceding in some games. No keeper is perfect in the league. He’ll still bail us out a lot as he has that in spades in… Read more »

Akinzo

Its illusory arguing that the DM role in our system is simply basic. The fact is that many of us are yet to come to term with the upgrade the team had gone through. The improvement all through the team makes every part simpler. Lokonga, no doubt suffered a confidence crisis last season but isn’t even a quarter as bad as many have made him here. The hallmark of any player or human with self respec is to pick his head up and its what’s he’s doing. I know we all want to see the new players at the club… Read more »

izzo

Newcastle are after Tielemans. Thank fuck! Never wanted him. I just don’t see next level in him and would just be like signing a body to add to midfield rather than one who would transform it. A very meh type of player. Also no idea why some were saying he could play DM. Weird take that one. Newcastle’s problem now hopefully.

Bob N16

Went to the game, just read the stream.

My take, for what it’s worth, Martinelli MotM, Lokonga impressive first start, should have been a more comfortable victory, 3pts job done.

I had the lovely experience of taking my American ‘ nephew in law’ to the game – a sports fan who was visiting England for the first time. He was blown away by the atmosphere, the loudness of the singing and the passion of the support. Nothing in his whole life compared to the experience -it was a pleasure to take him.

Positive pete

Don’t do twitter but I sincerely hope their is an army of fans slaughtering that f**t c**t keys & the celebration police right now.I mean,Liverpool at home beating Newcastle?& in the last minute of 8 minutes added on time.? Ridiculous how far they’ve fallen.?…..Thought not.Surprise,surprise.One rule for Arsenal.

Bertie Mee

I have been very negative about Xhaka in the past. Not this Xhaka . He was excellent again

Madhu

Football insider reports that we had a late night talk about Douglas Luis after the villa game. Thats an interesting one. Suddenly injuries are piling up. Yesterdays match had Rams and Ode looks to have a niggle. Lets hope atleast one of them is available for Sunday.
I agree with Tierney’s comments, he just puts his head down and crosses to no one. He just needs to improve his final ball else we should look to move him on. Technically he will not standup to our other full backs.

Bertie Mee

I echo everything Bob has just said. It’s a great atmosphere at games now . We should have won by 4 or 5 though . Three goalkeeping mistakes for the goals though I have sympathy with Ramsdale . It was obstruction in my view

Vickingz

Most of us are in dreamland about this team and we have every reason to be but there are way too obvious cracks in this team that I’m hoping won’t get exploited when we come against good teams, a hope I can’t guarantee its manifestation. Gab Jesus will either get burn out or injured if we keep playing this way. Look at haaland and even the Alvarez guy, they don’t mostly come to the midfield to scavenge for balls, they are in and around the box, conserving their energy for when needed but our own striker has to run up… Read more »

Habesha Gooner

Xhaka had been playing well. He had his best season last season and he has started this season better too. I like that he isn’t getting yellows and he is winning the ball clean. I still have reservations when he is in a deeper position. Against palace and Leicester, he gave the ball away in dangerous positions. But these last three games were great. He didn’t make a mistake, he passed it well and he is winning his duels. It is fantastic to see. I never thought I would see the day.

Pierre

Superb performance from the Arsenal last night, the atmosphere was electric and we remained brave on the ball througout the match despite Villa trying to kick us off the pitch in the early stages , with no protection from the referee. Most impressive for me was Lakonga, calm, assured and composed on the ball , his positioning, discipline and weight of pass was were spot on througout the game, very impressive.. Lakonga looked like a midfield version of Saliba in the assured way he patrolled the midfield, and i can’t give him a higher compliment than that. Xhaka a box… Read more »

Habesha Gooner

I would start Zinchenko and Tomi for the United game. I am assuming Zinchenko us fit considering he trained before the Villa game. We need security to help Sambi. And I think Tomi is a better defender than White. Zinchenko drifts in to midfield to help too. I would also need to see if Odegaard is fit. If not ESR suits this game too. We need to go over there and play quick football and destroy them. I liked ESR’s cameo when he came on. Nketiah too will be a weapon. Other teams fans think if Jesus is injured for… Read more »

izzo

Yeah also worried about G. Jesus. Haaland doesn’t get involved in buildup and just plays off the shoulder in devasting fashion but then again different type of striker. He is the ultimate penalty box striker. G. Jesus is an all rounder so don’t think he will change his game that’s why we have Eddie as a sub when he tires out. That’s good enough for me. Once Eddie starts some games in the cups and Europa he’ll start scoring and hopefully that also translates a little into the PL when he is comes in as a sub.

Samesong

I think United will be a big challenge on Sunday. They are a club on the up again. But these are the games we need to turn up and make a statement.

Habesha Gooner

Douglas Luiz with a year left is getting linked to basically everyone who needs a CDM/CM. Liverpool have been credited with an interest, same with Chelsea and the same for us too. I wouldn’t be disappointed if he came in. He will be a backup to Partey and we could do worse on deadline day. Any better upgrades on Elneny will be welcome. But if it was a choice, I would rather see Danilo. Not as PL proven but the potential is huge according to reports from Brazil. The noises were the same when Bruno Guimaraes went to Lyon. We… Read more »

China1

Last season in the final run in xhaka had one of his best ever performances when we played Utd. Granit feel free to give us another one of those. I for one will not be complaining

Waylander

Fabrizio Romano

@FabrizioRomano
Arsenal are prepared to reach an agreement with Douglas Luiz on personal terms. Douglas keen on the move, work in progress. 🚨⚪️🔴 #AFC #DeadlineDay

Negotiations still ongoing between the clubs, not an easy one.

TheLegendaryDB10

Well it looks like we are working on a CM, which is good news.

‘re the Luiz rumours, it does look like we are after a PL proven player who can hit the ground running, which us pretty much what we need right now.

Who knows maybe Danilo could be a winter transfer if he is that highly rated???

Mr Serge

Doug luiz plays for Brazil as the DM and he is prem proven a good addition and someone we need due to parteys fitness issues

salparadisenyc

Arteta going back to the City well for Luiz isn’t surprising, although think his career consisted of loan outs from work permit issues but they certainly worked together in the off season before his Villa move.

Almost too practical for an Arsenal signing, in former times we’d of gone more to the source for a buy of this type not premier league proven.

Lets see if it goes, the timing of it is pretty special.

Markymark

They’ve shifted 38,500 tickets for the woman’s NLD which I gather will be a record for a woman’s league match.
Good to see us setting records and an interesting scenario if the woman’s game begins to grow. Can woman’s football wages continue to be suppressed if say attendances of 20,000 plus become common.

1 3 4 5