LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 31: Diego Carlos of Aston Villa reacts as Matty Cash applauds their fans after the final whistle of the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Arsenal entered Wednesday as the only club with a 100% Premier League record and opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Gabriel Jesus scored from a rebound in the box.
Lucky to be down only one goal in the 74th minute, Villa brought the match level when Douglas Luiz curled a corner around Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
But it took less than three minutes for Villa to concede again as a collection of defensive follies led directly to Gabriel Martinelli’s winner in the 77th minute.
TOPSHOT – Aston Villa’s Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez reacts as he concedes a second goal, scored by Arsenal’s Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (unseen) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium in London on August 31, 2022. – – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Manager Steve Gerrard said post match: “I thought the lads’ effort and what they gave to the game was there – that was clear to see. We’ve given an awful lot.
“We wanted to be in this game at the final stages, we wanted to make it uncomfortable for Arsenal, but then we go and get moments wrong, defensively, again. We’ve conceded two poor goals because we haven’t got the detail of defending right.”
Aston Villa: lack of quality going forward
While Villa were an improved side defensively, they still struggled to create chances offensively at Arsenal on Wednesday.
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 31: Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa celebrates scoring their side’s first goal with teammate Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Gerrard’s men generated an expected goals (xG) rating of just 0.36 and failed to maintain meaningful possession at any point in the match. Other than a handful of wide runs from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey, Villa never looked a threat.
Luiz’s goal, for all intents and purposes, was a fluke. Direct from a corner? That’s 0.00 xG. You can’t count on those types of goals to win games.
