Three things Mikel Arteta got wrong as Villa win damages Arsenal’s title charge

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    Aston Villa’s unlikely Premier League title challenge was boosted by an impressive 1-0 victory over Arsenal.

    Unai Emery’s side moved within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, just a matter of days after out-playing and overcoming Manchester City by the same scoreline, three days previously. Leon Bailey galloped down the right wing and hooked the ball back to John McGinn, who held off William Saliba and whipped a left-footed effort into the top corner.

    In the second-half, Arsenal threatened, but their best chance came when a corner from Bukayo Saka slipped through Emiliano Martinez’s hands and onto the goal-line, but was hooked away by the instinctive Diego Carlos from almost inside the goal. Kai Havertz thought he had equalised when he bundled home a goal from close range, but a VAR check found the ball had hit his hand before he prodded it into the back of the net.

    After the Gunners slipped to their second Premier League defeat of the season, Daily Star Sport considers what Mikel Arteta got wrong at Villa Park.

    An almost unchanged team

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    Arsenal's 4-3 victory over Luton would have taken an awful lot out of Arteta's players. The Hatters ensured their visit to Kenilworth Road was a bruising, physical and mentally draining contest. You could see the relief in all of the Arsenal players when Declan Rice headed the late winner to secure the win.

    However, despite the brutality of that fixture, Arteta only made one change to his starting eleven. He swapped Jakub Kiwior for Oleksandr Zinchenko, who started the victory over Rob Edwards' side on the bench.

    Considering Villa's intensity, Arteta perhaps could have benefited from the fresher legs and pace of Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard. Top quality options on the bench are in short supply for the North Londoners – maybe they will consider entering the January transfer window.

    Not attacking Villa's offside trap

    What were your thoughts on Arsenal's performance against Aston Villa? Let us know in the comment section below

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    Villa have enjoyed incredible success by luring teams into launching an attack, before stepping up in unison to catch them offside. However, it is a dangerous tactic which can be exploited with a clever run and pass in behind.

    It's a strategy which needs everybody to push up at the same time and would crumble if somebody mistimes their approach or the attacker times their run correctly. Nevertheless, instead of attacking the space in behind, Arsenal looked like they were trying to play through the backline instead of over the top or out wide.

    They tried to use the pace of Martinelli and Saka in the second half but it was not enough to secure the much needed three points.

    Counterattacking vulnerability

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    Midfield options are few for Arteta, as a result of Thomas Partey's injury. Nevertheless, after Villa decimated Manchester City in their previous match, it was a surprise to see both Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz feature alongside Declan Rice.

    Both players are known for their influence in the attacking third, so it raised some eyebrows that Arteta deployed a rather gung-ho midfield against a side who have won their last 14 home matches. For their goal, Villa managed to get in-between Rice and the Arsenal backline in the build-up to their goal, which started when Arsenal lost the ball.

    Partey may be injured, but Jorginho was on the bench for the North Londoners. His calming presence next to Rice may have been another useful protective screen in front of the backline.

    • Mikel Arteta
    • Arsenal FC
    • Premier League
    • Aston Villa FC

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