Neil Banfield’s Reserves welcomed Aston Villa to Underhill this evening with the winner knowing they would sit pretty at the top of Reserves League South. Arsenal have a game in hand over their Midlands counterparts so a real title push would be on if they could claim three points.
Banfield was able to call upon Jack Wilshere, Fran Mérida and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas against an Aston Villa side which boasted first-team players Craig Gardener, Nathan Delfouneso and Fabian Delph while £8 million summer signing Stewart Downing made his debut following injury. Former Gunner Samir Carruthers was named on the Villa bench.
Fabiański
Gilbert – Eastmond – Bartley (c) – Cruise
Wilshere – Coquelin – Mérida – Emmanuel-Thomas
Watt – Sunu
Subs:- Shea – Ayling – Randall – Frimpong – Afobe.
Match Report – Arsenal 1-2 Aston Villa
Aston Villa kicked proceedings off and snapped out the traps with two fine chances. Craig Eastmond was forced to block one move before Andreas Weimann jinked inside after good work from Downing to test Fabiański with a firm right footed shot. The Pole saved well with his chest.
Arsenal responded superbly as Jack Wilshere danced past two challenges to find Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on the right hand side, the leggy utility man blazed across the face of goal with his right foot. It was promising and the Gunners built on it following Gilles Sunu’s free-kick as Fran Mérida thumped a volley from the edge of the box which was blocked well.
The tempo was fantastic and both sides exchanged fouls as the competitive nature of the fixture showed. Marc Albrighton wrapped Wilshere around the ankles and as the diminutive play-maker struggled to get back into his flow, the visitors stepped their play up. Weimann and the aforementioned Albrighton forced Arsenal’s number one into making two tame saves as the hosts failed to keep the ball.
Neil Banfield barked some orders at Emmanuel-Thomas after he became an isolated figure and just moments later he was presented the ball in the box as Watt dispossessed Delph. With Sunu, Mérida and Gilbert all to aim for on the middle, ‘JET’ rolled the ball towards the corner flag and out for a goal kick. The leggy powerhouse expected Cruise to have made a run yet he failed to spot his defender had not. Poor play.
That may have been terrible, but just 60 seconds later Arsenal would bag the opener with a piece of real quality. Mérida’s dinked free-kick from 30 yards curled right into the area and Sanchez Watt rose highest to bullet home a header beyond Elliot Parish. A lovely finish from the number 9 who penned a new contract yesterday.
Goal – Sanchez Watt (30)
After a piece of brilliance from Mérida, he would then be involved in an ugly incident with Fabian Delph. The pair clashed off the ball and after Fran appeared to have aimed a punch, the referee pulled out the red card and Banfield’s boys would have to battle on with 10 men.
Aston Villa took full advantage of the extra man and after Wilshere was booked for a clumsy tackle on Albrighton, Bannan picked out Downing on the left, he had got in front of Gilbert and all the England winger had to do was it turn it across goal for Albrighton to tap home. It was a simple but excellent move.
Goal – Marc Albrighton (41)
Villa piled on the pressure during first half stoppage time and following a corner won after Fabiański saved well from Weimann, Craig Gardener curled home a stunning effort from the edge of the box to put his side in front. It was the final action of the first-half.
Goal – Craig Gardener (45)
Half Time – Arsenal 1-2 Aston Villa
Arsenal began the second half with real belief to go and win the game but as Sunu and Watt both missed chances to level the scores, that belief started to drain out of the team and was replaced with frustration.
More niggling fouls continued before an argument erupted between Banfield and Villa coach Kevin MacDonald on the sidelines. After that blew over the Arsenal boss focused his players and they pressed their visitors aided by the fresh legs of Mark Randall and Emmanuel Frimpong. Coquelin and Wilshere were the players to give way.
Randall’s first touch was to open Villa up with a superb diagonal which picked out Emmanuel-Thomas, he tricked his way into the box before shooting wide. The game then swayed and became end to end with Bannan and Albrighton having shots saved while Emmanuel-Thomas’ curled free-kick caused more danger. But it wasn’t enough and with 7 minutes left Banfield turned to Benik Afobe.
Afobe added some power and pace to the sluggish finish to the game but Arsenal failed to create enough to level it and when they did Sunu missed two very good chances from the edge of the box.
It finished 2-1.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Sunu’s inability not to think quicker and play forward pass quicker is atarting to be annoying
Arsenal dont have players who can dribble past players.
Giles sunu is talented but i am not sure hes good enough for the first team atm. Its funny cause he could go on a free this summer and we paid 2.5 million for him. We need to sign him up or sell him
We didnt pay 2.5 million. It was around 800,000.
He used to mix his game up with direct movement, direct dribble and passing in the U18s but now he looks lost with his decisions
We paid only a small amount for Sunu, John. That £2.5 million fee would only be correct when/if he makes his first team debut and certain other things are met.
Neil Banfield admitted he was fuming with the ref and he’s quite right to say so.
Sunu’s inability not to think quicker and play forward pass quicker is atarting to be annoying
Supergunner07 said this on November 25, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I couldn’t agree more.
Whoever said Watt wouldnt make it,
He is probably one of the best young strikers in the country.
Anybody know just what happened with the Medrida red card incident looked ridiculously harsh to me.
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Arsenal dont have players who can dribble past players.
john said this on November 25, 2009 at 9:01 pm
I think Jack Wilshere would disagree with that
come on you villians going to win the title again poor old gunners “
Delph should have been sent off as well as he grabbed Merida around the throat first. Villa reserves are just as dirty as their first team counterparts.
I think it is really difficult for the guys who played tonight. A lot of them haven’t played 90 minutes in the last month or so, never mind as a team.
The reserve league leaves a lot to be desired at the minute with the lack of fixture, it would make more sense to bring the north and south into one league. This would at least give them a chance to get some momentum up. Even if they didn’t play all the teams home and away.
I think we saw last season and in the early reserve games some of these young players have a good chance to make it, but all they have done recently is train.
But wilshere isnt a winger hes a central player we have too many central players not enough widemen or wide players who can do a bit of everything
@ John, Arjen Robben type players are difficult to find
How to teams constantly get away with kicking Arsenal!?
Call me paranoid but I do think there is an element of xenophobia in this, Refs give British lads the benefit of the doubt when they kick our foreign boys.
Arse&Nose – That’s been the case for years. I’ll even tell you when it began (well, when it really began because really, it’s been going on since Wenger took charge). When we got to the CL final and that racist cunt Alan Pardew came out in the press and said he doesn’t know how people can rejoice about an English team reaching the final as Arsenal can barely be called an English side due to only having Cole and Campbell in our first team ranks. It was after this that it became quite obvious that the media and officials had turned against us. Strange shit just started happening. Their only defence is to say that we Gooners are paranoid but we can see the truth. It’s clear as day in some cases.
reply to to passenal above. just a sorry gunner cannot take a good beating by super villa we have the best kids in the premier come on “
TJ, look what happened to Pardew -his career is down the drain,good riddance!
Is Merida out of the City game now?
If so, FUCK!
ARSENAL ARE CRAP ANYWAY WAY OVERATED COME ON THE LIONS OF BRUM
Well done Villa,
since when have villas first team been dirty you paranoid and delusional bad losers? You lose a game and blame the media and anyone else you can think of except your own team!
if arsenal appeals red card,is there any chance it being reduced to 1 match
He misses out on 3 first-team games, but his suspension probably starts 14 days after today. This means he’ll be available for City if we need him.
I cannot read this site on my I phone. It is something to do with the colour of the font which comes out White (so unreadable)
can you do somthing about this?
Villa dirty ? Vendetta against the gooners ? You lot are stark raving bonkers
J is there anything to be read from the fact that Benik Afobe came on with only 7 mins to go, do they think he is going to Barca?
TAMWORTH’S FINEST SHOWED UR 2ND STRING WOT’S IT’S ABOUT….MARC ALBRIGHTON IS CLASS..WELL DONE SON!!!
ha ha what goes around comes around…where are all those arsenal superstars !
I just saw 30 minutes of the first half, wilshere was playing wide left, definitely his worst position. left footed players have to be lighning quick to play left winger, same for right footed players playing right midfield (like Lennon)
Hopefully he will play wide right or in the middle against City.
Poor brummies. Comming on an Arsenal site looking for praise for your dirty team? Get a life.
Villa are shite end of. More importantly…is Merida banned for match against City next week?
Jay, I haven’t seen Nacer Barazite mentioned for some time. Have I missed an injury or loan or something? Otherwise do you have any idea what’s happening with him. I actually thought he might get some first team time this year after his decent stint with Derby last season.
OzGoonerGuy
Barazite injured his shoulder again playing for the dutch U21’s & has had to have an operation. I haven’t seen any details of his expected date of return.
There is obviously some ‘bad feeling’ between AFC & villa as this is the 3rd season on the trot that a player of ours has been sent off in the home fixture, following Lansbury last season & Dunne the season before that. They obviously know how to unsettle our boys & thereby gain an advantage……..or do some of our boys need to learn a bit more self control ??
From what you said the thrown punch was the difference in the match. Being an American I hope it was a real punch. I hate the bitch slapping and push garbage. I know it can hurt the team but please tell if he was warrented in thrown the haymaker. Still it sounds liek the Gunners still had chance to win even with a man down. http://bobbygee.wordpress.com/
I’m with Bob on this one, in for a penny, in for a pound.
Ratings? How was cruise? Did he struggle a lot?
It’s so ridiculous that reserves red cards count for a first team ban. I mean it doesn’t go the other way around. And how is it, can’t he play for the reserves until the first team has played 3 games? If he misses the City game because of this, it’s a load of bollocks. Merida should play two games in the next two weeks, City and Olympiacos. It should be a great month for the youngsters.
Why so many Villa fans on this site – have they nothing better to do?
So they won a reserve game – big deal. Get the open top bus out.
Sad Fuckers.
These Villa fans are really pathetic. Winning one reserves game (only because of Merida’s red card) and all of a sudden they think they’re the best around.
Stone, I think he’ll be available for the CL game as the red card is only for games organised by the FA.
I find it comical that the villa reserve manager mouthing was off to jack wilshere during the match, and Villa fans leaving the stands giving us 2 -1 hand gestures ha ha its a reserve match !!! shame
I feel sorry for these Villa intruders, maybe these annoying brummies are still upset by Villa’s failure in securing Champions League Football.
Well if that’s the case, they should blame MON then, not us!!
What? Arsenal don’t have players who can dribble past players?!! They certainly do in JET and Wilshere.
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Perhaps there are so many Villa fans here because they admire the match write-ups done by Mr Sanderson & Co.?
Yes I would agree there nexxus. A good report when coverage can be difficult to find. It’s no coincidence we are winning the reserve league again this season. Some of the youngsters we have (Albrighton, Delph, Clark, Baker, Gary Gardner to name a few – Baker is currently out on loan) definitely have the potential to become good first team players. This batch of youngsters have won a lot of trophies all the way through the age groups. We have high hopes for them and are very proud of them so it’s no surprise to see people chuffed that we beat the highly rated Arsenal youngsters.
The Villa first team may be a little way off Arsenal’s, but we still beat you at the Emirates last season and you were lucky to escape Villa Park with a draw! Not sure where this ‘dirty’ chat comes from, we have a very good disciplinary record.
All the best Arsenal fans, and I look forward to seeing some of your youngsters playing in the first team down the line.
WHy are gooners such bad losers? are they yids in disguise lol
Arsenal fans -you lost GET OVER IT!
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Utter Villa mugs. They field 2 players they paid almost 17m for against a bunch of kids who have just lifted every single trophy in their last season in the youths. 1-0 up until the dirty Leeds reject does one of his well learned tricks ends and it turns the game. Our kids have more medals now than the entire bunch of Villa kids will have when they retire from the game. Thats if they make it beyond this level.
Villa top of the reserve league, hahahahah live the dream Villa fans.
Ha ha ha.. Who is this Chris H guy? Is he a comedian?
I think winning against arsenal means a lot for u brummies ha?!
Although I’m not a huge fan of Arsenal, I’ll take that as a compliment.
Thank u brummies.. Forget about Premier League, go win the reserve league!! Go Villa!!
Go Brummies…!!