For all they tried for the remaining seventy-five minutes, and they did with energy and commitment, the complete ineptitude of those first fifteen minutes meant that the game and the points were gone – again.
Soft passes, misjudged off-side moves and ball watching gave two goals away. Sagna and Squillaci got the final moves wrong for the goals but the whole team started in sleepy fashion. The first goal was about two sloppy clearances followed by a misjudged move for offside. Szczesny did his best to stand tall but Bent got the touch just right.
A few minutes later another sloppy clearance, another misjudged move for off-side and another goal for Bent. Vermaelen was probably least to blame in the first fifteen, although his slip gave Delph(?) time on the ball to pick out Bent for the second.
After that Arsenal played better, showing some fight, but it was too late. With a two-goal lead to defend Villa sat back and worked hard.
Vermaelen put a on a good display of one thing we’ve been missing. He is more determined, more intelligent and can still out-jump most players. He seems to get up early and hang there somehow.
Ramsey should probably have got a penalty when Richard Dunne crashed into his leg as he swung it back to shoot but it wasn’t given. Arsenal really put the pressure on in the second half going to 4-4-2, Villa probably only managed a single attack, but couldn’t get more than a consolation goal poked in by Robin Van Persie.
Playing your hearts out after you’ve conceded two restores a bit of pride but this was a game that summed up the season – gone in a few minutes of sloppy defending, beyond the reach of Van Persie, Walcott and co to pull back.
***** Van Persie and Vermaelen lead our Man of the Match poll so far, cast your vote here. *****
