Arsenal march on but Aston Villa find hope - analysis

By Martin Swain

A little bit of hope. The whiff of a recovery. Perhaps a glimpse for Lambert's players of their better selves in a season which has become so difficult for them.

Villa never did enough to overturn the devastating two-goal blast in less than 30 disastrous seconds which enabled Arsenal to become the third team to top the Premier League in an eventful weekend.

That Jack Wilshere-inspired salvo gave the Gunners a grip of the game that would ultimately prove unassailable.

But for once this was no limp surrender. Lambert's side dragged themselves from the brink of another damning verdict from the despairing home fans by producing a spirited second-half rally.

That the high point of Villa's revival would be a goal from Christian Benteke 14 minutes from the end added to the sense of a reawakening for a dormant team.

How Villa need Benteke – and how different he looked once he had produced a splendid finish to an even more splendid cross, from Matt Lowton, to raise the decibel levels.

Benteke has been a mysteriously anonymous figure this season – and when a footballer of his physique and presence goes missing, it is hard not to think there is a problem.

But maybe it was just an attack of the confidence wobbles for the cameo that followed his late goal was instantly reminiscent of the striker who virtually saved Villa single-handedly last season.

• Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 2 - match report and pictures

Now, it would be wrong to presume too much from Villa's improvement over the 90 minutes.

Still the team cries out for a semblance of craft and creativity which only now Lambert seems to be recognising, and there was nothing more tortuous and dispiriting for the supporters than to see the Arsenal cat play with these claret and blue mice for the opening half.

Because of that remarkable – but as it turns out misleading – opening-day result at the Emirates, Villa went into the game with the chance of their first double over the Gunners for 21 years.

But Ron Atkinson's old team had a cast list which included Bosnich, Barrett, Staunton, McGrath, Teale, Richardson, Houghton, Atkinson, Saunders and Daley – and that is a pedigree of player far removed from this current crop.

Lambert is hacking away at the elite these days with inferior personnel who, when devoid of high energy, are exposed as game triers but little more.

And with the now regular 70-30 per cent possession count against Villa in the first half, a familiar pattern was soon established.

Villa held the Arsenal masterclass at bay until the 34th minute before – as it inevitably must – the team with control of the ball eventually created the chances to score.

Lambert had made five changes going into the game and confronted Arsenal with a back-line built around three centre-backs.

But a concussion for Nathan Baker in the 15th minute saw a re-drawing of the game plan as Leandro Bacuna appeared in a 4-4-2.

The six-minute delay for the removal of an out-cold Baker was the only interruption to Arsenal's dominance.

Their first goal was wonderfully-crafted by Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monreal which ripped apart Villa's right-side before Wilshere executed the opening with casual aplomb.

From the kick-off, Fabian Delph was caught in possesion by the England midfielder and before Ron Vlaar and Lowton had had a chance to regain their composure, Olivier Giroud was sticking a second in the same spot past Brad Guzan.

Villa's timidity in these stages was all the more frustrating because in isolated early moments, efforts by Delph and Karim El Ahmadi had suggested they could get at Arsene Wenger's defence.

But it needed the half-time jeers from supporters and some strong words by Lambert to generate a response.

Applying greater zest, Villa fractured Arsenal's previously untroubled lines of possession and began to see a little daylight in and around Per Mertesacker.

It is still a worry that shots from distance by Delph and Ashley Westwood were their principal threats to Wojciech Sczesny before they crafted a moment of rare quality after Santi Cazorla carelessly gifted Villa the ball.

Lowton's unhesitating cross, arced into that devilish space between goalkeeper and defenders, reached a lunging Benteke at the far post. As the Holte briefly roared its encouragement, it was possible to imagine Villa providing a repeat of their most extraordinary result of the season, the defeat of Manchester City.

It wasn't to be and the quality gap between the teams was not in doubt.

But, with their home form providing such meagre portions, it still felt like a large dollop of hope.