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| Olivier Giroud piled misery on Aston Villa by scoring his 50th Arsenal goal |
SUCH has been Aston Villa’s wretched form of late that tiredness following midweek exertions looked Arsenal’s most difficult adversary at a ground where their unbeaten record stretches back to the last century.
And while the Gunners showed signs of fatigue having secured safe passage in the Champions League, a gentle stroll in such a happy hunting ground proved enough for them to retake the summit of the Premier League with ease.
Goals from Oliver Giroud, his 50th in the top flight, from the penalty spot and Aaron Ramsey, starting and finishing a rapier assault which began deep in their own territory, both in the first half, allowed the Gunners to cruise through the second.
They were not at their best, happy to soak up what pressure Villa could load on them in front of an increasingly despairing crowd. But they did not need to be at a place where they have not lost since 1998.
Giroud has had his fair share of doubters but his half-century put him in exalted company alongside Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Robin van Persie, Dennis Bergkamp and Theo Walcott.
“Olivier is at the top of his game. He is questioned sometimes but finally the numbers get people to realise that he’s a good player,” said Arsenal manager Wenger.
“He has improved technically, his link play is better. He’s not an electric pace player. He’s a player who likes to play with his back to goal and bring people in, so he’s not maybe spectacular individually.But he’s a very efficient and important player for the team, and he’s mentally very strong.”
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| Aaron Ramsey shoots and puts Arsenal 2-0 up |
Villa are in trouble, for all that they showed some spirit in the second half. Rooted to the bottom of the league, this was a club-record 15th top-flight match without a win and a ninth without a victory at home.
Remi Garde wore a grim expression at the close, in stark contrast to the warm smiles exchanged with his old boss Arsene Wenger – he was one of his first signings at Arsenal in 1996 – before the kick-off. If his smile is to return he needs reinforcements up front in the January transfer window.
Garde maintained the next fortnight could shape Villa’s season with games against three teams directly above them in the league table in Newcastle, Sunderland and Norwich.
“Of course the games are very important for us – they are must-win games for us,” he said. “But I see them more as an opportunity than a problem. They could define our season though so we have to be ready.”
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| Jordan Ayew controls the ball for Aston Villa |
Wenger could not have planned this better. With Manchester City next up at home a week today the squad will have a chance to get rest into tired limbs.
The first goal came from the spot after Alan Hutton pulled down Theo Walcott as he raced on to a ball from Mathieu Flamini with the match just seven minutes old.
Referee Kevin Friend hesitated before pointing to the spot but, as Garde conceded graciously afterwards, there is little wrong in taking time to reach the right decision.
Giroud, fresh from finishing off his hat-trick against Olympiakos from 12 yards, made no mistake with a 14th goal of the season, rolling the ball calmly away from the dive of Brad Guzan.
The second came at the end of a typically rapid counter-punch seven minutes before the break. Ramsey started it with a toe-tip tackle to steal the ball from Idrissa Gana midway inside their half.
The midfielder pushed the ball to Mesut Ozil, who laid it off for Walcott. His raking 40-yard through-ball returned the favour and the German squared selflessly for Ramsey to slot home unchallenged.
Villa left the pitch with boos ringing in their ears – quite understandable for a side with just one win under their belts (away at Bournemouth on the opening day) and none since here since they beat West Ham last May.
They returned after the break with a more attacking mindset and could have halved the deficit on three occasions. Rudy Gestede and Scott Sinclair both had chances to convert headers after being picked out with decent crosses from Hutton, but the former glanced the better of the two chances wide and the latter could not keep his down.
Shortly after, Leandro Bacuna had Petr Cech beaten with a 25-yard effort from the left flank only for the ball to refuse to dip enough in time, landing on the top of the net.
Aside from that there was precious little to cheer the restless natives. Wenger insisted Garde will be a success if he is “given time” in the Premier League, but both that and hope look to be in short supply round these parts.
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Guzan 5; Hutton 6, Okore 7, Lescott 6, Bacuna 6; Sanchez 6, Gana 6 (Grealish 78, 5); Sinclair 7 (Adama 87), Veretout 6, Ayew 5; Gestede 4 (Gil 57, 5). NEXT UP: Newcastle (a), Sat PL.
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Cech 5; Bellerin 5, Mertesacker 5, Koscielny 6, Monreal 5; Ramsey 8, Flamini 7; Campbell 6 (Gibbs 64, 6), Ozil 7 (Chambers 86), Walcott 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 64, 6); Giroud 7. Goals: Giroud 8 pen, Ramsey 38. NEXT UP: Manchester City (h), Dec 21 PL.
Referee: K Friend (Leics).
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