Arsenal Grind out a Composed 2:0 Victory at the Villa Park

 

Arsenal earned an important 2-0 win against Aston Villa at Villa Park this evening, banishing the ghosts of their defeat there last season.

The first half was both tense and tightly contested, with Arsenal unable to make the most of their dominant possession.

Eager to attack, the Gunners frequently pushed forward, but Aston Villa countered quickly, nearly scoring on several occasions. Ollie Watkins’ glaring miss was crucial in keeping Arsenal level early on.

Morgan Rodgers emerged as a significant threat for Arsenal, utilizing his direct runs in midfield alongside Leon Bailey's menace, which caused issues for William Saliba and Thomas Partey, leading to Declan Rice receiving a yellow card just before halftime, with neither team managing to find the net.

In the second half, Aston Villa remained resilient, but Arsenal showcased their experience, successfully holding off their opponents, though they were fortunate not to fall behind at least once.

A pivotal moment came when David Raya executed a stunning save to deny Watkins, which arguably shifted the momentum in favor of Arsenal.

Villa’s inability to convert their chances proved costly when Leandro Trossard netted the opener.

Despite a flurry of substitutions from Villa, Arsenal maintained their grip on the match and secured their victory with a second goal from Thomas Partey, who was once again aided by Trossard.

Although Villa put Arsenal’s defense to the test, the backline—especially Saliba—performed exceptionally well, ensuring a clean sheet that reflected their solid display.

This victory marks another away win for the Gunners in 2024, continuing their unbeaten league run on the road this year.

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Arsenal Wrapped Up Their Preseason Friendlies With a Comfortable 2:0 Against Lyon.

 Arsenal concluded their pre-season with a 2-0 win over French side Lyon, successfully defending the Emirates Cup.

The Gunners had an early chance when Bukayo Saka directed a header from a Martinelli cross on target, but it was easily caught by the goalkeeper. Arsenal controlled the game, generating several corners as they pressed into Lyon's half.

The breakthrough arrived in the 9th minute from one of those set-pieces, as William Saliba rose to head in a delivery from Declan Rice, giving Arsenal a 1-0 lead.

Another corner from Rice caused problems for Lyon, with Saliba again posing a threat in the box. Saka had another header from a Zinchenko cross, but it went wide of the far post. Rice then attempted a long-range shot, which was comfortably saved. A brilliant play by Odegaard allowed Martinelli to break through, but a Lyon defender blocked his cross intended for Havertz. However, from the resulting corner, Arsenal extended their lead. Rice delivered another excellent ball, and Gabriel powered in a header to make it 2-0.

Arsenal nearly scored a third when a superb pass from Havertz sent Martinelli racing through, but a defender managed to disrupt his shot. Havertz then headed over after Martinelli nodded a Saka free kick back across goal, while Lyon had a rare opportunity when Said Benrahma shot wide of Raya’s near post.

A few minutes later, a dangerous cross from Ainsley Maitland-Niles almost found Georges Mikautadze, but Raya intervened to clear the danger. Mikel Arteta’s side held onto their two-goal lead as they went into halftime.

Surprisingly, there were no substitutions at the break. Mikautadze had the first chance of the second half but shot over. Martinelli then set up Odegaard for a shot from the edge of the box, but the Lyon keeper made a fantastic save to tip it around the post.

Partey curled a shot wide after Rice's attempt was blocked, and Havertz also shot wide following good movement from Martinelli. Saka's third header of the match, this time from a Zinchenko cross, struck the bottom of the post.

Saka nearly connected with an Odegaard pass as they combined in the Lyon box. In the 63rd minute, Arteta made his first substitutions, bringing on Riccardo Calafiori for Zinchenko, who received a warm reception from the crowd. Gabriel Jesus replaced Declan Rice, allowing Havertz to move back into midfield, while Lyon made several changes as well. Saliba came close to scoring again, heading a Saka free kick just wide.

With about 15 minutes left, Arteta introduced Jakub Kiwior, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Leandro Trossard, and Reiss Nelson for Havertz, Saka, Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, and Martinelli. Eddie Nketiah, who has been linked with a move to Marseille, remained on the bench.

Odegaard’s vision set up Nelson for a shot that the keeper saved at his near post. At the other end, a quick long throw caught Jorginho off guard, but Raya was there to deny the Lyon forward as he entered the box.

A clever run from Jesus and a well-placed pass from Odegaard created another opportunity, but the flag was raised for offside. Nwaneri showcased his talent with an impressive run and turn into the box, following it up with a right-footed shot that was saved by the keeper.

Arsenal Demolished Bayern Leverkusen 4:1 in a Preseason Friendly

Arsenal showcased their dominance with a decisive 4-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in their penultimate pre-season friendly at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. This performance serves as a strong indicator of their readiness for the upcoming season. Early goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard set the tone for the match, following the team's summer tour in the USA. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz also contributed to the scoreline, as Mikel Arteta’s confident squad overcame last season’s formidable German double winners, who narrowly missed an unbeaten season under Xabi Alonso and lost the Europa League final to Atalanta.

Arsenal, still anticipating the arrival of new signing Riccardo Calafiori, began the match with high intensity, taking the lead within the first eight minutes. Zinchenko initiated and completed a swift attacking move, releasing Havertz down the left flank before firing a low shot into the bottom corner after a clever layoff from captain Martin Odegaard.

The Gunners quickly doubled their advantage when Leverkusen's attempt to play out from the back backfired. Trossard capitalized on the error, and after a series of passes involving Odegaard, Jesus, and Havertz, he calmly slotted the ball into the net, evading a desperate sliding challenge.

Trossard later forced Leverkusen's goalkeeper Matej Kovar into a diving save with a long-range effort, while Odegaard had two shots blocked. Arsenal extended their lead to three goals before halftime when Jesus intercepted a poor throw-in from Leverkusen, surged forward, and saw his weak shot inadvertently redirected into the net by Kovar, who should have done better.

Leverkusen, who were behind Arsenal in their pre-season preparations with the Bundesliga season starting a week after the Premier League, appeared sluggish and lacking in both energy and quality. Their first-half efforts were limited to a few promising runs from Jeremie Frimpong and a blocked shot from Odilon Kossounou, with David Raya only called into action just before the break.

At halftime, Arteta made strategic substitutions, introducing Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Jakub Kiwior, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, giving the England duo their first minutes of pre-season after extended breaks following their Euro 2024 final run.

Leverkusen's Nathan Tella volleyed off target, and they survived a penalty appeal after a physical encounter between Havertz and Jonathan Tah. Havertz then made it 4-0 after Aleix Garcia failed to clear the ball in his own box, following a strong run from promising young talent Ethan Nwaneri and a dangerous low cross from Saka.

Leverkusen managed to score a consolation goal 15 minutes from time when Tella assisted Czech forward Adam Hlozek, who finished cleverly past Raya. However, last season's late-game specialists never looked likely to mount a comeback, instead reflecting on an unusually poor performance as they prepare for their final friendly against LaLiga side Real Betis and their upcoming German Super Cup clash with Stuttgart.

For Arsenal, only Lyon remains on their pre-season schedule before they kick off the new Premier League season at home against Wolves on August 17.