The Premier League curtain raiser is upon us and Arsenal take on a rejuvenated Aston Villa side after securing Premier League survival last season.
They have strengthened in key areas with the powerful Jores Okore coming in to likely partner Ron Vlaar at the heart of the defence and the tricky Nicklas Helenius will play in a role alongside or just behind Christian Benteke.
Key Areas
Villa’s lack of pace and defensive frailties
The main area Arsenal will look to exploit is the weakness of Aston Villa’s defence. Only Reading and Wigan conceded more goals than the Villains last season, with positional errors from inexperienced defenders to blame.
Although things improved once captain Ron Vlaar returned from injury for the run-in, the big Dutchman still lacks pace and combined with raw Ciaran Clark/Nathan Baker Villa may still be vulnerable.
With Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, Arsenal will aim to penetrate through the middle and exploit Villa’s full backs. Although Matt Lowton is a player I really like, his defensive abilities are still questionable and Joe Bennett/Antonio Luna will be kept busy keeping Theo Walcott quiet.
Christian Benteke
Keeping Christian Benteke this summer was vital for Villa and with the Belgian in the starting line up Arsenal will have their work cut out.
His strength, first touch and aerial ability will worry Arsenal especially on set pieces and Arsenal’s zonal system will be tested. It would be a good idea to put captain Per Mertesacker on Benteke in any dead ball situations in a more man-to-man system.
Midfield
With the loss of Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s midfield looks considerably weaker. Arsenal lack a naturally defensive minded midfielder therefore Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey will have to play an unnatural role.
This is a potential weakness for the Gunners where Villa may have an advantage. In Aston Villa’s 4-3-3 system they will pack the midfield likely with Westwood, Delph and Bacuna/Gardner and Arsenal may be overrun with a 2 v 3 situation.
Key Players
Olivier Giroud- 8 goals in pre season, albeit against weaker opposition was a welcome sign for Arsenal fans. He looks to have a spring in his step this summer and perhaps by not signing another forward has given the Frenchman extra confidence. He will look to improve on his 17 goals last season and will have a key role in Arsenal’s campaign.
Andreas Weimann- The Austrian forward had a fine season last year and was one of the standout players in an otherwise dismal campaign. A total of 12 goals last season was impressive and his overall influence kept Villa above water. He will look to play wide of Christian Benteke tomorrow and is a player to keep an eye on.
Match ups
Gabriel Agbonlahor v Carl Jenkinson - Bacary Sagna limped out of France’s friendly in midweek so Arsene Wenger may call upon the young Englishman.
Jenkinson is revered by Arsenal fans for his commitment and love for the club but his defensive abilities are still questionable. Agbonlahor’s speed will cause problems and Jenkinson will need to be at the top of his game to stop him.
Olivier Giroud v Ron Vlaar - The Frenchman’s fine pre-season form will hopefully carry over into the Premier League and if he continues Vlaar will have trouble stopping him.
Aerially both players are evenly matched but Giroud’s excellent movement and first touch will hopefully give him an advantage.
Latest:
