3 Positives & Negatives from Arsenal's 4-2 win over Aston Villa

3 positives & negatives from Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Aston Villa

Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (L) celebrates after a shot from Arsenal's Italian midfielder Jorginho ends up in the net, rebounding off Aston Villa's Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for an own-goal during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on February 18, 2023. - Arsenal won the game 4-2. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GEOFF CADDICK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images) /

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What a win.

Arsenal needed that as the team put together a massive performance to beat Unai Emery’s Aston Villa 4-2.

Arsenal didn’t end up sealing this match until late into stoppage time, but Villa were under a constant barrage of Arsenal attacks in the second half.

3 positives & negatives from Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Aston Villa

Arsenal deserved to win, but it didn’t always seem that way. Let’s dive into some of the good and the bad of the win.

Positive #1: The fight back

A huge win. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) /

Arsenal fell behind not once but twice today. They still won.

That was the mindset of a team capable of chasing a Premier League title. They fought until the end and thoroughly deserved to win that match. The team kept pushing, spending much of the match in Aston Villa’s defensive third and creating 2.26 xG in the match (if you take away Gabriel Martinelli’s .99 xG winner).

Negative #1: Sloppiness

Arsenal were once again poor in spells. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

The Gunners conceded twice, and neither sequence was pretty. It was reminiscent of the Arsenal of seasons past, just getting outmanned and outdone on defensive duties.

Arsenal defenders were not where they needed to be, and Aaron Ramsdale even dove the wrong way on Philippe Coutinho’s goal; the defence would come up big later, but it was far from a good first half.

Continued on the next slide…

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