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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Positive 2: Jorginho & Zinchenko open their accounts

Jorginho’s goal may have gone down as an Emi Martinez own goal, but he deserves the recognition. He was once again immense in the match and capped it off by scoring the winner.

I’ve been openly critical of Oleksandr Zinchenko’s shooting in the last few matches. It’s felt rushed and desperate, so I have not been a fan. So naturally, I got tagged a few times on Twitter when his goal hit the back of the net. I am more than happy to be wrong here because I care way more about Arsenal scoring than just being right. His goal was much more coordinated than his other shots; however, this was a set-piece design we’ve seen Arsenal pull off before.

Negative #2: Need to be clinical

Oh, Ode. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

Arsenal won the match today but very easily could not have. Just like the City match, the game could have been won or lost by small margins.

Eddie Nketiah could have been better with his opportunities, and Martin Ødegaard, despite a fine second-half performance, missed an absolute sitter while the game was still tied – that could have been very painful if the Gunners hadn’t got the winner. The team has to take their chances and be much more ruthless.

Continued on the next slide…

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