Aston Villa 2, Arsenal 4: Mat Kendrick's big match verdict

Nov 29 2010 by Mat Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

WITH friends like that, who needs enemies? Or more specifically, Gerard, with friends like Arsene, who needs enemies like Birmingham?

Not until the late hours of Wednesday will this particular ‘Hou’, Gerard Houllier, discover whether facing Blues at such a challenging time in his tenure leads to salvation or damnation.

If bon ami Wenger can inflict such damage on unflappable Houllier, then it doesn’t bear thinking about what bitter rivals Birmingham could do to vulnerable Villa right now.

On the flip side, a winner-takes-all clash against their fierce foes could be just what the claret and blues need to escape this malaise ahead of a Christmas fixture list presently promising little festive cheer.

One thing’s for sure, however. The Carling Cup quarter-final outcome – more than the weather warning of heavy snow for Brum – will decide which half of the city should brace itself for a possible winter of discontent.

On Saturday, other than a brave, but ultimately pointless second-half rally, Villa were up to their necks in it higher than Ashley Young’s ridiculous snood.

A theme ran through all of the Gunners goals, in the same way that all of Arsene’s attackers ran through all of Gerard’s defenders.

Andrey Arshavin’s 1-0 goal on 39 minutes was clinically executed, but the Russian was allowed far too much time and space to cut in from the left and drill past Brad Friedel’s fingertips after a James Collins and Luke Young mix-up.

Samir Nasri’s 2-0 goal on 45 minutes was clinically executed... but the Frenchman was allowed far too much time and space on the edge of the area to volley in via the turf from an Arshavin’s corner.

Marouane Chamakh’s 3-1 goal on 56 minutes was clinically executed... but the Moroccan was allowed far too much time and space to latch onto Tomas Rosicky’s defence-splitting pass to win the race with hesitant Friedel and poke inside the post.

Jack Wilshere’s 4-2 goal on 93 minutes was clinically executed... but the Englishman was allowed far too much time and space to score a diving header at the back post from Chamakh’s cross after Collins blocked Denilson’s shot.