At the top of the league standings, Arsenal faces another challenging encounter against Aston Villa as they strive to secure a coveted title in a fiercely competitive race at the summit.
As Aston Villa’s form begins to wane towards the conclusion of the season, a newfound defensive fragility has emerged within their ranks.
A concerning trend has surfaced, exemplified by all three of Brentford’s goals in the recent 3-3 draw originating from Sergio Reguilon’s crosses down Villa’s right flank.
This vulnerability was further exploited in previous matches, with Manchester City’s opening goal in a 4-1 victory crafted from a cutback on Villa’s left, West Ham’s equalizer stemming from a cross from the left, and three of Spurs’ goals in a resounding 4-0 triumph penetrating behind Villa’s full-backs.
An alarming statistic reveals that eight of Villa’s last 12 conceded goals have followed a similar blueprint, signaling to Mikel Arteta the imperative need to overload the wide areas and challenge Unai Emery’s full-backs.
In a strategic move against Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal strategically deployed Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus in wide roles to exploit the flanks against Roberto De Zerbi’s compact defensive setup, ultimately leading to the pivotal penalty that broke the deadlock.
Should Arsenal effectively execute this tactical approach, they stand a strong chance of capitalizing on Villa’s newfound defensive weakness and potentially turning it into a decisive advantage in the upcoming clash.
