Premier League match analysis, Arsenal edge past Aston Villa in nail-biter (Part 4)
Carew, the Villa forward, seemed to be obstructing the keepers view in an off-side position and the keeper had a hard time judging where the ball was before it was struck into the goal.
Nonetheless, since Carew didn't touch the ball it was ruled that despite being in an offside position he didn't interfere with play. According to the referee, it was a legal-ball.
However, Arsenal didn't take to the goal very calmly and were back at it from the very next minute. Rosicky was the man, who received the ball in the midfield and after skipping past a number of players, the midfielder managed to play a perfect defense-splitting pass to Chamakh.
The striker managed to get down just in time and slide the ball between the arms of the diving Friedel, who could have done nothing to prevent the goal. Arsenal had their two goal advantage once again and it seemed like the game was back on. However, Villa really needed to get their defense together as it seemed like Arsenal were tearing them apart at will.
The Gunners seem to have the rare ability to turn the game on when they wanted to, and turn the game off when they wanted to. It was an ability, which they used to boast about until they faced their arch rivals Tottenham last weekend. Despite taking a two goal lead in that game, Arsenal went on to lose by three goal's to two, due to the inability to hold on to their lead.
However, it looked like the team would manage to do just that this time around. But the constant attacking that Villa was launching at them, seemed to be getting a little too strong for the Gunners back line.
The constant threat from Villa finally paved the way for their second goal. Villa won a corner off Arsenal in the seventy-first minute and the corner was whipped into the Arsenal box. Dunne flicked the ball goal-wards, however, Clark, who was Villa's man-of-the-hour, managed to jump in right on time and flicked the ball over Fabianksi. The ball smashed the underside of the post and fell down before Nasri cleared the ball.
However, the linesman had already given the goal and Villa were back in it with just nineteen minutes left on the clock.
(Continued in part 5...)
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