A few early-season narratives got ripped to shreds at Villa Park, as Mesut Ozil showed his class, Arsenal displayed their steel, and Aston Villa’s stout defence was breached three times in a devastating spell of 200 seconds.
The scoreline shows a chasm between these teams when in reality the match was much closer, but Arsene Wenger’s side ruthlessly exploited their openings to prove a defeat to Borussia Dortmund should not completely colour opinions.
Wenger has been forced to defend his record purchase Ozil at various points since his £42.5million transfer from Real Madrid but none more so than in the aftermath to the German’s limp performance in the Westfalenstadion.
Ozil has been played on the left to limited effect he was given the vital No 10 role behind Danny Welbeck. Alexis Sanchez never made it off the bench and Aaron Ramsey was deployed alongside Mikel Arteta.
For half an hour Ozil’s impact was on the fringes of this game; dropping deep to pick up the ball, providing links to attacks that lacked potency as Villa appeared the more threatening team.
But as the clock struck 32 minutes he altered the complexion of this game, and perhaps the manner in which he is viewed by pundits and supporters alike.
Escaping his marker and running beyond Philippe Senderos he collected a smart through ball from Welbeck and stroked a finish past Brad Guzan with the composure of someone born to do it.
One minute and 20 seconds later he exhibited the creative aspect of his game to hand Welbeck his first Arsenal goal on a plate. The England striker fed Ozil on the left and his cross to the six-yard box was so precise it allowed Welbeck to sprint onto it and drive a shot into the roof of the net without breaking stride. It was his first club goal since netting for Manchester United at West Bromwich Albion in March.
Villa Park was reeling. More than 40,000 had turned up off the back of an unbeaten start to this campaign that saw Paul Lambert’s team start this match in second place in the Barclays Premier League.
They had confined Liverpool to one shot on target at Anfield and conceded only once in four league games. But soon after they had let in three goals in three minutes and 20 seconds, Kieran Gibbs was allowed too much space on the left and his devilish ball was diverted into his own net by Aly Cissokho with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain lurking behind.
A virus had rendered Lambert without Ashley Westwood shortly before kick-off, as well as Nathan Baker, who was replaced by Ciaran Clark in central defence alongside Senderos.
For the opening 30 minutes those absences had not looked like hampering Villa, who began with purpose and energy, twice bringing fine saves from Wojciech Szczesny.
Not long before Arsenal won this game, Clark had an excellent opportunity to hand his team the lead. Tom Cleverley swung over a deep free-kick and the defender had space at the back post to head home but a star jump save from S Szczesny saved Arsenal again.
That was to be as good as it got for Villa, who found out, like most of us, Arsenal are a better team than a bad night in Dortmund would have us believe.
The scoreline shows a chasm between these teams when in reality the match was much closer, but Arsene Wenger’s side ruthlessly exploited their openings to prove a defeat to Borussia Dortmund should not completely colour opinions.
Wenger has been forced to defend his record purchase Ozil at various points since his £42.5million transfer from Real Madrid but none more so than in the aftermath to the German’s limp performance in the Westfalenstadion.
Ozil has been played on the left to limited effect he was given the vital No 10 role behind Danny Welbeck. Alexis Sanchez never made it off the bench and Aaron Ramsey was deployed alongside Mikel Arteta.
For half an hour Ozil’s impact was on the fringes of this game; dropping deep to pick up the ball, providing links to attacks that lacked potency as Villa appeared the more threatening team.
But as the clock struck 32 minutes he altered the complexion of this game, and perhaps the manner in which he is viewed by pundits and supporters alike.
Escaping his marker and running beyond Philippe Senderos he collected a smart through ball from Welbeck and stroked a finish past Brad Guzan with the composure of someone born to do it.
One minute and 20 seconds later he exhibited the creative aspect of his game to hand Welbeck his first Arsenal goal on a plate. The England striker fed Ozil on the left and his cross to the six-yard box was so precise it allowed Welbeck to sprint onto it and drive a shot into the roof of the net without breaking stride. It was his first club goal since netting for Manchester United at West Bromwich Albion in March.
Villa Park was reeling. More than 40,000 had turned up off the back of an unbeaten start to this campaign that saw Paul Lambert’s team start this match in second place in the Barclays Premier League.
They had confined Liverpool to one shot on target at Anfield and conceded only once in four league games. But soon after they had let in three goals in three minutes and 20 seconds, Kieran Gibbs was allowed too much space on the left and his devilish ball was diverted into his own net by Aly Cissokho with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain lurking behind.
A virus had rendered Lambert without Ashley Westwood shortly before kick-off, as well as Nathan Baker, who was replaced by Ciaran Clark in central defence alongside Senderos.
For the opening 30 minutes those absences had not looked like hampering Villa, who began with purpose and energy, twice bringing fine saves from Wojciech Szczesny.
Not long before Arsenal won this game, Clark had an excellent opportunity to hand his team the lead. Tom Cleverley swung over a deep free-kick and the defender had space at the back post to head home but a star jump save from S Szczesny saved Arsenal again.
That was to be as good as it got for Villa, who found out, like most of us, Arsenal are a better team than a bad night in Dortmund would have us believe.