Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal: Fuck the Papers

What a lovely thing to type, especially after a few drinks and a beautiful meal with an old friend. Truly, a fine day.

So here we are third, after a horrendous start, and now just one win off the top of the charts. I really can’t believe how good a manager Unai Emery is, even though he keeps proving it time and again. And I thought the Brighton win was something.

Well, it was. Falling behind 0-2 and winning? That’s not Villa. Then doing that and taking down the Arse two-slash-three days after such an emotional and mental expenditure, a team that hadn’t lost in 17 matches? Madness. Don’t even talk to me about their back line. We’ve got Konsa and Torres. That’s it. Throw Bogarde or Lindlölf in there in an emergency. That’s all we’ve got. Emery plans around that, makes demands, no excuses. Mikel got found out tactically and managerially again, simple as.

I’ve stopped believing in common sense, in players on paper. I’m back to believing that Emery can simply will Villa to victory. I mean, Buendia coming on that late to score the winner? Emery knew what he was unleashing, a little madman in an attacking substitution that has the heat in his heart to make a difference. Onana pushing him in front of the Holte to have his moment? Priceless.

What a moment of quality. What a moment of vindication.

I know I hadn’t written anything following Brighton midweek, which was also epic. Villa just don’t come back to score four after going two behind. We just don’t.

Until we do.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Villa are punching above their weight: We’re the second-oldest side; we have only a couple of players who’d start for anyone above us; we’re still largely the team Deano built.

And here we are.

So all I’m going to say is hats off to Emery. Hats off to the players for buying in and digging in. There’s simply nothing not to like about what’s happening however short-lived it may or may not be. For this side to be where they’re at at any point is a monument to all involved.

And fuck the press focusing on what it means to Arsenal. I get it, but really. Maybe focus on what’s great about football.

Over to you.