Redemption is on offer as downtrodden Aston Villa host wobbly Arsenal

Aston Villa v Arsenal, Champions League, November 27, 2010

Aston Villa 3.50; Draw 3.40; Arsenal 2.27

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Neither camp will be arriving into the early Saturday kick-off with too much oomph in their step.

Four defeats in their last six games have shot down optimists who thought this could be the year when Arsene Wengers charges finally convert their easy-on-the-eye football into the cold currency of trophies. Similarly, after picking up some decent victories following the appointment of Gerard Houllier to the Villa Park hotseat, a run of one win, four draws and a insipid 2-nil defeat at Ewood Park last weekend have plummeted the Villains into the lower half of the Premier League table.

Not only do both clubs share the problem of shaky form, they also share the problem of injuries. For Aston Villa the big absentee is upstart Marc Albrighton, with the young Englishman facing an extended period on the sidelines after succumbing to appendicitis in recent days. Arsenal, though, are also depleted following their disappointing defeat at Braga, with captain Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Eboue the latest walking wounded at the Emirates.

Down on their luck and missing key players, half-full merchants will spin the Gunners trip to the Midlands as a potential springboard for both clubs. With so much of the season left to play, a couple of recent bad results need to be placed into context. And provided either side can snatch victory this weekend, things will instantly look that much brighter.

Villa may shake-up their first team for the visit of Arsenal. That could see Ashley Young (two goals, five assists) be deployed down the right hand side with the aim of seeing the winger get the ball wide, beat his man and deliver as many pinpoint crosses as he can. If Young is shifted ! from his usual left role to the right, the obvious replacement to fill in on the other flank would be Stuart Downing.

Regardless of Villas composition in midfield however, up-top the clarets have some serious and pressing issues. Almost humiliatingly, so-called strikers of John Carew, Gabby Agbonlahor, Nathan Delfouneso and Emile Heskey have collectively managed to score a paltry two goals in a collective twenty-five matches this season. Villa need this goal-drought to end quickly if they are not to fall into even deeper bother.

Contrasting their non-striking strikers, at the other end of the pitch Villa have been uncharacteristically porous at the back. Against Blackburn the Villains were sucker-punched by two set-plays that pointed to a lack of cohesion and confidence between the back five. And those problems have been persistent almost since the start of the season with Villa conceding twenty league goals already, compared to last season where they let in just 39 goals all year in the top flight.

Acting a distraction against Villas headaches is the sideshow provided by Robert Pires. Despite the fact that Pires will likely be used only as a late sub in the match, you can bet your bottom dollar that plenty of talking-heads will look to spice up the contest by terming it as Pires versus his former employers.

Arsenal may well relish such distractions as it can help keep the spotlight off the north Londoners. After surrendering a 2-goal lead at home to Tottenham, and then conceding two late goals in Portugal in the Champions League, theories are abound of mental instability at Arsenal.

While the likes of Fabianski, Squillaci, Denilson and Bendtner continued to be questioned as being top-class enough, Arsenal nevertheless should be buoyed by the return of Arshavin and Van Persie after both missed the trip to Portugal. Yes, while its true that the Russian has now gone ten games without scoring and RVP remains a long-term absentee waiting to return to his sickbed, both players undoubtedl! y have t he fabled quality to break down a team with a moment of genius. This weekend seems the optimum time for that maxim to come to fruition.

Historically Arsenal have a great record at Villa. The Gunners havent suffered a defeat in this fixture since they were sunk 3-2 back in 1998. But, perhaps pertinently considering the Wenger Boys current woes, on that occasion Arsenal were leading 2-nil courtesy of a Dennis Bergkamp brace only to collapse when Julian Joachim and the a Dion Dublin double turned the match on its head.

Arsenal need to find resilience while Villa just need to find their feet. The fear is that both sides worries may turn this game into a who-blinks-first contest where one mistake could be enough to decide the final result.

101gg predicts: Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 0

Aston Villa 3.50; Draw 3.40; Arsenal 2.27

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