- The window is almost shut but some still keep buying. Villa v Arsenal
- Aston Villa v Arsenal – how’s the season been going so far for Villa?
By Tony Attwood
If you stay in touch with our companion site, The History of Arsenal, you will know that we are currently running a series on the very early days of Arsenal – the days when the club was Woolwich Arsenal FC. And we have reached Season 16: 1908/09 – the highest position in the league so far.
Sadly that was not the start of a wonderful run that could take Arsenal to the top of the league but rather the reverse – the man whose company had supported Arsenal financially for years, finally felt he could go no further. So 1908/9 was Woolwich Arsenal’s greatest year in the league, and also the end of the line. The following year they collapsed.
Arsenal were rescued – by a man whose name is vilified today and yet without whom there would probably be no Arsenal FC for us to support. If you only know Arsenal’s history through names bandied around rather than a study of what actually happened in the early 20th century you might find that article on the Arsenal history site of interest.
But if nothing else the article linked above reminds us that great success can be followed by a rapid and enormous fall – in 1909 the achievement of the club’s best ever performance being followed as it was by the departure of the man whose business had supported the club for years. That led to the collapse of the club from its highest ever finish to a season to 18th in the 1909/10 season, missing relegation by just two points.
But of course not everyone is interested in the past and so now we turn as ever to today’s game and the fact that the Arsenal of the 21st century face Aston Villa – who in the 19th century won the league five times in seven consecutive seasons.
However the Villa of today haven’t won the league in 45 seasons, and up to 2021/2 Villa had a run of three seasons in which each time they finished in the lower pats of the league table. But from 2022/23 onwards things have improved with the club finishing 7th, 4th, 6th and then 4th again. This compares of course with Arsenal’s 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st. So rather good by Villa at the start fo the decade, but not good enough for prizes.
We as ever can compare the two clubs performance of last season…
| Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
38
|
26
|
7
|
5
|
71
|
27
|
44
|
85
|
|
|
38
|
19
|
8
|
11
|
56
|
49
|
7
|
65
|
|
|
|
+7
|
-1
|
-6
|
15
|
-22
|
37
|
20
|
The point here is that Arsenal not only had 20 more points than Villa, but also a 37 better goal difference. In short Arsenal were significantly better than Villa all round.
This difference was reflected by the fact that Arsenal beat Villa last season at home 4-1 although perhaps surprisingly lost 2-1 away, but the overall set of results from last season surely suggests Arsenal should see this game through without any problem.
If we look through the recent seasons’ games at Villa Park between Aston Villa and Arsenal in 2025 we don’t exactly have an alternating pattern of wins and defeats but the advantage in Villa v Arsenal games seems to swing back and forth.
Yet they will be boosted by having won the Europa League by beating SC Freiburg 3-0 in the final. It was an interesting game in the sense that Villa had the lower rate of possession, but had 17 shots to the opposition’s four through the match.
Of course at this stage of the season there is not too much that can be learned from a league table, but on the other hand it is always fun to see where Tottenham is, so here are some extracts including that for Tottenham … a club which seems to be bottom of the league.
|
Club
|
P | W | D | L | F | A | Gd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
|
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
6
|
|
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
6
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
|
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
-4
|
0
|
|
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
-4
|
0
|
|
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
6
|
-5
|
0
|
|
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
5
|
-5
|
0
|
Aston Villa are 17th having lost 4-0 to Brighton. Below them are Coventry, Palace and the aforementioned Tottenham Ho. Arsenal having won their one game are ninth. A one goal win will most likely take Arsenal up to second, although first is possible, but a two goal win certainly take Arsenal to top of the table through having a better goal difference than Manchester City, who have won both their opening games.
After that on Sunday it is Chelsea at home, followed by Napoli away on Wednesday 9th and then Sunderland at home on Saturday 12th. As far as I can tell, all the games are on TV, so everyone can have a look.
Next up, the team…
