09 December 2023 , 21:55
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There is a lovely, wholesome back-story to John McGinn’s trademark celebration.
His young nephew, Jack, has an eye condition that means he has to wear goggles when he plays football. “It’s a wee nod to Jack,” says McGinn, who makes a goggles-shape with his fingers after he scores.
Hopefully, Jack was watching his uncle put in another captain’s performance at Villa Park in a record-breaking win. If he was, then Jack, like the rest of us, would have seen confirmation that Unai Emery's men might just be the real deal. No, this was far from the bravura performance that can belong to realistic title challengers, but it WAS the winning grind that can belong to realistic title challengers.
No-one grinds more than McGinn, no-one digs deeper than McGinn. And this 15th home victory on the spin was all about digging deep, reaching into reserves of energy drastically drained by the epic display against Manchester City.
That is why Emery made five substitutions, that is why the physical endurance of the likes of McGinn was fundamental to the sort of hard-earned triumph that will have probably brought more satisfaction to the manager than the one over Pep Guardiola's side did. But McGinn is not just about physical endurance, his early turn and match-winning finish an example of his maturing technique.
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That his strike from Leon Bailey’s wonderful assist transpired to be the only goal of the game was down to Arsenal's wastefulness, referee Jarred Gillett and Villa’s determination. They now have a steeliness throughout the team that was not there at the start of the season.
Aston Villa's John McGinn celebrates after scoring against Arsenal (PA)HAVE YOUR SAY! Can Aston Villa win the Premier League title? Comment below.
And they have Emi Martinez, world class time-waster, world-class wind-up merchant, world class keeper. Quite why ALL referees have not become wise to one of the most injured, uninjured players in football history is a mystery.
But the World Cup winner is as smart a shot-stopper as you will see in the Premier League and that is not just down to his agility but to the way he appears to read an opponent’s intentions. Perhaps it is his overconfidence that produces the odd flap, such as the one that needed an upright to prevent an Arsenal equaliser early in the second half, but in the grand scheme of things, he gains more points than he gifts.
But still, Arsenal will be regretting their decision-making in front of Martinez, not to mention Gillett spotting a dubious handball when Kai Havertz appeared to have bundled in deserved a late leveller. This is an Arsenal team, though, that will not be leaving the title race any time soon.
For large swathes of this intriguing contest, they were - in terms of movement, passing and incision - the more accomplished side. Elements of their performance might not have been up to potential-champion standard - particularly down the left flank where Zinchenko’s limitations were occasionally exposed - but they will play worse than this and win comfortably.
What would bolster their challenge, of course, is a clinical striker, or more clinical strikers of the ball in the danger area, whatever part of the park they normally operate in. Having said that, Mikel Arteta, up in the stands, cannot legislate for the likes of Martin Odergaard and Bukayo Saka not just missing gift-wrapped opportunities, but missing them with alarming inadequacy.
By the way, even had Arteta been allowed in his technical area, he probably would not have lasted very long, such would have been his annoyance with Gillett.nIt is fair to say the Australian referee did not offer Saka, in particular, the level of protection a Premier League player would expect. But the officials did not cost Arsenal, their wastefulness did.
Villa took advantage and the normally-restrained Emery went on a bicep-flexing, fist-bumping skip to the tunnel. His Villa might just be the real deal … and we can all see that.