Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the season’s opening game due to a pre-planned break. Although I was looking forward to said break, I was equally gutted I wouldn’t be there for Villa Park’s curtain raiser. And what a game it was set to be.
I can’t remember the last time I approached a game feeling confident against a top side. Unai Emery has installed that into me and many others but despite that confidence, there is a reason Arsenal have come close to winning the league on the last two occasions.
Arsenal fans pinpointed our games last season as potential reasons for not winning the Premier League title so they, like their players, were fired up and wanted to make up for their defeats last season.
Emery named the same side that beat West Ham in the opening game of the Premier League last season.
There wasn’t much to separate the teams in the first half as Emery and Mikkel Arteta continued to play chess with their tactics.
And the game was ultimately decided by the side who were more clinical on the day. Ollie Watkins, who has played very little since returning to pre-season two weeks ago missed two glaring chances. Had either of them gone in we may have been looking at a different result.
Substitute Leandro Trossard gave the visitors the lead moments after coming on when Bukayo Sako cut the ball back for the Belgian to make it 0-1.
The goal came against the run of play but the heads of the home team dropped and Arsenal soon doubled their lead through Thomas Partey, beating Emi Martinez at his near post.
The win gives Arsenal maximum points from the opening games while Villa remain on three.
Despite the defeat, much like last season’s encounters, it was all about the side who was more clinical in front of goal. Villa can take a lot of positives from this game but fans’ experience off the field, ruined the opening game of the season.
I used to remember walking into Villa Park for the first game of the season, noticing any chances made around the ground as well as walking up the steps to see the beautiful fresh new pitch.
I knew there would be an issue with the new digital ticketing system. I said as much in friend WhatsApp groups in the week before the fixture. Although I must admit I didn’t quite expect it to be as bad as it was. Some fans claim they waited up to 90 minutes to get into the ground before the game, some even missing kick-off.
The club have not told us why this was the case despite realising a statement today (see below) but surely posters around the outside of the ground, showing fans how to use the new digital system wouldn’t have hurt? Or members of staff helping those who struggled the most?
It doesn’t end there either. Talks of more expensive but limited options in the concourse didn’t prevent the crazy queues. I read one fan state that they went down 15 minutes before half-time and still missed kick-off because it took them that long to get themselves a Bovril!
And then we get onto the worst bit. The flooded urinals. Let’s not pretend that this is something new. It happened throughout the season last year (in particular in the Upper Holte) and it seems despite all the money pumped into corporate areas of the ground – the normal supporter is forgotten about despite some fans paying up to £1000 for their season ticket.
Simply put, it’s not good enough and Aston Villa MUST do better off the field.
Villa haven’t publically released a statement today but instead chose to email those who attended the game.
The statement read:
Aston Villa Football Club are aware of the issues faced by supporters during Saturday’s opening home game of the season against Arsenal.
The club have spent the last 48 hours investigating these issues and will spend the coming weeks ensuring they do not impact fans’ matchday experience in the future.
Regarding the difficulties with access to the stadium, we will be working on solutions to ensure each and every fan is able to use our updated ticketing technology efficiently upon arrival to Villa Park.
We have made it a top priority to resolve the problems involving public toilets and queuing within concourses.
The club will be communicating directly with fans once changes are made and processes are improved.
So they acknowledge their wrongdoing and are investigating but it appears a little too much to apologise for those fans who suffered one of, if not the worst experiences they ever have had within Villa Park.
