Benteke o’clock at Emirates, a need to strengthen?

Aston Villa started the season in the best possible way beating Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates, with nothing being able to be taken away from Paul Lambert men, despite claims from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger the officials cost them the match.

The question still stands though, after a surprising (not to myself) victory in the capital yesterday, do Villa still need to strengthen in the final two weeks of the transfer window.

Villa’s record prior to yesterday’s match at the Emirates wasn’t anything to dispel confidence from a team who amounted 17 points from the last ten games of last season; only Chelsea had managed (before 5pm yesterday) more victories at the Emirates Stadium, 3.

Arsenal missing both captain and vice captain (Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta) through injury, as well the talismanic Santi Cazorla (first 45 minutes) due to participation in Spain’s midweek friendly against Ecuador seemed to encourage Villa as they showed the form that they ended last season in, showing they certainly aren’t to be push-overs this season.

Fabian Delph (my match of the match) Gabby Agbonlahor , Brad Guzan and Christian Benteke all stood-out during Villa’s opening match of the season, which ended in Villa’s away support (best in the Premiership) elated to pick up all three points. So more valuable with the nightmare opening set of fixtures that Villa were handed, which included both Manchester clubs and a rearranged revenge motivated trip to the Bridge to face Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.

When the floodgates literally opening in the first five minutes when Oliver Giroud opened the scoring for the home side, a move that saw Ron Vlaar caught out of position and out-muscled by the ageing Thomas Rosicky. I instantly thought the worst. When Nathan Baker was subbed with his accustomed head injury replaced by Ciaran Clark, instead of new signing Jores Okore, I again thought the worst whilst I drank my £4.30 pint of apple cider.

Do Villa still need another centre-back, personally I think so, I don’t see Ciaran Clark being a viable option, even as a 4th choice centre back. If injures occur, like last season, I hope we won’t have to call upon Clark again; Someone like Simon Kjaer of Lille.

But to my surprise we settled the storm and were able to get back into the game with one of the most memorialising runs I’ve witnessed. Gabby somehow weaving himself through the Arsenal defence, leading to a penalty converted on his second attempt by Christian Benteke, after Gabby was fouled by keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Fabian Delph who still looking for his first goal in the Premier League then created a new era in the Premier League. His 22 yard shot which hit the outside of the post and travelled across the line of the goal saw ‘Hawk-Eye’ the goal line technology, more renounced for its success in cricket, introduced into the Premier League.

With Delph and Ashley Westwood cementing their places in the Villa midfield, I still think that a number 10 type player, missed since the days of James Milner and before that Paul Merson is needed alongside those two. I would like to see us sign someone like PSV’s Georginio Wijnaldum (linked recently in the press) or Dusan Tadic of FC Twente, to be player who would be able to create some craft and creativity in the Villa midfield.

The game evenly posed until referee Anthony Taylor rightly awarded a penalty for a foul again on Gabby, this time by Laurent Koscielny, later sent off for a foul on Andreas Weimann. Benteke for a second time converted the penalty to send the 3,000 travelling fans into raptures.

Villa’s final goal from ‘Tony Moon’ after a clever counter attacking pass from Andreas Weimann, was something you wouldn’t associate with a left-back, a cool composed finish giving keeper Szczesny the eyes before slotting into the bottom corner.

After a successful opening day trip to the capital which resulted in Villa, no surprise for me, leaving with all three points, the need for a new attacking midfielder and a centre back would be top of the list if I was in Paul Lambert’s shoes.