Aston Villa

Sidwell: Arsenal Too Easy To Gun Down

Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell has stuck the boot into Arsenal, claiming his former club are no longer the intimidating force they once were - especially at home.

Nov 17, 2008 1:35:27 AM

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Steve Sidwell - Aston Villa (PA)

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The Villans left Ashburton Grove on Saturday evening with three well-earned points in their pockets after putting two unanswered goals past their hosts.

The win - their seventh of the 13-game-old season - sees the Birmingham outfit sit level on points with the Gunners, with only goal difference separating the fifth- and fourth-placed sides.

It was a happy homecoming of sorts for Sidwell, who graduated from the youth ranks at Highbury before leaving in 2003 to take the offer of regular first-team football at Reading.

And the 25-year-old declared that Arsene Wenger's troops are no longer capable of holding down the fort and battering away their would-be conquerers - a problem which, if not resolved soon, will surely doom their already-faltering title challenge.

"You come to Arsenal thinking you can pick up points," Sidwell said in The Sun.

"You look at Chelsea and Man United and they don’t drop many points.

"But you play Arsenal home and away and think you can get a result."

The Londoners have now lost four games this season, as they have also fallen to Fulham, Hull City and Stoke City.

Cecil Braun