Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on January 18, 2025, saw some strong reactions from fans, especially regarding the performance of Thomas Partey. The midfielder made a costly error early in the match that led to a chance for Ollie Watkins, although the Villa forward missed. Shortly after, Arsenal took the lead when Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 35th minute, followed by a second goal from Kai Havertz in the 55th minute, giving Arsenal a 2-0 advantage. However, things quickly unraveled in the second half.
Villa responded with a header from Youri Tielemans in the 60th minute, and then they came close to scoring again when Tielemans hit the woodwork. The real turning point came in the 68th minute when Partey failed to track Watkins, who then scored a stunning volley to make it 2-2, securing a point for Villa. Arsenal had looked in control for much of the game, but the defensive lapses allowed Villa to claw their way back.
Partey was deployed at right-back by manager Mikel Arteta, with Mikel Merino playing in midfield. The decision to play Partey in a different role seemed to backfire as he lost possession 18 times throughout the match and struggled to track Watkins. Many fans took to social media, particularly X, to voice their frustrations with Partey. They criticized him for his lack of positional awareness and poor defensive performances. One fan called him the “stupidest player” they’d ever seen, referencing a pass he made to Martinelli that led to a situation where Martinelli was offside. Other fans echoed similar sentiments, blaming Partey for the defensive mistakes that contributed to the goals Villa scored.
Despite the negative reactions to Partey’s performance, Arsenal had dominated possession during the match, holding 66% of the ball. They also created more chances, registering 17 shots, with six on target. Their expected goals (xG) for the match stood at 1.32. Villa, on the other hand, only had eight shots with four on target and an xG of 1.06. Even though Arsenal had more chances and looked more dominant for much of the match, they were unable to hold onto their lead due to their defensive lapses, particularly the errors made by Partey.
Arsenal’s draw meant that they remained second in the Premier League with 44 points from 22 matches. They were six points behind leaders Liverpool, who also had a game in hand. This result dealt a blow to Arsenal’s title aspirations as they had hoped to keep the pressure on Liverpool at the top. The draw against Villa highlighted the Gunners’ vulnerability, especially defensively, and the frustration of losing a two-goal lead was evident among the fans
