by Ricky Butler at The Emirates
If ever a match summed up a season it was this performance from Arsenal as they concluded their home fixtures with a whimper on Sunday afternoon.
Having seen all four trophies slip away in recent weeks, Arsene Wenger's side looked a pale shadow of the team that had thrilled us through the autumn and winter in an opening 20 minutes as poor as anything they have produced in 15 years under the Frenchman.
With the fans staging a pre-match demonstration over price increases and lack of investment in the team, it was exactly the start they could have done without as Darren Bent, the finisher who many feel Arsenal lack, showed exactly what he could bring to The Emirates with two cool finishes in the opening quarter of an hour.
Yes, the defending for both goals was nothing short of shocking, but it should not take anything away from Bent who took his goals with the confidence of a striker who passed the 20-goal mark once again.
As the team went off to a chorus of boos at the interval, Wenger changed his system, bringing on Marouane Chamakh for Sebastian Squillaci, and threw everything forward. The bold move almost back-fired within five minutes of the resumption when Bent made use of the extra space at the back but he showed the other side to his game with a weak finish that presented keeper Wojceich Sczesney with very few problems when he really ought to have completed his hat-trick.
That was a rare foray forward from Villa in a second half totally dominated by the hosts but in a now all-to familiar tale, Arsenal passed and passed their way to nowhere in particular.
Van Persie almost created a goal for Kieran Gibbs, who was denied by veteran keeper Brad Freidel, when he could have taken the chance himself, while Ramsey and Theo Walcott also came close to giving them a lifeline.
Wenger threw on Nicklas Bendtner for the once again disappointing Andrey Arshavin and Arsenal did finally get the ball in the net with fifteen minutes left - Chamakh heading home a cross from Backary Sagna - but Oliver upset the home fans again by disallowed it for a pushing offence that only he spotted.
But in a grandstand finale, van Persie forced the ball home from close range after Bendtner had burst into the area, his 21st goal of the season and his 20th since January 1st, but it proved no more than a consolation as Villa held out for a rare away win.
The lap of appreciation at the end took place in a half empty stadium as the Arsenal fans had long since had enough and you feel this summer could be the most important of Wenger's reign. His side are close to giving the fans the trophies they crave and with a little tweaking here and there they could do it next year. But with Manchester City, Liverpool and Spurs all ready to challenge it could be a difficult time ahead for Arsenal.
Wenger, however, was only looking to next weeks final match at Fulham. he said: "We want to do well next Sunday. I want to finish on a better game than that.
''For the first 20 minutes here we were non-existent. We were not focused enough. Were we a bit scared after recent bad results? I don't know.
"We want to give the fans what they expect and when you don't do that they are entitled to be unhappy. But let's not go overboard, we are not fighting relegation.''
Maybe not but a seventh season without a trophy may well be one too many.
Arsenal - Szczesny 6, Sagna 7, Vermaelan 6, Squillaci 5 (Chamakh 45 7), Gibbs 7, Ramsey 7, Song 7, Walcott 6, van Persie 8, Arshavin 5 (Bentdner 62 7).
Aston Villa - Friedal 8, Young(L) 7, Dunne 8, Collins 8, Walker 8, Downing 7, Delph 6 (Heskey 90 5), Petrov 7 (Bradley 80 6), Young(A) 6, Reo Coker 6, Bent 7.
Man of the match - Van Persie. Did everything possible to lift his team.
Referee - Oliver 5. Failed to give Arsenal a blatant penalty and disallowed the Chamakh header for reasons known only to himself. The youngest referee in the Premier League and it showed.
Attendance - 60,023
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