beating the Gunners

How do you beat Arsenal?
Believe it or not, Curtis Davies did it in an Albion shirt in the Premier League just over two years ago.
And as Baldrick would say, I have a cunning plan..
If Olof Mellberg is to miss out again through his ankle injury- and the indications are- on a Thursday afternoon- that he might very well have to sit out again.
Villa could have done with a defensive full-back at The Emirates. I've no qualms that Villa's ice cool Swede will be playing at full pelt until the end of the season, but he'll have to wait, I think.
With that in mind I'd be looking at handing Isiah Osbourne a holding role in midfield.
Stick Craig Gardner in at right-back again, and stick Gabby Agbonlahor on the right wing like he has on countless times for Villa- the last of which was in the latter stages at Reading.
That's a straight 4-5-1 formation, and without gettin too technical a 4-3-3 in attack.Poor old Marlon Harewood and Shaun Maloney will have to sit on the bench.
I wouldn't say I was confident of a result, although Arsenal are far from in good form, they have AC Milan three days later and know all about being on the receiving end of a 45 minute battering at Villa Park which will play on their minds, I'm sure.With a draw at Arsenal safely tucked away, I'd be making changes at home to Middlesbrough ten days later.
Magic Marlon- who seems to expend as much energy pumping up the crowd- would win his first league start inm place of Gardner and up front with John Carew (keeping Agbonlahor on the right wing and Ashley Young on the left).
Four points out of six and Villa's European charge will be on track.