Another win on the road, and the first over Sunderland at their place by more than one goal since 2005-6. Let’s see how the players rated.
Wojciech Szczesny: 7/10 – A little troubled by some of the Sunderland crossing which was very good, but otherwise fine.
Carl Jenkinson: 6/10 – Got himself an assist for Aaron Ramsey’s cracking second, but looked a little off key at times, ignoring Szczesny’s shouts early on.
Bacary Sagna: 6/10 – Got lucky with Sunderland’s disallowed ‘equaliser’, other refs might have dealt with that differently, but a monster in the air and as committed as always.
Laurent Koscielny: 5/10 – You really have to question why he felt the need to dive in on Johnson. Like the second Villa penalty on the opening day, he gave the ref a decision to make and it went against him. Needs to stay on his feet in those positions more often.
Kieran Gibbs: 7/10 – Solid, developing into a fine left back.
Mathieu Flamini: 7/10 – Charged around, barked orders, shielded his back four as much as possible. His experience is a great thing on days like this.
Jack Wilshere: 7/10 – Showed some fantastic bursts, not quite there yet in terms of his close control but you just feel if he gets that sorted he could really start to produce in the final third.
Aaron Ramsey: 9/10 – He’s like a man reborn and it’s great to see. His first was the goal of a player full of confidence, his second showed great movement with a fine finish. A match-winner these days.
Mesut Ozil: 7/10 – Quality for Arsenal’s opener, created some good chances for Walcott which we spurned, all the while playing with guys he hardly knows and while under the weather. It augurs well for the future.
Theo Walcott: 5/10 – His forward running and movement was great, his finishing was terrible. His all round play was poor too, not switched on defensively at all.
Olivier Giroud: 8/10 – Strong and secure up front, the finish was excellent, held it up well and put in a shift as usual. Let’s hope the injury isn’t anything to worry about.
Subs:
Thomas Vermaelen: n/a – A welcome return as we looked to shore things up. Not sure if he even touched the ball though.
Nacho Monreal: n/a – Not on long enough to rate.
Chuba Akpom: n/a – Made his full Arsenal debut today. It was only about 90 seconds but well done to the lad.
Bonus rating: Paolo di Canio – He made a Mussolini of that one. Sorry.
Feel free to debate and discuss in the comments, but please read the comment policy first and don’t get angry with each other, or me, about imaginary points.
Fantastic football from our team! We’re back!
Ozil (10/10)- Ozil
you forgot the umlaut over the 10.
Ramsey first was top shelf material. He’s found his groove. Jack will be there soon enough.
If ever there was a reason to stick by and support players it’s the Ramsey turn-around. Some celeb fucker is going to die twice this week! * kicks Phil Collins Voodoo doll*
Like a frustrated housewife from Bracknell showing her hairy rat off in a Readers Wives centrefold?
I trust you meant top drawer? 😉
Ramessi!
Ramessey
Walcott needs to work on everything but his pace
In the last 10 minutes of the match, Arsenal lost the ball in the final third and everyone started tracking back except Walcott. Then I heard Wenger shouting “Theo!! Theo!!” and only then did he jog back.
Not shitting on him or anything, just observing, because I don’t know what his mental and physical state was. I just hope he gets his head up, powers through and starts getting among the goals again.
I’m finding him completely infuriating right now. When he’s scoring you can kind of pretend he’s a fox-in-the-box kind of striker and so you can forgive him his weaknesses, but when he’s not he’s just a lazy winger who doesn’t have the vision or technique to create for others. He was so lax tracking players and closing down today, just completely unacceptable.
I dunno, I’m just not sure that an inconsistent player can justify a starting spot when his off-form performances are just so pointless. It’s a massive shame that he doesn’t have any competition right now due to injuries.
I forsee him getting dropped if Giroud is fit when Santi gets back.
I think that he may be still carrying the knock that he picked up playing for England and would not have started if Poldi/Ox/Santi had been available. Of course, that doesn’t excuse his poor form before that…
Last year he couldn’t stop scoring in the sort of positions that he got into at Sunderland, but this year he seems to be snatching at his shots and needs a little more composure. It will come, but until then maybe a short spell on the bench.
He is usually one of our top assisters come the end oft the season though.
I don’t think his form is really all that poor as people say atm – he’s still in the right spots, at the right times. If he was on a hat trick yesterday who would’ve even mentioned the tracking back in a little more than an after thought? I am not saying that it is right, but one game of a few unlucky/half-assed finishes, with the possible suspicion of ankle injury, doesn’t really scream to me all to be that bad. Theo is in my opinion extremely important in getting the best out of Ozil for the mere reason that… Read more »
That is who he is, and he thinks it can´t happen to him, that Wenger only put him in his place for contractual reasons. I´ve come to the conclusion he only plays well with or when he has a chip on his shoulder…or is mad. otherwise he clearly can´t be bothered. I fully believe once our injuries are stabilized he will be put in his place. His effort level is quite shocking, this is why Gnabry and a couple of others are on champions league squad. Benzema works harder than him from CF. If Theo had Gervinho´s effort level, he… Read more »
Don’t you guys remember this match against Sunderland last season(0-1), Theo missed our best chances in that game, it must be something about that ground for him…he will soon be scoring!
Stop this OTT reaction and support him.
Thought maybe Özil deserved an 8, he had numerous great passes. Like blogs said, if this is how this guy plays when sick and not used to the premier league, I can’t wait to see more.
I agree. He created a lot today, and it’s not his fault that we only have one striker at the club. Walcott needs to focus.
This.
If it wasn’t for Theo’s finishing he could have had 3 assists today. Definitely worth 8/10.
I think the low rating was mainly because his second half presence was almost gone since the penalty, which really allowed Sunderland to dig in and give us a few scares, without any result unluckily for them. Although the circumstances to have a great game were certainly against him, objectively speaking, I think his score is fair. Also, if we give him 8/10 for a game like that.. blogs will be screwed, they’ll have to give him 10/10 for every game where he has any decent patch of form!
Oi Madrid you bought the wrong Welshman, you fucking cunts. Have fun with the Monkey 😉
don’t call them cunts, they gave us Özil!
I don’t know about give, when the fee was 42.5 mil, but when you consider that in the end, Tottenham sold Bale, we bought Ozil, then Tottenham spent all of their Bale money (heh) on buckets full of holes (HEH), and Real Madrid failed to win their first game with Bale (HAH).
Yeah, I’m not complaining.
I don’t know about give, when the fee was 42.5 mil, but when you consider that in the end, Tottenham sold Bale, we bought Ozil, then Tottenham spent all of their Bale money (heh) on buckets full of holes (HEH), and Real Madrid failed to win their first game with Bale (HAH).
Yeah, I’m not complaining.
We surely miss the BFG. Our defence looked a little panic for a moment.
Sagna and Kos really arent leaders as defenders. They are used to following behind Per. It will take some time for them to sort out who aligns the other. Also, without Per we lose the aerial invincibility, we may win a few in the air, but not all when Per isnt there.
You could really tell that Sagna spent the whole week preparing at RB, and was a bit of a watcher at the wrong times. As for Kos, it´s lapses in basic reasoning skills:
WhoTF would go to ground against Johnson on the right side of the pitch? His right foot is useless, I would bet Johnson would have never attempted a shot there.
Ozil, Giroud, Ramsay. Heroes.
I feel like Ozil deserves an 8. Took all of 10 minutes to settle into English football and made a big difference in the chances created.
Can’t wait til cazorla and arteta get into the mix:
Theo, Jack, Arteta, Ozil, Cazorla.
UUGGGHHH
What about Rambo.
And what about Rosicky? 🙂
Can’t wait til cazorla and arteta get into the mix:
Theo, Jack, Arteta, Ozil, Cazorla.
UUGGGHHH
Ratings are spot on. Agree 100%
We never make it easy for ourselves do we? Rambo rocking, Giroud fantastic n ÖZIL class. Walcott gotta impove his finishing given the fact he’s the only fit right winger we have.
Gnabry…62nd minute, Marseille; it has got to happen. Theo could use a bit of embarrassment…or a knock at this point.
Sad, but I would sit Theo down and make him watch CR7 footage, and show him that you don´t have to play centrally to be successful up the middle. If you appear thick movement-wise up the middle of the pitch why would I play you centrally as a striker?
I would bet staff have had this conversation with him in one form or another.
Gnabry to start against Marseille please. If you’ve followed Gnabry the past year you’ll realised he’s more than capable of starting a Champions League match now. He’s got the football brain of a veteran already… and he tracks back. Under the earlier-mentioned premise that Theo only shows up when “he’s angry and got a chip on his shoulder”, then let’s use this opportunity to drop him after the Sunderland performance. Missing three sitters in 45 minutes is bad enough. But refusing to track back even once for 90 minutes? Chelsea wanting rid of Juan Mata is equivalent to Arsenal trying… Read more »
I wonder if Theo was/is unwell…..cause he really was poor today….never once saw him defend or try to defend.
Oh well it’s a team game….when one pays badly another takes up the glove and slaps the opposition
Well done Özil….it shows you are no weak pussy…..just imagine when you are well and up for it….
I like you very much….Welcome home ( can I say this)
Santi get well soon
We miss you already
Arsenal Ladies Posse
xx
Fair enough ratings. Top of league ! Get in….
Ozil Flamster and Rambo excellent. Walcott and Wilshere poor.Walcott couldnt hit a cows backside.And thats why he doesnt play as a striker
Very lucky the ref fucked up for the disallowed goal.It was a shocking decision
The referee did not ‘fuck up’, rather, Altidore should have been yellow carded ‘cos the ref had blown for a foul
What are you on about, I don´t think anybody watched that and thought, ¨give that guy a yellow…it´s not like the off-side flag went up.
Also no offense, but if you stopped there as a player, I would have to question your desire. fair play to Jozy; dare I say they got screwed a bit there. He also could have done the bitch-ass thing and played the sniper victim once he was in the box. They are a better squad than the Di Canio haterade sippers think.
What an idiot.
Being an amateur (an ex-a-bit-of-professional-dreaming-about-playing-in-Arsenal) defender myself I can’t understand why a player with such a great abilities like Koscielny goes for such a rash and unneeded challenges. He’s got everything but a calm head to be the best in the league. Hopefully he will learn the lesson and omit this silly tackles. He did it twice in a month…He has to learn the lesson!
I think it’s down to his great skills in tackling. He’s a monster at it and is so confident of the result of it that sometimes he overuses this even if it’s unnecessary in the situation.
Plus remember that not long ago he got a KO kick in the head which could have damaged something in his brain (kidding. hope not)
Agree. To be fair the first challenge was clean, but nothing any mortal ref would be able to discern live.
Giroud and Ramsey were on song today. Walcott could have scored a hat trick… Not his day I guess.
Any update on Giroud’s knees? And is Rosicky going to be back for Marseilles?
It’s not be Walcott’s day a lot lately. Work ethic pulls you through bad form, and he’s not showing that at the moment either. He needs to snap out of it. Ozil will put three or four of those kind of chances on a plate for him every game. This one should have been dusted in the first half.
*been
Walcott needs to work a bit on his movement before shooting…he closes out his angles a lot to a point where he can only shoot in one particular direction….the usual walcott finish used to have him opening his body up just before the shot (like ramsey did for the 3rd), thats not happening anymore. Moreover, with no goals the pressure is on him and i feel he becomes like a deer caught in the headlight and shoots towards the keeper…basically focuses on the keeper than on the gap…cud try curling it with his left just to change things….
Theo is becoming more like Denilson , you give him a goal he becomes a different player evenif its only for 10 mins, Otherwise he looks very ordinary. He has got Santi and Ozil now he ought to do better.
Just lay off him already! I doubt you were singing the same pathetic song about him last season. Will you never learn? If anything, Giroud and Ramsey are proof many fans need to gulp down many pints of shut the f*ck at the moment and just get behind every one wearing the red and white (or yellow and blue).
Why can’t people call performances as we see them? Most of us agreed that Ramsey wasn’t very good the first half of last season, while most of us agreed that Ramsey was outstanding the second half of the season. The only problem that arises is when people continue to criticize performances without reason (based on old habits). It’s far more admirable to say, “I was wrong” or “he’s proven us wrong,” which Ramsey has.
Getting angry for people calling it like it is is just a bit silly.
Yeah, some f y’all need to shut up. Yes you can criticize, but there’s a difference between a bada game and a bad player. Fans need to know the difference and stop coming out with ‘toss him out’ or a hint of it every time a player has a bad game. Theo had a bad game . . . end of story! He is quality!
Is kinda like the people calling for wenger’s head a month ago
Some just love the taste of good ‘ol humble pie
Theo hasn’t been banging them in of late and it’s obvious he’s lacking in confidence. He did it the times we needed it. It’s our time to get behind him and he’ll come very good. Again.
I think most of the comments were not in reference to him as a player. They were mostly concern with his clearly lacking WORK RATE. Lets face it man, he´s lazy as all hell when he doesn´t have the ball. If there is no room for for other players, then comments like your earlier one does him no favors either.
Oh Di Canio, you fascist freak.
Flamini will turn out to be as big a signing as Ozil.The man is a warrior and leader.A certain starter even when Arteta is fit
If Giroud is injured we are fucked. The failure to sign a strike has come back to bite us
And with Cazorla out for 6-8 weeks the squad will be on its last legs come Xmas as we dont have the back up
Actually i thought he was caught upfield on a number of times….needs to play much closer to the defense when we lose the ball and dont press….
While I love Kos, and think he on his day is a world class defender, you have to worry about his desicion making. He gets to many red cards, score to many own goals and gives away to many peneltys. I know it’s his style to be aggressive and thats fine, but to often he’s reckless and damage the team.
Bullshit. He’s just unlucky. Sagna was shite as well and deserved a red card but he can get a free pass because of Atkinson.
It isn’t just shitty luck! He dives in when theres aboslutely no reason to!
Are you in need of brain surgery? If so I’m sorry for persuming you need it.
Tbf, at least half the penalties he gives away shouldn’t actually have been given, plus a few reds that he really shouldn’t have had…today was the exception as it was a dozy decision on his part but generally it’s the refs fault for making the wrong decision rather than Kos being at fault for messing up.
I love Ramsey but he should really give Theo his shooting boots back.
Maybe they can wear one each of the pair….
They can´t both wear the right shoe mate.:!!!! Hahaha
that’s ok… theo’s got 2 left feet.
Ramsey has 5 goals in 6 games this season I think. We haven’t had a midfielder who can chip in regularly with goals since Fabregas, so that’s amazing for us. Our midfield is looking awesome.
You have to give it to wenger for keeping his faith on Ramsey. Brilliant stuff!
You don’t really though. It was always obvious that Ramsey was going to be a brilliant midfielder, it was just a small blind minority of our fanbase that thought otherwise. There is NOTHING that the man is not either good or average at. He has no real weakness. And he is showing it, which is wonderful.
No it wasn´t. He was in everyone way last season…no positional dicipline, now he can´t place a foot in the wrong place. 75% of the teams would have dealt him or loaned him out.
Sang to the tune of Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie
Ozil, Ozil,Ozil
Oi,Oi,Oi
Ozil,Oi
Ozil,Oi
Ozil, Ozil,Ozil
Oi,Oi,Oi
Ozil, Ozil,Ozil (north bank, east stand)
Oi,Oi,Oi (south, west stand)
Ozil,Oi (north bank, east stand)
Ozil,Oi (south, west stand)
Ozil, Ozil,Ozil (north bank, east stand)
Oi,Oi,Oi (south, west stand)
Now that is a good idea. It needs a couple of people with megaphones to organise it. Wouldn’t take the crowd long to learn it. Come on Gooners, you know you want to do it.
By now I think Theo has gotten what it takes to score goals like Cristiano Ronaldo. Ozil gave good scoring chances and he wasted the three. Damn it. He need to see himself becoming C Ron cause he’s got cazorla and ozil.
CR7 puts in the effort every time out. He knows how to turn it on and off. Theo lacks the pop and change of speed and the a Larry Bird type of intellectual grasp of how to beat your man in any situation type of mentality. And yes metaphors can be applied across multiple sports.
Oh oh oh… Ozil!!!
Oh, how I love The Arsenal!
By now I think Theo has gotten what it takes to score goals like Cristiano Ronaldo. Ozil gave good scoring chances and he wasted the three. Damn it. He has to see himself becoming C Ron cause he’s got cazorla and ozil.
I just hope all you guys that were calling for our welsh dynamos head not so long ago are chewing long an hard on that big slice of humble pie. I can see our midfield dominating the prem for years to come, it seems to finally be coming good.
I dare say we have the best midfield in the league by far. Ramsey, Özil, Rosicky, Cazorla, Wilshere, Arteta, Chamberlain and Flamini. That is just sick.
And Diaby 😉
Who really is sick…
BOOOM…nice one!
Shame about our centre forward cover!
At this point with so many quality midfielders i would feel completely comfortable in a false 9 or with Chuba or Yaya. Or Marica.
I’d like to make a small but forceful point.
WALCOTT !! SCORE SOME FUCKING GOALS YOU MUG !!
That is all.
Get behind the team and the players! TW just goes a couple of games without scoring and people are already there calling for his head, wtf! I’m not his biggest fan, but he’s very important to our team. Honestly even though I agree he wasn’t that great today, he had three good chances of which at least two were denied by good – if not very good – saves from their keepers. He also put a couple of very good crosses, unfortunately nobody was following. That means he’s still getting in good positions and making good runs. Soon he will… Read more »
Theo, listen to Papa Wenger.
Tracking back is for all the game, every game when they have the ball.
When we have the ball keep getting into those good positions and it will come good in the end.
Keep practising and practising your finishes. Practice makes perfect.
giroud was on his feet at full time, ill be surprised if its anything serious
Giroud has tweeted that his knee is fine:
https://twitter.com/_OlivierGiroud_/status/378959468387901440
Please stay frozen, GSTEL.
Frozen reminds me of how they unfreeze fat bastard in that austin powers movie…..
A shout out for K.Gibbs who was quietly impressive. He’s come so far since that horrible Champion’s League semi debacle and I didn’t think he’d make it. Incredible athleticism and recovery speed.
Lego hair for Mathieu please! What a great attitude to the game! Mikel can properly rest and recuperate, bonus.
what was with the lack of communication between keeper and defenders today. not sure what was going on.
Per’s absence was what was going on :-/
Overall our defense weren’t great today (save for Gibbs actually) but hey, at the end of the day they got the job done on their part, no matter how hard they made the job out to be. Now to IMPROVE on that for our CL game against Marseille next week…
It’s always going to be difficult to slide in and win the ball when the player is going away from you at speed, unlike if they are coming towards you (e.g., Gibbs’ tackle against West Brom a couple seasons ago).
The one thing I think Kos really needs to cut out of his game are these potentially costly errors.
I feel sorry for Ozil…he went from playing with Ronaldo now to a much lower level player like Walcott
Ramsey is a G!
Still early days in the season, great to see Ozil in an Arsenal shirt today. Walcott needs to work on his finishing. For all the complaining we won 3-1 with a patched up team with key players out. I cannot wait to see the established first 11 firing on all cylinders. COYG
It doesn’t matter how good you are in your good day, it matters how good you are on your bad day..Theo walcott’s gotto work a lot to justify his startin place
Starting to think that Giroud provides almost everything you want in a centre-forward. Perhaps lacks pace, but that apart: strength, balance, finishing, lay-offs, headers, timing, awareness.
Don’t forget defending: work rate, positioning, grit and the willingness to take responsibility all over the pitch. Giroud was taking up positions in our box so many times today – as he does on a regular basis – often closer to their keeper than Flamini.
Theo will have better games.
Seeing Ozil/Ramsey/Giroud/Walcott run into the attacking third with meaning, made me think of when Pires/Ljunberg/Bergkamp/Henry used to do the same thing. We’re looking deadly I tell you, DEADLY!!!
Everyone was good except theo….When you are having a bad game at least put a shift in for your team. He literally was strolling around the entire game..When he dosent score his lack of footballing talent compared to the rest of the ream really sticks out. I support our players no matter what and i like theo but he really isnt that good. But his pace makes him our most effective player. He is a paradox. The fact that he puts up decent numbers for goals and assists also hides his terrible progress.. People use his stats to argue that… Read more »
What the F? Theo’s scores goals and that hides his lack of talent and lack of progress?!! The game is about winning which requires goals. If a player does jack all and gets me a goal . . . i’ll pick him everyday. Moreover, you do realize that you’ll need to get into position to score a goal, right?! He’s improved on his movement, his finishing, and his in-play crosses. There are certain myths initiated by the media or fans that sometimes gets repeated incessantly as tough it were truth! Myth: Theo’s first touch sucks. Truth: He’s first touch is… Read more »
Listen mate i dont buy into any myths which is why i go off what i see with my own eyes not what the media says or what theos stats say.. Did you read what i actually posted. ”He is not a good footballer. but is our MOST EFFECTIVE PLAYER”. Speed helps your movement and directness…Its not that difficult to have great movement and directness when your that fast. He plays for arsenal as he balances the fact that all our players are actually good footballers who prefer the ball to feet..He is our x factor, the last part of… Read more »
I’ve said it before but I’m proud of this one:
Aarsanjamez Ramcazerezil
Ozil 7? Did you watch the right match. He set up about 5 goal scoring opportunities. When we looked vulnerable, he picked up the tempo! Disgusting rating. Walcott on the other hand was appalling. 7years in our team and he can’t even score when the ball is put on the platter? Ozil is so good that looking back to the darkened deathly days of waiting for Walcott to set up a goal! We would have lost if Ozil didn’t play as spectacularly as he did.