Thursday, March 28, 2024

Atletico Madrid 1-0 Arsenal – player ratings

Somewhat predictably, Diego Costa came back to haunt us…again.

The former Chelsea striker’s clinical finish in first half stoppage time put our Europa League semi-final with Atletico Madrid beyond Arsene Wenger’s players, who, on a night when we needed goals, managed just one shot on target.

We battled hard. There’s no question of that. But against a side who’ve time and time again demonstrated their pedigree at the top-end of European competition, we had no answers.

There will be no fairytale finish for Wenger and no Champions League next season.

Read the match report here. 

Here’s how the players rated today.

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SouthWalesGooner

Ozil gets a 1 from me for disappearing yet again in a big game. Proper choker, if we keep building around him, we’re not going to win anything.

GunneRon

Ozil was, unfortunately for us, more like a useless limb than the “brain” today.

afan

just a normal game for him

Eternal Titi Berg Pat Nostalgia

If Ozil is our brain then I want us to have a lobotomy, just for lol.

David C

not sure why this got thumbed down, you are completely correct. If he wants franchise money (which he’s getting) then he has to control the game. He simply can’t play away from home.

I thought Laca had a decent game as well as Rambo. Wilshere…I would just let him walk this summer.

Perry Groves' phone bill

Franchise money? Where are we?

COYG1001

I think the comments re Ozil would be more valid if Mikhi had also started. We needed all the creativity and shooters available … from the start.

N10

Still utterly mystified as to why Mhki didn’t start. Horribly bad judgement not to start him.

IamaGoober

You thought Lacazette had a decent game? What are you talking about? He was nowhere to be found for literally the whole 90 minutes. And when he was on the ball he had bricks for feet and literally miss controlled everything that came his way bar one moment. When he had an absolutely golden opportunity to score in the first half, I think it was Ramsey slid him in, and his fist touch was good, and instead of opting to pull the trigger with his second touch. He instead decided to take another clumsy touch which knocked the ball too… Read more »

Matt P

Yeah I am not totally convinced by Laca

jack jack jack

Brilliant, slag off the only world-class player in our squad. Why not start on Ramsey next?

SouthWalesGooner

When Rambo starts getting paid £250 grand a week to disappear in big matches, i will.

Lula

Exactly. There has to be down accountability

Fengunner

Ramsey WAS hopeless. I don’t know what game you guys were watching, but it was obviously a different one than me. How many times did he run into opponents and lose the ball, then not bother getting back to defend? Ozil did a LOT of defensive work, but then apparently, he’s shit! Ramsey, passing to the opposition, nobody or behind the target, that’s how I saw it. If he is the “big money” outgoing transfer that is needed to fund a re-build, I’d be happy with that.

Homer

Why on earth do you care what a player earns? You’re not paying it. Its just a convenient and silly stick used to criticize.

The market for players is what it is. Whinging about it doesnt make any sense or change anything.

Ramsey – the player with 2 winning goals of 2 of the club’s last 3 FA cups. Slag him off based on what he may earn in the future … great “supporters” the club has these days.

kas

World Class – a Madrid reject?

DamoDinkum

Hardly a reject. Ronaldo was furious when they sold Ozil

Aaron

Ronaldo would be furious if they sold his hairdresser, so i don’t give a fuck what that Greaseball feels for.

Skettles

You said it yourself; he’s supposed to be world class. That requires some evidence to support. Griezman is world class, look what he did over the two games. Ronaldo is world class, and he has got Real Madrid to the final of the Champions League almost single handed. Ozil is a lovely player, but there is overwhelming evidence that he is incapable of influencing a game against quality opposition, and greater evidence still that he chokes in big games.

GoonerJust

Another evidence of the specialist in failure?

Deano

Some folk can’t see the wood for the trees. Simeone called him our brain and went above and beyond to nullify his game over both legs. He constantly had 8 players jam up the middle of the pitch only offering minimal amount of space.

Sorry he pointed out Ozil because he wasn’t particularly bothered about anybody else.

We lost the tie in the first leg giving away that diabolical goal. They didn’t have to come out and attack because of that.

Matt P

He was really wasteful on attack

Araj

Ozil is the one player in the entire squad that’s making this team at least look like it belongs in the top six and not the 3 or 4 teams after that.
When you have an unbalanced team with no width playing around him, and players like Welbeck and Ramsey who can’t do a give and go even in their dreams, you should be grateful you got to the semi final at all. And even then, this was lost through poor defending over both legs.

Homer

Great comment. I’m afraid, however, you wont find much solace here. Its turning into a toilet where angry keyboard warriors just want to blame someone and get their own, pathetic arse-hole fan tv on. You are, of course, correct in your comment. Ozil is surrounded by mediocrity, save Mhty, Ramsy at times, Auba (who’s still bedding in) and Laca (who is a top player but is playing in a system created by AW where no one knows what any one else is doing). Welbz, has no business near a the starting 11 of a team that wants to compete for… Read more »

Fireman Sam

I’ve said similar about Welbz but I’ve changed my mind a bit – he’s on form at the moment and his pace and physicality can cause problems for the opposition. We saw a bit of that last night.

N10

It’s hard to argue with this one. Looking back, we have to consider Ozil’s only reason for staying is that he got reassurance from Sven that things would be changing soon.

Stuart_Ten

Sorry, but Ramsey was awful all night. Wilshere was starting to look very lively before he was subbed. Bellerin and Monreal couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat. So let down with the performance tonight.

DamoDinkum

Ramsey has been good this season overall. Tonight, not so much.

Matt P

Agree don’t know how on earth he gets a 7. Much of our skill execution was so poor. So many wayward passes.

George

I agree. I thought he might be the difference, but his game deserted him tonight.

GunneRon

More disappointed with Ospina tonight. His distribution was awful throughout and he could and should have done better with the goal. No gaurantee Cech would have saved it, but at least he would have stood his ground and made it difficult for that cunt to score.

Geocross

But Arsenal lost because the players were atrocious in atlético’s area, poor offensively and in their goal Ospina was left alone by the defence and Bellerin was out of position again, I just agree he went down a bit early. His distribution was bad because Atlético pressed high, the defenders always passed the ball to Ospina in dangerous positions and he was often in a hurry to take that pressure off, add to it that in front none of the Arsenal players were unmarked. He did well to my eyes.

Matt P

Agree. Our execution so poor in the offensive area

Homer

Spot on.

Bellerin was terrible tonight. Again. The whole team played like they didn’t give a shit. Save Chambers. Xhaka played “alright” meaning he didn’t have too many major fuckups.

These players should all be ashamed and if I was a traveling fan I’d have booed these clowns off the pitch.

A Different George

Do you actually believe “the whole team played like they didn’t give a shit?” I saw nothing of the kind. I thought everyone, including players who had poor games, was trying desperately–Monreal, for example and–whether people like it or not–Ozil.

Pachvasilion

Wilshere wasn’t much if at all better than Ramsey tonight. He was invisible until about 5 mins before he was taken off for Mkhitaryan.

Both the midfield twins (wilshere and ramsey) sucked tonight. Mkhitaryan did more in 20 mins than those two did combined the whole night. To call their performance lacking is to put it FAR too kindly.

Pachvasilion

Wilshere wasn’t much if at all better than Ramsey tonight. He was invisible until about 5 mins before he was taken off for Mkhitaryan.

Both the midfield twins (wilshere and ramsey) sucked tonight. Mkhitaryan did more in 20 mins than those two did combined the whole night. To call their performance “lacking” is putting it FAR too kindly.

Faisal Narrage

I am both surprised yet unsurprised Ramsey got rated so highly by blogs.

Crash Fistfight

It wasn’t Blogs doing the ratings. I think Blogs might’ve paid off Andrew for that score though – I thought he was shocking tonight.

PFo

Shocking. Especially second half.

The Gooner

I agree. Blogs always rates Ramsey highly even when he was trash. Not surprised.

arseblog

Even when I didn’t do the ratings I get accused of giving him favourable ratings.

Look at the byline.

jack jack jack

First half, easily the best player on our side. He was popping up everywhere, making key passes, running box to box like a madman, and making up for the other two centre-mids being essentially immobile.

Unsurprisingly, he got very tired and leggy in the final twenty to thirty minutes and that’s when he really started struggling.

PFo

I’d have to go back and watch that first half. You might be right, but I don’t remember him being especially noticeable, just his usual box-to-box style. But in the second half he was terrible. And Wilshere was growing in strength and influence when we took him off. All our best periods of sustained pressure (such as they were), came before we took off Jack. After that they were able to press us higher up the pitch and really defend from the front, and they had very few moments of backs to the wall stuff, if any, in the last… Read more »

NothingNew

That may be but wasn’t Wilshere very visibly slow on the pitch? Everytime ramsey got the ball, he sprinted forward with pace but Wilshere looked like Bendtner running…some good close control and turns but does not have the legs anymore. You need pace to get away from the man after you beat em.

PFo

This. But Blogs can’t bring himself to write a negative review of a Ramsey performance. Ever.

henry

yes i dont understand why blogs and so many others support Ramsey dog sht performance. wont be long we will here the comment “but he won us 2 FA cups” like that should make him a life long member of the team. guarantee the new manager will sell him, only Wenger and a few tragic fans stupid enough to back him

Homer

Yep. I noted Ramsey’s 2 winning goals (though I’m a few hours behind you). And so what. I agree he didn’t really turn up last night – like the rest of the side. Motivation and tactics are the manager’s job and for the last several years the manager has been abysmal. Ramsey is a good player. AW continues to mismanage, bollox the substitutes, and generally have zero tactical approach. This isn’t Ramsey’s doing. He’s amazing for Wales, and inconsistent for Arsenal: sometimes crap and sometimes amazing.

henry

Ramsey is the weakest link. sell sell sell

hahahaha

Worst bunch we had in 25 years I think. This is the worst season in my lifetime

Olivije Žirod

I really don’t know if we watched the same game but if I have to pick who had a worse game (both offensively and defensively) Ramsey or Ozil then it was Ramsey by a mile. Ozil and Lacazette were our best players going forward. Everything that was good came mostly by them.

Jack

Ramsey was probably our best player in the first half. He fell apart completely in the second, though.

0o2Be

We battled hard? Empty performance.

SouthWalesGooner

Looked like the team gave up with 20 minutes to go.

PFo

Not gave up, but ran out of steam and ideas. this also coincided with Wilshere off, which meant less control of midfield, with Ramsey always pushing forward (and coughing up the ball constantly).

Danny

Fuck all the finger pointing and blaming players. They battled hard but hit a brick wall against a really good side. Robbie Savage is a cunt, and Chambers is our best defender. Get well soon Kos

Stuart_Ten

I don’t think they had to even defend well tonight. Lack of composure, conviction and quality made it easy for them.

Pachvasilion

On the contrary, this is the PERFECT time to assign blame and point fingers at players who did not perform. It’s called “accountability”. Something that’s been lacking at Arsenal for the better part of a decade now.

You HAVE to hold players accountable and let them know when their performance simply isn’t good enough. That is an ESSENTIAL part of maturity, both in football and in life in general. Sadly, it’s the one thing that’s been glaringly lacking in the last decade or so of Arsene’s reign as manager

Homer

Oh, FFS.

N10

Pachvasilion three cheers for that one. Bullseye. Agree with every word.

jack jack jack

Only decent comment on here. Thumbs up!

Maniac

Battled hard? Give me a break. Have a look at Juventus, Bayern, Sevilla, Roma, Salzburg – that is battling hard. One shot on target tells you all you need to know, and that was a speculative effort from Xhaka from about 40 yards out. Embarrassing.

CLEGooner

Last week was where we lost this tie. Tonights performance was nothing special but they are a very good team.

We should have come in up at least 2-0.

Matt P

Can’t agree they are a very good team. They are goodish, but not close to the team they used to be. A good team – not a mediocre team like us – could easily have taken them.

Ben

Yeah, we could’ve had them. Definitely. I didn’t think they were that great either. We dominated both legs, and only Griezmann was a significant threat. A very packed and solid defence which played to stifle our creativity kept us out of the final. Had there been better delivery at times, we might have been able to bang a couple in. But ultimately I think their defensive set up won the tie. I think some of our delivery (in this leg) could’ve been better, but it was always 4 defenders on one attacker, so hard to pick a man out. I… Read more »

Gabe

To be fair Mavropanos could also be considered our best defender, I know he only played one game and all that but in that one game he performed better than Kos or Mustafi did all season

putney

No one performed up to the standard that should be expected of them. The only one who can hold his head high after that game is Chambers, thrown in and stood his ground.

Can’t imagine Juve or Barca will still be going in after Bellerin after that performance.

Fireman Sam

I’m sure Bellerin will be very disappointed when he watches the replay.

That one mistake was all it took. He knows what it means.

GYWE

Ospina started going down for Costa’s goal yesterday. He started going down for Costa’s earlier chance last week, and he kicks and throws like a 6 year old.

Reality check

Wenger thinks he’s World class. No wonder only 2nd rate Turkish teams come for him.. his only association with the world class tag is that he is James Rodriguez’s brother-in-law..

Parisian Weetabix

I hate to be the bearer of bad news on what’s already been a tough night for everyone but I googled this and it turns out James split up with Ospina’s sister so he’s not even got that going for him :/ guy really can’t catch a break this evening huh

Faisal Narrage

Both a break or a shot.

jack jack jack

Got to be said, he’s dogshite. A new goalkeeper is an absolute necessity in the summer.

Crash Fistfight

What about the fella at Juventus?

SouthWalesGooner

Install some smoke alarms in the showers and we’ll be laughing.

I miss Chez.

CLEGooner

His distribution is remarkably bad. Fosomeone who can hardly get the ball
To midfield, its surprisng how often he kicks the ball straight into touch

SouthWalesGooner

He’s about 4 foot tall, he’s only got little legs so he can’t kick it very far.

Kwame Ampadu Down

There has been some awful nonsense written on this site over the years but I think the comments about Ospina having a ‘calm presence’ might be the most ridiculous. You might as well praise the BFG for his pace.

PV4

Arsene doesn’t deserve a happy ending. He ruined this club by his sense of entitlement and outright recalcitrance to change his outdated methods when football moved on from what he was used to and infact to his credit helped to create. He built this team of chicken hearted, over hyped, and over paid mistake laden and soft bellied brats. It’s all on him and the club should have taken this decision at least 10 years ago, however, better later than never.

Matt P

Exactly.

Homer

PV4. I don’t know you. And I’m not normally rude to complete strangers on the internet but your comment is just foolish. We’re all disappointed. I, myself, was ranting like a lunatic at the tv in the pub. Swore I was done watching this crap side this season. Of course that bs. I’ll be watching again this weekend, like every weekend. A lot of the missed opportunities, bad decisions and mistakes really can be laid at AW’s feet. But the nature of sport is that its unpredictable because it is played by human beings. Henry missed sitters, Vieira made mistakes,… Read more »

OdalGooner

Thank you.

Geogheganj

Surprised to see Ramsey get a 7 and Chambers get 6.5. Thought Ramsey really struggled, and Chambers was our best player. Still, inefficient finishing in the first leg fucked us..

SouthWalesGooner

On the plus side, hopefully Chambers uses these 2 good performances in a row and becomes the defender we all hope he’ll be. He’s definitely starting our final 3 games (RIP Laurent).

henry

Blogs will never give Ramsey less than a 7

Lucas Sam

This is all predictable. I don’t understand how our crossing can be so bad, it’s like we hit and hope every time and teams don’t care if we do (compared to other teams).

A Different George

I thought our crossing was poor, but there really was another team on the pitch. The one that has not given up a goal at home in about 45 years. When we prevent a good cross in our area, we say we put pressure on the attacker and that our defenders were well-positioned; when our opponent does it, we say our cross was crap.

Tom S

Monreal had a shocker. But the player you need to step up and perform here is Özil, and yet again he let us down. Whenever he got the ball he just knocked it back to Xhaka and passed on the responsibility. We’ve been trying in vain to build around him and it hasn’t happened. The guy is massively overrated and Wenger has used him poorly. Signing him was a huge mistake

Ex-Priest Tobin

Spot on but most fans would prefer to bury their heads in the sand on Ozil. He really is nicking a living on the wage we’re giving him. A fucking coward who is robbing the club through Wenger’s incompetence.

Matt P

Yeah he’s a wuss

George

Oh, come off it. You want to see how well Ozil played? When Mkhitaryan came on, we finally had someone to take advantage of the space left by the mob that was always on Ozil. Before that, who? Welbeck? Guy’s useless, a diving joke who can’t dribble, shoot, or pass. And who was there to pass to in the box? Lacazette was already being dragged wide due to inadequacy of Welbeck, then there was the complete meltdown by Ramsey, and the sideways snail-play from Wishere and on and on.

Ozil is not and will never be the problem.

Matt P

Agree with everything you said – apart from your defence of Ozil

George

I’ll take it. :p

Atom

part of the issue is we haven’t actually built a team around him. we need a proper DM and to stick him at the #10 role instead of pushing him out on the wing simply to fit Jack in

Dennis

A no.10 needs to score goals ala Bergkamp, Kaka. Ozil is a pussy who doesn.t want to get involved with defenders in the box. Totally agree we should not be looking to build the team around him. Think would have made more sense to let him go on a free than hand him THAT contract

COYG1001

Dah! But thank you for saying.

Stuart_Ten

He didnt have a great game but did you expect Ozil to do what, exactly? Dribble past 3 players? Score a 30 yrd worldy?
Zero movement ahead of him again tonight. No pace. Atletico well organised.
Signing him was a huge mistake? No. Not signing quality players around him was the mistake.

loose_cannon

“Dribble past 3 players? Score a 30 yrd worldy?”

On 350k a week, yeah that’s actually what you’d expect…..

SouthWalesGooner

And to think, if we hadn’t pissed around with £40000001, we could have had Bitey McRacist instead, who probably would have made more of an impact (if he could carry a piss poor Liverpool to 2nd place, we might have won the league with him)

Atom

The 1 pound had nothing to do with it. John Henry admitted the clause existed and arsenal had triggered it but Henry simply told Suarez he wasn’t going to sell and Suarez would have to take Liverpool to court

Dennis

£1 probably did have nothng to do with it..but an extra £10M would probably have got the deal done

Phil

He didn’t have a good game, as has been the case on many occasion. However, I feel we knew what we were getting with Ozil – a player that, if put into a team like the invincibles would be a phenomenon, but a player who will not own the game himself and therefore his contribution is never going to be as great surrounded by these players. He needs movement ahead of him and players alongside him who will boss the midfield…

Ausdrexler

Dissappointing all round I think. Every time Atletico got inside our box they were trying to shoot, every time we got inside their box we tried to pass. Couple of opportunities to turn and shoot were squandered. A lot of passing and possession, little opportunities created. When Arsenal play like that it just looks terrible.
And it was the players and Arsenes chance at a European final, and noone had the heart and desire and passion to have a real go!
Ah well, lift now to knock over Burnley and secure 6th.

Lord Bendnter

I’m not gonna cry. Disappointed, yes. But, I’ll be keeping my head held up high. Let’s not forget, this is a team that has been in shambles this season. So a 2-1 loss overall against a team that has repeatedly challenged for the Champions League against the best of the best, I think I can appreciate our scoreline. Our team is not in a state to be winning trophies yet. We came mighty close, and so I’m damn proud of that. I’m happy that Wenger finally called it quits so now we can start rebuilding again. Of course I would… Read more »

GraeB

No. Let’s not forget that this was against a team that failed in the Champions League group stage – that’s how they ended up in the Mickey Mouse Europe competition.

Roll on next season with a manager who will coach the defence properly and instil desire all over the pitch. If that means some of our favourite players leaving, so be it.

Laca auba

This game was a really “make it or break it” for us. A team like that is no way making it to the top four next season and may be the following season and later it will be customary for us to be out of europe and if, somehow we manage it once in the next 5 or 6 years it wont last. Who are we gonna blame then? Is it wenger’s problem that he put faith in those losers? Was it soooo hard to turn up for just once for the man who did everything to protect you? F###ing… Read more »

COYG1001

Arsenal fans: entitled, embittered, self-loathing, and embarrassing. We have a great team! We didn’t win. Fuck it. Lots of teams don’t win in a year, a decade and longer we’ve won … lists and recently.

Rally around the team. Look forward. And back (In. Perspective.) Give a great manager a great send off. Give him credit for leaving the club in great shape — financially, squad-wise (didn’t do a Fergie by any stretch), and reputationally (except for having some asses as fans).

Even Jesus hasn’t performed any miracles … lately.

Atom

sporting wise the club is an absolute mess. prior to us getting sven, sanhelli & the new contract guy we had roughly 35% of the first team with expiring contracts, including our 3 best players. we have no depth and a lot of players who quite frankly aren’t good enough. add in that this team is mentally weakest bunch of athletes you will ever find. I love Arsenal & think Wenger has done great things but lets not pretend somehow he’s left a great situation for his successor. Fergie won the title in his last year and Moyes finished basically… Read more »

COYG1001

“Prior to us getting” … meaning now. Yes, we need a new goalie, yes, a DM, yes, maybe, one other. Yes, I am looking to playing people based on form and being more defensively sound. Would I mind a high press, no. Especially if not playing in Europe at all. We do not need to churn and burn (except a few fans). Will we win the league next year? Probably not. Will we win the CL? Dah, no. Will we win Europa? Maybe. We need to be in it. Not guaranteed, but if we are out, HUGELY increases chances of… Read more »

Atom

Your comment was about how good of shape Wenger is leaving the club in. That’s just flat out wrong – he’s leaving a mess. That doesn’t mean that somehow I’m a fairweather fan for saying that. I didn’t start supporting the club until 07 so I missed the glory years and supported the club through years of not winning anything. Let’s stop with this bs that so many fans like yourself put out there that someone who disagrees with you isn’t a real fan

John Bull

3 domestic trophies , 4 finals , 1 European semi since 2007 on probably the 4th highest budget in the PL , 9 CL places , a number of 2nd place finish in the league since then , one of the best stadium , an excellent financial position … this is considered nothing …. we all want more of course but we should also all acknowledge , if we are Arsenal supporters the enviable position the club is in compared to most clubs’ fans in Europe …. this is also what being a fan means and the more this is… Read more »

Faisal Narrage

So you basically agree with him but shit on him for openly saying it?

Kwame Ampadu Down

We need a new goalkeeper, at least one centre half, a defensive midfielder & a wide player. Those are first 11 players, not squad players. Our two best defenders are nearing the end & showing it. We have no back up right back & a back up left back who has really struggled since joining. One of our midfielders is out of contract this summer, another next summer. There is no balance to the side or noticeable style of play any more. We have no real leaders in the squad & our players crumble repeatedly under pressure proving their mental… Read more »

Matt P

Agree. We need two centre halfs though. Half of the starting 11 need to be replaced

Matt P

Excellent squad wise? Rubbish!

Faisal Narrage

“Was it Wenger’s problem that he put faith in those losers?”

Err, yeah. It’s pretty much how it work, considering he built the team. If he built a weak team (the nth one post invincibles), then yeah, he is.

Darko

Xhaka and Chambers are the two who can hold their heads high tonight.

Monkey knees

We were the better team on the pitch… Between the two boxes! We lack a quality killer instinct (oh, Auba and his cup tie..) A boss in the middle and a new keeper (obviously). Mustafi showed he has the quality in him, just needs refinement (he has time on his side) and Kos, bless him, is done. He’s been a rock for us, really. Through all the sh*te, and this season time/age is showing. As always, the Arsenal engine has most of it’s parts, but needs a lot of tuning up to get back to where we should be. I… Read more »

stefangunner

Cannot go for full blaming on Laca and Ozil.They are victoms of Bellerin’s and Nacho’s terrible crossings.Atletico’s wing backs sat in their box doubling Laca and closing the space for Ozil passes knowing that our wing backs aren’t dangerous.

notThatSam

think that was Simeone’s plan. Make us play wide with FBs who identifiably can’t cross and no-one to cross to. Make the middle impossible which nullifies Ozil or Ramsey. Lacazette is tiny so even if the crosses had occasionally been good, would he have scored? Godin heads that stuff away for fun. Lacazette was so hesitant with his chance/s in both legs that I can see why he’s back up to Giroud for France. Not in the squad until the Benzema scandal. Welbeck is a hard working journeyman. My thoughts don’t go to Wenger but to Koscielny. Forced to play… Read more »

N10

Good analysis. We needed to come up with a solution to their approach—which by the way was uh exactly the same as the first leg—and didn’t.

Bendtnerschristmastree

Wilshere actually played really well (for the first time in months), would’ve wanted Mkhi on earlier and maybe even Iwobi at fullback. Did you notice how it took til the 89th minute for Mustafi to get up in their box?
I look forward to having a manager who actually instructs his players.
Chambers and Jack was okay , the rest were as spineless as we’ve grown acustomed to seeing our team play the last couple of years.

Matt P

As usual Jack tried but he was really ineffectual

loose_cannon

Surprised Ramsey got higher than Wilshere, thought he struggled more out of the two. Got in decent areas but couldn’t so much with the ball. Tonight really showcased one of our most glaring yet rarely talked about weaknesses, the lack of a genuine wide threat. Welbeck, Ozil, Mkhi. None of them are true wide men, none of them really stretch teams or regularly beat a man or even look to run in behind. All the play was in front of Atletico. Combine that with rarely getting more than 2 players in the box at a time and you have a… Read more »

PFo

great comment.

stephen harvey

If you were the new manager coming in, who in that team tonight would still be there next season ?
I’d sell the lot save maybe Laca because he’s a new arrival.

Winterburn Wanderers

1. You need to revise up the score for Lacazette. Completed 22 out of 23 passes and average touch position was way up the park. Ozil, Ramsey, Jack, you could throw a blanket over with Welbeck just a touch wider than them. Nobody got close enough to connect with Lacazette until Mhki came on. 2. Wenger has destroyed Koscielny’s career same as Santi and Arteta before him. This is the price you pay by overplaying and overburdening players. He should be ashamed of himself. 3. Great that he won the participation trophy on Sunday against United and played Xhaka and… Read more »

Faisal Narrage

People will hate on you’re second point, but sadly there is truth to it. It’s the same Achilles that’s been plaguing him for years. Acute tendinitis becomes chronic when you don’t treat it, rest it and let it heal. I remember when it was first noted Kos had acute tendinitis. It was the same season Wenger decided not to get a CB but use Monreal as cover (so we had 3 CBs). It was made known by Kos himself that he was playing on cortisol injections for months and months on end. That around the time it became chronic and… Read more »

Winterburn Wanderers

This article quietly sums up what we can all see with our eyes. Wenger has failed for a number of years to properly find back up for key player. We’ve seen it happen with Bellerin, playing Cup games when everybody else gets a rest. No wonder the kid wants to leave.

Winterburn Wanderers

Indecision and a structural failure of the club to get a sound transfer policy. The players that have stood up and carried weight for the club have suffered. As Per said in his big interview, injuries have a psychological aspect. The pain of those humiliating defeats has taken it’s toll. We’ve just seen our captain snap his achilles about 6 minutes into a game whilst walking. Is no one angry about this?

Winterburn Wanderers

If you look at minutes played this season:

1. Xhaka 2996
2. Bellerin 2871
3. Cech 2860
4. Koscielny 2227

That’s not how you protect a player who has had chronic tendonitis in both achilles for something like two years. It’s how you crock them and stop them playing in a home World Cup.

Crash Fistfight

I didn’t realise he was Russian.

Vonnie

I’m glad it’s not just me thinking this. Arsene wrecked Kos that season when he refused to buy a centreback, and wrecked Mikel Arteta and Santi by moving them back when they weren’t physically strong enough and had no help from those around them. Remember Mikel being knocked unconscious and taken off the pitch on a stretcher or when he had his teeth smashed out? Everyone knew if you stopped Mikel you stopped Arsenal. Likewise with Santi being kicked from pillar to post, while the fucking refs turn the other way. Arsene has ruined as many players as he’s made… Read more »

Greg

Keown was spot on about ozil at the end

Gereoma

Have’nt we ‘all’ been spot on on him, yet Wenger continues to idolize him.

afan

how many more muted games are we going to stand from ozil, eh

Gereoma

As long as you continue to see him in the light of Madrid; in the light of a genius player.

Laudgunner

This is what happens when a player thinks he is a full time model and goes to Oxford University to take a swipe at supporters. Hope a new manager puts some SENSE and direction to that idiot right back of ours. What an idiot!!

hahahaha

What does that have to do with anything?

Jack4343

Sadly, there went what was left of our season. Just have to wait and see who we get to be boss next season and let him decide who is good enough and who is not. Its pretty much the biggest decision our club has had to make in years and boy, do they have to get it right.

Gereoma

If the board wanted to go for a cheap coach, I think last night’s
game ought to serve as a deterrent. And talking about the decisions of the next coach, Wenger should just shut up.

N10

You know, that could be the true silver lining from last night. Assuming someone from the Wal Mart crime family actually gives a shit about the Premiership, if I were in their shoes I’d be on the phone with Luis Enrique’s agent about now with “can we meet in the middle, like 12?”

kat peterson

i consider you a progressive, balanced, voice of reason in the world of arsenal/football commentary – i am a daily reader and a fan – your use of the ‘c’ word, however, is retrograde and embarrassing – how is that in line with your overall tone and philosophy of respect, tolerance, goodwill, etc. (i have had run-ins with fans at the emirates using that particular word in front of my my daughter, and you are the last person who i would have thought belongs in that bin of ‘offensive blokes without a clue’)? better..

Tim

Other sites for you to go to then, when you are done clutching your pearls that is

Matt P

Kat is right. I don’t like the use of that word either. It’s quite odd coming from a place that is otherwise progressive and tolerant

The Old Git's Whistle Test

You are obviously a relatively new reader then, Cunt was one of the most used words in this blog at the start. I can agree it is not a word to use in front of a child but here, in an adult forum, it is fine. Cunt, like bastard, fuck, shit et. al. only became “swear words” during the Victorian era due to fashion. Cunt is a good word, depending on how it is delivered can have several meanings. Say you cunt to a friend with a grin means, don’t be daft, say you cunt with malice in your voice… Read more »

Fireman Sam

Is that really how you prepare someone for a snack? Seems a bit extreme. You could just say “sandwich?”

Clegooner

I was sad the day AW “resigned”.

I am far less sad now. Just ready for something diff

Bob dobbery

Xhaka and Chambers turned up. Nobody else did.

Gereoma

Yes, they did. Xhaka is not a DM, he is an attacker and was coruscating all through. Chambers has to do more to get my rating

PodB

If Ramsey had scored his big chance or Mikhi had lashed his shot home, I reckon we could have won. Monreal was, for once, not on his game, while Bellerin was truly awful for the first goal and crossing. Was Danny playing? The real fuck-up was the first leg when we should have been up 3-0 at least. Desperately need a Griezman-type predator in the box. Lacca and PEA out wider. Real sad for Arsene and Vic but the two legs sum up the last few years. Close but no cigar for Cech (missed badly) in the showers. Time for… Read more »

Gereoma

At least one person has agreed with that Lacca is not a top striker and is not by any means capable of leading Arsenal line. Leon is a teamC. Thanks PodB.

MrT

Give Ozil quality players around him, you will get quality performance… Simple

Ozil the Freindly Ghost

He would have so many MORE assists if we had finished half the chances he has created over the last 4 years (more than any other player).

Gereoma

Give Debuchy quality players around him, you will get quality performance as well. Simple!

santori

We suffered from the inadequacies of this current squad not least created (or unaddressed) by January transfer business. 1) Ospina – Can’t see too much wrong with the keeper. He stopped a fierce Torres shot and came off his line to attempt to stop Costa’s goal. Tried to come out to control the area better. 2) Bellerin – Many will attempt to fault him for not being in position for the goal but frankly, I mentioned this many times before. It is consequence on our reliance on fullbacks to provide for width in this squad bc we do not have… Read more »

Gereoma

Santori, you are foolish. Can you tell us in one or two instances where Lacca ‘ made his own opportunities?’. Stop talking without stats.

David Hillier's luggage

I hate this whole “only one shot on target” as a criticism of our overall performance. We had a host of opportunities we couldn’t execute. The home side had only 4 more on target themselves and it only takes one chance to be converted for it to count as a goal, our performance was fine, we just weren’t clinical enough. We created enough opportunities to get ‘shots on target’. I hates using keeper stats but God, Oblak on average makes just over 2 saves a game and has had to make more than 4 saves in a game only twice… Read more »

PFo

What are all you watching? Go back and watch that second half and count how many times Ramsey gives away the ball IN A ROW. It was like 6 or 7. He was ok but a bit quiet in the first half; absolutely abject in the second.

We’re back in Ramsey love-fest in the fan base now (as opposed to the last few years when everyone hated on him relentlessly), so I guess people see what they want to see.

Faisal Narrage

Andrew absolutely loves Ramsey. But I think today is evidence that I think he should genuinely wonder if he’s quite biased towards Rambo. Because he was so abject today, and yet to rate him as our best player (and not for the first time) is absurd.

Crash Fistfight

Ratings were by Andrew Allen.

henry

couldnt agree more, Ramsey is dog sht and i dont udnerstand how there is such a divergance of views about him

'Murica

So bummed out after this game. Took a lot out of me knowing we won’t get to play in the CL again next year

420Goonerblayzeit

We must have set some kind of record tonight for most unnecessary touches in the opposition penalty box. Lacazette passed up a few decent looks at goal and Ozil… well as brilliant he can be, his hesitance to shoot at times is shocking.

I’ve noticed with lacazette that this is a tendency for him. All season he has been overly cautious with his shot selection. I appreciate that he’s a bit more thoughtful and patient and waits for his opening, but have a goddamn crack more often!

Mark

Having ruptured my achilles two years ago I knew exactly what he had done the moment he went down. The dumb American announcers never figured that one out, one of the most obvious injuries to diagnose from just watching it. Certainly will be close to a year before he is 100%, though may return earlier. However, with his history of achilles issues and his age my guess would be closer to a year. You could tell how gutted he was as you know when it happens that you’ve blown your achilles, no doubt in your mind.

sinned

The rating for Ramsey is incredibly generous, he was nowhere close to our best player tonight. In games like these you need to take advantage of the space you have in transition and he gave the ball away time and time again in the build up. Might have been at the centre of much of the attacking play but most of the time it meant giving the ball back to Atletico. At this level it’s not good enough, he’s been brilliant all season but when it matters the most he hasn’t showed why he’s supposedly one of the best box-to-box… Read more »

Julius Lubega

One reason to why I support Wengers deputure is when he rests the whole team and being bugged by un rested team. This is totally a tactical failure, I don’t even know the gain of resting players in Arsenal squad.

G4L

Blogs you’re a Ramsey Stan. How was that a 7?

George

I know, right. Ozil 5 and Ramsey 7? Nice one.

Was Ramsey’s worst game for 5 years.

Kentish Gooner

This match was crying out for a battling centre forward who we could bring on with 30 minutes to go…can’t quite put my fingers on who, but they would have to be incredibly handsome. In all joking aside, what killed us tonight is we had no squad depth or plan ‘B’. Look at their bench – at who they had to bring on, then look at ours. I’m all for giving the youngsters a go, but in games like this you need experience and a winning mentality. Unfortunately, something little of our starting 11 or bench players have. Doesn’t matter… Read more »

GraeB

Just to buck the trend, and I hate him as much as anyone, but can I give a bit of praise to Costa? Immediately Kos went down he called for a halt to the game rather than go for the empty space created.

Double98

I don’t recall a game for over a decade where we got to the byline and fizzed so many balls across the box.
Monreals crosses where abysmal while Ozil and Bellerin hit Godin each time.
You have to admit over 180 minutes we huffed and puffed like the better side but they just wouldnt concede.
Maybe having two central strikers would have helped..

Riddeezy

Bellerin really needs some competition for his spot on the team. What an awful offensive performance.

George

After that, so does Monreal.

David M

Same old Arsenal. Pass, pass, pass – sideways, backwards. No penetration, no goals. Could have played all night and never scored.

Matt C

Wilshere a 5 but Ramsey a 7??? Utterly ridiculous. Your fondness for Ramsey and indifference towards jack has clouded your judgement. Wilshere has a tidy game, Ramsey quite frankly, was abject. He’s had a good season but that doesn’t mask his performance last night.

Meneam

its gonna be really hard for the next manager..No champions league football, shit defence and very short transfer window with the world cup and limited budget… can’t see it getting better next season

Matt P

The English media are hilarious. I’ve read a couple of 7 ratings for Wilshere. Totally biased. No wonder the English team are so hopeless

Marv

Ramsey had an absolute Weston, good player on his day but not last night, never a 7 for me. As for Jack, he kept the ball moving and kept possession, we lost shape when he went off, so what is he being measured against to get a 5?

BergkampIMissYou

For me Bellerin had an absolute shocker last night. I could not see him doing anything right. Frankly i think he is a liability defensively, and has been so all season. Also, his attacking threat has not been present since his breakthrough season. He really needs some competition, and a few hundred hours of defensive training. Some will say its because we rely on our fullbacks to provide with in attack. However we have suffered defensively on our right hand side all season, compared to the left. And dont tell me its because ozil/mkitharyan arent providing Bellerin cover. He’s just… Read more »

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