Arsenal finished the Premier League season with a win, as two goals from Nicolas Pepe were enough to see off Brighton.
At one point it looked as if the Gunners would finish ahead of old rivals Sp*rs, but they twice came from behind to beat Leicester and their win at The King Power Stadium means they’ll play in next season’s Europa Conference League.
We finished 8th.
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
Read the Arsenal 2-0 Brighton match report and see the goals here
Arsenal x-x Brighton – Player Ratings
The ratings are hidden by default until you vote, but if you just want to view the ratings and the comments, flick the switch at the top above Bernd Leno. Also, please give the ratings a few seconds to load.
I’d keep Odegaard.
Agreed. He has been uneven but the man has quality and creativity. And he is really quick over short distances when he turns on the jets.
Totally dependant on our kitty and his price tag.
If we have £50m and he’s going to cost £30m+ then it’s madness.
But if Stan wants to see how deep his pockets are, he’d be an amazing acquisition.
I still think that ESR with Willock as cover is enough for next season. But maybe another body in there would be wise.
For me, after seeing what Tierney has done to this team, a very good RB is top, top, top priority.
Why are people not rating chambers? His crossing is almost as good as KT, and what he lacks in pace vs KT he makes up in height.
Agreed. Good on the ball, good in the air and a good delivery. Smart player. I think our record has been pretty good with him at RB.
Has he actually been “uneven” in a way that matters? Had hardly played in a year when he started with us, in a new country and a new league. Took a while to get very good. Was injured and didn’t look sharp for a while afterwards. In other words, it doesn’t look like he’s an inconsistent player, once he gets a run of games.
I think that even before his injury there were some games where he struggled to be very involved or impose himself, but that’s likely to be the case for a lot of No. 10s, particularly young players and in games against difficult opposition. But he works hard and showed enough that I’d be pretty thrilled to have him back.
I thought at worst he had average games and that was post-injury. For me he’s a bit like David Silva. Always makes the right decision. Criminally underrated by some of our fans.
Does he start over Martinelli, Saka, Pepe, or Willock? We could use him, but RB, CM, and CB needs to be signed first I think.
Spending on CB is done, Willock slots into a rotation with Xhaka and Partey, and Odegaard is your 10 and moves fluidly with ESR. We are flush with young talent on the wings but you need depth if you don’t want to drop points like we have or fade as the season wears on. I think we need to spend at LB as I suspect we will go with Chambers/AMN at RB and Tierney (though brilliant) seems to be a bit brittle.
Frankly, I’m most perplexed about our striker situation.
Willick is not and should not be considered an alternative to Partey and Xhaka. The reason he has done so well at Newcastle is because he’s been played in his best position further forward behind the striker in a free role.
I agree with Johnny 4 hats comment that Willick should be given a chance as an alternative to ESR and use our funds on other positions like RB, back up LB and a proper striker as Laca and Auba and simply no longer up for the task.
So Willock as a “ready-to-use” replacement for Odegaard? Only if he able to replicate his Newcastle replacement
Holding should be sold and that money used to get an upgrade at CB to compete with Saliba. We don’t know if Saliba is any good, but we know Holding is average, aka mid-table.
He hasn’t been used in a free role at all – he’s used on the right of a midfield three by Newcastle…just sayin.
I understand your logic, funds need to be spent on other areas, but if we get another loan with a purchase option…
We need a striker more than anything else
We’ve got Saliba returning. We have Gabriel, Holding, Mari and Chambers. Why do we need another CB?
From the evidence of recent weeks–including today–Holding is not good enough to play regularly in a contending team. I don’t doubt his commitment and energy. But it’s clear to me that he misjudges high balls, is often on the wrong side of an attacker as the ball comes in, and lacks the pace to compensate. A top striker can expose him again and again. I am not convinced by Gabriel either, but he is significantly younger and learning, and he does have the pace to make up for poor technique and mistakes in positioning as well as size and strength.… Read more »
Proper nonsense mate. 3rd best defense in the league is the only stat that I need to know. Pretty consistent across the board, ESPECIALLY Holding. Plus I love him.
Okay. If you think we can challenge for a title in the next five years with Holding as a first-choice centre-half, good for you. I think we need someone as good as Koscielny. Do you think Holding will ever be at that level?
I can’t predict the future, but based on this season defense is not the problem, goals are so I would look in that direction. Also Kos had a couple shakey first years when he broke into the team.
We don’t need another CB, we need better CBs.
I don’t think it works simple as that. I see him, ESR, Saka, and Willock as a group rotation, mixed and matched for what is needed, 3 on any given time is a solid setup if they keep at the level they have been, or as would be expected, better as they develop. Martinelli isn’t in the same pool of consideration, neither is Pepe for me. They’re wide forwards or strikers, full stop. Odegaard would be more in selection pool with Willock and ESR – more central ability, more creative. It depends on what you want from the lineup. If… Read more »
Odegaard is another Ozil in waiting. Avoid. He will never fit in alongside the superior ESR. He’s sociedad level and nothing more.
On loan.
Permanently or not at all. We’re far too big a club to be developing other clubs players. Is rather see one of our own getting the minutes
Totally agree. We don’t need Odegaard. Money needs to be spent improving other positions.
If he is on loan Arteta will blindly play him. Arteta is not a good judge of our best XI. Odegaard and Ceballos are average and should go back to RM. Build around ESR, possibly Willock and a new DM to allow Partey to roam. Odegarrd signing would be a disaster. Shows that Arteta is not the man for the job.
We need to sign a new manager first. 2 seasons outside the top 7 is just not good enough.
Remember he took over from Emery last season and only had half a season. Won a trophy and has gradually tightened the defence and as the season has progressed, improved results. He must be given another season
Emery was sh*t and we just missed out on top 4 at home to palace. If you are happy with 8th again then there is our problem. I feel like if we finish 7th next season you will still be happy. Why?
Pissing in the wind with that kind of talk on here
The cult of arteta is stronghold is arseblog news
Emery dined out on Wenger’s legacy which he slowly dismantled! Arteta had to pick up the pieces and try to build something again. Completely incomparable situations. I’m not 100% convinced of Arteta yet – who could be given some of the clusterfuckery we’ve witnessed? But a project is a project, and it does need time. Look at what Solskjaer has done at Man U, and they were baying for his blood after a season.
Are you ok with finishing 8th again next season? Yes or no?
For the first half of this season we didn’t have ESR, Odegaard, Martinelli and Partey, Tierney and Xhaka were all hurt for stretches. We spent the first third of the season regularly without half or more of our best XI. Why do the people who want Arteta out not even try to realize this?
The season was an unmitigated disaster. We didn’t turn up when it mattered. Yes, Pepe got to 10 goals, the absolute bare minimum for a forward playing regularly. But putting away relegation fodder with the sun on our backs, and limping into 8th (yes 8th) is just not good enough.
Pires was below that ‘absolute minimum’ standard for half of his Arsenal career.
That’s the only thing Pires and Pepe sgare in common.
Based on the fan base here and the votes, most think finishing outside the top 7 for 2 seasons is OK.!!! Wow very interesting. Our standards are falling fast.
He looked good vs a bad Brighton team in an insignificant match. Wasn’t tested for his pace by Brighton either. Hard pass by me.
insignificant?
The same “bad Brighton team” that beat City a few days back?
Yes…but it all depends on how much Madrid ask for him.
I’d move the team back to Highbury.
I’m afraid there’s about as much chance of one as of the other.
Well done Pepe!
He gels the best with Chambers of all our RBs. Also we are asking less of him in the build up, so he can get into position to score.
To be fair, he’s looked a lot better both with and without the ball in the second half of this season than he has ever before for Arsenal. Perhaps having to fight for his plane back is what motivated him to find this level and more consistency.
Dare we say that perhaps Arteta knew something we didn’t in terms of giving him that slight kick in the arse?
Something certainly worked!
0/10 for Leicester, the bottlest of all bottle jobs in the land of Bottle
they had one job… against a virtually manager-less group of scum bags. idiots.
Urgh I liked it 5 years ago when we pipped them on the last day and their Newcastle game.
Still makes me chuckle. 5-1 against a relegated team was probably the biggest bottle job ever.
Not forgetting the rocket scored by Spuds reject, Andros Townsend, which added such sweet insult and injury to their day.
Oh how we laughed!
Got videos of that day, three game going, liquor flowing….aaahh, the laughter and joy.
Is 4th place not like a trophy now. Dimwits. Yeah I said it.
😅👌
At least they won that title playing against the reigning bottlest of all bottle jobs.
Chambers has been excellent at rb his skills are much better than I thought. Still would like to see him in midfield.
saka in midfield next year.
esr is amazing.
yes! he’s looked very composed lately and his crosses are always threatening. I’d be inclined to keep him at rb.
Somebody will hop in here and talk about how Montero made mince meat of him… 8 years ago?
My biggest worry about Chambers was directly related to when he started at RB all those years ago. He was fast enough, but not quick enough to deal with players like Montero. In all fairness, I think he has improved immensely at that position and would be happy if he was kept there, assuming he was ok with it.
Pepe has to be a main stay next season. Guy is electric.
I think we need a new striker though. Interested to hear whether people think we should go for Tammy Abraham? English, knows league, could be reasonable value as is unwanted and chelski want to spend, point to prove.
Has a good combo of attributes imo for how we are looking to play
please can we not sign fucking Tammy Abraham… surely we’ve learner our lesson with the Chelsea rejects
Didn’t consider the Chelsea reject part whoops haha fair enough. I think he’s good player though, we are not gonna be able to go for big names. This is the type of player we are at right now and it’s not as much of a gamble
Poor man’s Welbeck
I also think he would be good, but perhaps not as good as his pricetag tends to be in this market. We would probably have to dish out 30m~35m to get him and I feel that money is better spent elsewhere (LB cover, CM, maybe RB).
We’re only going to have 1 game a week which means we don’t need a big squad as there isn’t going to be any rotation. Martinelli/Auba & Pepe in a pinch should be more than enough. Plus Balgoun
Yes, we need to try and find time for Balogun. He had presence in the scant few minutes we saw of him.
That front line will do little against low block teams. All 3 are best in counter attack scenarios. We can’t afford to play all 3 of them at the same time.
Auba can easily play against a low block team. Our primary issue with low block teams under Arteta is we slow the ball down so much that we constantly allow the defense time to reset. To beat a low block team you need to move the ball quickly and keep the pressure on.
Sounds similar to when we signed Danny Welbeck
Haaland and Mbappé will be on the move next summer, so it should set off a chain reaction in the striker market across top clubs, so if we need to sign somebody that’s the time to do it. Next season we should find out if Martinelli and Balogun are long-term options, give Aubameyang 30+ games through the middle, then make a decision at the end of the season.
Aubameyang really seems to be a liability lately – he doesn’t add anything to the attack, his pace has dropped, and he has no play with his back to the goal. This isnt just a bad year – I have no confidence he will rebound next year and worry that he is done as a top flight striker.
He’s also hit 25-30 goals every year for the last decade bar the one in which his mother was very sick and he got malaria. I agree that his form has been worrying but I don’t think it’s time to sell him for glue just yet
He had the whole season to prove himself. Not many players get that kind of chance. I am totally not optimistic Auba can give the level expected of him.
Tammy abraham is a benteke case. He is worse than why we have. We should atleast try to improve.
10/10 to blogs & crew for all the free content we get!
Is there gonna be a ‘season’s player ratings’ article as well?
I love you blogs that’s why my first kids name is blogs! true story
Really?
haha!
Well, at lease you didn’t name him Arse.
I shudder to think what you called your second.
I am sure the down vote is key stroke error.
Also, Chambers! Pleasantly surprised, hope he stays injury free and has a meaningful contribution next season. We need homegrown players who can put a shift in.
Yes, not the most exciting player but he adds a certain solidity to that right hand side. Pepe seems to be enjoying a bit more freedom with him there and he chips in with a few assists.
Took on Cpl Jenkinson role and added to it.
I’d take buendia over odegaard personally – if odegaards price tag is 50-60m that is. But if we signed him, I don’t think anyone would be unhappy, he was top quality today.
Odegaards work rate has been top notch though. I’m curious if he could maintain that over a full season or three.
With no Europa League he absolutely can. He’s turning 23 next year so should be reaching his physical maturity over the next two seasons and his stock is low at Madrid, especially if Zidane stays. It’s the perfect time to sign the player.
I’m so glad we’re outta this europa conference call cup….or whatever the fuck it is, we absolutely deserve fuck all this season and that includes st.totteringham day!
This’s season is a major reality check of where the club is heading towards to for everyone involved directly or indirectly (fans i mean, not that we were ever deluded about our reality really but still..)
Arteta has no excuses next season with this transfer win show and just domestic competition to concentrate on. It’s time to shit or get off the pot
it has been a reality check, but at the same time we’ve been one of the best teams in 2021. and considering a young manager and young squad – I’m optimistic
I miss Rosicky… and Ramsey…
Joe could do that role.
I certainly see Willock’s game resembling Ramsey, especially if he ups his defensive game and shows better first touch and passing abilities. Ramsey had a bit more technical skills though. But to be fair I haven’t watched Newcastle at all this year to see where he’s at.
But Rosicky – he was a brilliant technical midfielder with committed defending for an attacking mid. And his ever brilliant timing for clutch goals here and there.
Pepe with a really good run of games though still room for improvement. Credit has to go to Arteta and the coaching staff for that too. Big summer for Arsenal. Kroenke has a huge opportunity to take this club forward. We absolutely cannot waste it.
This is off topic, but to see teams battle for top 4 today like it is some trophy vindicates a certain legend who once patrolled Arsenal’s technical area.
Many laughed him to scorn then, but they are shamelessly falling over themselves with joy today because their team has snuck in.
Arsene Wenger was always a man who could see sitting down, what his peers couldn’t see standing up.
Respect to the Legend.
Hail Arsene, Gardener of the (Ashburton) Grove
And I’d take this any day over the “Super League” alternative universe where there wouldn’t have been a meaningful league game for how many months now?
Let’s hope everything the world over becomes normal, for a given degree of normal anyway, by the time the season starts.
Let’s just put this harrowing one behind us, and whether one supports the management, the ownership and whatever else that we can fight about, let’s just put it all behind us and come together to support Arsenal again in three months time.
Hopefully, we will have a full complement of fit players, sensibly planned and completed transfers, and no ridiculous sagas. (I know this is too much to ask. The absence of sagas).
Also, thanks Blogs, Andrew Allen and the whole team.
Also since I just saw the clip, and it is funny no matter who’d say it, I hope we “open Joe Willock again with welcoming arms”.
Good riddance to that season. Thanks for making it somewhat bearable guys. I guess I’m ever the optimist but Leno, Holding, Gabriel and Tierney will have matured a lot from this season and benefit from no Thursday night football. Partey Xhaka Saka ESR the same and then Pepe and Auba you would hope they will be more consistent and have a good run of the purple patches at times they showed. A RB and LB Utimiti on a free , idris Gueye or Mirjaem Pjanic on loan for CM alongside Thomas Xhaka and Joe gives us options then I d… Read more »
Bonus rating ❤️
We looked good today. Great to see Pepe finishing the season well. Let’s hope he brings this form into next season. Shame Leicester went all Spursy, but I’m quite glad not to be in a european league called the “Conference”. Sounds shit. Here’s hoping there are some improvements made to the squad.
Chaffed for Pepe. Took a risk and placed him as Captain on fpl🙂
You lucky duck!
Thanks blogs for your hard work through the season!
my friend tommy partey got more shots on target today than in the entire season, props to him
I notice he seems to be sidefooting a lot more of them them now. Wonder if that’s a word to the wise from the coaching staff?
… just want to say thanks for clever and honest rating and analysis throughout the season. I enjoyed every bit of it!
COYG!!!
You should update Gabriel’s drawing to reflect his missing tooth.
Oodegard? 8? You wha?
For me he’s technically very gifted but too slight physically to stand up to the intensity, pace and combative nature of the premier league
In other words, another Ozil. Avoid.
Pepe tracked back so well today. Put in tackles. It’s so nice to see his all around game improving.
Yes, and that’s full credit to Arteta.
10/10 – @Arseblog/@AAllenSport for always burning their midnight oil to keep us informed on our club/team news and other developments throughout the long season. Here’s to a better and more exciting 2021/22.
Can’t wait for the Poometer! 👏👏👏😁
Arteta tightened up the back Nicely enough, the lack of scoring let us down this year … I’d say we’re missing about 15 goals and 10 points.
Auba and Willian were poor; Laca was his usual ~15 goal/season; and Pepe and Saka, as good as they played most of the time, were just too wasteful in front of the net.
I still worry about defence when playing teams a bit more potent than BHA/WBA/CP.
Build up is just toooooo sloooow with few moves into box as a result.
It’s frustrating to think with just 2 Of those early season L’s turned to W’s – and quite a few of them felt like they could have done – we’d be on 67 points, which got Chelsea 4th and into the Champions league. Barely.
Even though it didn’t seem like it at the time, Arteta and the team did quite well in 2021 to get us turned around a bit.
10/10 for blogs hanging in there are providing great content through a shit season
Agreed and Live Blog is great way to talk with Gooners in all points of the globe. Impressed with dedication they show in getting up early/ staying up all night for our weird kick off times.
Good to chat to you all.
10/10 for the Arsenal fans. Well done to us supporting the team from different parts of the world and going through the emotional rollercoaster this year. On a positive note, my Thursday nights are free for the next season 😬
Thank you @ Arseblog. Wishing you good health 🙏🏾😘
Chambers had an absolute dream of a display today…to rate him a 7 is a joke…the guy didn’t step s foot wrong and was playing some sublime balls to our midfield and had an assist…just cuz he isn’t flashy or exotic doesn’t mean his play shouldn’t be noticed.
Chambers was indeed excellent today and has shown consistency with a decent run of games so kudos are due yes, but he’s no more than a valuable squad player who won’t unfortunately take us to the next level
Good riddance to this season. We finished as 3rd ranked defense and tied for 10th ranked offense. I think the internal turmoil in the first half of the season with the group we paid to leave and Auba’s big drop in goal production were the most influential aspects of our season. Already looking toward the summer window. Hope we get Bissouma and Buendia, at the very least.
Reasonable performance 1) Leno – Anyone was better than Schmeical today. Leno is a decent keeper for us. We will need a strong alternate. I feel if under 20m, we should try for Ramsdale at Blades. 2) Chambers – Excellent for me. I was a bit tentative about letting go of Bellerin bc it may have meant replacing with equivalent or close to price…but with Chambers performance over last games of the season, I’m convinced in his natural position finally, he can assume the mantle. Deliberate crosses in some ways better than Tierney’s. But also alert covering at the back… Read more »
Idea for chant next season…
Pep-pep-PePAY, Pep-pep-PePAY
(Basically, like a hip-hip-hooray thing.)
Wouldn’t you feel like a boss with that coming at you from around the stadium?
He’s such a deadly confidence player – we need to do our part to get him to 20+ goals next season. Even if this idea is shit – let’s work on a Pepe hype chant immediately, Gooners!
Q: What do David Cameron and Mikel Arteta have in common?
A: They both took us out of Europe
I wonder what the average grade for the entire squad over the whole year would be.
‘rank’ might be a more appropriate measure