Arsenal went back to the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win at Brentford this afternoon.
First half headers from William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus gave the Gunners a 2-0 lead at the break, before a cracking first goal in red and white from Fabio Vieira provided daylight on the scoresheet.
Mikel Arteta’s men were completely dominant and probably should have scored more. It was so comfortable, Mikel Arteta handed a debut to 15 year old attacking midfielder Ethan Nwaneri.
“He’s got school in the morning”, sang the travelling fans on an afternoon to enjoy.
Here’s how the players rated this afternoon.
Read the Brentford 0-3 Arsenal report and see the goals here
Brentford 0-3 Arsenal – 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 Aaron Ramsdale. Also, please give the ratings a few seconds to load.
10/10 Thomas Frank saying there’s no shame in losing to top of the table. Loving that teams don’t see us as there for the taking!
Yes..I suspect he was a gunner in his former life! Lol….I don’t agree with the rating for viera…we missed the incisiveness from Odegaard…. Smith Rowe gets in the team before him when he’s fit..seems the player isn’t confident enough to dribble or find more forward passes… returned the ball back a lot…he needs more time
It his first start in the league mate, give the boy a break. He may not be Odegaard with with flicks and tricks and relentless pressing but he played well. Got an awesome goal that killed the game off and all hope Brentford had of a comeback. He will get better as he gets into the groove and understand his role and teanmates better. I thought Lokonga did well when he came on, benefits of the minutes he’s, been getting.
I agree regarding Viera. Still, this was a potentially difficult match which we made look very easy.
I disagree entirely. My thoughts before he received the ball for his goal were ‘this guy is so good’.. After he creamed it in off the post you can guess what I thought.
He has a different style to Ode.. much more of an attacking goal threat, less playmaking. His passing and touch are spot on. He had a great debut.
The best thing about viera was how nothing changed. Like a city midfielder, came in, made sure everything kept moving, covered the correct areas. You have to be exceptionally technical to do that in a city team and now that’s the standard at arsenal
Mikel is Pep’s disciple.
I’m happy to give Mikkel his 30 pieces of silver now if he can usurp his mentor
Vieira is like an aikido fighter, in how he uses balance and anticipation to progress the ball. Dribbling is not the only way to create danger – he did very well on his debut, better to come. He’s only played one game as well, have a bit of patience lad.
10/10 for Gabriel Jesus dance celebration after scoring (in support of Vinicius). The celebration police can go do one.
Oh yeah! Loved that – just pure joy!
Jesus did Vinny Jr dance better than Vinny Jr
they’ve been oddly silent after everton celebrated their first win of the season as well… hmmm
So true! You kinda keep pinching yourself as a supporter but seeing the praise from pundits and the general respect given around the league… Let’s keep it going!
Man like Granit …💯
Having Partey besides him really brings the best out of Xhaka, and the whole team in fact.
So true – I feel Xhaka would’ve had a much better first half to his Arsenal career if he’d had a MF partner to complement him & allow him to play his best game
I feel like it’s the same as Pogba. They’re both tall, strong man. So they’re expected to contribute a lot in defense but that’s not where they thrive.
Pogba was great when he played with Vidal or Kante. Xhaka is great when he plays with Partey.
Tremendous team performance. Very unlucky against United. I watched first half of scum game yesterday and Leicester opened them up time and again. We are so much better. COYG.
Nwaneri sub… Arsene would have been proud!!
LANS.
Hopefully we can bring on a 12 year old when we’re 3-0 up against Sp*rs.
LOLOL- and he’d have won more than Harry Kane!!
Maybe Matt Smith can be kept in reserve for that one
I think Gabriel Jesus just became a father. His kid will be on the bench for the Sp* rs game.
Arsene was probably drooling!
Love the Nwaneri image above!
Absolutely. 10 for that picture. Made me laugh
12/10: to blogs for that image.
I chuckled out load.
Oh yeah!
Sneaky goal by Vieira.
That was a beautiful sound when the ball hit the inside of the post on the way in.
Love the picture for Nwaneri
Some great interplay, wish Saka scored in one of the many 😍
Relaxing and enjoyable, a perfect Sunday lunchtime. 3 goals, 3 points and a clean sheet… Yum Yum!
Hope Toney enjoyed his Sunday roast.
And his whine.
And his slice of Humble Pie for dessert.
Nah – he couldn’t have savoured all of the above with that egg smeared all over this face.
Don’t forget gazpacho peeps, another type of dish best served cold
Good marks all around, well done, lads. Loving our team.
Excellent performance – though 7 is harsh on Tierney and xhaka was prob worth a bit more but then again it was only a nice kick about with the boys!
It has been a long time since blogs gave a rating for KT that wasn’t harsh. It’s very, very odd.
I’d have given them all an extra point, that was probably the best performance of the season.
We have been spoiled by Zinny, Tierney was effective and, efficient, which is him everytime he plays when fit. You get total commitment, grit and steady defending. With Zinny you get a CM playing LB, quality on the ball is noticeable. And total different team dynamics, cohesion and play. Blogs rating is probably clouded by comparisons to Zinny.
In some ways Tierney doesn’t look so good compared to Zin, but imo KT has been absolutely fantastic defensively.
Great performance. We are playing good football and we look solid too in defence too.
The players look so hungry to win the ball back, loving it!
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10 for young nwanneri, having played for team accustom to winning trophies than Kane has done in his entire career. Not a small fit
Xhaka has simply been sensational this season.
Nwaneri gets a 10 from me.
I agree. Anyone who can on the field at 15 had a perfect day.
I thought Tierney was very good, especially defensively. Zinchenko and Tierney is some depth at left back.
MOTM from xhaka for me. I have not been his biggest fan but he was everywhere today.
Jesus, oh Jesus!
Loving the picture for Nwaneri! Great performance all round, Partey makes a huge difference to us in the middle and provides the base for the likes of Xhaka to get involved higher up the pitch. Was also good to see Saka coming into central areas more today, was very influential and deserved a goal for his performance, will have to settle for a couple of assists instead! Only downside was Jesus getting that 4th yellow card, we need him for both Spurs and Liverpool.
While I am happy for Ethan, I think it is ridiculous to award anyone with the youngest player ever to play in the league with just a touch or two of the ball. The bar should be set higher like playing at least one half of the game for instance. Otherwise we going to half a 14 year old next week breaking the record.
Strange comment. He played in the league, no matter how brief, & was 15 & a bit whilst doing so, so he gets the record.
No one’s saying he’s a balon d’or winner, just that he’s managed to work his way on a premier league bench at the age of 15. That alone is a massive achievement.
But surely you don’t believe that bringing him on was just for the sake of breaking some record! Clearly he’s been performing exceptionally well and deserved a chance to soak up the atmosphere and experience a taste of top level football with the daunting crowds.
Perhaps it’s partly designed to prepare him for a potential league cup or Europa league game in the coming weeks?
Come on dude. 95% of world population would kill to achieve what he has achieved at the age of 15! Not saying everyone would want to be a footballer. But imagine, he must be among the finest in the world in his profession to get into an elite team @ 15 ! Show some respect.
Can you imagine being a 15 year old hopeful? On the first team bus arriving to the stadium.. In the dressing room with a team that is top of the Premier League.. On the pitch in front of thousands of fans on the big stage, sitting on the bench. Then you make your debut with a cheer from the away supporters. Of course, this was man management by Arteta, believing that setting this ‘record’ can only help his development but also giving a young lad a taste of the dream to inspire him to achieve more whilst becoming comfortable on… Read more »
By the way… Martin Ødegaard was 15 when he made his debut in the Norwegian top flight and also for his national team
There is so much to like about this Arsenal that I’m upvoting each and every comment in this article even before reading it
I’m a happy man at the moment ☺️
Impressed by how Artera transformed Xhaka’s game this season. Apparently the Swiss has been given more freedom to roam and to bomb forward. The return in goals + assists indicates Arteta got it right (again).
10/10 for this tweet https://twitter.com/biel_m04/status/1571487024703574019?s=20&t=PLFfJmhug_e_5IOUmziUkg
By Big Gabby.
How awful was that for commentary from Skysports. Embarassingly biased against the Gunners. I love it when we humble them. Long may it continue.
Nice kick about with the boys.
🎼🎼🎼🎼na na na nananana, nananana fuck off🎼🎼🎼🎼
Love the Nwaneri pic!
Wanted to comment on individual performances like Saliba, Partey, Tierney (was he this good defensively when we signed him??) and Gabriel Magalhaes (gran cojones) but this game was all about the coach. We look more patient, and more hungry! Well done boss
Yeah ..I called out Arteta as the main man responsible for the collective bad performance during our 0-3 loss to Aston Villa 2 seasons ago, so I think its only fair I give him the main credits for this very very good collective performance. Whatever Thomas Frank throws at us during this match seems to just go straight into his pocket.
After the loss at MU..the manner of this win (at a tough ground like Brentford) feels like a very powerful statement indeed.
Yes, Tierney was this good defensively for both Celtic and Scotland when we signed him. Were it not for his proclivity to picking up injuries he would have a higher ceiling than Andy Robertson.
The PoorlyDrawn picture of Nwaneri has totally caught me off guard, haha!
Can we replay the United game with Partey in the team??
He’s arguably our most important player.
What’s not to like? Three technically perfect goals and clean sheet at the other end. Would have rated Partey a little higher – thought he was excellent in first game back. Two more assists for Saka, almost added a goal. Don’t think Vieira is quite up to Odegaard’s ball control level yet, but what a strike! And Xhaka continues to amaze (apart from the unnecessary yellow card). Anyone else think Jesus’ yellow was soft?
In terms of collective performance this must rank as one of the best I’ve seen we’ve played under Arteta. For me the first 70 minutes at least, was like watching poetry in motion the way each one of our players move on/off the ball both in attacking and defensive mode. Very very satisfying indeed although becoz we were so so in control, in terms of match excitements and nervy moments this must rank very low for me too (I guess I just have to complain about something :))) The other disappointing thing for me PERSONALLY is Martinelli didn’t contribute any… Read more »
If you don’t shoot, you don’t score.
Well done Vieira.
Saliba is a “Gate Close” to attackers.
Upward Arsenal
Partey just elevates everything.
No dancing today for moustache wearing mickey.
Up the Arse!
Great kicks out with the boys!
Great kick about with the boys ❤️ ⚽️ 😂😂
Southgate needs to call Ben White and ask him to release his new call up Toney from Ben’d pocket.
Is it just my eyes – or is Martinelli starting to look like Jesus at times. Some of how he shaped passes and runs, physical tricks competing for high balls, and pressing – I was getting them confused. It’s like we bought 2 for 1 Gabbies.
10/10 Saliba showing Toney how to finish like a real striker, then putting him in his pocket, but not the regular pocket, like the really small extra pocket that’s supposed to be for coins or something but which nobody ever uses. Then putting the pants in the back of the closet with Toney still in the pocket. He’s calling for help but nobody will answer.
That’s pretty visual
This made me Lol
9.5 for Xhaka and cheers to Nwanori
My son said do they have to keep talking bout last season. They must have mentioned it a thousand times ffs
A totally dominant performance against a curiously passive home team who will play much better and still lose. That said some things never change: Saka misses too many chances, Xhaka continues to pick up idiotic bookings, we’ll get caught out against the better sides playing Ben White at right back (e.g. by Son in the upcoming NLD) Vieira was decent 1st half but invisible in the 2nd until he scored but looks a decent signing. Saliba and Gabriel are forming a good partnership in central defence and it’s great to see Partey and Tierney return to action with a couple… Read more »
I’ll forgive the negativity since it’s Monday, but you really should locate the individual who is defecating in your Toasty O’s….
You are on the wrong forum mate. Try next door