It wasn’t necessarily spectacular, but this was an extremely well controlled performance from Mikel Arteta’s men.
Wolves are extremely dangerous, especially at home, but we nullified them very well
which isn’t easy to do, and the boss deserves credit for the way he set his team up and for the changes he made.
The goals came via Bukayo Saka (what a week he’s had!) and an away goal at last for Alexandre Lacazette.
Here’s how the players rated today.
Read the Wolves 0-2 Arsenal report and see the goals here
Here’s how the players rated this afternoon.
Ratings
The ratings are now 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 Emi Martinez. Also, please give the ratings a few seconds to load.
Some really encouraging performances today – thinking about Tierney, Mustafi, Martinez in particular. The Saka-Cedric understanding isn’t there yet, but we kept our shape well, and the young ones are really growing into this team.
Great setup from Arteta as well.
This was a better team performance than individual performance. Wolves made to look like a midtable team. Only difference working hard together.
Mikel gets a 10/10 from me
The boss is getting the best out of the crop of players we have with this new found system.
Especially Ceballos, Tierney, Kola and Luis.
I wouldn’t agree re: Kola, he still looks the most worrisome and I hope we’re just increasing his value to get rid.
Yep. Kolasinac the clear weak link and only playing LCB because Mari is crocked.
Kola had fire in his eyes and looked the player most determined. We know he’s possibly the third best LB but just see the Ozil attack video to know that nothing fazes him. I’d love it if Arteta can keep him and get performances like yesterday out of him. Kola and Luiz were like Lethal Weapon pairing yesterday.
Kolasinac wasn’t at his best today so many bad passes under no pressure at all.
I think it’s time to give Mustafi some recognition for the work he puts in. He was pretty solid today and has been since Arteta took over.
He really is imperious in the air. Was very good today.
I’ve never seen somebody consistently head the ball so far every time. I think he stays next year if we play a back 3.
I remember audibly saying “Jesus…” after one almighty header in the lead up (I think) to one of the goals. He looked like he had a spring for a neck.
Mustafi – BBC man of the match. Wow funny old game football. Well done.
As someone who went in on Mustafi several times i have been most impressed with his character, how he handled the situation and how he has rejuvenated himself. Xhaxa too,
I have not seen so many “likes” with regards to Mustafic.
He absolutely deserved it. Both he a Xhaka has been vilified sometimes very unfairly.
I wish both the best.
I think the midfield Dani-Xhaka was working better than it has in recent memory. Loved how they went three on one, hacking shoving one by one. Excellent coaching by Arteta and team. This gave the defenders and extra second to deal with the Wolves forwards.
True – was heartening to see us doing to the ‘fluid’ Wolves what the Stoke’s and Burnley’s used to do us – ganging ’em into errors and bossing space.
Agreed – I had a horrible sense of deja vu when he got sat on his arse early on, but he now seems to be more resilient and doesn’t crumble in confidence after one error, as he used to do.
Thought Luiz looked like the player we paid out for. So comfortable in that role. Great competitive team performance. Chased everything down. Goodbye Ozil you don’t fit in this set up. Bring on youth.
I wouldn’t necessarily say goodbye Ozil. He’s still got one more year left with us. And still has a part to play. Great performance defensively but our attacking play is still a lot to be desired. Very Graham -esque performance. I think the shift in the back 3 has made our more structurally better of the ball though we lose a bit offensively. I think Arteta is making do with the players he has at his disposable which is great to see
His part to play is draining our resources in the transfer market. His waning attitude doesn’t fit, a shell of the player he once was. I absolutely loved peak Ozil, but this guy should just take a retirement tour to Chinese, Middle East or MLS leagues.
Agreed. His sole purpose now is protecting his ‘brand’. 3 managers didn’t pick him and even Wenger’s faith in him was questionable at times.
A few months back Xhaka, Luiz and Mustafi were getting so much flak… Since we are going to pay Ozil no matter how you feel, why not be a little patient and optimistic.
Ozil is *9th* on our team for the season in expected assists per 90. That is despite being our #10 and on set piece duty. He has been a championship/mls level talent this year, and I love what he has given us in the past.
4 wins in a row! It can ONLY get better??. AMN playing from LB was a SUPERB decision. Could someone please tell Kolašinac to stop wasting simple passes?
I like AMN, he has a lot of talent. Glad to see he appears to be listening to Arteta as he is back in the fold. Hopefully he can become a reliable performer for us
I agree completely. He came on, and was an absolutely beast today. Smart positioning, fast, and really aggressive in a controlled way. Something we lack a little of. More of all that please AMN!!
AMN could be a very valuable squad player in this team, And should get plently of game time if we hopeflly qualifyfor europe.
Arseblog giving Mustafi a 7.5…where is the world heading to? Haha
Since everyone except Mustafi and Luiz got 7. I guess Mustafi and Luiz where MOTM as well. ??
Not exactly a vintage performance, but one of the first one I have seen in recent years where every single member of the team executed the ‘non-negotiables’. OK, passes went astray and our fluidity wasn’t great at times, but play like that in every game and you will win most of them. Delighted for Saka – legend in the making, and Martinez has been faultless since his insertion – long may it last.
dammit. delete ‘one’!
Martinez has a calm badass-ness that I can’t put my finger on. And dude is ripped.
When you were the goalkeeper in a 7-5 classic, then everything else is a bit boring – love the guy and great to see him doing so well.
We’ve come a long way from Almunia as 1st choice lads!
(And I think you should tweak your nick to Ray’s Ice Cream Parlour)
Maybe – but I sort off visualised Ray having an Ice Cream van down at Southend in a parallel universe.
It’s called BDE. Look it up
Non-negotiables with a hectic schedule. Amazing.
This was a win all about a great team performance and resilience, not so much individual brilliance. Props to the boss too for excellent subs and the obvious boost after his talk at the second tea break
It was more like a sip break 😀
Lol @ ‘tea break’?
I think Martinez deserves higher than a 7. He might not have needed to make too many saves, fuck me, was there a cross he didn’t claim today? Dominant goalkeeping.
And came out decisively for both of those Traore chances, love to see it.
Hard agree. He made things look deceptively simple.
Brave too. Had my heart in my mouth at one point at he grabbed a ball off the feet of their forward. Took a knock on the face I think. Even the first chance after 20 seconds he risked getting clattered.
Good as Leno has been he has a fight on his hands to get his place back.
I gave him an 8, thinking Blogs would go to 8.5
I’ve got to be honest, as much as I love Leno and have seen him keep us in games, he’s joined the very short number of key players on the ‘if there were a big offer, we could cope’ list. Not saying we should shift Leno on one bit, but it certainly wouldn’t be as scary anymore as it might have been a few months ago. Which is huge credit to Emi.
Will we ever see Auba play center striker (his natural position) ever again ?
Who cares this evening. All POSITIVE.
We’re winning games and he’s still contributing. It’s not really a big deal right now.
Love the way Auba comes back to help out. He puts in a full shift the whole 90 mins
I have stopped hoping/wondering about that cuz I just think he profiles too much like a winger in his one dimetional game in the mind of the coach…let’s not forget that the role of the stiker is no longer only about getting goals
I bloody love what Mikel Arteta is doing to this squad! Give him all the money he wants this summer!
Can we also add a 10/10 rating for Arteta? Absolutely perfect substitutions today ?
Think manager rating should be added ?
Just think how many fires he has had to put out.
Now, this was a very good away performance. I loved the steel that we showed, finally we showed some aggressive defending which felt just right, we even got into Traore (I have to give mention to Shkodran here, his performances took quite an upturn so far). I loved the high pressing today and even our playing from the back looks improved. Arteta was spot on with substitutions today as well, super game management. He took Tierney off just when he started to look tired and all the subs added freshness just when we needed it. Hell, even Lacazette got an… Read more »
Hard to pick MOTM with a complete team performance, but I think Emi Martinez deserves it. Traore should have tied it in the second half but he closed the space really fast and forced the chip over the bar. He handled every cross extremely well and showed sure hands on a couple of them.
Really happy for the lad.
I thought that was a superb piece of decisive goalkeeping against the scariest player in the league. For me that marks him out as a seriously high class keeper.
Hard to believe but Mustafi has been performing well recently.
He’s never going to be the rock solid defender we hoped we were buying, but he’s been doing his job and seems to have cut out the silly mistakes
Cutting out the mistakes from crappy decision making starts to highlight that the rest of his game is decent.
Good coaching will do that. If you have it drilled into you what to do in pressure situations you will default to that rather than panicking.
I also think it’s down to the overall team shape. There is less of those panic moments where it’s 2 vs 2 and mustafi needs to make the perfect decision to stop their attack. Non-negotiable stuff. I love it.
Luiz Mustafi and Xhaka all benefit I think having the extra. Fewer nerves leads to less brain farts, a covering man and an extra pass.
Having said that, how good was Tierney when he got hung out to dry vs their two attackers close to our goal and still broke up the attack
Also special mention for Martinez in goal. I’m never ever stressed out with him in goal tbh. Whether it is with a back pass, save or cross into the box, always so assured.
Would love it if we keep him next season as well but would be really happy if he gets to start for a PL club next season. Absolutely deserves it
Super sharp and alert with great starting positions. Besides being dominant verbally and dealing with anything aerial his best two moments were in the first minute and then in the 2nd half taking a low ball near the penalty spot; both times reading the play and snuffing out danger before it arrived. The only thing I see that can prevent him being a top class keeper will be how he responds to the inevitable mistake that everyone eventually makes
I certainly wouldn’t be uncomfortable if he played in cup games if it meant we kept hold of him.
Everything is going well right now. I am uncomfortable
LOL. I had similar thoughts earlier today. Mentally bracing myself for something horrid. May this keep on going.
One could argue that we’ve suffered enough horridness (or it that ‘horridity’) for 2 full seasons so we have credits coming in out!
‘now’ not ‘out’
A very good away performance. I think Arteta deserves a mention – his 1 real criticism was his use of substitutions, he seems to be learning fast and the substitutions he has made recently really have influenced the game.
Solid performance from the boys. Come on you Gunners, we can make it to the top four.
Huge credit to Emi who’s been immense since Leno’s injury. Imposing figure whether he’s making saves, mopping up, or distributing. Massive team player.
Great team effort. At the same time, I’m thinking about the madness of paying £350k pw for someone not even in the squad! Hope we can finally offload him this summer.
Reports suggesting he will stay and see out his contract unfortunately. I can’t see another club willing to offer him the same wage with what he is producing at the moment.
This guy has no love for football, no fire in the belly. Only love remaining is money, which is very sad for the player of his caliber.
Great job thinking about the negatives on a night Arsenal played faultlessly. Stick with that attitude and see where it gets you.
LACAZETTE!!!! Hope he just keeps building from here. That little touch he had to set up his shot ?????
Yeah loved it watched it like 10 times, such a class touch
Best Arsenal has looked all season.
Cedric has been decent, a debut goal, then today the pinpoint pass to Auba for Saka’s goal. Maybe not a signing to fall in love with, but quietly effective so far
Think he starts next year and Bellerin is sold. He’s only 3 years older than Hector.
Hector ain’t going anywhere
Why does a lot of people want to sell Hector?
Getting in a decent backup replacement won’t be cheap and he’s coming back from an ACL tear and small niggling injuries post ACL. Hold on to him and let’s see whether he improves next season especially as there looks to be quite a competition for RB now.
Bellerin is class we’d be insane to let him go
What a composed performance! a little speculative in the secound half but I guess it denied them space to counter…this system seem’s to suit the defenders but maybe not the best to dominate in opponent’s half as Xhaka is not really ideal for double pivot…
I think xhaka does ok in this system as he is not as exposed due to luiz being the spare man at the back. Midfield is a weak area for this team though. Him and ceballos are both quite limited.
I didn’t think Soares was lucky with the cross to Auba (twas a fine cross with a good spin to it and well measured too)… Great containment game from the boys and gaffer. COYG ??
It was heartwarming to see the genuine joy on all their faces after Laca’s goal. And I echo those who have mentioned Emi’s composure in goal. I feel completely comfortable with him back there.
That touch and finish from Laca was top notch. Looking at replays made it look world class that how in a flash he jumped ahead of two CBs and boom, effing awesome!!
Delighted with that win. Wolverhampton is not an easy place to visit. Just looking at the final five games we’ve got a real job on our hands for Champions League: Leicester, Sp*rs, Liverpool, Villa and Watford. So that’s two teams still fighting for Champions League, the champions and two teams either side of the relegation zone. With Liverpool being the only team that won’t be fighting for something this is going to be tough. We’re going to need a huge slice of luck but it’s good to see the form improving. What’s more an away goal for Lacazette today! Like… Read more »
Yeh there’s a big set of asks there. If we can take 10 points I’d be delighted. If we can compete with Liverpool properly, regardless of result, I’ll be happy.
Let’s just keep a sense of realism. And smash the spuds. That’s the non-negotiable.
10/10 for Arteta’s Squad management in making clear the price of a starting 11 place!
and also his “capitan deflecto” act in the short burst of questinos he recieved about Ozil’s availability…he must have dream’s about him at the airport…in the rain….sitting with his umbrella.
I give these ratings between a 7 and 7.5
I don’t know if there’s a slight Mustafi bias in the ratings but he was definitely one of the best players on the pitch today and i think he contributed a lot to containing Adama Traore today. Not his biggest fan but you have to acknowledge just how much he has improved especially how solid he is in the air under Arteta. Definitely an 8 for me. Clean sheets and solid, controlled performances like these are underrated.
He’s always been good in the air. its more the odd brain fart that he has which is the problem. The back 3 suits him as hes decent on the ball and good in the channel between RB and CB. whether or not he has the disipline to play in a back 4 under pressure im still not sure.
He also has a deceptively good long ball – although Luiz has gotten the ‘name’ for that. Just would like to see more active movement from our front players we Musta has the ball with his head up at the back – the few times they’ve made good runs, he’s almost always picked ’em out.
Fantastic game where we looked like a team on the same page. This is the happiest and confident I have been for a while!
Feels like a sneak peak into Arteta’s full vision. Wonderful.
Cagey win today but critical and some players stood out others not so but at very least all worked hard to close down today. 1) Martinez – Very important block early on on Traore. Finger tip save to deny their free kick late in first half, Came out to command the ball several times during poor period when we are under too much duress after the half and to 70++ minutes. He’s been an excellent alternate to Leno thus far IMO. 2) Cedric – Tidy fullback. Plenty of good decisions blocking or sheperding the ball out. Seem to start to… Read more »
Uncharacteristically acute summary Santa – I even found myself thumbing you up!
Are you taking anti-depressants, perhaps?
This system really suits the players we have. Luiz and mustafi as a 2 look horrible but in a 3 they both look much much better. luiz is excellent in the centre of a back 3 adding support to the midfield 2 when needed, Also credit to auba his work rate and tracking back really shows he is a team player and a leader in this team.
Is there something wrong with the site, seems like everyone got around a 7?! That can’t be right 😉
Not seen a controlled & organised performance for the full 90 minutes like yesterday for a long time, especially against a very technical Wolves team – & away from home – Superb
Real Team effort. No-one rating individually very highly and no-one badly
Was watching that YouTube vid on the dark side of Manure vs us and was struck once again by how the Arse would play as one, formidable beast – you mess with one, you mess with 11… at your peril! Yesterday, granted, had few of the ‘dark arts’ at play, but it did show a team playing as 11 committed, inspired and organised souls. Defs some stand-outs – Saka’s goal is just fuel to his young fire, granted he was a little befuddled in the strange role but he had a complete newbie behind him in Cedric, so cannot be… Read more »
Interesting that Arteta has been a bit like Emery – forced to move to a back 3 in order to do something about our fragility in defence. It doesn’t do much for us going forwards so will be interesting to see how it plays out. Arteta has more options because at least he has 2 first choice full backs who are fit, which is something Emery didn’t really have this year. I expect Arteta will swithc between the 2 systems more.
I thought that Maitland-Niles did an outstanding job against Traore. He stuck with him and fought hard. Granted he came against a player who had already been playing for the whole game, but Traore is an ox and MN stood his ground well.
Auba and Eddie worked their socks off. Without that workrate from the front it would have been more difficult for the young guys in midfield.
It’s give and take all over the pitch.
Next week it maybe adjusted so that midfield work harder for the strikers.
I am so so impressed with the tactics and squad management right now.
Taking Tierney off before 60 minutes cost me 4 points in my Fantasy team. Arteta out! 🙂