Arsenal v Man United Player Ratings – The Ox MOTM in a pleasing win

It was a great, if surprising, Arsenal win over Man United yesterday afternoon and there were some good performances from quite a few players, although our star men Alexis and Ozil seemed a little more subdued than normal. The Ox, Gibbs, Welbeck and Ramsey made it look like we actually have a British Core again.

So here are my ratings for Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Man United….

Cech 7
The big keeper carried on his fine form from last week’s defeat at Sp*rs and was alert and agile. Will be pleased with a clean sheet against his old boss.

Holding 6
Seems to growing well into his new role in the back three. Definitely an Arsenal star of the future although he nearly gifted a goal to Rooney.

Koscielny 6
The Boss was also partly at fault for the Rooney cockup, but was mostly his usual solid self. Got a booking for a cynical foul on Martial.

Monreal 6
Another one growing into his new role. He seemed more composed as time went on yesterday. He seems to have got over his early season troubles.

The Ox 8
Having been tried in every position by Wenger he now seems to have found his true calling. His energy down the wings is amazing but the end product can still be a bit frustrating at times. The cross for Welbeck’s goal was perfect and he certainly earned the MOTM.

Ramsey 7
The Welshman’s energy earned him the SkySports MOTM award, but not for me. He had the best missed chance of the game and seems to panic when in on goal. Not scored for over a year and needs a bit of luck to regain his confidence and his new boot design hasn’t helped him find his goalscoring form at all.

Xhaka 7
Played with more than his usual composure and sent a couple of excellent long balls to the strikers. I am sure he will be a much better player next season.

Ozil 5
Doesn’t seem very interested any more. Let’s hope he steps up in the Cup Final with a trophy at stake.

Gibbs 7
Another one that seems to have grown in confidence with the new system. Very composed yesterday and seems to be earning himself a new contract this summer.

Welbeck 7
Great energy and a great goal well taken. If only he could stay fit for a whole season we could find out if he is a truly great striker or not. Maybe next year…

Alexis 6
Occasional flashes of his old self, but he seems to me to be thinking about where he will be playing next season…

41 Comments

  1. Xhaka for me an 8, see what he can do after given some time to proof himself.
    Arsene Wenger would definitely go whether he likes it or not one day. But the way we are going about it simply disgraceful and a lack of respect for a man that has given all to the club when we had to sell our best players to fund the payment of the Emirates stadium. Lest we forget ,these set of players recently won trophies for the club with the same manager. That simply shows that Wenger still got it. Has any of us ever managed a club before? We certainly don’t know what goes on behind the scene at the club.The notion that Arsene is contented with a top 4 finish is pure nonsense.The man is dedicated to the club and would want to win major trophies for the club again.I am of the opinion that Wenger should be allowed to do his job. We are all ranting about getting a new manager like that’s an immediate solutions to our problems. The easiest job to do in the world is to sit back and criticize people we don’t even know. Wenger would leave but it would be on a very good note. We shouldn’t be ungrateful.

        1. Pi$$ off you arsene doll.

          Your just his plaything ay night to satisfy wenger’s urge.

    1. Now it lifts up the positivity again and our great leader arsene finally unites us again as fans, why can’t you?

      KUDOS ARSENE.

    2. Your kind of thinking is exactly what dictators thrive on. Granted, most of us have never managed football clubs, but does that mean we now don’t get to say its being run poorly if that’s what we think? You don’t have to be a chef to know good food. Wenger has done all that he can for the club he should leave now. 20 years is enough time for any man to proove his worth leave alone in the football world. let him give a chance to someone else to take this club forward..unless Wenger has the divine right to be the one and only manager of this club.

      1. So unless you have the same believe as him and love the Club so much, trust me many Manager will come and go until you can see one fit but I doubt you can find one similar to him. Look at Josa Moo with his expensive signings, we beat his arse last night, didn’t we?

        BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.

        1. that’s a lame excuse to use, the so called Josa Moo wins trophies wherever he goes, remember he already has Carling cup and he could snatch Europa as well, Chelsea can beat our asses pretty well and finish empty handed, also we’ll be out of UCL as Man U will be there as Europa winners.

          we are careful of what we wish for, tired of the expired old man running our club like it’s his family business

        2. Wenger is the greatest Arsenal manager ever, so far. He was the one that made Arsenal into one of the most popular teams in Europe, because of the Invicibles’ season. We will not find someone like him.

          If he goes, Arsenal might go down, but great clubs should be able to rise from the bottom and achieve the glory. Like what Juventus, Manchester United, Leicester City and Chelsea did. If Arsenal cannot do that, that means they are not one of them.

          I prefer Arsenal take that risk, rather than seeing them stagnate for another five years.

          1. I don’t think you are an idiot. But then what’s MY opinion against thousands of others?
            Arsenal are a massive club. Do not for one moment underestimate that. It’s just unfortunate we are not in the hands of an ambitious manager who will do anything to win. No one was absolving AW of his slightly recent setback, but that was only pointing out that he is not the sole reason for our problems as a club.
            Must be hard for you huh but that’s no excuse really for your total lack of intelligence in general aspects of the club. COYG.

    3. Wenger is not pleased with a top four position. I know he is very dedicated and love Arsenal. He was the one that made me following Arsenal.

      But he has to face it, he is stuck with his football management style and system, because Arsenal has similar result for more than twelve years. Arsenal is barren for a long time and they often don’t show us entertaining matches either.

      A manager that manages the same team for more than ten years should be able to set a good system for his team, like what Pochettino and Simeone did to Tottenham. Instead Arsenal keep playing with basic football, always rely on a tall target man, penalties, set-pieces and luck. I want to see goals from open play, not from lucky long shots or long crosses to Giroud. Watch how Barcelona, Tottenham, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid play sometimes, you will see the difference in their levels.

      And it’s true that the fans acted like they know better than the manager, but Arsenal should also be grateful to have such loyal fans. We keep pouring money to Arsenal to see them entertain us with good football and major achievements. Respect goes both ways.

  2. Good ratings, the Ox was doing a spectacular job. but I think Koscielny should get at least a 7, he was blocking every single threat coming our way, he wasn’t at fault for Rooney’s attempt, Holding’s pass was aimed for Cech that’s why Koscielny was just watching the ball until he discovered Rooney will get to it first.. After Ox, Koscielny is the next man of the match

    1. Holding played a solid game today and is becoming a better player the more minutes he gets.

  3. Delighted we defeated Manchester United but it would have been sweeter if we are challenging for the title at this stage of the season.

    Anyway, we can win a trophy if we defeat Chelsea in the fa cup final. I know, it’s a big IF but nothing is impossible.

    Is Wenger staying Or leaving? Please who has his contact details. I need to call Him..

  4. It was a great team performance, and maybe this game simply shows that Wenger has the ability to make good players into a great team. It is telling that our two so-called superstars got the lowest ratings.
    Maybe he should stick to home growns and cheap purchases?

    1. Ya got that right mister gspotrude.
      Wenger is credited with maintaining Arsenal’s top-four status throughout the years of financial constraint which accompanied their move from Highbury to the Emirates. Wenger has guided Arsenal to three Premier League titles and six FA Cups, but Arsenal have not won a league title since the unbeaten 2003-04 campaign. Arsenal have finished in the top four in each of the past 20 seasons and always qualified after group stages. He built the club from nothing to now they have a lot. Arsene Wenger is unique and not many Manager uses his style. He is one Manager unlike other splash on Money and need more to built the Club. Although return of Trophy is not as good as Ferguson but he rn the Club to be Elite at very minimal cost and groom player and Hell make tons for the Club. I doubt there is any Manager make as much money return from player than him. Still he manages to keep the Club at top 4 position day in day out although this season more challenges as other is splashing cash on player.
      So unless you have the same believe as him and love the Club so much, trust me many Manager will come and go until you can see one fit but I doubt you can find one similar to him. When Wenger came on board, MU had just pipped Arsenal to take over as second most successful club in terms of total English titles– most of Arsenal’s league titles were actually pre-war, 5 in total and 2 fa cups. 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1938 with fa cups in 1930 and 1936. This was the period when the club was fondly referred to as the Bank of England due to the massive funding they enjoyed compared the rest of the league. Post war the club won nothing at all between 1953 and 1971. The double in 1971 and fa cup in 1979 were the only success of the 70s. So in terms of trophies and infracstructure it is not out of place to say Wenger rebuilt the club.

      1. Arsenal were slightly (!) successful under George Graham, and the core of the team he built was the core of AW’s first successful few years, so no, Arsene did not rebuild Arsenal. He did bring beautiful football, and he has been a great servant to the club, but he they were not nothing before he came.

        1. Better, if you may wish to scrutinize Le Prof’s starts, but the notion that every judgement can be made immediately, which dominates football, is the most dangerous judgement of all, there is some absolute measure of success or failure. What I am trying to say is that is that is the opposite, my view is that expectations of immediate success in football are foolish. They might happen but doing things like buying new players or bringing in a new manager are not very likely to have an immediate impact.

          BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.

  5. Xhaka and Ramsey played well. With a new manager, they can be even better. Let us not forget how dreadful some Chelsea players were last season but upped their game with Conte coming in.

    Strange thing about yesterday was that we actually fielded 4 English players on the pitch and one Welsh..

    1. See when you can be finally happy to see our arsene won. Sing with me now, one arsene wenger.

      1. Ha! There should be someone like you to make a forum more entertaining, by making provocative comments that go to the other direction. Are you one of the admins, or are you hired by them?

        1. THANK YOU.

          Very much appreciated if you sing along with me too.

          SING WITH ME ONE ARSENE WENGER.

  6. finally a game we played with composure and organisation. Not everything was perfect but for the first time in a long time i felt satisfied at the final whistle.

    Xhaka, the Ox and holding are growing by each game. Ramsey showed his old self of 2014.
    Welbeck wasted a bit in front the goal but managed to get his goal and worked his ass off.
    Sanchez was a mixed bag but he was still influencial.

    But do we really need Ozil? beside one or two sparks he has been a passenger yet again.

    1. There are 2 kinds of freedom that the footballers in a team can play with in a game. One is the freedom to move to any position on the field of play and play from there, it could be temporarily to later switched back to his preferred or assigned position and that’s why we still need Ooooooozilll.

  7. See when ya all ungrateful moaners can be finally happy to see our arsene won

    Le Prof should stay after man utd great win.
    If you think getting a new manager will immediately change things, just look at man utd. The grass isn’t always greener. This will turn out pretty good. a clearing of the herd is required in the fan base. this will separate the posers who are only interested in arsenal for trophies to brag at their mates and the true supporters who respect and believe in the clubs principles. if i may add, i would make it a 5 year contract instead of two in order to ensure the transition of the next generation the torals the bieliks etc.

    ONE ARSENE WENGER, SING WITH ME YA ALL.

    1. Ha! There should be someone like you to make a forum more entertaining, by making provocative comments that go to the other direction. Are you one of the admins, or are you hired by them?

  8. I agree with Bran99 Koscielny was immense. I really enjoyed the game, but the atmosphere was ‘strange’ at the game, not the usual for a Man U game.

    I thought we played well. Ozil has got a bad score, but I actually thought he was good, he rarely loses the ball and made some great passes. Not yet back to his best, but Better than last few games I also liked Xhaka he made some great passes.

    Great game to watch after some really awful days lately at The Emirates

  9. Good win but Arsene calling Tott result a blip annoyed me. The players played the system well yesterday it must be said.

    1. 100% agree no one is that delusional unless wingers is on here. I just ignore him he must be a spuds fan who has more time now they will win FA.

    2. I am sorry to have to tell you but EVERYONE is allowed their own opinion on here. If you can’t accept other people’s thoughts then it is your problem. Argue without insults but don’t hound anyone of the site just coz you don’t agree with them…

      1. Hound anyone, insult anyone
        Admin there is no insults or hounding just opinions are they allowed ??

    3. It’s okay he is like Hafiz Rahman that will make this forum more entertaining. I suspect he is one of the admins or hired by them. Hahaha!

      1. Yeah, as irritating as he is, this jembut guy is a happy pu6ic hair that enlighten his idiocy.

  10. I do not understand the rating, did thee author watch the game?

    Our CB should have gotten higher ratings, Monreal was impressive with his front foot mentality and it helped in winning the ball back in UTDs half more than once.

    When one of the CB stepped up then the other 2 slotted into a 2 man CB formation for moments, Kos stepping out of defense to keep closing a player down was a brilliant example, Kos went to near the halfway line but Xhaka dropped deeper and the other 2 CB closed the gap so we was covered.

    The def was SMART! IMO they all should have had a min of a 7 rating and I hope they keep their form.

    Everyone moans at Ozil but he was up for that game, heck even Mr Moaner himself (Piers) praised his performance, Ozil had a good game and was getting involved.

    Welbeck a 7?
    Does his goal warrant it?
    Apart from his goal Welbeck was playing like a 4 or a 5, not attacking like a CF should and more interested in keeping the ball possession than trying to do something with it, he doesn’t look to score but looks to keep the ball moving between Arsenal players. Not like Alexis who drives forward, or the Ox has been, driving the ball forward with determination. If it wasn’t for the Ox perfect cross then Welbroke would have been useless in the game.

    Big credit to Xhaka and Ramsey, if we could get that performance week in and week out then it would be a good foundation to build the CM from… but I still can’t trust Ramsey to perform like that every week.

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