Arsenal player ratings against Wolves – surprising joint man of match

Arsenal earned yet another win in what is quickly becoming a very good end to this season.

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette, who came off the bench, were enough to give us the much-needed three points. Here are the Arsenal player ratings.

Emiliano Martinez – 7
Didn’t exactly have so much to do because of the fine team defending by Arsenal. Was assured when called upon to deal with crosses as Wolves looked to get into the game.

Shkodran Mustafi – 8
I thought he was absolutely solid in defence this evening against a team that put a lot of balls into the area.

David Luiz – 8
Along with Mustafi, my man of the match. Continued to do the basics and made an outstanding block to deny Diogo Jota a certain goal.

Sead Kolasinac – 5
Probably worst Arsenal player on the pitch. Had to be helped in dealing with Traore and he still doesn’t understand or enjoy playing in a back three.

Cedric Soares – 7
Continued from his goal scoring start with a fine showing here. Seems to be better at defending than Hector Bellerin, but he also looked sluggish at times, which is understandable considering he is barely back from injury.

Granit Xhaka – 7
Struggled to influence the game because of Wolves’ control of the midfield, but he did well in defending and ensuring that Arsenal kept a clean sheet.

Dani Ceballos – 6
Another one that struggled to influence the game as the Gunners lost the midfield battle, but he did well in pressing and defending but his constant spinning on the ball is becoming really easy to read, he needs to learn a new trick.

Kieran Tierney – 7
Assisted the Saka goal and was a constant threat going forward, he also did fine when needed in defence.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 7
Starved of service and was restricted to chasing the opponents around as Arsenal sought to stop them from playing. That said, he worked his socks off for the team tonight and put in a captains performance.

Eddie Nketiah – 7
Busy closing down the Wolves defence as usual and was denied a goal by Rui Patricio before heading another chance over the bar.

Bukayo Saka – 7
Didn’t have the best of games on the right side of attack, yet got himself a goal.

Substitutes

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 6
Helped Arsenal deal with the troublesome Traore when he got on.

Joe Willock – 7
Came in and got an assist and he should have scored really.

Hector Bellerin – 7
Brought on to help Arsenal keep a clean sheet and he did just that.

Lucas Torreira – 6
Brought on to waste time and did what was required.

Alexandre Lacazette – 7
Scored the final goal. Typical fine finish and hopefully he will now get back to scoring more often.

Manager

Mikel Arteta – 8

The lads did the manager proud this evening, I wish he would be more adventurous sometimes but at the end of the day what he asked of the team worked out perfectly.

Tags arsenal player ratings

34 Comments

  1. The lads did do the manager proud!!!

    I wasn’t bothered about them being adventurous- just staying solid was good for me against a team in a good run of form.

    No one struck me as awesome but as a team performance I’m giving them 10
    No silly stuff. Organised. Motivated
    For once in lord knows how long I sensed we’d win. I still have fingernails

  2. I will give all the players 7 except Mustafi, Xhaka, Luiz, and Ceballos 8, they did a great job especially in the back.

    MA deserves 10, the man chose the right formation and he kept no spaces for their 5 mids to play around in our spaces. When he substituted Saka with Willock and Laca I didn’t understand him at first, but after thinking of that it seems to me that he was thinking of having Willock because he is faster, he can push forward and can defense if indeed, while Laca can keep the ball and fight for it “stronger than Nkeitah”. Although in the last minutes I thought he will play Holding and Torierra instead of Teirney and Ceballos (having 3 in center mid and more CB’s). But no, he made the right calls even AMN was ready for Traore.

    This match for MA he is the MAn!

  3. Wow, who’d have thought it? Shkodran and David! I take my hat off to them both! A job well done..
    My motm was Saka… such a well taken goal… and what a week for the young lad. Now he’s found the back of the net, I hope that’s the first of many!
    Not taking owt away from any of them, they all played their part in what was a massive win! Well done boys! ❤

  4. Another great win ,another clean sheet such a shame Arteta wasn’t brought in earlier,we would definitely be in the top four if he had replaced Emery at the start of the season .
    Great match from the defenders,especially Luiz ,onwards and upwards .👍

    1. @Dan kit

      Well we could have brought in quality managers years ago, but some wanted Wenger to stay, and look where it got us!

        1. Not sure how many times I need to tell you ,so I won’t bother as you obviously don’t read what I post .

          1. Mate, anytime I say anything about the downfall of Wenger, which was a fact, not opinion, you attack me. Obviously I missed something then in your comments. So when did you realize Wenger was finished then? When did you want him out?

          2. I was one of the vocal ones wanting him gone long before he left ,my opinion he should have left after the fa cup final .
            But I’m not going to be one of these supporters who proclaims to wanting him gone in 2008 ,which is absolutely Ridiculous to even claim .
            We are never going to agree so we can go back and forth Arguing forever .

  5. The defense won us the game. This is the blueprint for success, build from the back. If we can also keep Auba and solidify the central midfield, then it wouldn’t be beyond us to challenge for top four next year.

  6. These are low ratings. The game did not have the flash that we are used to but this was a great win and masterminded by Arteta who deserve a 10 for pulling it off. The list of EPL teams that win away to Wolves is very small. Mustafi, Luiz and Kolasinac deserve a lot of credit. They limited Traore to really only one chance, and the man kept taking on our defense for almost all of the 2nd half, and we didn’t buckle. AMN was a huge reason for that, and Kolasinac positionally was really good today, even if he did get caught out a few times, the rest of the defense was there to help out. It’s a great spirit that Arteta is starting to get going. Auba was a hard worker too, he’s been much more in games than he was playing under Emery.

  7. I just want to laud our defending as a group, that was excellent, this is the kind of attitude that win you things, we cant defend like this and get beaten, all opposition threats nullify before the reach dangerous area, I never knew I was watching arsenal.
    And thumbs up to Nketia,despite his stature, he got bullied but never relented, that’s the spirit I like in my team, if we put it this kind of performance, even in defeat, no one would complain

  8. I was expecting a tough afternoon and probably a loss or a draw at best. Was delighted with the well organised, well disciplined and tenacious performance. Really making progress under Arteta and finally heading in the right direction, IE. Getting the basics right and building from there. All the better for the fact that we have so many excellent young players. It won’t be plain sailing but there is definitely a new era of Arsenal being born. One that should be a big improvement on recent history.

  9. Excellent performance by Mikel Arteta and the players against a very good well coached Wolverhampton Wanderers side. Just shows what application, commitment and team defending can achieve. As Adajim states above, no one can reasonably complain if Arsenal players put in a shift like this, win, draw or lose.
    Special mention to Martinez, who continues to shine with his command of his area, safe hands, shot stopping and distribution. Also Mustafi, who continues to belie the previous, but warranted criticism, with solid performances.

  10. I am not a fan of Mustafi, but he played very well yesterday as did AMN when he came on.If he does not start against Leicester it will be an injustice as he is superior to Bellerin,Soares and Kolasinac.

  11. I have been a long term reader and a lifetime Gooner but haven’t commented before.

    Watching the game particularly the first half the gap between the midfield and forwards was far too big, resulting in the ball being passed around the defence. Somebody in the midfield needs to take ownership in moving the ball forward.

    I can’t help but feel that kolasinac is just out of his depth. He just looks panicked defending and can only pass sideways or backwards regardless of position, I understand he was a free and fills a position but ongoing it’s going to hold us back

    I would have also have liked laca to get on a bit earlier when Eddie was running up against the wall

  12. Once manager get right team on the pitch to apply his tac tic, he and all players deserve hightest rate.

  13. A surprising view byMartin that “we lost the midfield battle. I did not see it that way as we had more possession than Wolves and that does not add up if you are the lesser midfield team. I thought Wolves had a spell of around the first twenty minutes in second half or so but otherwise we controlled the game throughout. But then fans DO see things differently and I see almost everything Arsenal wise different from MARTIN, except on Ozil, so I guess neither of us are surprised.

  14. I thought Mustaffi defended well but like xhaka and kolasinac kept giving the ball to them too often. Luiz was stand out with Auba and Ceballos, those three 8 or 9 for me. The rest of the team were workmanlike but that was what was required. The subs came on and did ok also.

  15. I guess the person who wrote these grades watched Saka thru Rose Colored Glasses.
    If he had not scored I would have given him a zero.
    He spent much of the game looking lost. Many times when he got the ball, he passed it backwards, instead of turning and running, although that may have been because, when he did get the ball, he was easily knocked off it.
    When he went back to help the defense he just stood around. When he played full-back he knew who to mark, in this game he was lost.
    He made me long for the return of Pepe….

    Maybe the new contract had gone to his head, or he is not a right winger.

    1. Bit harsh but he is playing completely out of position and the only time it benifitted him was his left foot shot from the right.

  16. AMN at least a 7. He changed things as soon as he came on as KT was struggling against Traory.

  17. Martinez deserved at least an 8, pulled off two great saves especially the one on the floor down to his right. Going to be an excellent Keeper this guy and as good as Leno’s been. I think will eventually replace him and definitely Argentina’s number 1 in the next few years.

  18. not my favourite players but I have to agree with your MoM assessment Admin, I would give a 7 for the rest of the team. All in all a very good performance away to an in form and difficult opponent, well done to Mikel and his team also.

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