A 3-1 away win in our final Premier League of the season is very much welcomed, it gives the team a boost and means that we end the domestic season on a positive note and not with the lads being criticised for another dismal performance.
As well as a good win we can also celebrate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being crowned the Golden Boot winner along with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane of Liverpool.
That said, it was far from perfect but then again, it was the final game of the season and it showed with some laid back performances and that is reflected in some of the player ratings.
Bernd Leno – 6
An ok game where he made a couple of good saves and was not bothered too much
Stephan Lichtsteiner – 6
No complaints really other than I wish he was a better passer with the ball
Konstantinos Mavropanos – 6
Average game until he was sadly subbed through injury, remains a work in progress.
Shkodran Mustafi – 7
I think this is the fourth game in a row where I have said he had a decent game, has certainly improved after a woeful couple of months and I am starting to like the German as each game passes.
Nacho Monreal – 6
Average game with no real complaints, he did his job efficiently.
Matteo Guendouzi – 8
I thought he had a very good game, was his usual busy self and played as if this was the first game of the season. Overall I was surprisingly very pleased with the youngster.
Mohamed Elneny – 7
Another one that surprised me, he was efficient and showed hunger, in fact, he looked as if he was trying to impress in the hope he was not sold.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 6
Better than some of his recent performances, maybe he has woken up to the constant criticism and is starting to get his act together.
Joe Willock – 6
Had the odd moment of showing us what he can become but lacked consistency and more game time is definitely needed.
Alex Iwobi – 7
Weirdly enough he also had a decent game and just like Elneny and Mkhitaryan played as if he had something to prove.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 9
Two goals and a Golden Boot winner and deservedly gets the highest rating today.
Subs
Laurent Koscielny – 7
I Thought he had a decent game from the subs bench and again showed how valuable experience is.
Eddie Nketiah – 7
Not the best performance but his rating gets bumped up slightly because he did his job and scored.
Overall it was a decent display and it was noticeable how the most criticised players put in some decent performances, it was if they knew the writing was on the wall for them and were trying to prove a point.
Too little too late for some but it all bodes well for the Europa League final at the end of the month.