Arsenal player ratings following the disgraceful loss to Sheffield United.
There are no excuses, Sheffield United were the better team and deserved all three points. The Blades wanted the win more, it is as simple as that.
The main fault lies with Unai Emery, he selected a team not set up for this sort of game. The Spaniard has to answer for his consistent poor team selection.
No one Arsenal player was horrendous but neither was there any single individual that stood out.
Player ratings
Leno 5
An average game, he is hardly a commanding presence but cannot be blamed for goal.
Chambers 6
Average game but did better than any other defender
Sokratis 4
No idea why Emery keeps playing him, he simply does not look Premier League class
Luiz 5
He did try to push the team forward but looked worried every time Sheffield Utd came forward.
Kolasinac 4
Offers nothing down the flanks, stunning that he was selected ahead of Tierney
Guendouzi 5
I could copy and paste this weekly, busy but ineffective.
Xhaka 6
No idea why he was subbed, thought he was doing better than any other midfielder and did try to go forward.
Willock 3
Very poor game from the lad. He is entitled to the odd bad game and this was it.
Pepe 4
Missed a sitter and he should have scored. Was active and busy for sure but what did he actually produce?
Saka 4
Poor game from the youngster but if you give him no service what do you expect?
Aubameyang 4
Same as with Saka, if you provide no service how do you expect our best player to score?
Subs
Ceballos 4
Did nothing when he came on. Burnley seems a distant memory
Lacazette 5
No service, what else can one say?
Martinelli 5
Average rating as he was not on long enough really.
Manager
Emery 1
That is me being generous, woeful from the Spaniard. Terrible team selection, again. No plan B, nothing.
I don’t see how Pepe gets the same score as Auba/Saka, you state how can they score if they get no service but Pepe got a chance with the same poor service, yes he missed but he was in the right place for the chance.
Generally bad performance from everyone.
I thought Pepe showed a little improvement. It was frustrating in more than one way that he missed that sitter but make no mistake Auba has missed many sitters during his time at Arsenal.
Difficult to take anything positive from that display but apart from missing a sitter,I was impressed with Pepe who made some great runs off the ball and showed flashes of real skill and pace.Despite the result this match could be the launching pad for his career with Arsenal.Unfortunately their are others who will never improve yet they are selected week in, week out.You all know who they are but unfortunately our current Manager does not.
Chambers also getting a 6? Go back and watch the game, I counted at least 5x that Pepe has spun off and made a run in behind and chambers turned around and passed backwards. Pepe played well when he had the ball but not sure what else he can do when his right back lacks either the vision, quality or balls to make the pass. Tbh that last sentence sums up our game. Most of our players are lacking quality, vision or bottle to play any kind of progressive passes, all backwards and sideways.
At last ,a managers rating (1 being very generous)
Chambers our best player IMO
Pepe ,saka ,willock, not ready for their staring births .
Again atrocious coaching from Emery ,not sure how long the board can allow this to go on ,and the Ozil debate still rumbles on .
I never knew why Emery does not wanted use Rob & Konstatinos Centre defence and Tierney at left?
Konstantinos is reportedly rash in his decision making, but if he’s not even playing cup games, how will he improve?
Why Rob and Kieran didn’t play is indeed a mystery. Holding is a better defender than Luiz and Sok, but he can be ponderous or uncertain on the ball too frequently (or at least did) so perhaps Emery thinks he’s not the best for our ‘playing from the back’ which we don’t do well anyway.
Chambers played because Bellerin is still not match fit/in form, but Chambers is not the answer in any position except DM perhaps or CB in the cups (preliminary stages).
Xhaka 6 and Guendouzi 5, you could always copy and paste for Guendouzi really?
I don’t know why every game you always seem to label Guendouzi as ineffective or with the other term that he ran around like an headless Chicken.
Something which the rest of the world rubbished last month when they voted Guendouzi POTM.
Xhaka apart from that one shot he took in the first half, was basically useless the entire time he was on.
Is Xhaka our defensive midfielder or our creative midfielder? Cus really I don’t know what he brings to this team and why he keeps playing every game.
At least Guendouzi was busy during the whole game even if he was not entirely effective, he was still trying to make things happen from the midfield.
And Xhaka is supposed to be our captain, our senior man, and leader.
What does he really bring to this team?
Toy don’t really expect Guendouzi to always put in a MOTM performance every weekend do you? The boy is how old?
Is he supposed to carry our midfield on his shoulder every phucking weekend?
Even Xavi had Iniesta to assist him in carrying Barca’s midfield, Modric has Kroos, Silva has De Bruyne to help him, Thiago has Goretzka to help him,
Who does the boy have? Granit Xhaka, Granit phucking Xhaka every weekend.
At least we saw a change in the midfield when Ceballos moved back to play with Guendouzi and Saka played the No 10 position.
Concerning out manager?
I don’t even have anything new to say about him, his press conference, he said we didn’t deserve to lose.
Like what?
If our managers expects us to win games against lowers teams with that performance then I really don’t know if we’re heading into the drain or we’re heading outside planet earth totally.
Really we didn’t deserve to lose with that awful performance? Lemme guess we deserved a draw? That was his target all along?
I don’t understand shît he says half of the time..
Even Saka who stays closer to him admitted he understands Freddie more and that really says a lot
Eddie I could not agree more with your post.
Emery spoke about analyzing Sheffield and preparing for them. I didn’t see anything we did that made us look prepared. In fact, we looked the lesser team from the onset. Once we manage to painstakingly play the ball out from the back we run out of anything resembling an idea as soon as the ball reaches Xhaka and midfield. It is beyond me why we don’t start Ceballos against these teams (or Ozil). We create nothing and leave our more created players on the bench starving our forwards of any real service.
It has been said by many but why not start Torriera and Ceballos?
Up to now I particular think that Emery does not know the players to use in weak teams and the players to use in the strong games / teams. this is very much needed significantly .
I can’t rate any player or comment about their ratings aslong as the lineup, combination and set up is wrong.
Hopefully we see the right selection on Thursday now that our best players esp in defense and midfield were rested. I.e Bellarin, Holding, Luiz, Tierney
Torreira
Ceballos, Ozil
(Pepe-may be) Lucazette, Martinelli
. I don’t understand any of this resting of our best players for certain matches. Barcelona, Liverpool play their best players in the league and in the UCL. This excuse is baseless.
We are messed up. Am dying for Arteta to take over. Alegri is another EMERY. Mark you this is the same Emery who was outsmarted by Monaco (while he had the best team in France) The same guy who could not win a single match away with Sevilla. I mean not one. Because in away games, he plays with no passion to score but for a draw. What kind of man is this? Arsenal board must send a warning that Arsenal has no place for mediocrity and Honeymooners by sending him packing as soon as now. Should just pay him out. What’s the essence of putting Ozil out? He accuses him of not tackling and defending. So by putting him has our defense improved? No! Has our attacking improved? NO! Are we playing a good football? NO! What is our major improvement, achievements or Identity? Teams are not only beating us but out playing us!we don’t even have a game plan. It’s all not working at all. Waiting for January or even end off the season is suicidal. We have all been sweating for our injured players to come back so that we can have our best possible lineup in place but look at what we got. No matter who we buy am fully assured that Emery will never field our best IV.
This is traumatizing like hell. One man single handedly putting everyone at unrest. Why??! Stubborn, arrogance and self pride at an expense of every individual who support this club with sweat and blood.
I have said regularly that Saka, Willock, Nelson,Xhaka, AMN, Papasrothopoulos and Kolasnic should never be in our starting lineup if we are really a serious team but look . More than half of them if not them all always start games for us.
What type of football do we play?
Possession
Pressing
Defensive
Attacking
Counter attacking
What is our identity now?
This playing from the back is just a joke. We don’t seem to know what we are doing from the back and it’s annoying.. Leno gets the ball pass to a defender and bang, we are under pressure as we lose the ball countless times.
Time to introduce
Holding
Tierney
Torreira
This players need to start on a daily and yes OZIL should be in the team. Maybe the bench to say the least. Who’s better than Him in creating chances in the team at the moment?
I have been gutted. I told my self I won’t watch arsenal game again but I know I will see the next game again. That’s how close I’m to this team but we need to see improvement
My problem with Emery is that he always looks confused when we concede first. Then for most of the time he looks clueless and unable to influence his team. He has no principle, no philosophy and certainly no starting line up or even formation. He changes formation like a girl changes clothes. They say it his style but the question is, has it been working. I’m sure you know the answer to that. Look at Klop, Pep and other managers. They all have a definite starting line up and the formation that suits that line up unlike our clueless coach. Besides Europa most of our wins in the EPL are hardly convincing. We are eighter lucky or Auba comes to bail us out. I can’t point a win we looked comfortable. It’s time to down the curtain on this horrible play
Leno – 6 Not surprising he loses confidence playing behind that defense
Chambers – 6 thought he had a decent game
Sokratis – 5 The guys just doesn’t have what it takes in terms of skill and football brain, love his attitude but that’s enough at this level
Luiz – 6 Can’t say he had a bad game
Xhaka – 4 Just doesn’t bring anything to this team, slows the pace down and lacks inspiration (and skills). A captain in his position should shine in a game like this rallying his teammates and forcing a result by sheer will. Vieirra anyone?
Wilock – 5 not a great game but it seems when Xhaka plays he doesn’t know what’s expected of him.
Pepe – 6 For me this was one of his more lively games. Yes, he missed a sitter but how many times didn’t Auba miss sitters. Have a feeling Emery and his film room are choking the life out of this player.
Saka – 5 The yellow card he was shown was ridiculous. I thought he showed promise and desire.
Auba – 5 Hard to judge forwards when they get very little service. Yes he was too quiet this game but how many opportunities did he get?
Ceballos – 6 showed why he should have started. At least tries to pick up the pace of the game and is much quicker in his decision making than many of his teammates. This guy should start every game if Ozil doesn’t
Laca – not enough time
Martinelli – not enough time
Emery – should he get any points? Managed to field a team that made Sheffield look dominant. His teams are starting to show the fear he has. His poor away record has been following him wherever he goes and I think his fearful attitude lays the foundation for this. If you supposedly buy Pepe to improve your away form you also field a team brimming with creativity and ability to service the forwards. That team should include Ozil or Ceballos but also Thierny who is a great crosser.
Kolasinac – 5 plays with energy but like Sokratis just isn’t of the caliber needed for a starter. Why no Thierny?
Guendouzie – 6 I like what he brings to this team had a few good interceptions and covered well for his teammates but succumbed late in the game to the general malaise of the team
I think that is a fair assessment
Pepé was man of the match for me with a 6, yes he missed a sitter but at least he put in a decent shift, chasing down balls and coming deep to do the midfields job most of the time. Xhaka had a better game too. Leno was a 3, his suicidal short passes to defenders 3 yards from him, especially straight forward from the penalty spot to Guendouzi on the edge of the ‘D’ were ridiculous and the opposition knew what he was going to do and turned over the ball too many times for comfort. Agree with the lowest score though for Emery, he isn’t a progressive coach, we’ve regressed under him. I’ve had enough of him. I’m hopeful the powers above him are equally concerned with where he’s taking our club. Emery Out.
Leno and the defenders are clearly told to play out of the back no matter the circumstances. You can see the players wanting to play the ball forward then catching them and playing it sideways. Playing out from the back is not a bad thing but when you do it no matter the circumstances you make it easy for your opponents to press.
We look sad playing out from the back and when we do manage to play out we immediately run out of ideas and produce a sideways pass around midfield that gives the opponents time to regroup and set up defensively, meaning we gained nothing from playing out from the back. You have to mix it up playing out from the back keeping your opponents guessing.
They are so freaking bad at playing out of the back – it is just embarrassing. How long do you keep repeating this stupidity? With this style of play, the only reason it won’t be 10-0 against Liverpool on the 30th is that it is a cup game.
To go into Sheffield and set up like that to start the game is a joke. I wanted Wenger to leave, but I would rather have him back with this line-up now, can’t get any worse.
The number of times I said “f-ing idiot” yesterday, my swear jar can buy me a flight to London and a seat on the bench at the Emirates :-).
He sets up to at best tie – no strength at full back (maybe Bellerin is not fit, maybe), where was Holding, the youngsters just aren’t good enough yet – bring them on in second half, not to start games. And creativity to start not as a hope to save the game.
Finally, and I will stop my rant, idiot manager actually said out loud that he thought we deserved the win?????
The best thing I saw all
Night was when Leno told the defenders to get out the box and went long with one of his goal kicks and the camera went onto Emery and he looked shocked ,nearly resulted in goal as well .
Nice picture, Dan!
Yeah, I noticed that as well, he was very disappointed/ let down/ stabbed in the back.. Even when we play from the back, most of the time one of the full backs ends being pressured to kick the ball high up the pitch straight to the opponents and we lose possession very quickly. I miss when we had the option of the keeper kicking the ball and Giroooud winning it for us.
When I saw the lineup last night I knew we wouldn’t win. Emery’s team selection was very poor
And the players just played poorly too
Please Wenger, either coach Arsenal again, or coach our coach. Where is the beautiful, dominating and fearless football brand called Arsenal gone? Will love you forever Arsenal, but what to do about our coach? Pleas Emery give me back my Arsenal.
Sack the manager now and chose one of the remaining good managers before Man U and Spurs chose ahead of us.
We are going backwards and that is not going to change with this manager in charge. There is enough of the season left for a new manager to get us to the top 4 this season with Man U and Spurs struggling. But change now!!!!!! Man U and Spurs will likely change their managers as well or get their acts together. We might as well chose our new manager before they do.
Xhaka 6 guendozi 5 pepe 4
What are you smoking over there
I think if we continue to play like this as we head into January, then the board should consider sacking Emery. We should do what Leicester did. Get a new manager in this season, let him bed in, learn the league, who in the squad is good enough. Then a full pre-season, and we’ll be ready to go from day one next season.
ThirdMan – Let’s not wait till January. By then it will be too late and possibly Man U and Spurs might have taken the best available managers ahead of us. Change now and it is entirely possible we finish in the top 4.
I agree it could be risky waiting, but I just want to see if there’s a dramatic change in our performances when our fullbacks finally start. Emery’s attacking play is all about the wings, so can Bellerin, and Tierney save us…or should I say, save Emery?
No any Arsenal player moral value like Ronaldo , Rooney , Carlos Tevez and S Ramos.
Emery has been given enough time to prove himself, I see nothing but regression. Man doesnt know the best players, doesnt have a system of play except of not kicking the ball forward, doesnt know who to substitute, doesnt have a plan B.
Xhaka must just get the hell out of this team, commits unnecessary fouls, gives the ball away, too slow, cant defend.
Just start with
Leno
Bellerine, Chambers, Holding, Tierney
Torreira, Guendouzi
Ceballos/Ozil
Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang
I like ur team selection, our best selection for now excluding Ozil
Interchange Pepe’s with Xhaka’s
I think we should go for Luis Enrique, Lucien Fabre, Erik Te Han or Carlo Ancelloti. These coaches are playing an attacking pressing game, which is a beauty to watch.
I would go with me right now and that is not saying anything at all, but at least there would be an obvious reason for stupid decisions. If not me, start with bozo the clown and work up from there.
I agree, he is useless, even to push the ball in. 3 for everyone is a generously fare. A lost team as Emery has them… Once starting 11 and game plan all wrong, players can’t perform,
Gendouzi xhaka Willock all playing DM,no one to assist forward, a total mess.
Chambers sturggled as Pepe doesn’t chase down his man, as he done with Niles, blamed for Pepe.
Auba was on that flank defending as he saw Pepe letting Chambers alone. He can’t be forward; creates a total mess..
Sheffield got it, attacking that flank.
How can Willock and most players perform?
No balance nor football, just running all over and nowhere.
Leno
Bellerin Mustafi Holding Tierny.
chambers
Niles Willock
Ozil
Auba. Laca
CHambers in front of CBs secures that zone and more. Niles and Willock secure L&R backs and can combine with Ozil, make difference team going forward…
As long as Chambers is not in front of CBs, we won’t find balance allowing to play our attacking and entertaining football.
He got the all right flank weak & useless with Pepe diva play. Chambers then will get blame as Niles beside both playing out of position as defensive Xhaka become useless..
I’m glad you pointed as article, no assist, no pass,
no transition makes Auba and any forward useless, get a 3. Why play ,3 forward if they dont
It should be no rating on players but on coach, a 1 is generous, he is a double zero!