Arsenal v CSKA Moscow Player Ratings – Can’t choose between Ozil and Ramsey

A cracking first half saw Arsenal take a great three-goal lead to Russia next week, and a solid second half could have seen us go further ahead. The Gunners now have one foot in the semi-final but will have to prepare to defend in numbers in Moscow. Three more games and we are in the Final!

So here are my ratings for last night:

Cech 6
That freekick from Kolovin was better than any penalty and Cech had no hope, but otherwise he did his job well

Bellerin 7
Did more playing than talking. A good threat down the wing

Mustafi 6
Not one of his best games, but he was given a tough time

Koscielny 6
Not what we would expect from our captain but he was okay for most of the match

Monreal 6
Solid without being spectacular. Made some good bursts forward as usual

Xhaka 6
Seems to have settled into the team better but still too hot headed when he loses the ball

Ramsey 9
Deserved his hat-trick. It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. Brilliant performance all round

Wilshere 5
One of Jack’s headless chicken nights. Needs to look wheere he is running more often

Ozil 9
Mesut was in one of his masterful moods last night. If Ramsey and him played like this every week we would be unbeatable

Mkhitaryan 7
He looks brilliant at times and I’m sure he will still improve. I hope his injury isn’t serious

Lacazette 8
Excellent game from the Frenchman. If only Premier League defenders were that slow

Subs:

Iwobi 5
Scared to shoot? Still needs confidence I think

Elneny 5
Solid as usual but not so spectacular

Welbeck 5
Made himself busy, but surely he should have learned to shoot straight by now

33 Comments

  1. I don’t like Ramsey… he more often than not has games that are below average. he is the most inconsistent player I have ever watched….

    and then games like last nigh happen, and I wake up the next morning and feel if he plays like that more often, I would absolutely LOVE Ramsey…..

    but such is the hard life of a Arsenal supporter.

  2. These ratings are crap we conceded 1 goal from a free kick and the entire back 5 are on 6s. Shut up

    1. The defence was all over the place at times, against a better team we could have conceded 3 goals with ease, don’t confuse their lack of ability for our quality.

    1. Lets wait untill next season and than we can say if its better. Our league position is still same after all.

      1. have to agree. we traditionally do fine towards end of season… after things have already blown up. So in terms of next season I take these games with a grain of salt. At least the bleeding has stopped tho.

  3. Poor ratings for the subs, you either rate them or you don’t. All the subs performed well and do not deserve a 5!

    1. Iwobi looked his usual bewildered self and you are quite right that he did NOT deserve a five. Try zero! Though I know the Admin was trying to be generous and not single him out from some other poor players. Those players collectively were known by the quaint and improbable name of “the defence.” You will remember what a defence is, but only if you saw us a decade or more ago.

  4. I don’t think Athletico Madrid will be able to handle Laca, Mkhi, Ozil and Ramsey

    1. They can handle most of the time Messi Suarez Neymar. So i think they can handle this dont you think ? Fingers crossed that we will meet them and spank them 3:0

      1. They can handle Messi bla bla bla. But they are not contending for CL semis, where they not eliminated? I need this trophy. Arsenal will handle them if we happen to meet.

  5. I applaud these marks and cannot think WHERE I could disagree with ANY of them! More important though and by far, is the overall position the team is now in. It is clear that we have HALF a good and even half a really good team; the bit that is NOT in defence actually. The “defence” though is fraudulently described as a defence; it is nothing of the sort. With the possible exception of Monreal, who to me would be the only defender kept, were I manager and even he would be a squad choice, not first pick, NOT ONE of all the others is remotely near good enough to play for a club of our stature and all of them shame the memory of the greats of our long term history . In other words, a decade ago, and going back to the 1930’s. I cannot overlook the fact that one man alone is entirely responsible for this and that man will soon be sacked, mercifully.

      1. Neil. Don’t express my democratic right as an Arsenal fan of 60 years attending, eh? And why? Because you disagree with me. Quelle surprise!

    1. So you wouldn’t even keep Kolsanic and Mustafi for the bench?
      Kolsanic is a quality defender also
      I’m glad you aren’t our manager
      You would bankrupt us trying to fill the bench with World Class players

      1. Innit, no I would not. Tell you why! If I were owner I would get a top world class man , for Wengers same wage but he would coach and coach properly. Other clubs do this and spend less than us. Pep, Klopp, Poch can all properly coach. And do! HE WOULD IMPROVE EXISTING PLAYERS NOT REGRESS THEM AS WENGER CONSISTENTLY DOES. Note how Guardiola improved Sterling and others. Who has Wenger improved this last decade? Tell me one , even one! He(our new manager) would get far more success from even the existing squad but he would ASAP , replace the entire defence which is either too old, too unfit AND way below the standard any top club needs. Kolasinac, after a promising start has regressed, Mustafi is just rubbish and he would be first defender out of the door, were I in charge. He would not waste regular wages keeping no hopers around uselessly , like Elneny, Iwobi, Welbeck, Bellerin, Chambers, Xhaka etc. etc. Above all he would be a realist and face facts and begin working properly to repair and replace the many gaping holes. Wenger does nothing except make lame and feeble excuses , while banking his grotesquely unearned salary. Realistic fans – the huge majority- know full well Wenger is the problem and must , and will, be sacked. Why not yourself become a realist too?

    2. I feel like Kos would fit the bench now. However he was very good defender. He was not even scared to get hurt. Pair him with quality CB and he would still does his job more than decently. I just do not know about Mustafi something about him is telling me he is okay, but sometimes he is super bad.

    3. I agree with Neil – please Jon, just give it a bit of a rest and let the rest of us enjoy a good victory, especially after a really disappointing and frustrating season. You can still be the relentless voice of past glories, mighty club history, 60 years blah blah, if you want but you need to lighten up and enjoy a win like last night’s… It’s actually good for your health! Who knows, we could win the Europa Cup and then we might even win the EUFA Super Cup – something that hasn’t been won by a PL team since 2005 – and then we would all be feeling nice and happy and positive before next season starts – even you! Wouldn’t that be nice for a change…?

      1. Joey, No one forces you to read my posts. True? Of course true! I won’t wake up screaming in frustration if you decide- as is your and anyone elses perfect right- to ignore my posts. Go ahead. Rather than trying, uselessly, to stop me exercising my democratic right as an Arsenal fan since 1958 and a former season ticket holder of over 35 years. Do you believe in democracy? I do! I might ( and often do) comment on posts I disagree with . But I never, repeat NEVER, try to act as an anti -Democrat and arrogantly tell people not to post. Try democracy, Joey. You might even appreciate its benefits one day.

        1. No body has said you shouldn’t post Jonny, The point is let us at least enjoy the feeling of the win from yesterday before all these usual castigations. Funny enough the site needs people like Jon Fox Ya’ll…exercising his democratic right as an Arsenal fan since 1958 and a former season ticket holder of over 35 years. just wow.

  6. I do have a like and disslike relationship with ramsey. He is like the old theo. At times you think thats the real him but he gets lost and then you start to wonder what the real him is even about. Hot and cold yes and no in and out lol. But things ate getting better. Winning is surely nice and we fans deserve this

    1. Ks- gunner, I suggest that you speak for very many of us too. Surely though by now, we know that he MUST be allowed to play in the way he did last night and be an auxiliary forward running on very late to through sballs. We have perhaps the worlds best playmaker and visionary passer in Ozil, despite his many disappearing acts in some games. With mobile, talented, well balanced and speedy strikrs like Aub and Laca (and Mhki too) we must give Ramsey his head to go forward and not waste time trying to make him track back, He has proven that he can’t and won’t and like trying to force feed a toddler green vegetables, this is doomed to failure. A new manager who has real coaching and tactical credentials(who will soon be installed) will surely see this, which WENGER HAS NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW TO PROPERLY UTILISE. You start by getting a defence of proper quality and after ten lean years a proper CDM. WASTE OF TIME THOUGH WITH THE PRESENT MANAGER, OBVIOUSLY!

  7. OZIL was a Pure Joy to watch last night, it was as if he was sending a message to Dog shagger.

  8. As usual our first pick centre backs were unconvincing and Wilshere was again poor.. With nothing at stake in remaining League matches surely Wenger will play Ho!ding,Chambers,Elneny and Maitland Niles?

  9. Ramsey has always been a class act, and now he has class players around him it shows more regularly.

    Wilshere is overrated and loses the ball too often. I’d love to see some stats around that. People rave on about him due to his occasional flashes of brilliance, but most of the time he either gets tackled and loses the ball, or passes the ball to an opposition player, or even worse gets injured.

    Put it this way, if he went we wouldn’t really miss him, just like we don’t miss Walcott or Ox.

    We are starting to look like a team that wants to win, and maybe can be just a little bit feared by the opposition..

    1. Mark, As someone who has always admired Wilsheres obvious love for our club, something almost unique(OR CERTAINLY , RARE THESE DAYS) among all modern players at any club, I have til very recently always taken his side. Through all the injury despair and immature lifestyle. But I have come to the same conclusion as you have. Last night put the tin hat on his Arsenal hopes for me and I believe many other waverers too. He constantly runs with the ball when a pass and quick moving ball would be better. HENCE , MOST OF HIS MANY INJURIES. But if he can’t and won’t learn in a team full of artistic and interchanging fast moving forwards, who were superb last night, then I say he now NEVER WILL! Forget the awful defence as it is not relevant to this post. It seems overwhelmingly likely that he will go this summer. On a free, thanks to Wengers inattention to duty over contracts running down to zero. I beleve Wenger will very soon now be history and look forward to the new man renewing and improving a fast passing and pressing style, whilst, ASAP, changing the entire, sub standard defence. And I , as we surely all do, wish Jack all the best at his new club, WHILST KNOWING IT IS THE BEST FOR US TOO.

  10. Damn imagine Ozil playing like that every match with Aubameyang, Lacazette, Mkhitaryan and Behind him top central midfielder like Veratti or Alacantra or even a 32 year old Modric and decent defensive midfielder like Fabinho or Jorginho or even Gueye

    Ok i woke up now. What a dream

    1. Not an impossible dream though. Not with the right manager in charge. Which IMO will be VERY soon! I also dream! Of a new manager who understands that all successful teams need a balance between defence and attack and not one who does not, will not and CAN NOT coach defenders nor buy ones of good quality. Like the existing , soon to be, ex-manager!

  11. Spot on John Fox ‘re our defence .When will Wenger realise our first pick centre backs are totally unconvincing.Holding and Chambers should be played in all the remaining League matches.

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