Arsenal v Man City Review and Player Ratings – Saka the only bright light in the darkness

But it’s the context that counts. There was a huge opportunity to establish an almost unassailable lead if we had  been able to maintain momentum. There is a palpable sense of a massive missed opportunity. And that applies not only to the league situation in general but also to this game we just witnessed.

Make no mistake about it, this was not a good Man City performance. They’re capable of producing football several levels above this. This was a very poor Arsenal performance in the second half. It wouldn’t be harsh to say that they bottled it.

 That is the hardest pill to swallow. If just a couple of our players had been able to perform to the standards they had set all season then Man City were there for the taking. We were the architects of our own downfall and that is going to be something that these players are going to have to face over the coming week. It is one thing to be carried off the battlefield on your shield like a true warrior but another to have surrendered with a whimper. It feels harsh to be so scathing of players that have delivered so much joy over the last six months, but you’ve got to say what you see.

Here are my ratings:

Ramsdale (6)

Could do very little about the goals and was unfortunate that the Grealish one took a deflection off Tomiyasu as he had set himself well. Had to deal with quite a few suicide back passes and he did so with an admirable degree of calmness.

Tomiyasu (3)

Had an absolute nightmare. To call his mistake a schoolboy error is doing a dis-service to school boys. Compounded it by getting a ridiculous yellow card. Was unfortunate to deflect the Grealish goal but it was an incident that typified an unusually hapless performance. With the exception of one sumptuous cross offered very little going forward.

Saliba (4)

For the second game running the young French man has been given a harsh education by a strong skilful centre forward. None of the anticipation and silky recovery skills of earlier in the season were evident as he was frequently at sixes and sevens. 2023 hasn’t been a good year for him thus far.

Gabriel (4)

The Brazilian has been a rock in recent times but like his defensive partner looked overawed by Halaands presence. Was fortunate not to concede a penalty and gave away the opportunity for the second goal with poor decision making that reflected his performance in general.

Zinchenko (5)

Looked lively in the first half and led the charge after conceding the first goal but his form fell off a rather steep cliff in the second half. His decision making in attack is questionable, as he frequently selects the wrong option for a pass or tries one that clearly isn’t on. Was as culpable as the rest of the defence for the melee that came later in the game.

Jorginho (4)

The question for Arsenal fans is whether Jorginho would provide adequate cover for Partey in his absence. The answer after this outing looks to be a resounding no. Was ponderous in his passing always requiring an extra touch or two that enabled City to set their defensive shape. But it was his lack of awareness of his surroundings and his team mates proximity that was alarming. He set the trend for poor distribution along the back line and the infection spread from there.

Xhaka (4)

In a game of this magnitude you need your leaders to step up and be counted but unfortunately our most senior player visibly wilted in the heat of the battle. In a season where he has rehabilitated his reputation he delivered his poorest performance by some distance. Had several opportunities to play in team mates but fluffed his lines completely, whereas his complete hash of a golden opportunity to shoot will haunt him for some time to come.

Odegaard (6)

Was unable to influence the game as much as he normally does but was still courageous in shouting for the ball and continuing to take the fight to City. His work rate is never in question as he is always the first to lead the press. There is a suspicion with Jorginho behind him pointing and dictating play that there may be too many chiefs on the field and this affected our captain.

Saka (8)

The one bright light in the darkness. Was his effervescent self and had Silva on the rack throughout, who was fortunate to remain on the pitch. The Citys defence were so wary of him that they invariably moved over to his wing leaving acres of space on the opposite wing. Was calmness personified with the penalty.

Martinelli (7)

Worked tirelessly and was a constant threat. Unlike the majority of his team mates he didn’t concede possession cheaply and was reliable throughout. The suspicion that Zinchenko’s role cramps his style is legitimate as the Ukranian occupies the space that he likes to attack and this causes him to have to recycle the ball rather than go on the front foot. Subbing him was a poor move as he was one of the few players still offering stability.

Nketiah (5)

Would have got a higher mark for his effort level as he once again put in a huge shift. But you simply cannot be a centre forward at this level and pass up up two glorious opportunities of free headers in the box unmarked and not even get them on target. Was responsible for the penalty award but two free headers is unforgivable.

It doesn’t make for good reading but what is important is that the Arsenal faithful get behind their team now when they need us most.

What do you Gooners think?