First eight Arsenal Premier League games rated

How well has Arsenal played this season after eight games?

The season is now eight games old, Arsenal sits third one point behind Man City. But how good have Unai Emery’s men really been?

There is a lot of debate over the team’s performances, especially against Watford, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Man Utd. Some fans have commented on this site that Arsenal have been poor and lucky, others disagree vehemently.

So, let’s have a quick look over the first eight games and rate each one. Then let me know whether you agree or disagree.

Newcastle United – 8
I know Newcastle were in serious trouble at the start of the season but winning at St James Park is no easy task. It was a clean sheet with the new signings unavailable and loads of injuries. To me, this was a good performance, especially bearing in mind Arsenal’s away record.

Burnley – 7
Could have been better but it was still fairly comfortable and we did get to see some Ceballos magic.

Liverpool – 5
Losing against the best team in Europe at their ground is not embarrassing but there was a feeling we could have done better. Individual errors and poor tactics contributed to the only defeat this season.

Tottenham – 6
Game of two halves, it was a great comeback but the first half was woeful. This was a game Arsenal should have won but errors again undid us.

Watford – 5
Another game of two halves and while the first half was ok, the second half was atrocious. Probably the worse performance of the season.

Aston Villa – 8
I thought hard about this and yes, the first half was a disgrace but not the second half. The second 45 minutes showed pure character, it showed a very different Arsenal. We saw passion and a never say die spirit, the lads stood up and were counted. Coming back twice with ten men and winning is not an easy thing to do in the Premier League against any team.

Man Utd – 6
Not impressed to be honest. United was there for the taking but Arsenal played too negative, this was a golden opportunity blown.

Bournemouth – 7
Was not a great performance I will admit but a win is a win. This result showed Arsenal can win ugly and that is a key ingredient to having a successful season.

Overall – 7
Third is very good at this stage but it could have been better and there are some worrying issues but so far so good.

23 Comments

  1. Most of our performances hover around a 6 for me. Our spot on the table masks some of our glaring problems, but 3rd place is 3rd place. Best game so far was still Newcastle or Burnley game for me and I thought Emery was laying a blueprint for the rest of the season once we got into better shape but we haven’t really played a game much better than that in EPL. It’s a fragile 3rd place we are holding onto right now.

  2. What shocks me with this present manager and last is that when we start off with a high energy quick pressing smother the oposition, no team can live with us. Instead most of the time we start and continue to play a tippy tappy with no penetration game.
    And before you UE knockers start bashing him with negative football this was happening we were also doing this with AW.
    We have also been one of the best teams when moving the ball quickly and forward but over the years we seem to not have done this..very frustrating.

  3. Very generous for the Watford, and Villa games. We avoided defeat because they were poor in the final third, not because of anything we did. Even before the sending off, Villa were comfortably bossing the game, and Watford were all over us!

  4. We are 3rd place and 1 point behind City. We have improved under Emery since Winger
    A win is a win and 3 points
    A draw is a draw and 1 point
    We’ve only lost once and we didn’t have Tierney, Holding, Bellerin for that match

    That’s all that matters to me this season. Finishing in top 4 and getting a trophy maybe

  5. I would give the performance against ManU no more than 4, same for Watford. There’s really no excuse for those pathetic displays. We are currently no more than just, and only just, above average. The chickens will come home to roost if the team does not drastically improve performance in the final 3rd of the park.

    1. I feel like Emery’s setups are too negative; he isn’t playing to win, rather not to lose.

      A very weakened and limp utd squad, manager floundering, he played 3 DM’s instead of going for the kill. We lost 2 points rather than saved a draw.

      How many games have we been saved by Auba and his magic compared to the coaches tactics? That’s the concern for me.

      Auba gets injured we will struggle, Emery gets injured and we reload and shift gears.

      Emery’s negative setups go against our DNA, hope he is bridging a gap rather than long term solution.

      1. Our usual gang-ho approach in big games has seen us get destroyed by 5 goals and upwards far too many times. Our depressing OT record as well could not be ignored. Maybe he could have been more bold, though Chelsea tried to be bold at OT and the rudderless utd smashed 4 past them.

        Ultimately I believe Emery figured even if he won the game fans would still complain and say it was another lucky win papering over the cracks, while had he lost they’d be a nuclear meltdown and the Emery-out banners would be out in full force. In short, he had more incentive to avoid a defeat than push for a win.

        1. Perhaps, you make a good point worth debating. Many ask has he made the team better?

          Our defense is worse than ever, and after 12 new players and over £200 million invested has he moved us forward?

          We collapsed last 6 PL games last year because Emery gambled all on Europa and he lost.

          Any consistent examples of his tactical genius we heard about? Why he never sets up to our strengths, but instead always to counter opponents?

          What’s his style or philosophy after 18 months? Where’s the pressing game he always talked about?

          Just don’t see Emery as long term “coach.”

          1. 18 months but only made the squad his own in the summer. 200 mill but 72 was on Pepe (finding his feet), 25 mill on Tierney (injured), 35 mill on Saliba (loaned back) and 6-8mill on Martinelli (quality but not a guaranteed starter yet) so there’s about 140 mill, just quoting figures doesn’t mean much really.

            Everyone admits that AMN and Kola lack the defensive side of the FB role, everyone admits that Mustafi, Sokratis and Luiz have errors in their game which are only made worse by combining them so how is he meant to play to our strengths when he is too busy compensating for our weaknesses?

            He has played decent attacking football in the UEL though, not just because its easier opposition but because he actually has a backline to handle it – a backline we have all admitted are starters in the first team 🤷‍♂️

            Let’s not forget how well our youngsters who have made the step up are progressing, people do actually realise that it’s Emery coaching them now right? If he was a poor coach we wouldn’t have almost every single youngster getting better and better each game they play (only so much can be credited to Freddie)

  6. I don’t think we’ve looked good at all. Apart Liverpool, United And Spurs, where we’ve taken just two points the rest of the teams we’ve played will all be in the bottom half of the table at the end of the season. 8 points from 10 against Villa? Are you serious? We were useless, I think you’re getting carried away with the comeback. Until we get Xhaka out the side and get a settled midfield with Torreira as the holding player, we’re going to struggle

  7. forget the point we got,that game against Watford has been our worst game so far this season.we made them look like Bayern Munich that day.I will rate that 0.5/10

  8. I would give us a solid 8! We went into the international break in an excellent position, 3rd, and if we continue like this we will be back in the champions league next season. Good job Emery.

  9. Pretty generous with some of the scores, especially against Spuds, Mancs, Watford & Bournemouth. We have played some terrible football… have scraped wins.. made it really hard for ourselves, by gifting goals and having
    a mountain to climb!
    Despite all of that, we’re 3rd, and we welcome back some players after the break.. so surely we’ll see improved performances then… which means the sofa won’t be pulled out, to watch from behind, my nails will grow and no medication will be needed.. well, one can hope anyway! 😀

    1. Sue: We play three Premier League games then go into another International break. The third in two months. This is becoming ridiculous.

  10. I would rate us 6.
    we win ugly, no creativity in the coach’s formation. in EPL, you don’t expect to win a match playing 3 DM without an attacking midfielder. plus the coach’s decision to freeze some players, while playing others in positions they so not feel comfortable.
    saying that some players deserve more playing time than others is also demeaning
    lastly, I stand with Pep when he said, “you win nothing with kids”

  11. I really care only about us getting the three points. We haven’t been great but are third in the league. But if keeping this spot is a target. We surely have to start playin consistently at the same level. 6 to be fair.

  12. I have given up the hope of seeing beautiful football under Unai Every in the PL…. But if we can get results I am Ok with it

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