In the past 10 years I’ve never once believed Arsenal would fall out of the top 4. This season I’m concerned we won’t even make top 6.
I probably could have saved myself a lot of time and effort by just giving everybody a 0 and saying ‘f**k you, Arsenal’ which, I’m not gonna lie, was a really tempting option,
But, ever the professional, here are my ratings from Arsenal’s latest humiliation on the day that a back three died at Arsenal.
Manager
Arsene Wenger 2
If we thought he was trolling us with his lineup against Stoke last week, against Liverpool Wenger showed us that we have no clue about anything. Leaving Kolasinac and Lacazette on the bench, he persisted with a left-back at centreback, despite having a £35m German centreback on the bench. At left wing back we played our right back and on the other flank we played a right winger who wants to leave.
Wenger continues to insist that Granit Xhaka is a deep-lying play maker and that Danny Welbeck is a striker.
On top of that, the players, all of whom have played together for at least one season, look like they’ve never met and have no clue what they are supposed to be doing, with or without the ball.
I love you, Arsene, but you gotta go.
Next, defence
Defence
Petr Cech 8
Massive, massive save from Salah not long after Welbeck had blown the chance to give Arsenal an early lead. But for him, this would have been even more humiliating than it was.
Rob Holding 4
He’s too young for this nonsense, we’re gonna ruin him.
Laurent Koscielny 4
Was supposed to be our saviour but it seems as if Arsenal’s problems might run a little deeper than just one missing centreback. Shocking, huh?
Nacho Monreal 5
Much better when he was played as a left back instead of a left centreback, who’d have thunk it?
Next, midfield
Midfield
Hector Bellerin 3
Playing at left wing back again so we can accommodate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, he was lost so often. Pathetic closing down and as for that touch when he was supposed to be our last man as WE had a corner, allowing THEM to score….jesus.
Granit Xhaka 3
Is a great player but is not a deep-lying playmaker. He doesn’t have the mobility or ability to spot danger. His attempted backheel to Petr Cech in the six-yard box was a new level of banter.
Aaron Ramsey 3
Tracking back like he was Denilson against Manchester United, Ramsey’s partnership with Granit Xhaka is just the latest thing to turn to dust, built more on the hopes of Arsenal fans than any long-established evidence, Ramsey is generally too far from Xhaka to give the midfield any sort of cohesion or effectiveness. At times, he looked like me wondering around in circles when I’m lost in a new airport.
Was hooked at halftime.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 3
He wants to leave despite having missed the equivalent of FOUR full Premier League seasons in six years through injury, because he thinks he’s better than Arsenal. He missed this game totally, too. Sell him.
Next, forwards
Forwards
Mesut Ozil 3
He tried but he was generally rubbish with a 75% pass average. SEVENTY FIVE PER CENT!
Alexis Sanchez 6
I’ve often accused the Chilean of being selfish, but after this display, I wholly encourage him to never give the ball to a teammate ever again, particularly because he only completed 65% of his passes. Was his usual hardworking self but had zero support worth mentioning.
Danny Welbeck 5
His first chance went well over and you couldn’t help but think that Lacazette, or Giroud, would have done much, much better. Worked hard but he’s not good enough to be Arsenal’s centre forward.
Next, subs
Subs
David Ospina 0
Alexandre Lacazette 5
On the bench as he’s still in an ‘adaptation phase’ according to Arsene Wenger, who must be hoping Laca learns how to deal with these games through osmosis. He should have 2 goals from his first 2 Premier League games so adaption my ass.
Still, benching him because he needs to ‘adapt,’ we then turned to him to save us with half an hour to go. How the f**k does that make any sense?
Olivier Giroud 4
I think he came on, not gonna lie, my attention had drifted by the time he came on and kept going for the rest of the match. Saw him head over, didn’t notice him doing much else.
Theo Walcott NA
It’s amazing how far Walcott has fallen that nobody even notices when he doesn’t start or play any more.
Shkodran Mustafi NA
Sead Kolasinac NA
Francis Coquelin 5
Replaced Ramsey at halftime and with no Elneny in the squad was the only midfield option Wenger had as he shifted to a back four for the second period. If Coquelin is the answer, then you really are screwed.
Next, referee
Referee
Craig Pawson 7
A late replacement for Martin Atkinson, who has a bad back from carrying the weight of all his awful decisions, the change before kick-off was welcome news. Then he booked Welbeck for being kicked, which just about summed up Arsenal’s game until that point. He also gave Liverpool a corner for an Emre Can header with no Arsenal player within two yards of him.
Next, any other business?
Any other business?
We now head into an international break with fans going crazy. The club are sure to go into media lockdown, leaving us all to stew and try to guess just what the hell is happening at the club we all love.
We won’t get any truthful answers, just more soundbites that the club think fans want to hear. Like Ivan’s ‘catalyst for change’ statement at the end of last season, the words will mean nothing.
This is our club now, this is our season.
Each one a little bit worse than the last.