Here are my Arsenal player ratings from this evenings thrilling 7-3 victory over Newcastle at The Emirates (feel free to argue or agree with me).
Wojciech Szczesny – Despite conceding three goals, which he couldn’t really prevent, the Pole didn’t have much to do in 90 minutes. Made a few good saves in the first-half and looked assured when called upon. 6/10
Bacary Sagna – Another poor performance from the French right-back. Got skinned on a number of occasions by Gabriel Obertan and didn’t look comfortable throughout. Perhaps needs more match fitness? Who knows. 4/10
Laurent Koscielny – Produced a great performance in the absence of Per Mertesacker. Never stopped running and kept position well. 7/10
Thomas Vermaelen – The Belgian centre-back pulled another good performance out of the bag. Commanded the back-line well and kept things nice and tidy at the back. 7/10
Kieran Gibbs – Was good going forward and linked well with Podolski on the left wing, but his defending was well off today. Two of Newcastle’s three goals came from his bad judgement and inability to mark tight. Set up Walcott’s second. 6/10
Mikel Arteta – Distributed the ball well and was tenacious throughout. Another good performance from the Spaniard. 6.5/10
Jack Wilshere – Despite ducking in the wall, which led to Newcastle’s equaliser at 1-1, Wilshere produced yet another spirited performance for The Gunners. Was tenacious and got stuck in, also bagged an assist along the way. 7.5/10
Santi Cazorla – Was fairly quiet in the first-half but picked it up in the second. Distributed the ball well and always looked to create. Got an assist. 6.5/10
Lukas Podolski – Bagged a goal and assist in what was a resolute display from the German international. A definite in the side now. 8/10
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Bombed forward well and was not afraid to run at the Newcastle back-line. Scored a superb goal from around 18-yards or so, driving the ball low and hard into Tim Krul’s bottom right hand corner. 6.5/10
Theo Walcott – Scored a hat-trick and claimed two assists – Man of the Match performance. Still needs to tweak some areas of his game if he wants to secure the centre-forward position, but he’s doing well at the mo. 9/10
SUBS:
Olivier Giroud – Replaced Chamberlain in the 73rd minute and netted two superb goals – one with a bullet diving header and the other with a powerful right-footed strike from inside the Newcastle penalty area. Proving why he possibly deserves to lead the Arsenal front-line. 8.5/10
Aaron Ramsey – Another cameo performance from the Welshman. Came on for Podolski in the 82nd minute, Had a few touches of the ball and looks to be gaining a little confidence. 5/10
Francis Coquelin – Was brought on in the 85th minute for Cazorla to tighten up the midfield, which the Frenchman did. Kept position well. 5/10
Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/Gunnersphere
Visit and Join our Facebook page, click HERE to do so.
Gunnersphere is currently looking for new writers to join the squad. Contact via twitter or at Gunnersphere@snack-media.com for further details.
One of the best games I’ve seen for a while
Gibbs was as worse as sagna to me but the weakest positions are vermelean and gibbs he really needs to start defending better great attacking but looses concetration too much for a left back
I really think we need to play 442
Sch
Sagna. Mertascker. Kosc. Verm
Chamb. Wilshere. Carz. Gibbs
Walcott. Giroud
Good perfomance tonight though
Simba,do you really know football.younthink Gibbs z a better winger than podolski.you think wilshere cn be a good dm
Give the guy a break, he’s obviously still drunk 4rm celebrating this awesome win
he fuckin must b dull twat
If its a 442 gibbs aint a winger he is a wide midfielder podolski is a real striker if u watch his stylee of play he can be devastating as a front man
I think Wenger should capitalise on Lucio the Brazilian experienced defender being a free agent and bring him 2 the Emirates.that will solidify our defence and enhance our Champions lgue chances nxt season
Simba,
Then also drop Arteta from the starting line up? But one thing I appreciate though with your line up is that we have three very very solid centre halves!
Gibbs cannot score a half chance & more…ur team isn’t a properly drafted one. & @Gunnersphere. Gibbs had a game as bad as sagna’s…sagna wasn’t the worst player out there.
Good rating
Absolutely superb display from Arsenal
Very harsh on Gibbs, Ramsey and Coquelin, the latter two not having much time to get warmed up, never mind actually impress.
Walcott was a 10/10, especially with his last goal…how he got taken down but just jumped back up and scored is incredible and worth a 10! It was a clear cut penalty but that’s Walcott…once in the penalty area he doesn’t stop…beginning to look more like TH14 everyday!
My ONLY regret was that it wasn’t United we did this to!
Walcott now turning in great performance as his contract runs out. With a performance like that expect Real & Barca to enter frame like Juve then he is lost. Why did it get to this ?
The 3 goals we conceded was as a result of when we stopped pressing the opposition and was ball watching while letting them pass the ball around. I Hope we have learned something from this….that we play better when we press the opposition and make them make mistakes. Arsenal is not a defending team…we are suppose to be the Barcelona of England. No team should be able to pass the ball better than The Arsenal. And did anybody noticed Giroud has got a chocolate foot too……what a strike from a left footed striker. If he uses his right foot more often to compliment his left foot, he will bang a lot of goals. Up Gunners!
His last goal reminds me of chelski match last season where we won 5 – 3.He stumbled and stubbornly arose enroute his goal that day. Again,NASRI goal against PORTO in CL.
Nice rating…. Theo ez getting more beta nd strnger each day, d lad ez really on his peak ryt nw… Kip it up Theo… Nd c’mon put d pen on d paper… Nd bravo 2 al gunners team in general even those guyz wu made sum lapses… Up gunners !!!
lol what kind of English is this
It’s not English but you can bet that there are many ‘fans’ who communicate in the same way but think they know how to run a football club!!
That’s football fans for you Mike. I’m surprised more people aren’t complaining that we let 3 goals in. Most Arsenal fans don’t give the people that matter at Arsenal a break. The only time for getting on the people that matter’s backs is when the players haven’t put a shift in and lost. Today should be about celebrating the fantastic victory yesterday.
This was a difficult game to assess. Arsenal were great going forward but Newcastle were awful defensively and to a certain extent vice versa. No Arsenal defender should get more than 6 out of 10 as they conceded three goals all of them very soft.
Sagna and Gibbs were wanting defensively. A right- footed left winger in Obertan completely bemused Sagna who was completely unable to handle him.
I would totally agree about your other ratings for the forward payers. AOC was very effective going forward but doesn’t track back enough to help Sagna. Podolski was more help to Gibbs. The lack of a strong defensive midfielder is very obvious.
Theo was superb and it was interesting to see Giroud contribute so positively but the game swung on a period when a much fresher Arsenal team with no Boxing Day game made their advantage count. Their defensive calamities are going to cost. Statistics lie if they suggest Arsenal are the League’s 4th strongest defence. It is a very vulnerable defence.
Yea statistics lie if they say tht cos arsenal is the third strongest defence in the league last I checked.