Arsenal 4-1 Geordie Arabia Player ratings and Match reaction

Raya - 7 Couldn’t do much to prevent their consolation goal. Made himself big when he needed to. Hasn’t really had a fuck up in a while


White - 7 Supported the attack well


Saliba - 7 Could put his feet up a bit this evening


Gabriel - 8 Wasn’t his goal but proving to be a constant opposition menace at set pieces


Kiwior - 7 Contributing to attack in a way he hasn’t previously


Jorginho - 9 Dictated the Tempo the game was played at


Rice - 8 He’s a very good corner taker absolutely floated onto Kiwiors head for the 4th


Odegaard - 8 - He’s the conduit through which our attacks go


Martinelli - 8 - Absolutely beasted the Newcastle defence first half


Havertz - 7 - I’m glad he’s playing up front as he holds the ball up well, can’t give him an 8 because of that miss in the second half


Saka - 8 - Trademark cut inside and shot to keep his goal tally going



Subs

Trossard - 7

Smith Rowe - 7

Nelson - 7

Nketiah - 6

Elneny - 6


It was stated rather mockingly that we’d be in mid table or worse without the goals from set pieces, and Arteta has made that into our weapon to deal with sides that stick 11 behind the ball. It’s not just the delivery it’s the way we use decoys to separate defenders and just create confusion and chaos.

I said before the game that Arteta feels that Jorginho is crucial to the way we play tactically against teams at home and so it proved.

After the midweek disappointment and the ridiculous decision to put this fixture on a Saturday night, it could have been one of those games where Newcastle’s willingness to time waste and be negative and cynical could have made the game a bit of a fuck face for us.

But no it was as comfortable as it gets. And with us not playing again till next Monday…we’ve got time to allow more players to come back to full fitness.

Kiwior was an 8 at least, an excellent performance which really ought to be keeping Zin out of the side - we clearly don't need whatever Zin is supposed to offer in midfield and as we know he offers nothing in defence

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Originally Posted by Mac76

Kiwior was an 8 at least, an excellent performance which really ought to be keeping Zin out of the side - we clearly don't need whatever Zin is supposed to offer in midfield and as we know he offers nothing in defence

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As much as I’m not going to be silly about it like last month, you do have a preoccupation with Zinchenko that borders on the obsessive. I’d rather neither he or Kiwior played there regularly as neither is a left back and though Kiwior has done well to overcome the clear confidence issues he had when he first played there…the position should long term be for Timber.

Zinchenko is a ditherer in possession (but despite your claims to the contrary we have a few of those) but as I said the other day he links well with Martinelli, in fact better than anyone else who plays that position and his passing range surpasses anyone else there either. He’s not going to be sold, I suspect when everyone is fit he will become a utility player.

With the exception of the Fulham game at home, I don’t think Zinchenko has even been that bad this season doubtless it’s because he’s not played anywhere near as much, but when he has played…ok got done by Salah but so have plenty of defenders….and actually after their equaliser he actually played reasonably well