Arsenal 1-1 Citeh (4-1 Penalties) player ratings and match reaction
Ramsdale 7.5 - If being hyper critical was being a little bit too casual with the ball at his feet first half, but his instinctive positioning and saves kept us in the game. Rodri’s penalty wasn’t great, but you still have to save them and he did.
White 7 - Started well but faded a bit, and was pressed off the ball too easily
Saliba 7.5 - Showed some of his best today, where as previously not looked fully fit
Gabriel 7 - Solid as per usual
Timber 8 - Like Saliba has a lot of defensive maturity for a player so young, would like him to maybe get forward more but he’s a defender first and foremost and he’s good at that
Rice 7 - Grew into the game, not sure the understanding with Partey or Odegaard is quite there yet but he rolls his sleeves up
Partey 7.5 - Still makes the odd careless pass but he’s shown in pre-season that he’s still important to us
Odegaard 6.5 - Rather low key, still trying the thread the ball through the eye of the needle when he might be better driving forward
Martinelli 6 - Looks a bit half cooked at the moment
Saka 6.5 - Not quite at his best, but still got forward ok. Wenger was right though, he needs to work on using his right foot more
Havertz 7 - I actually think neither of his chances were sitters. The ball was behind him for the first one so he had to get himself set before shooting, maybe could have done with more power with the second but he put himself about today
Subs:
Trossard 7 - when you’re in need of a goal, you’ll take a pinball deflection
Tierney 6 - could argue that he could have done better to prevent the ball coming back to Palmer but just came on.
Vieira 6.5 - Can’t say I noticed him that much, super penalty though absolutely smashed into the roof of the net
Nketiah 5 - I didn’t know he’d come on
Smith-Rowe 5 - Same as Nketiah
So wasn’t the best performance in the world, certainly not from an attacking perspective but the effort and the will to not be beaten was there. I think defensively we put in a good shift. I just think the link between defence and attack isn’t quite there especially with Rice and Partey in central midfield (even though objectively they are our best options)
Feels to me that a few players need to play themselves into form (Martinelli especially, but Odegaard and possibly Kai Havertz too). The effort can’t be faulted but the end product isn’t quite there. And that’s a little concerning given there are no easy games in the premier league and I don’t expect forest or palace to be an exception to that.
I think if we are going to challenge we are going to have to grind some results out until the confidence comes
