Burnley 0-1 Arsenal: Player Ratings

Arsenal beat Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor

Arsenal's 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor today was a microcosm of the season that the two sides are having. While Burnley showed great determination and toiled hard, they, as has been their case all season, lacked that oomph in the final third. Arsene Wenger’s men meanwhile keep on winning with an attitude that has seen them labelled as the “new Arsenal”.

It wasn’t the articulate Gunners that cut through Liverpool last weekend like a hot knife through butter. It was a battle of attrition for large portions of the game. But the “new Arsenal” seemed non-fussed and took whatever the home team had to throw at them after having taken an early lead through Aaron Ramsey.

The win means that Arsenal have now won their last eight games. They seem to be now, the closest thing to what we can call “challengers” to Chelsea in the title race and in with a more than realistic chance of finishing in the top two in a decade. For Sean Dyche and Burnley, they still have a more than fair shot at staying in the Premier League with games against fellow strugglers Aston Villa, Hull City and Leicester City lined up in their last six games of the season.

Here is the player ratings for this evenings feisty affair at Lancashire:

Burnley

Tom Heaton – 7/10: Commanding in the air and good in his saves. Could do nothing about the goal.

Kieran Trippier – 6.5/10: A well-hit free-kick in the first half brought the best out of David Ospina. Fought tooth and nail with Ozil and Alexis Sanchez as they switched flanks, although he got exposed a few times.

Michale Duff – 6/10: Had to contend with an in-form Olivier Giroud and Arsenal’s intricate passing and movement in the final third which gave him fits. Picked up a yellow for dissent.

Jason Shackell – 5.5/10: The captain failed to lead from the front. It was his loose ball that was intercepted and led to the goal which later turned out to be the winner.

Ben Mee – 7/10: Mee came off as one of Burnley’s best players from the game. Bombed down the left on every opportunity to help with the attack. Was unlucky not to have seen his cross put in at the 70 minute mark.

George Boyd – 6/10: Toiled hard as always, but missed a glorious opportunity to equalize in the second half.

Scott Arfield – 5.5/10: Offered little, but his industry.

David Jones – 5.5/10: Anchored the Claret’s midfield. His poor control gave the ball to the Gunners on more than one occasion.

Ashely Barnes – 6/10: Came in from the wings time and again to link up with the forwards and put himself about.

Sam Vokes – 6/10: Had a great opportunity to give Burnley the lead in the early goings when he managed to break free of Per Mertesacker, however, couldn't get past David Ospina.

Danny Ings – 7/10: Not sure if Burnley are going to be in the Premier League next year, but Ings will certainly be here. Showed nice turns and skills to create some semi-openings. Nearly carved out a chance in the dying minutes but couldn’t get his shot away.

Subs:

Matthew Taylor – NA: Had only a handful of seconds to make an impression.

Arsenal

David Ospina – 7.5/10: Answered the call whenever he had to, although those moments were few and far between. The first half saw the South American denying Sam Vokes early on and then palming away Kieran Trippier's blistering effort from a free-kick.

Hector Bellerin – 7/10: Looked comfortable in his defensive duties and commanding going forward. Had one moment in the game where he wobbled and let Danny Ings get into a dangerous position in the first half, but, thankfully for him, nothing came of it.

Per Mertesacker – 6.5/10: Had a moment early in the game as the not so pacey Sam Vokes out-hustled and out-sprinted him to get a one-on-one opportunity with Ospina. Got composed as the game wore on and had some vital touches on more than one occasion when the home team started building pressure.

Laurent Koscielny – 8/10: The mainstay of Arsenal’s plans at the back again showed why he is considered as one of the best in the league. The Frenchman not only has pace and game reading ability, but also mixed it physically with the big boys when required embodying the “new Arsenal” attitude.

Nacho Monreal – 7.5/10: Looked comfortable on the ball as well as when having to track back.

Francis Coquelin – 8.5/10: The young Frenchman has quickly made himself a vital cog in the Arsenal team and today epitomized exactly why. Coquelin was breaking up play all over the pitch whenever Burnley sought to go on the offensive. He was also the man who made the vital interception that led to the goal.

Aaron Ramsey – 7.5/10: Scored the all-important goal early on, when he showed good composure to slot the ball in the roof of the net with a host of players in front of him. Didn’t have a great impact on the rest of the game, but linked up well with teammates.

Santi Cazorla – 7/10: Brilliant on the ball as always and his technical ability is a thing to withhold. At the centre of all the intricate plays that the Gunners built up throughout the game.

Mesut Ozil – 6.5/10: Another inconsistent evening for the German, who drifted in and out of the game, which, unfortunately, is becoming his trademark.

Alexis Sanchez – 7.5/10: Showed great endeavor and hustle, but didn’t get the goal he deserved for his industrious play.

Olivier Giroud – 6.5/10: Scuffed his run of six consecutive games with a goal to his name, but surely did win his team a number of free-kicks.

Subs

Danny Welbeck – 7/10: Added a zing to Arsenal going forward. His pace caused trouble for the Burnley defence even if it was for a limited period.

Calum Chambers – NA: Sent in at the last moment to shut up shop.