Reading
Ali Al-Habsi – 8/10
Arguably Reading’s best performer of the night, the Omani goalkeeper made a couple of stunning saves to keep the Royals in the game, most notbaly from Giroud’s header in the second half.
Tennai Watson – 5.5/10
Reading’s right back was full of industrious running, as he managed the limit the damage that Reine-Adelaide could cause down the left. He drifted into the middle on a couple of occasion’s to stop Iwobi from dictating play as well.
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Liam Moore – 6.5/10
The English centre-back was Reading’s best defender on the night, making a couple of great interventions from Iwobi’s probing passes, while also blocking a fair few efforts on goal.
Tyler Blackett – 5/10
Showed exactly why Manchester United let him go on a permanent transfer. He was foolishly caught out for Oclade-Chamberlain’s opener, and struggled with his positioning throughout, as his pace bailed him out almost everytime.
Jordan Obita – 6/10
While the Reading defender was suspect defensively, he had a great game going forward, as he tested Emi Martinez in the Arsenal goal with a long-range drive.
Liam Kelly – 4.5/10
The Reading youngster inadvertently justified Jaap Stam’s decision of substituting him in the first half in his previous outing for the Royals, as he looked lost on the Emirates turf. He struggled to defend Reine-Adelaide while also offering nothing going forward.
Joey van den Berg – 5.5/10
One of Stam’s Dutch imports, Van den Berg used his physicality well in the center of the park, thwarting Maitland-Niles from going forward on a couple of occasions. However, he produced quite a bit of loose passes forward which put Reading under greater pressure.
George Evans – 6/10
The Reading youngster looked the most assured Royals midfielder in possession although that was largely due to his safety-first approach, with plenty of sideways passing.
Garath McCleary – 6/10
The boyhood Arsenal fan impressed for the Royals in the wings, but struggled to get past Keiran Gibbs. However, he tracked back well and was ever present to negate the threat of Gibbs on the overlap.
Dominic Samuel – 5/10
The Reading youngster was handed a surprise start up top, but failed to rise to the occasion. He looked isolated up front and struggled to make an impact on the game.
Callum Harriot – 6.5/10
There were murmurs of surprise when Jaap Stam decided to hook the Englishman just 10 minutes into the second half, as he looked Reading’s brightest spark in attack. He nearly scored with a deflected effort late in the first half.
Substitutes
Yann Kermorgant (56’) – 7/10
The best French striker on the night, Kermogant justified Stam’s decision of bringing him on. Giroud’s former teammate at Grenoble looked like Reading’s best chance of scoring and he nearly did – twice bringing out the best of Emi Martinez in the Arsenal goal.
Danzell Gravenberch (68’) – 4/10
The Dutchman did not look like an Ajax import at all, as his awful tackling after coming on could have easily seen him earn two yellow cards and get sent off.
Stephen Quinn (80’) – N/A
Came on too late to affect the game.
