EPL 2017/18: Arsenal 2-0 West Brom - Player Ratings

Arsenal:

Arsene Wenger will be pleased with his side's performance against West Brom

Petr Cech - 7/10

Cech produced a magnificent save to tip Jay Rodriguez’s shot onto the post early on. That was the goalkeeper’s standout moment of the night, but he did everything else he had to do for the remainder of the game.

Shkodran Mustafi - 6/10

The World Cup winner was fortunate not to concede a penalty early on, when he brought down Jay Rodriguez in the box. Mustafi looked nervous for much of the first half but did grow more assured after the interval.

Laurent Koscielny - 7/10

Arsenal generally looked shaky at the back in the first half, but Koscielny and his defensive team-mates improved as the game wore on. The Frenchman was a little sloppy in possession on occasions, but he did win nine of his aerial duels.

Nacho Monreal - 8/10

The Spaniard saved a certain goal with a terrific goal-line clearance in the 38th minute, when he hooked Jay Rodriguez’s header behind for a corner. This was a typically solid and dependable showing from one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers.

Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League

Hector Bellerin - 7/10

Did not exert as much attacking influence on the match as might have been expected, but this was another quietly impressive showing from the Spaniard. His pace is a real asset in both phases of the game.

Mohamed Elneny - 8/10

Elneny is a tidy passer of the ball and a player who can contribute both in and out of possession, as he demonstrated against Tony Pulis’ charges. The Egyptian knitted the side together with his passing and generally made the right decisions.

Granit Xhaka - 6/10

Xhaka is a fine long-range passer, but some of his distribution over shorter differences was poor on Monday night. He did improve a little in the second half, though, but perhaps should have done better when Olivier Giroud laid the ball into his path late on.

Sead Kolasinac - 7/10

This was a quiet game by Kolasinac’s recent standards, with the former Schalke man a little subdued in an attacking sense. He fulfilled his defensive duties really well, however, and was strong in both the air and the tackle.

Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League

Aaron Ramsey - 9/10

Deployed in a more advanced role in the Gunners’ 3-4-2-1 formation, Ramsey did brilliantly to the penalty which was converted by Alexandre Lacazette. The Welshman showed some excellent touches throughout and caused problems with his driving runs.

Alexis Sanchez - 7/10

Sanchez was not involved in the match for long periods of the first half, but he sprang to life in the second period. His close control and touch remain breathtaking, while he almost scored the first goal with a well-struck free-kick.

Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League

Alexandre Lacazette - 9/10

Arsenal’s new No.9 varied his movement intelligently, sometimes dropping deep between the lines and on other occasions sprinting in behind the West Brom backline. It was he who reacted quickest when Ben Foster pushed Alexis Sanchez’s free-kick onto the bar, heading the loose ball home to break the deadlock, before converting from the penalty spot in the second half.

Substitutes:

Mesut Ozil – N/A

Ozil was introduced too late in the game to be given an accurate grade.

Olivier Giroud – N/A

Laid the ball off smartly for Granit Xhaka in the 87th minute, but did not have enough time to make an impact.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – N/A

The youngster came on with just a few seconds remaining.