Arsenal
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Petr Cech – 8/10
Why nobody shot at the near post only God knows. All the attempts to the far post though were brilliantly saved (bar the goal, obviously, D'oh).
The old man still has some fight in him, and it's wonderful to see.
Carl Jenkinson – 4/10
LOL.
Shkodran Mustafi – 6/10
Why does he go to ground so often? I mean, slide into tackles... the German was a touch shaky with the pace of Rashford and some better finishing would have left him wishing he was back at Valencia. (they haven't kept a clean sheet in 40 games)
But why does he go to ground so often?
Laurent Koscielny – 6/10
The Kosc was his usual calm self in the middle of the defence. The pace of Rashford, and the lanky (deceptive) speed of Pogba didn't trouble him. Would have had to retire if he had let Rooney in at the end of the game, but thankfully for Kostafi aficionados Wayne's touch was as bad as his pretend-beard.
Sorry, Diego Costa.
Nacho Monreal – 4/10
Could easily have conceded a penalty. Would probably have done so if a certain gum chewing Scotsman had been prowling the touchline
Francis Coquelin – 8/10
Tackled with the intensity of pit bull. Or a Mascherano (the Argentina version). Was superb in defence, but Arsenal needed initiative in the other half; and let's face it... he's no Fabregas.
Mohamed Elneny – 5/10
Why he plays with le Coq only Arsene will now. Considering he is slightly more offence minded than Coquelin he was poor going forward. Poor is an understatement – his attacking verve was deader than Tutankhamun.
Aaron Ramsey – 5/10
Yeah, he is not a winger Monsieur Wenger. Looked about as confused/lost as a normal person trying to pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (that's 174 miles away from Aaron was born)
Mesut Ozil – 6/10
“His eyes are offside” sang the Stretford End. They needn't have bothered. He wandered around like a lost German tourist in the old markets of Istanbul.
Still has the first touch of God. And that gives him a six minimum. Every. Single. Time.
Theo Walcott – 5/10
Oh! Theo. What an enigma you are. Whenever you wondered where he was he would sprout out of the ground like a zombie from the Plants vs. Zombies game. Unfortunately for the Gunners, he played like one too when he had the ball at his feet.
Alexis Sanchez – 8/10
Arguably the only Arsenal player out there who was playing for a win – till HHFH came along that is. Was as persistent as ever, and you really couldn't have said that he had just climbed off a jet plane that had traversed half the globe and had to declare himself fit to convince his boss to play him,
SUBSTITUTES
Olivier Giroud (for Mohamed, 73') – 15/10
His Holy French Handsomeness comes on.
His Holy French Handsomeness scores epic header and saves the day.
Arsenal fans everywhere weep with religious fervour.
Xhaka (for Francis, 80) - 6/10
Why did that Swiss/Albanian/Kosovan streetfighter not start! *feels eyes welling up again with thoughts of what could have been as visions of Basque-Balkan fighting swarm about*
Oxlade-Chamberlain (for Carl, 83') – 9/10
The Ox came, ghosted past Rashford on the wings, and put in a peach of a cross. Your move now, Arsene!
Arsene Wenger – 6/10
Got his tactics all muddled up. Set his team up for the draw. Put a central midfielder out wide and started two defensive midfielders in the centre. Played a winger up top. Introduced two substitutes and they combined for a goal. His smile while talking to the press could have lit up the United Kingdom.
For someone who hates Mourinho, he did an awful good job imitating him.
Andre Marriner – 5/10
Should have sent off Matteo Darmian, could have given the penalty against Nacho Monreal. Being the decisive footballing official that he is – he did neither
Was probably just glad that Kieran Gibbs did not come on along with the Ox.
