Wenger’s title-winning teams played with a certain panache (a va-va voom, if you will). Arteta’s champions lean much more into the George Graham school of thought, winning the game through defensive organization rather than attacking ambition.
As such, I’m often left somewhat vexed when it comes to their player ratings. It’s easy (and fun) to dish out 8’s and 9’s when a side has decimated one of their big rivals. It requires a much-more nuanced approach to grade a side who- at times- seemed entirely disinterested in playing football. To be fair, Arteta’s men did put on a defensive masterclass, with Raya left with little to do despite Liverpool’s dominance of the ball. Arsenal’s ability to break a team’s will through defensive stoicism reminds me of Mourinho’s early years at Chelsea. In any event, here are my Arsenal player ratings following their 1-0 win at Anfield.
GK: David Raya- 8/10
Raya looked a bit rattled during Liverpool’s high-octane response to going behind, kicking a few balls needlessly out of touch while almost getting caught out overplaying at one point. But he grew into the game and completely dominated his area in the 2nd half, providing the type of aerial cover usually reserved for keepers six inches taller than him.
RB: Jurrien Timber- 7/10
Timber was quite kinetic going forward in the first half but left a bit too much space in behind for Barcola to exploit. He cleaned up his act in the 2nd stanza, limiting Barcola to sporadic joy down that left-hand side. Was probably fortunate not to concede a penalty for a blatant pull on airborne Isak. How did VAR miss that?
CB: Ezri Konsa- 9/10
An absolute powerhouse performance (though he still hasn’t quite mastered Gabriel’s theatricality). He read the game brilliantly, producing countless blocks and timely interceptions. Anfield is normally rocking during the closing stages of a tight match. There was virtually no atmosphere during added time, as the Anfield faithful had little to no faith in their side’s ability to break down this Arsenal machine. Konsa was a vital cog in that.
CB: Gabriel- 8/10
Gabriel has looked back to his best following a jittery start to the campaign. He was a beast in the air and made several key interceptions. His shithousery was also on full display, with his usual blend of time-wasting and playacting infuriating the Anfield crowd. Arsenal fans must love it.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori- 7/10
Califiori had the easier fullback assignment last night, tasked with containing Gakpo as opposed to Barcola. Calafiori loves to meander forward but always seemed to have the recovery pace to get back into position. Had to be more tactically disciplined when Rio Ngumoha was introduced into the fray.
CM: Declan Rice- 8/10
These ugly back-against-the wall slugfests suit Rice to the bone. The English midfielder was everywhere, screening for the defence while marauding forward whenever he was given the chance. Provided Arsenal’s one moment of consequential quality, beautifully squaring the ball for Havertz’s winner.
CM: Bruno Guimares- 7/10
Guimares looked like he could fall victim to the magnitude of the occasion, letting out a seismic roar when he made one important block…in the 20th minute. That aside, Guimares worked tirelessly to limit Liverpool’s space through the middle. He and Rice blocked the channels, forcing the Reds to go wide to little effect. He struggled to have any impact on the game from an attacking perspective.
AM: Martin Odegaard- 5/10
One of Arsenal’s poorer players. Liverpool’s high-octane style just looked a bit too energetic for the Norwegian playmaker, who operated on the periphery of the game before being taken off in the 87th minute.
LW: Christian Tzolis- 5/10
The only challenger to Odegaard for worst Arsenal player. Sure, he forced Allison into a decent save in the 2nd half. But he was completely anonymous otherwise, getting himself into good positions before invariably choosing the wrong option.
RW: Noni Madueke- 6/10
The English winger started the game quite dangerously, exploiting Kerkez’s defensive naivety on several occasions. As with many recent matches, his influence waned significantly in the 2nd stanza. Still, he provided a decent outlet for Arsenal when they wished to catch their collective breath.
STR: Kai Havertz- 8/10
Kai Havertz is the blue cheese of the Arsenal squad: you either love him or you hate him. I personally think that a side with ambitions of being European champions should have a more clinical finisher. But the lanky German always manages to silence his critics on the big days. He was in the right place at the right time yesterday, applying the finishing touches to a slick Arsenal move to score the winner. He did most of his best work near his own box, producing an excellent defensive shift to justify his manger’s faith in him. The mystical quagmire that is Kai Havertz continues to confound.
Subs
Myles Lewis-Skelly (on in 62’ for Guimares)- 7/10
Lewis-Skelly provided Arsenal with much more midfield control in the last half-hour, allowing Arteta’s men to temper Liverpool’s influence on the game
Pito Hincapie (on in 84’ Tzolis)- n/a
Contained Ngumoha well enough but not enough time to make an assessment.
Viktor Gyokeres (on in 84’ for Havertz)- n/a
Arsenal’s forgotten man didn’t make too much of an impression in his short burst.
Mikel Merino (on in 87’ for Odegaard)- n/a
Was given very little time to affect any change.
