Mikel Arteta has been very open about how last year’s Champions League final defeat to PSG still haunts him. Last night’s hard-fought 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich felt like a statement of intent, a call to arms for a side intent on finally hitting European paydirt. Here are my Arsenal player ratings.
GK: David Raya- 8/10
A typical David Raya showing. He dominated aerially and produced some stinging low-trajectory passes that must have terrified anyone at eyeball level. He made some great saves, showing particularly impressive agility to deny Upamecano at close range. Couldn’t do anything about the goals.
RB: Jurrien Timber- 6/10
Timber endured some worrying moments when isolated by the awe-inspiring pace of Alphonse Davies. He also conceded the penalty in somewhat unfortunate fashion. He had some decent moments going forward, inverting successfully to lend his physical presence to the midfield battle.
CB: Ezri Konsa- 7/10
Konsa looked like a headless chicken in the early stages, sucked into a self-defeating game of ‘chase Harry’. He produced the ugliest challenge of an otherwise respectful match, flirting with a studs-up challenge on England teammate Harry Kane. Konsa improved as the match went on.
CB: Gabriel Marghalles- 8/10
That was the Webster’s Dictionary version of a steely Gabriel performance. Made more clearances and interceptions than any other Arsenal player. Threw his body on the line, suffocating the Bayern attacking threat for most of the game.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori- 5/10
Last night revealed the dark side of Calafiori’s kamikaze forward runs. He was often the most progressive player on the pitch, leaving Kai Havertz in the dust in terms of pure attacking intent. But he left Arsenal exposed on the counterattack, with Bayern- and Salibari in particular- wasting several numerical advantages on the break.
CM: Declan Rice- 9/10
Rice was made for away European nights such as these. The English midfielder was an absolute trojan in the Arsenal engine-room, tirelessly working to drive Arteta’s side forward. His wicked dead-ball delivery did a Hermoine Granger time-turner on me, taking me back to last season’s glorious title-winning run. Rice then had his moment, storming into the box ala Stevie G to draw the Gunners level.
CM: Bruno Guimares- 5/10
I think this was one of Guimares’ worst games in an Arsenal shirt. He forced Neuer into an incredible save with a well-met header. But he seemed a bit lost at times, struggling with Kane’s quarterback tendencies. Arsenal stepped up a gear when Lewis-Skelly entered the fray.
AM: Martin Odegaard- 8/10
The Norwegian was the architect of Arsenal’s opener, finding Eze with a surgical long-range ball. Tormented Bayern with nis quick feet and rhythmic passing, dropping deep between the lines to pick up interesting little spaces.
LW: Noni Madueke- 6/10
Noni Madueke was a bit of a head-scratcher. He got the chance to play off his favoured right-hand siode after Saka’s injury. While he looked quite exciting in the opening salvos of the match, his influence slowly waned. I find it surprising that he finished the match.
RW: Bukayo Saka- n/a
Could this be a defining moment in Arsenal’s season? Star-boy Bukayo Saka has recently started to resemble the player who captured the minds and souls of Arsenal fans in his breakthrough years. The English livewire went to ground with no Bayern player in Bluetooth distance (a telltale sign of severe injury). The anti-Arteta mob will say this was an inevitable consequence of Saka never getting a break.
STR: Kai Havertz- 4/10
He toiled hard but was largely ineffectual. His gangly, detached style fools people into thinking he is lazy. He did plenty of off-the-ball work but just couldn’t make anything stick.
Subs
Ebrahim Eze (on in 10’ for Saka)- 7/10
Talk about seizing your opportunity. Eze came on for the injured Saka and sent the travelling North London fans into raptures, seizing onto an exquisite Odegaard pass before rifling Arsenal ahead with his left foot. Continued to torment Laimer but disappeared in the final half-hour.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (on in 67’ for Guimares)- 7/10
Provided much needed energy when he replaced Guimares in the 67th minute, helping the Gunners wrestle back possession and dictate the last 20 mins of the match. Lewis-Skelly is smoothness personified, slyly taking control of proceedings in one of Europe’s most dauting amphitheatres.
Viktor Gyokeres (on in 67’ for Havertz)- 7/10
Never got a chance to really get in behind but provided a wonderful assist for Rice’s equalizer,
