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Well clear the air talks worked then. Player ratings


By Matty Sadler
March 13 2016

We dominated possession in the first half but created very little with it, and what little we created, we wasted. As is often the case with Wenger teams, off the ball movement just wasn't good enough and we played at a pedestrian, walking pace, which is just so easy to defend against. All the while, Mertesacker and Gabriel looked incapable of handling Watford's two strikers.

Watford scored early on in the second half after some pathetic, amateurish defending from Mertesacker and Ighalo. We needed to respond quickly and get some pace on in attack, but we left it far too long before we made any changes, and were 2-0 down before our three subs came on. Welbeck scored late on and we had a few other chances, but in truth Watford deserved the win.

There is so much wrong with this team. The centre backs have been awful this season. Our spine urgently needs seriously strengthening, as every pundit has been saying for years. The football we play is boring, predictable, easy to defend against and, frankly, downright awful. We lack a plan B.

It doesn't matter which players are picked or who Arsenal play against, it is the same old story again and again. Even the players' clear the air talks have failed to steady this sinking ship.

Simply put, he has to go.

Ratings

Ospina - 6. Nothing to do really.

Chambers - 5. Decent enough in possession, but he will never be a "swashbuckling fullback" in the Bellerin's mold. Genuinely, I'd start starting him in games at centre half, as the rest of them are pathetic.
Mertesacker - 4. Laughable from our "leader" and most experienced defender. His positioning was off most of the time. What was he supposed to be doing on the first goal? Challenging Chambers for a header? Awful, as he has been too many times this season.
Gabriel - 3. Should've been sent off for an awful tackle. Literally went to pieces every time he came up against Ighalo or Deeney. Calamitous. He was meant to push on this season and cement his place in the first time, but he has gone the complete opposite way.
Gibbs - 4. Meh. Missed a good header late on and tried to square a rebound to Welbeck when he could've gone for goal himself.

Coquelin - 5. Looked okay at the start but the game soon passed him by. Struggling for form after returning from injury.
Elneny - 5. Missed two really good opportunities in the first half, otherwise average at best.

Campbell - 4. Lively with lots of hard work and energy early on, but not enough quality in the final third.
Ozil - 5. He tried, and produced one or two moments of magic but, but literally only one or two. He generally looked frustrated and fed up throughout, epitomised by his booking.
Alexis - 4. Only turned up 10 minutes from time. Not good enough since this season.

Giroud - 4. Had an early goal disallowed for offside, otherwise a complete spectator. Limitations exposed as he is entirely reliant on other players bringing him into the game, and they didn't today.

Subs:

Iwobi - 6. Very good when he came on, I thought. Created a good chance for Chambers and hit the post himself.
Welbeck - 6. Excellent since he returned from injury. He troubles defenders more than Giroud ever will, purely because he is fast, powerful and willing to put himself about. He needs to start up top in games. Good finish for his goal. Should've scored another but I don't think he expected Gibbs to square it.


Walcott - 5. Nearly got in once, otherwise did nothing.

More discussion on ratings here

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