Adrian: Usual fine performance and some outstanding stops. No chance with the goals 7
O’Brien: Difficult to understand why the more attacking Demel was not given the role. Low quality performance 4
Reid: Gave away the penalty and a very uncertain display at times 5
Tomkins: Missed one decent chance but set up the goal. Defensively just ok 6
Cresswell: The usual fine performance at goth ends of the pitch 7
Song: Over elaborated in front of his former boss – not his finest hour 5
Amalfitano: Staked a big claim for a regular starting spot, inventive and creative 7
Downing: Busy and always looking for the killer ball 6
Kouyate: First goal for the club as he comes back to his best 6
Carroll: Gave Mertesacker a real ‘mare at times – another all action show 6
Sakho: Just failed to get on the end of a far post ball which could have changed everything but usual non-stop work rate 6
Subs: Demel (5), Nolan (5), Valencia (6).
Adrian an 8 all day long for me. Excellent performance and I think you are sparing in your praise for the lad. 4 is harsh for JoB. Other than that ok.
I would add 2 to JOB but agree Demel should have started and 1 to all of your other scores except Reid, we played well but didn’t finish well. Aresenal from an attacking perspective were good, its hard to criticise Oxlade Chamberlain, Cazorla, Sanchez & Wellbeck and for that reason I think that the way we played warrants higher scores especially defensively against a fluid attacking line up. Tomkins made one world class tackle on Wellbeck and Adrian made a lot of good saves, our finishers seems toahve forgotten the bit to aim for is between the white sticks not over or to the side of them, If we had a player like Cazorla I think we could move to the next level and really challenge but that link between midfield and attack is not quite there we don’t have a true playmaker to exploit more of the spaces that are available and with AC up there the ball is often played to him when it should be played to a more creative player who can play on the half turn and knock the ball into spaces for fast attackers (Sakho & Valencia or either fullback) to run onto.