Grading the Arsenal Players: With 12 Matches Left Where Does The Squad Stand?
Arsenal under Unai Emery has been a strange team to follow. From a 22 match unbeaten streak across all competitions to crashing out of two tournaments and now with a comeback required to progress from the first knockout stage of the Europa League. Fans have been put through the wringer, with fantastic performances against Tottenham and Chelsea juxtaposed by unacceptably awful performances, such as that seen this past Thursday at BATE.
It’s fair to say that now that European competitions have resumed, we are into the business end of the season. So, heading into this crucial phase, with 12 league games left to play and the Europa League still up for grabs, where does the squad stand at this moment in time?
Goalkeepers
As a position, the man between the sticks has not been someone Arsenal can rely upon. This was evident as early as the first game when Petr Cech almost managed to turn the ball into his own net under no pressure whatsoever. The man from the Czech Republic has made fourteen appearances in this the final season of his career, leaving the door open for the 26-year-old summer signing Bernd Leno. Neither has covered themselves in much glory and in 38 games have kept five clean sheets apiece. Leno has conceded 31 goals in 24 games, to Cech’s 16 in 14.
As Cech is retiring, it is widely assumed that Emiliano Martinez, who is currently on loan at Reading, will become the second choice goalkeeper.
Petr Cech: C
Bernd Leno: B –
Fullbacks
With an unfortunate injury to Hector Bellerin, Arsenal has recently taken to playing Ainsley Maitland-Niles out of position on the right-hand side as either a fullback or wingback depending on the team shape. The youngster has not looked comfortable but has played fairly well, even grabbing some assists for his efforts. All this after picking up an injury in the first game of the season against Manchester City. Carl Jenkinson is seemingly not trusted and has only made six appearances this season, whilst one of Arsenal’s summer signings Stephan Lichtsteiner has not endeared himself to the Arsenal faithful in his time at the club.nEmery’s move to five at the back has not suited the 36-year-old well at all.
The left side of the defence has been a little bit more settled. Emery has opted to mostly use Sead Kolasinac as a left wing-back which has meant Arsenal has an outlet for the passes in and around the opposition’s penalty area. The Bosnian has probably been the most useful player in the squad so far, and his form has meant Nacho Monreal has been freed up to play more games at centre-back than on the wing.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles: B
Hector Bellerin: A-
Stephan Lichtsteiner: F
Carl Jenkinson: D
Nacho Monreal: C
Sead Kolasinac: A-
Central Defenders
The best thing that can be said about the central defence, whether there are two or three of the players there, is that they ensure Arsenal has 11 players at the start of every game. The team of Adams, Bould and Campbell has now become a team akin to a clown car. Rob Holding was Arsenal’s best and most competent defender before an ACL injury ended this season of promise prematurely. Sokratis has all the potential to be the insane villain in a Batman movie, and whilst at times he has been as error-prone as any other defenders, his genuine passion for the club makes him hard to dislike.
Shkodran Mustafi has become the byword for a player who is the most divisive amongst the fanbase. From my own end I don’t think he’s anywhere near as bad as some people seem to think he is. Club captain Laurent Koscielny who is still (sort of) returning from a bad injury and has been effective and even managed to pop up with some goals since coming back to full fitness. An honourable shoutout must go to a man with one appearance, despite there being a crisis in ability and confidence in this part of the pitch, Dino Mavropanos.
Rob Holding: A-
Sokratis: B+ [though not for lack of effort]
Mustafi: B-
Koscielny: C+
Midfielders
Yet another area of the team where Arsenal still could use some improvement. In defensive midfield, Arsenal has three regular players. Lucas Torreira is considered by some as the signing of the season. Those people are wrong, I believe. This is because the best signing has been his teammate, Matteo Guendouzi, who is already a member of the most exclusive club at Arsenal – youngsters we overhype so ridiculously that they either become amazing or we never hear from them again.
Granit Xhaka, like defender Mustafi, is a player that constantly divides opinion; but there is no denying we see how bad Arsenal can become when he isn’t in the lineup. As for Mohamed Elneny the less said about him the better.
Lucas Torreira: A
Matteo Guendouzi: A-
Granit Xhaka: B
Mohamed Elneny: D-
Moving further up the pitch we have a wide variety of players. The new boy, Denis Suarez, has been noticeably ignored and at the time of writing hasn’t started a game, nor actually done anything in any of the games he has appeared in. Aaron Ramsey, who will sign for Juventus in the summer, has been a player of extremes this season in that he will either be extremely good [like against Fulham] or extremely poor [as against Manchester United in the FA Cup].
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has shown an infuriating lack of purpose and ability – though he isn’t the only one guilty of that – and the whole Mesut Ozil saga is just embarrassing all round.
Aaron Ramsey: B
Henrikh Mkhiraryan: C-
Mesut Ozil: B-
Forwards
Up top is probably the only area of the pitch that Arsenal can really be happy with. Pierre Emerick Aubamayang stands a chance of ending the season among the league’s highest scorers and unlike most of those he’s in competition with, isn’t a cheating diver. Alexandre Lacazette has also been excellent up front and the odd moment of ill-discipline aside has been arguably more important than even PEA. Danny Welbeck looked excellent as a substitute striker – that may sound like an insult but it’s not – until his own season-ending injury. Alex Iwobi is, like Xhaka and Mustafi before him, splitting the fanbase into his defenders and his detractors.
