Premier League: Arsenal vs Aston Villa Player Ratings

The Gunners travelled to Villa Park to take on Emi Martinez and the rest of Aston Villa. A win would propel Arsenal's contention for European football. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

Mikel Arteta – 7

Arteta put out a strong side. It featured the return of Gabriel whilst also consisting of the same midfield and attack that has been performing well recently. The substitution to bring on Willian was again disappointing to see, given his recent form. The game plan also seemed to revolve too much around crosses, which were ineffective due to the size of Villa center backs Mings and Konsa.

Ryan – 8.5

It was a disappointing start to his Arsenal career for Ryan. Having to pick the ball up from the back of the net no more than 100 seconds into the game was very annoying for both him and Arsenal fans, however, there is nothing he could’ve done to deny the deflected shot. Apart from that, he made multiple top-class saves and was very reliable between the sticks.

Cedric – 5

There aren’t really many alternative ways to say this – Cedric had a shocker. A lousy pass to Gabriel that just drifted into space away from the intended target was picked off by Traore and later resulted in the only goal of the game. Throughout the match he was again sloppy in possession and failed to make a real impact on either side of the pitch. Overall, it was disappointing to see given his solid performances recently.

Gabriel – 7.5

Gabriel’s return to the starting line-up was backed up by a solid performance. The Brazilian did well to cut off crosses and suppress Ollie Watkins (for the most part). He was commanding at the back and formed a great partnership with regular performer Rob Holding.

Holding – 7

Apart from the deflection that turned the ball away from Ryan and into the net, Holding again proved his class in defense. He was sturdy at the back, dealt with incoming crosses and kept possession well. Alongside Gabriel, he solidified the backline.

Bellerin – 6

It was another ‘meh’ performance from Hector Bellerin. He seemed sloppy in possession at times. He failed to really impact the attack and wasn’t that big of a presence in defense either.

Xhaka – 7.5

It was an on-off game from Xhaka. At times he was instrumental in possession and solidified the midfield, as he had done so in recent games. At other points in the game, however, both him and Partey found themselves spread out of position, allowing the likes of Jack Grealish to attack the space. It was encouraging to see how he would find players in the gaps of the defense and push the tempo in attack.

Partey – 7

Partey had a decent game. We are yet to really see him excel post-injury, however, his time will come. He was good in possession and tried to incorporate himself into the attack. At times, however, he was out of position, allowing the Villa attack to progress at will.

Smith-Rowe – 7

Smith-Rowe had a quieter game than usual. When we attacked, it was mostly down the wings, followed by a cross. This style rendered Smith-Rowe useless at times, however, when he had the ball he maintained possession well. When Odegaard was subbed on, Smith-Rowe seemed more lively, increasing the possibility of an attacking duo including the two youngsters in the future.

Pepe – 7.5

Pepe was again class on the left hand side. He picked the ball up well and always looked to attack. Contrary to previous games, he looked somewhat reluctant to dribble at the defence and try to shift the defender. He had a couple chances that went wide. In spite of this, it was again encouraging to see the Ivorian pose a threat.

Saka – 8

Bukayo Saka was like a mosquito – no matter how many times Villa would tackle him or foul him, he just kept coming back. The Hale End graduate was the most lively of the team, always looking to attack with the ball and put pressure on the Villa defence. He was unlucky not to come away with some sort of goal contribution.

Lacazette – 6.5

Lacazette didn’t find himself on the ball as much as he’d like to. When he did, however, it was often disappointing. Apart from the occasional 1-2 bounce, his passes and pass choice were sub-par. He found himself in a 3v2 with Saka and Pepe accompanying him, however, failed to pick the right pass and get it off in time, squandering a valuable opportunity. As a result of the repeated crosses, he was unable to get on the end of them and have a chance, due to his lack of size in comparison to the Villa defense.

MAN OF THE MATCH – Mat Ryan (8.5)