Arsenal vs. Wolves: Rating the Gunners Players in the 1-1 Emirates Draw

Arsenal and Wolves fought out a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, and here, we rank the Gunners players from the Premier League draw.

Gervinho set the home side on their way with an early goal after a fine through pass from the recalled Yossi Benayoun.

Arsenal failed, however, to build on their good early start and were pegged back to level terms after a Stephen Hunt effort was deflected into the back of the net by Steven Fletcher before half time.

The Gunners pressed for a winner in the second half and went close on several occasions, but saw their efforts repelled by a determined Wolves outfit, particularly goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who made several impressive saves.

That Wolves were reduced to 10 men late on made little difference to the flow of the game, which was already one-way traffic by then—but ultimately, it also made no difference to the scoreline, which finished 1-1.

Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny

Making his 50th Arsenal appearance between the sticks, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny only had one thing to do in the entire game—pick the ball out of the back of his net.

Until Steven Fletcher's header sent him sprawling desperately, and futilely, across his goal line, Szczesny had been largely untroubled, only called upon to make a few catches and take the odd goal kick.

Either side of the goal, it was extremely comfortable for the Pole, and he will be disappointed to have been beaten with the only real chance the opposition had.

However, in fairness, he had very little time to react, and the Wolves forward did extremely well to divert the header back across goal and into the far corner.

Full-Backs: Thomas Vermaelen and Johan Djourou

Arsenal were forced to continue with their recent tactic of playing with four central defenders in defence, as injuries kept out all four recognised full-backs, meaning Johan Djourou and Thomas Vermaelen continued at right and left-back, respectively.

While Djourou had a relatively quiet game in attack, which Arsenal spent most of the game doing, Vermaelen was much more active and aggressive.

Djourou also had a few nervy early moments in defence, with Matt Jarvis a real threat for Wolves down their left side when his pace and trickery gave the Swiss defender a real tough time.

Indeed from one such run whereby Jarvis blazed past Djourou on the byline and produced a cross, Arsenal actually went on the counter-attack and scored—but it could have been very different had the cross found its target.

Vermaelen, especially in the second half, was much the more adventurous of the two and got into the box on several occasions, forcing a save from Wayne Hennessey with a driven effort and linking up well with Gervinho and Robin van Persie in different moments.

Frustrated late on, Vermaelen was booked for protesting decisions, and then moments after, got involved in two further confrontations with firstly the referee and then Wolves defender Roger Johnson, but escaped without further punishment.

Johan Djourou: 5 / 10

Thomas Vermaelen: 8 / 10

Central Defenders: Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker

Arsenal pair at the back Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny were largely untroubled for long spells by a lonely-looking Steven Fletcher as the only Wolves striker, but he still managed to evade both defenders—and indeed, every Arsenal shirt—to head home a point-saving equaliser.

Much of the game was spent recycling possession from deep areas for both players, but they remained a threat at the other end from set pieces.

One such moment almost won the game for the Gunners as Mertesacker's header was well kept out by the 'keeper Wayne Hennessey, who also later made a marvellous stop with his feet to deny the big German defender.

Per Mertesacker: 6 / 10

Laurent Koscielny: 6 / 10

Central Midfielders: Alex Song and Mikel Arteta

Arsenal abandoned their previous 4-3-3 system to make room for their introduced playmakers Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun, which meant a return to a more structured 4-2-3-1.

With Mikel Arteta and Alex Song forming a formidable partnership in the centre of the park, Wolves were utterly unable to get a hold on the ball, which contributed greatly to the home side dominating possession for much of the match.

Song was rugged in the challenge against the likes of Karl Henry and Stephen Hunt, almost a bare minimum requirement against Wolves.

He supported well when the time called for it in attack, but was mainly asked to hold a deeper line for Arsenal today and encourage the easy switching of possession from side to side.

Arteta was able to be somewhat more expressive with his surges from deep and impressive long-and-short passing, and helped the Gunners start many an attack from early on.

Ultimately their probing could not find enough gaps in the Wolves defence to convert into goalscoring chances, and they will be disappointed with that.

Song was subbed after being booked.

Mikel Arteta: 8 / 10

Alex Song: 7 / 10

Attacking Midfielders: Tomas Rosicky, Gervinho and Yossi Benayoun

Following a match-winning performance in Arsenal's last game, Yossi Benayoun was handed a starting berth for Arsenal in a dynamic and fluid-looking three attackers behind a lone forward.

With Benayoun, Gervinho and the also-installed Tomas Rosicky looking to switch positions and utilise their clever off the ball movement at every opportunity, Arsenal created several chances early on and perhaps should have made them count more.

Benayoun was irrepressible in the first 45 minutes, creating the opening goal for Gervinho with a marvellous through-pass and was involved in everything Arsenal looked to do.

Rosicky was similarly impressive, moreso in the second half than the first, and between the two of them, they have certainly posed Arsene Wenger questions about his future team selections.

Gervinho got his goal early on, but was later perhaps guilty of wasting chances to deliver from wide areas, as several crosses failed to find a red shirt as the game ticked down.

Not having played too much football this season, it was perhaps understandable that Benayoun was replaced on the hour, having faded a little from the game in the second half.

Yossi Benayoun: 8 / 10

Tomas Rosicky: 8 / 10

Gervinho: 7 / 10

Forward: Robin Van Persie

Thirty-four goals for the calendar year, but despite his best efforts, Robin van Persie was unable to add to that against Wolves, largely due to the excellence of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

Several times, the Welsh 'keeper denied the Dutch forward: a free kick palmed over the bar, a low shot stopped with the feet and a driven effort palmed wide of the goal was the closest van Persie got to his customary goal.

He took a blow to the head after clashing with teammate Marouane Chamakh and perhaps that contributed to a loss of control just when it looked like he was in on goal late on, but he was unable to get hte ball out from under his feet and Wolves survived another scare.

Robin van Persie: 7 / 10

Substitutes: Andrei Arshavin, Aaron Ramsey and Marouane Chamakh

Andrei Arshavin was given a half hour run-out by Arsene Wenger in place of Yossi Benayoun, but with two attacking changes made to the starting 11 and still no place for the Russian, you have to wonder if his time is up at the Emirates and he will be on his way in the January window.

The same could be said of fellow sub Marouane Chamakh, who had his biggest impact of the season in this game—unfortunately, that impact was with the back of his head, which clashed with the front of Robin van Persie's.

Aaron Ramsey made a few threatening runs after coming on, but didn't really play a big part in any killer attacking moves, while the closest Arshavin went was with a dipping left-footed effort, which went just wide after the initial pass to van Persie was intercepted.

Andrei Arshavin: 6 / 10

Aaron Ramsey: 6 / 10

Marouane Chamakh: no rating