Arsenal 1, Manchester United 2: Heroes and Villains in Arsenal's Battling Defeat

Arsenal played out a sobering 2-1 defeat against Manchester United but managed to display a large measure of the determination and drive that had been sorely lacking in recent games. The Gunners were once again slow-paced and sluggish in the first half, but they took the game to the Red Devils in the second period.

After being dominated for large periods in the first 45 minutes, Arsenal carved out some great scoring opportunities after the break. In particular, star striker Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky both spurned fantastic chances in the first fifteen minutes of the second half.

But van Persie soon made amends. The Dutchman latched onto a smart reverse ball from youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and slid the ball across United keeper Anders Lindegaard and into the net.

After again falling behind, the Gunners fought hard and created several late, promising chances. It was a costly defeat for Arsene Wenger's team and an indictment of their lack of elite quality.

But the effort and resolve displayed in the second half at least gives cause for slight optimism regarding the rest of the campaign. Here are three heroes and three villains from Arsenal's battling performance.

Villain: Theo Walcott

Disgruntled winger Theo Walcott endured a terrible outing. Walcott displayed the kind of laziness and complacency that is preventing him from reaching his potential and threatens to derail his top-flight career.

Walcott routinely left Johan Djourou terribly exposed on the right hand side. United's one and only tactic, particularly in the first half, was to pump the ball out to Nani. The Portugese winger was given a free run at Djourou.

Not even when Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra frequently joined Nani and combined to torment Djourou did Walcott bother to drop back and offer cover. Eventually, the pressure got to Arsenal and Djourou was beaten for the cross that provided Antonio Valencia's goal just before halftime.

Walcott spent most of the game misplacing passes in forward areas, throwing his arms up and casting accusatory glares at his teammates. His lack of effort was symptomatic of an Arsenal squad that just hasn't shown the drive and determination to succeed at the top level on several occasions this season.

Villain: Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey once again struggled to impose himself on a game. Ramsey didn't influence the play and failed to showcase the creative skills that once made him look like such a promising prospect.

At times, Ramsey appeared to be a step or two behind everyone else. A particularly shameful episode for the 21-year-old occurred when he was outpaced by veteran Ryan Giggs toward the end of the first half.

The Welshman wasted a great opportunity early in the second half when he woefully lifted a shot over the bar from close range. Ramsey's touch and accuracy seem to have deserted him, and Arsenal's attacking play is suffering as a result.

Villain: Andrey Arshavin

Despite recently receiving yet another vote of confidence from Arsene Wenger, wayward winger Andrey Arshavin was once again guilty of a drab and pedestrian performance.

Even though he only entered the fray as a late substitute, Arshavin was still a liability. His lack of concentration and half-hearted attempts to make a tackle led directly to United's winning goal.

The sad fact is that Arshavin's defensive lapses could almost be excused if he was delivering what he was capable of at the other end. But his ball skills and creative instincts are not what they were earlier in his Arsenal career.

Without an attacking output to offer, Arshavin is a mere passenger on a team not good enough to carry him any longer.

Hero: Thomas Vermaelen

This author is not as big of an admirer of Thomas Vermaelen's talents as most Gunners fans are, but the Belgian international was excellent today and did not deserve to be on the losing side. He had a few positional lapses which can be expected as he continues to fill in at left-back.

But for the most part Vermaelen was outstanding. The former Ajax stalwart was tough, tenacious and technically sound in the challenge. His distribution may have been below par at times, but Vermaelen showed the kind of resiliency and fight that put the likes of Walcott and Arshavin to shame.

He will be a key figure for Arsenal during the rest of this campaign. With a determined Vermaelen in the lineup, all hope is not lost for the Gunners.

Hero: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Youthful speedster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain did enough to show that he can quickly become a major contributor in the Gunners first team. The ex-Southampton prodigy showcased his awesome pace and also demonstrated a keen awareness of the requirements of Wenger's passing style.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was Arsenal's only real threat in the first period, as he ran substitute full-back Rafael da Silva ragged. His final delivery needs some work, but the right ideas are certainly there.

In the second half, Oxlade-Chamberlain continued to impress and played a significant part in the Gunners' only goal of the day. He revealed some promising vision and creative efficiency to set up van Persie with a neat pull-back on the edge of the box.

It was a bold move by Wenger to pick Oxlade-Chamberlain today. But based on this showing, the Gunners boss would be wise to persist with the 18-year-old.

Hero: Laurent Koscielny

Laurent Koscielny made up for a slightly calamitous display against Swansea City with a magnificent performance against the reigning champions. Koscielny was quick, decisive and resolute at the heart of Arsenal's back line.

He combined excellent anticipation with precise tackling and frequently brought an end to United attacks. Koscielny's quickness and intelligent reading of the game frustrated Red Devils talisman Wayne Rooney for most of the afternoon.

A particularly pleasing aspect of Koscielny's performance was how he used his strength to muscle United players off the ball on more than one occasion. The technically refined central defender has not always been known for displays of rugged power.

But Koscielny was in a determined mood in this game. He overwhelmed the United attack in the box and brilliantly distributed the ball to begin the move that led to the Gunners goal. His intensity and drive to get something from the game highlight just how important he has become to Arsenal.

Those who criticise Wenger's transfer dealings should remember that it was the Frenchman who took a chance by plucking Koscielny from FC Lorient and trusting him to be a Premier League starter. The quick and capable stopper is one of the few players who is rewarding his manager's tremendous faith.

Conclusion

Suffering a third defeat in a row leaves Arsenal's top four aspirations hanging by the faintest thread. The Gunners must fight as hard in all of their remaining league fixtures as they did during the second half against United.

Wenger will have to start taking a ruthless approach and removing those players content to coast along from first team consideration. It is time to include only those who are prepared to give maximum effort and refuse to lose.

Giving more chances to young and hungry players like Oxlade-Chamberlain is one option worth exploring. But the Gunners have to start fighting to win now, regardless of who is in the starting 11.