Rating the Arsenal Players Against Manchester City

Arsenal rounded off their preseason campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Manchester City in Finland.

The result will provide a timely boost to Arsenal ahead of the Premier League's big kick-off next weekend.

Go to the next slide to discover how the individual Arsenal players fared in their final friendly test.

Defence

GK Wojciech Szczesny (6/10)

Wojciech Szczesny was relatively untroubled in his 45-minute performance and departed at half-time with a clean sheet under his belt.

 

DR Bacary Sagna (7/10)

Bacary Sagna continues to demonstrate his aptitude for the Arsenal right-back spot. In this match, he coupled solid defensive play with overlapping attacking ambition. It required an excellent save from Joe Hart to prevent Sagna from scoring with a left-footed effort.

CB Per Mertesacker (7/10)

Per Mertesacker was Arsenal's most consistent centre-half last season. Based on his preseason form, that trend seems set to continue in 2013/14.

Mertesacker was his usual assured self against City, replicating his impressive display against the past Champions at the start of last season.

CB Laurent Koscielny (6/10)

For much of the game, Koscielny was his normal, assertive self. However, the French defender will be disappointed to have been out-muscled by Álvaro Negredo for City's consolation goal.

Koscielny will have to hit the gym ahead of the new season.

DL Kieran Gibbs (7/10) 

With Nacho Monreal still struggling with a back injury, Kieran Gibbs played the full 90 minutes in this match. His effervescent running suggests he is fit and ready to face the trials and travails of the Premier League season.

Subs

Lukas Fabianski (6/10) 

Fabianski reacted well to race off his line and deny Negredo at the start of the second half. However, he might feel he ought to have done better to keep out the Spaniard's tame effort later in the game. 

Carl Jenkinson (6/10) 

Jenkinson was introduced after 73 minutes and had little chance to make an impact.

Midfield

DM Mikel Arteta (7/10)

Mikel Arteta was typically proficient at regaining and distributing the ball. In the absence of Thomas Vermaelen, Arteta is the vice-captain and leader of the Arsenal side. That experience and know-how was vital to helping outfox City's midfield.

CM Jack Wllshere (6/10)

Jack Wilshere continued his journey back to full fitness with another encouraging display. Arsene Wenger only used him for half the match in order to preserve Wilshere ahead of the international break. However, the signs suggest The Gunners will be regularly reliant on Wilshere in 2013/14.

CM Aaron Ramsey (9/10)

Aaron Ramsey was in outstanding form against Manchester City,

When these two sides met at the Etihad Stadium in 2012/13, Ramsey was deployed on the right wing and struggled significantly. Since then, he has been allowed to play in his natural position of central midfield and has flourished.

In this match he scored a confidently taken goal and created another for Theo Walcott with an incisive through ball.

Ramsey dominated the midfield. This young man is growing up fast.

Subs

Sebastien Perez (7/10) 

The Colombian triallist impressed in his cameo as a deep-lying playmaker. He even displayed a willingness to emulate the cynical style of Mikel Arteta, earning a yellow card for one blatant trip.

Gedion Zelalem (6/10) 

This was not one of Zelalem's most eye-catching displays. The teenage midfielder was not afforded the space required to play one of his perfectly weighted through passes. Nevertheless, his talent remains unquestionable.

Isaac Hayden (5/10) 

Blink and you might have missed Isaac Hayden. The youngster barely got a kick.

Attack

RW Theo Walcott (9/10)

Theo Walcott was menace for the entirety of this match. Even the sprightly Gael Clichy couldn't handle Walcott's electric speed.

His finish to open the scoring was sumptuous, and his lofted pass to release Olivier Giroud for Arsenal's third was perfectly weighted.

Walcott was dangerous and efficient. Arsenal fans will hope he can carry this productive form into the new season.

 

LW Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (7/10)

With Gervinho having departed to join Roma, Oxlade-Chamberlain seems certain to be afforded more opportunities to start on the flanks.

If he is to make that spot his own he will need to produce more convincing performances than this tentative display. 

CF Lukas Podolski (6/10)

Lukas Podolski's performance showcased why Arsenal need another centre-forward.

Podolski is a great finisher with intelligent movement, but he lacks the hold-up play required of a modern centre-forward. City's centre-backs marshalled the German well, and he was not able to make a significant impact.

 

Subs

Olivier Giroud (8/10) 

Giroud continued his impressive preseason with an expertly executed lobbed finish to set the seal on Arsenal's victory.

Santi Cazorla (7/10) 

Even in this fleeting display, it was clear that Cazorla has lost none of the skill and inventiveness that made him one of the Premier League's most exciting players in 2012/13.

---

What do you think? Who impressed you for The Gunners? Let us know below.