Arsenal: Full Report Card for Every Position for October
As Halloween approaches and October draws to a close, it's time for a retrospective.
It's been an up-and-down month for Arsenal, featuring eked-out wins, frustrating losses and injuries galore. The Gunners will not play another match this month, so let's see how things stand heading into November.
Goalkeeper: B
1 of 9
It's generally been a good month for Arsenal between the sticks, but there were some hairy moments.
The month did not start out well, with Wojciech Szczesny getting sent off against Galatasaray and consequently missing Arsenal's next Champions League match against Anderlecht.
David Ospina aggravated an old injury in that Gala game and will be out for a few months. Emiliano Martinez came in against Anderlecht and looks like he can do the job at a pinch.
Right Back: B-
2 of 9
In the absence of Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin have provided somewhat effective cover at right back, despite their rawness.
Chambers has unsurprisingly been the better deputy, but Bellerin has a considerable amount of raw talent. Neither has inspired the confidence one hopes for, though.
As long as Arsenal have two fit center backs, Chambers will play in his more natural right-back spot. But given Laurent Koscielny's indefinite absence due to tendonitis, Bellerin will get his chance over the next several weeks.
Center Back: C+
3 of 9
Even aside from the fact that Arsenal now have absolutely no cover in the center of defense and are down to Nacho Monreal, this has been a bad month at the back for the Gunners.
Per Mertesacker has seemed abnormally slow and off the pace, which has caused the rest of the back four to break down around him. Calum Chambers is competent but has been unable to get back to the middle because of suspension and timing, while Monreal is clearly uncomfortable in a position for which he is unsuited.
Central defense is the platform on which the rest of the team is built, and right now Arsenal's is cracking.
Left Back: B+
4 of 9
Arsenal have had a measure of stability at left back but might have to dip into their final defensive reserves next month.
Kieran Gibbs has been consistently fit and continued to have an excellent season, scoring the equalizing goal against Anderlecht and generally providing superb support to an attack with almost no support on the left side.
But he was removed from Arsenal's last match against Sunderland with a hip problem, meaning Nacho Monreal might have to step in. That's not too bad, but it leaves the Gunners with no cover heading into a busy part of the season.
Defensive Midfield: C+
5 of 9
Mikel Arteta has been absent for much of the month, meaning Mathieu Flamini has had to deputize for the skipper.
He's done an OK job, but he still lacks the technical skill, general ability and nuances of Arteta that make Arsenal a more fluid attacking force.
Flamini does not complete anywhere near as many passes as the Spaniard per game, contributing to Arsenal's general attacking malaise. He has been solid in his defensive duties, though, and he does give the team a bit more bite than Arteta.
Attacking Midfield: C-
6 of 9
This has been Arsenal's weakest position and part of the reason why their attack has been so horribly dull this season.
While Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla both did well in the middle against Galatasaray on Oct. 1, the rest of the month produced virtually nothing.
We've been forced to watch the clogged midfield toil to produce absolutely nothing, via short sideways passes, dead-end runs and no movement. Arsene Wenger must figure out a way to loosen things up.
Right Wing: A
7 of 9
This position gets an "A" because Alexis Sanchez usually plays in it, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is carrying Arsenal at the moment.
In a squad that can charitably be described as lethargic and out of form, Alexis has been a necessary respite, working his legs off every game to manufacture chances for himself and others out of nothing.
He has excelled in the No. 10 role as well (no surprise there) but is most often deployed on the right wing. That might change due to Theo Walcott's imminent return, but Alexis is the first name on the team sheet at present.
Left Wing: B-
8 of 9
Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have played on the left wing for the Gunners this month, with a couple of substitute appearances from Lukas Podolski.
Cazorla has been the worst of the bunch, especially recently. He clogs the midfield by drifting inside and has not been able to find his shooting boots.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is a more typical left winger, but he seems to have lost a bit of his edge of late. Podolski still seems able to score at a ridiculously high rate, but Wenger does not seem to trust him enough to start him.
Theo Walcott's return will probably push Alexis Sanchez to the left, solving this problem.
Striker: B+
9 of 9
Danny Welbeck started the month better than he ever has: scoring his first career hat-trick. He has been quiet since that Galatasaray game, though.
He saved a point for Arsenal against Hull and has worked admirably hard every game, but he has not come close to reaching the heights he did at the beginning of October.
That is partially because he receives very little support and often finds very little space in which to run. But Welbeck is not the sort of player who manufactures his own chances.
When the rest of the team picks up, we'll see his performances improve.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
