Grading Arsenal's Players on Their Champions League Performances so Far
It seemed like things were looking up for Arsenal in the Champions League but then Anderlecht happened.
The Belgians stupendously blew a lead at home, and now the Gunners have done the same at their home ground.
Arsenal wasted the chance to qualify for the knockout stage on Matchday 4, and they will have to suffer the consequences. Let's look back at the performances of all the Gunners who have played at least three of the club's four Champions League games and take stock of where the team is moving forward.
Wojciech Szczesny: C
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Wojciech Szczesny would have played all four of Arsenal's Champions League games, but he was suspended for the first Anderlecht match because of a red card against Galatasaray.
He sometimes fails to inspire confidence not just because of boneheaded mistakes like the sort he made against Gala but due to simple misjudgments, like those he repeatedly made against Anderlecht.
With no David Ospina to back him up now, he really needs to step up his game.
Kieran Gibbs: B+
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The highlight of Kieran Gibbs' European campaign thus far will no doubt be scoring a late equalizer against Anderlecht, setting the stage for Lukas Podolski to go on and win the game.
But he was not as good in the return leg, though he was probably the best defender Arsenal had on the pitch. He'll have to step up now that every other defender Arsenal have is either injured, out of form or being played out of position.
Per Mertesacker: C-
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Per Mertesacker was the rock at the heart of Arsenal's defense last season, playing more games than any other player at the club.
He is having a torrid time now, for whatever reason. It just seems like he cannot read the game as well anymore and is being severely exploited for his lack of pace.
He suffers even more when Koscielny is not beside him, so hopefully that fruitful partnership is reunited soon.
Calum Chambers: B
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No one could have expected Calum Chambers to be that good right off the bat, but the Englishman is doing much better than any 19-year-old rightfully should.
Not only that, he has excelled both at right-back and in the center of the defense, where he has been forced to deputize for one of the centre-backs.
He still has a lot more work to do, though, and he does not seem like the finished product yet.
Jack Wilshere: B
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Jack Wilshere's form has waxed and waned a bit this season. He has occasionally been extremely dangerous, sometimes completely impotent and often somewhere murkily in the middle.
That can be applied to his Champions League performances as well, which have not been consistent. They have been above-average in general but not yet up to his potential.
He does not deserve scorn but rather patience.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: A-
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has played in all four of Arsenal's Champions League games and deservedly so.
In a staid attack that continues to lack drive and the ability to penetrate, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been extremely refreshing.
His goal Tuesday was a perfect example of the dynamism he brings to the team. He has the pace to beat defenders, the control to hold on to the ball when he does and the technique to finish when he meets the goalkeeper.
Aaron Ramsey: C
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Though he has not hit the heights he did last season, Ramsey has still been a good workhorse in the center of the pitch.
Part of his problem is that he is being deployed in a very clogged 4-1-4-1 formation that restricts his space and movement. But the bigger issue is that he is once again trying to do too much; he needs to get back to basics, which allowed him to become one of the best midfielders in Europe last season in the first place.
Santi Cazorla: D
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Everyone goes through patches of awful form, and Santi Cazorla is simply going through one right now.
Part of Cazorla's problem is that he initially set an incredibly high bar for himself and has been unable to reach it on a consistent basis over the last season or so.
Cazorla is one of Wenger's most trusted servants, and he does his duty well on the left wing. He just needs to inject into his game once more the spark that makes him so dangerous.
Mathieu Flamini: D+
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Arsenal are much better off with Mikel Arteta on the pitch.
The Spaniard has been unfit for almost all of the Gunners' Champions League campaign, only returning for Tuesday's match, and he has been dutifully replaced by Mathieu Flamini.
Flamini provides extra grit and is a better protector of the back four, but Arteta is so much better at distributing the ball that the entire team plays better when he is in it.
One would expect him to be able to play a critical part in defending a three-goal lead, but Flamini failed entirely.
Lukas Podolski: B
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Lukas Podolski has not appeared much for Arsenal this season, but as always, he makes the most of his time on the pitch.
There isn't much about his performances to discuss other than the last-gasp winner against Anderlecht two weeks ago. His goal is indicative of the type of player he is: a pure goalscorer without many other skills.
He did not showcase his one great skill in the return leg against Anderlecht. He was completely ineffectual after coming on and was not an asset to the team at all.
Alexis Sanchez: A+
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Alexis Sanchez has undoubtedly been Arsenal's best player this season. In a team that seems to lack any passion or inspiration in attack, he takes games by the scruff of the neck and makes the rest of the team coalesce around him.
No one can know where Arsenal would be without him, but it is certainly no place desirable. Alexis often powers the attack by himself, as he seems to be the only Gunner with the determination and technical skill to manufacture chances by himself.
He deserves so much better than Arsenal's repeated meltdowns and poor performances, but he is not at Barcelona anymore.
Danny Welbeck: B+
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Danny Welbeck's coming-out party was Arsenal's 4-1 thumping of Galatasaray, in which the Englishman scored the first hat-trick of his career.
He moved and finished excellently that day and, with three kicks, lifted off his shoulders all the pressure concomitant with being a new striker at a club.
But he has now gone four games without a goal, and it is time for him to take his chances better while getting himself in better positions to score in the first place.
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