Grading Arsenal Players on UCL Group-Stage Performances
Now that Arsenal have made it through the Champions League group stage, it's time to take a look back and see how everyone did.
Despite two poor games and one collapse in the midst of an awful period, Arsenal finished tied with Borussia Dortmund on 13 very respectable points.
The Gunners did not have the hardest of draws but still had to get the job done in six challenging games. Let's examine how each player who appeared at least four times in the competition fared.
Wojciech Szczesny: B
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Wojciech Szczesny missed two games in the Gunners' Champions League campaign so far: one through injury and one through suspension.
The suspension was picked up against Galatasaray, when he mistimed a challenge in the box and gave away a penalty while taking a red card.
Szczesny has not been at his best so far, but he nevertheless inspires confidence in the defense and with fans and deserves to keep starting over Emi Martinez.
Kieran Gibbs: A-
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Kieran Gibbs has shined in the Champions League this season. He has been excellent in the Premier League as well, but he continues to excel on the European stage.
The highlight of Gibbs' European campaign thus far will no doubt be scoring the late equalizer against Anderlecht, setting the stage for Lukas Podolski to go on and win the game.
He turned in a stellar performance against Borussia Dortmund in both defense and attack, making a number of crucial clearances to help Arsenal keep a clean sheet. Gibbs is nursing a slight injury at the moment, so there was no point in Arsene Wenger risking him against Galatasaray.
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 has not been the same this year, partly because he has been paired with a variety of non-center backs, rather than Laurent Koscielny.
However, the Frenchman is on his way back, and Mertesacker appeared to regain a bit of his mojo against Borussia Dortmund.
Perhaps the quality of his performances is slipping because he is being forced to play in a more forward, proactive role. Koscielny's return will fix that, but the Frenchman has not been healthy for a while.
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.
Chambers has not been as badly beaten in Europe as he has been in some Premier League games, despite his inexperience. He actually excelled in his first Champions League appearances for the club during the qualifying stage.
He is better in central defense than he is at full-back, but he has generally acquitted himself quite well.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is the only Arsenal player to appear in every single group-stage game—and with good reason.
Much like Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain has shined in the Champions League more than the Premier League.
Excluding Alexis Sanchez, he has been Arsenal's best forward.
In a tepid team that has struggled to produce much of anything in attack, Oxlade-Chamberlain has shown that he is capable of producing something out of nothing.
Aaron Ramsey: C
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Aaron Ramsey had been having a very tepid season, both in the Champions League and the Premier League. Arsenal fans returned him to the doghouse after he consistently tried to do too much and produced nothing.
Then, he popped up against Galatasaray with Arsenal's goal of the season and possibly the best goal of his career.
Though he has rarely hit the heights he did last season, Ramsey has still been a good workhorse in the center of the pitch. The best is yet to come from him.
Santi Cazorla: C+
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Santi Cazorla had been having a torrid time in the Champions League but really redeemed himself against Borussia Dortmund.
Part of Cazorla's problem is that he initially set an incredibly high bar for himself, and he 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 generally does his duty well on the left wing despite the fact that he is a natural midfielder. He has been performing much better of late, though, so he'll probably play much better in the knockout stage if he can maintain his current form.
Mathieu Flamini: C
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Arsenal are much better off with Mikel Arteta on the pitch.
The Spaniard has been unfit for most of the Gunners' Champions League campaign, though he played against Anderlecht and Dortmund, 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.
Arteta was listed as doubtful for the Galatasaray match, so hopefully that means he is somewhat close to a first-team return.
Lukas Podolski: A
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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 a few weeks ago. The goal was indicative of the type of player he is: a pure goalscorer without many other skills.
Podolski is somewhat justified in complaining that he spends far too much time on the bench. He has three goals in five Champions League appearances—the same ratio as Alexis Sanchez. Though he is obviously not as good as the Chilean, Podolski's two goals against Galatasaray prove that he is a valuable asset.
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 lifted off his shoulders all of the pressure concomitant with being a new striker at a club.
Welbeck needs to start scoring again, though. He has gone several games without a goal now, and Olivier Giroud's strike against Manchester United gives the Englishman additional impetus.
He did not feature in Arsenal's last two Champions League matches, missing Borussia Dortmund with a hamstring injury and receiving a rest for the Galatasaray match.
Alexis Sanchez: A+
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What other rating could the Chilean superstar possibly get?
He has undoubtedly been Arsenal's best player this season, scoring three goals in five Champions League appearances.
His last was an absolutely magnificent curler against Dortmund that gave the Gunners a more comfortable 2-0 lead. He received a much-needed rest against Galatasaray.
Alexis has been absolutely world class. Hopefully, the rest of the team catches up with him soon.
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