Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Gunners Player Ratings in 2-1 Loss

Arsenal continued their losing habits after falling 2-1 to longtime rivals Tottenham. While many players had extraordinary games, others flopped. Here are the player ratings for each Arsenal player that played. 

Wojciech Scezney: 7.5

Scezney played one of the best games of this year's campaign so far. Not only was he able to make the vital saves that were needed when the defenders lacked enthusiasm, he made one of the most crucial saves against Emmanuel Adebayor in the 57' when all the defenders stopped because they thought he was offside. If Adebayor had scored this goal, it would have been not only a disappointment from the Arsenal side, but it would have caused all the players to lose confidence in their abilities.

For these reasons, Wojciech Scezney is the Arsenal man of the match 

Bacary Sagna: 5.5

Sagna, one of the men behind the defensive problems at Arsenal, didn't help during today's match. After several feeble attempts at a tackle during the first half, he would then have to be sidelined after an apparent injury-causing collision with Tottenham midfielder, Assou Ekkoto.  

Per Mertesacker: 6.0

Mertesacker, another defender who hasn't been living up to expectations, didn't seem very effective in the newly promoted man-to-man coverage that Arsenal is currently donning. He was given a yellow card after a clumsy tackle and allowed Brad Friedel's goal kick to sail over him and Song to an open Bale. Bale's shot was just wide of the post. Mertesacker needs to use his height as an advantage and stop those kinds of plays.

Kieran Gibbs: 6.5

 Yet, he still has room for improvement. He made some nice tackles yet couldn't stop a fast-paced Tottenham offensive movement. He and every other Arsenal defender need to step their game up if they want to solve any of Arsenal's defensive issues. 

Carl Jenkinson: 5.0

Jenkinson was the flop of the match. He only played because of Sagna's untimely injury. He failed to foresee any of the offensive movement on the opposite side and couldn't stop their counterattacks. Arsenal need to find a more suitable replacement for defenders if they become unable to play due to injury or fatigue. 

Mikel Arteta: 6.0

Arteta had quite a difficult task taking on Jermain Defoe who partnered with ex-Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor. He, Walcott and Song were able to move the ball up the pitch so that Ramsey was able to score, but apart from instances like this one, they were dominated in the midfield. 

Alex Song: 7.0

Song started the match off poorly, giving the ball up softly and allowing Van der Vaart to have a shot at goal. After which, he redeemed himself by quickly pushing the ball up the left side of the pitch to easily cross the ball to Aaron Ramsey, who then proceeded to score Arsenal's first and only goal. He, along with Mertesacker, allowed Friedel's goal kick to soar above them to a moving Bale. While Bale didn't score, these mistakes need to be accounted for and improved. Alex Song was Arsenal's best defender.

Theo Walcott: 5.5

Walcott, usually one of their top performers, was taken out of the game and replaced by Benayoun. He attempted several shots from range throughout the first half, including a left-footed shot from the right side of the box that sailed hopelessly over the crossbar. He was most likely removed from play because of these poor shots and the failure to make decent passes.

Yossi Benayoun: 6.0

Benayoun entered the game in the 72' for Walcott yet failed to make a large impact on its result. He didn't perform poorly, nor did he play outstandingly. He was there when a pass was needed to be made and was there when defense was needed. One of the ways that Arsenal could be able to win more is if Benayoun starts making a positive impact on games as a substitute. 

Aaron Ramsey: 6.5

Ramsey scored Arsenal's only goal today. It was an easy goal, but a goal was a goal. Ramsey performed well under the pressure of the Defoe-Adebayor duo in the midfield, but failed to stop the oncoming rush of midfielders and strikers. 

Robin Van Persie: 6.0

Van Persie's shaky style of play left him with no goals or assists—a colorful contrast to past games where he has been a valuable asset to the team. He could have had an assist if Gervinho had been able to finish Van Persie's marvelous effort to move the ball forward. RVP needs to be more frequently aggressive on the attack and, to be absolutely blunt, play like he did last season. 

Francis Coquelin: 7.0

Coquelin was the surprising addition to the starting lineup as he started instead of Andrei Arshavin. He played exceptionally, completing almost all of his passes and leading the way with Song and Ramsey on the attack. He proved to be a valuable player to their midfield and should start in future games.  

Andrei Arshavin: 6.0

Arshavin, who started the game on the bench, entered the game for Walcott towards the end of the game in the 77'. He, like other substitute Yossi Benayoun, failed to make a positive impact on the result of the game. He made several good attempts at starting an attack on the unsuspecting Tottenham keeper yet failed to completely initiate such attempts.

Gervinho: 5.5

Gervinho was quiet throughout most of the game, only to emerge unsuccessful after a brilliant advancement of the ball by Van Persie. He had the ball dished out to him after RVP was swarmed by two defenders, only to shoot the ball wide of the left post. He had most of the goal to aim for and should have given Arsenal the lead.