Player Ratings - CL: Arsenal vs Sevilla | 19/09/07

[gstew]

Almunia - 6 Those two simple catches that he dropped really concerned me.
Sagna - 9 He is rapidly becoming one of my favorite players. I am truly amazed at how well he is playing. Mixes the best attributes of Lauren and Eboue.
Toure - 8 Typical Toure.
Senderos - 6 I so want him to succeed.
Clichy - 8 Typical Clichy.
Hleb - 7.5 Played well enough, and was completely responsible for last goal.
Fabregas - 8.5 Typical Cesc.
Flamini - 8 Who replaced Matty with a top class footballer? Invasion of the body snatchers?
Rosicky - 7 His injury was to be expected. We are short out wide and need to address this in January.
Robin van Persie - 7 Is missing that spark because, IMO, he is being played to centrally. We need him further out right so he can face towards goal, not away from it.
Adebayor - 8 Favorite part of the game was that diving header that just missed. It was top class and a portent of things to come for Ade.

Diaby - 3.5 Second absolutely horrendous performance in a row. Playing wide neutralizes his strengths and exposes his weaknesses. I wish Wenger would stop doing this. He is going to kill the kid's confidence and possibly cost us points.
Eduardo - 7.5 All one can ask is that a striker gets in the position to score. He is as advertised.

 

[gstew]

I try to make sure that I post my ratings before reading anyone else's, so that I am not influenced by consensus opinion. I just read through the ratings and have to say that these were the most consistent ratings I have ever seen on this forum. It is as if we all watched the same game from the same perspective....a true rarity. I wonder if this is a natural tendency to take the ratings more seriously now that they are being documented. Are we all trying to be less biased?

 

[Soler]

Almunia: 7
Sagna: 8
Toure: 7
Senderos: 6
Clichy: 7.5
Rosicky: 7
Fabregas: 9
Flamini: 8
Hleb: 7
van Persie: 7
Adebayor: 7

Diaby: 6
Eduardo: 7
Diarra: 6

Diaby at left wing? What does he see in putting him so grossly out of position that we don't? I was thinking he should have brought Diaby into the middle and just let Cesc and Aleks roam about. If that wasn't working then he could have made a change and brought Theo on. It's not right to give him 3. He's not a winger, he's not overly fast and he's not technically good enough to play like Rosicky, it's unfair on him. I hope for Derby we see anything but Diaby on the wing!

 

[Sammer]

About Diaby:

playing this badly is no excuse for being played in the wrong position.

Diaby was horrible yesterday - no concentration at all, bad decision making, horrible passing at the wrong moment.

He can do better than that.

 

[asajoseph]

I prefer Denilson to Diaby on the wing - the latter is a more technically sound player, with a more rounded game. Diaby may be big, have good close control, and be strong on the ball, but he's also erratic, and his passing can really let him down.

At the moment, I think Wenger's just desperate to give both of them game time. And then there's Diarra too...

 

[Pepe LeFrits]

I prefer Denilson to Diaby on the wing - the latter is a more technically sound player, with a more rounded game. Diaby may be big, have good close control, and be strong on the ball, but he's also erratic, and his passing can really let him down.

At the moment, I think Wenger's just desperate to give both of them game time. And then there's Diarra too...

Indeed, not surprisingly we’re finding out that 7 into 2 doesn’t go…

 

[Lancelot]

About Diaby:

playing this badly is no excuse for being played in the wrong position.

Diaby was horrible yesterday - no concentration at all, bad decision making, horrible passing at the wrong moment.

He can do better than that.

Seriously, he didn't look like he enjoyed himself in such position and he didn't give you the impression that he is trying hard to earn his place in the team. It was very obvious when you compared that to what the rest of the team showed.

If this continues to be the case, I'd even prefer to see Hleb on the left and Denilson on the right instead (in case Walcott isn't available).

PS. I'm late; agreed with Asajoseph and Kaids as well.

 

[Sammer]

It doesn' t matter if he enjoys is or not. The Flamster didn't enjoy playing RB last year, but yet he tried and something came off.

You stil have to win one-on-one's, you still have to pass, you still have to use your touch to control the ball.

Diaby looked like a 3rd league player yesterday which cannot merely be explained by not playing him in the middle.

 

[hesham]

Almunia 6 (Done OK, Was a bit shakey)
Sagna 8.5 (MOTM, great performance. Unlimited energy)
Toure 8. (Good Performance, Lead the back line well)
Senderos 6.0 (Shakey first half, became more assured in the 2nd)
Clichy 8. (Done well against a tricky Seville right side)
Rosicky 7 (Great game until subbed
Flamini 7.5 (Good performance)
Fabregas 7 (Wasnt as dominant as usual, but played some desisive passes and the goal ofcrse)
Hleb 8 (great game, great skills)
RVP 7 (better link up play and a goal. grew in confidence after he scored)
Ade 7 (Constant pain in the ars for Seville, not as effective as Sp**s game though)
Diaby 6 (he aint a winger)
Edu 6 (nice goal)
Diarra n/a

 

[Asterix]

Almunia - 5.5. The two dropped crosses were inexcusable. it shows a lack of concentration which you can't afford in a top class keeper.
Sagna - 8 - very tidy game and offers a lot in attack too.
Clichy - 7.5 - just needs to learn to cross the ball.
Toure - 8. Solid as.
Senderos - 7 - still looks like he can stuff up once or twice a game, but not too bad.
Rosicky - 7 - some nice moves from Tomas.
Hleb 7 - some good moves, and isn't afraid to get stuck in either.
Flamini 7 - very solid game again from the Flamster - I'm really liking his efforts so far this season.
Fabregas 8 - 2 assists and a goal. At the heart of our best moves again. Little genius!
van Persie 6.5 - fairly quiet apart from his goal.
Adebayor 7 - is very threatening and gives us great presence, but I wish he's learn how to shott - that effort across goal was particularly poor from a striker.

Diaby 5 - can't pass accurately, but may learn.
Eduardo 7 - can't ask more than to come on and do your job!
Diarra - no rating

 

[Jameel46]

Almunia - 6: did well but made 1 or 2 basic errors (atleast they weren't major errors)

Toure - 7.5: not many talking about his great form (which seems to have lasted years)
Senderos - 6.5: decent enough
Sagna - 8: where's the guy they called the next cafu? another great performance by Sagna which has made Eboue's absence un-noticable. 2 of the best RBs in the premiership, brilliant.
Clichy - 7: was always gonna be hard against Navas & Alves, did well.

Hleb - 6.5: has looked more a part of the team, and is producing a good standard of play which he is doing well not to drop.
Fabregas - 8: :worthy 1 goal (given by uefa.com) and 2 assists, again. brilliant.
Flamini - 7.5: we might be losing another experienced player by the looks of Flamini.
Rosicky - 7: did very well before having to go off.

Adebayor - 7: caused opposition problems as usual.
VP - 7: hasn't started well but scored 3 goals this season, looked good and hopefully brings up his performances.

Diaby - 6 (did decent enough)
Edu - 6 (did what he does)
Lassana - n/a
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did they switch to a 4-3-1-2 when Diaby came on? with Hleb the 1 behind the strikers?n wasn't really paying attention to the formation being played.

 

[mccroix]

everyone is saying 2 assists by cesc...I thought the assist to RVP's goal came by Sagna

 

[RocktheCasbah]

I was apparently sat not too far from Asa- I was in the block next to the Sevilla fans, so the second half was a bit of a struggle for me in terms of our attacking play, but:

Almunia- 6. He kept hammering the ball up the pitch rather than distributing it to the full backs and that got on my tits. There was one heart in mouth moment, but otherwise ok.

Sagna- 8. I'd get his name on the back of my shirt if I didn't think it'd see him leaving at the end of the season. All round superb, so nice to have a proper right back again.

Clichy- 7. Don't remember much from him, do remember a few crosses came from his flank and one typically jet heeled charge up the line.

Flamini- 7.

Toure- 8. Playing with Senderos must really wind him up. His usual excellent, aware, committed beautifully timed tackling self.

Senderos-6. Ok, but he's so dozy. One lapse in concentration would have let Kanoute in had Toure not been so alert.

Fabregas-8. Crucial first goal, two assists. Is there a better and more effective midfielder in the world at the moment?

Rosicky-6. Sure the passage of play where we were chasing shadows for 15 minutes came straight after he went off. Not one of his better games recently, but generally good use of the ball I thought.

Adebayor- 8. Usual barnstorming line leading, but the enigma that is Ade was never better illustrated by the way he rinsed a defender down our left in the first half, before cutting into the penalty area and screwing wide.

RvP- 7. Pleased he scored, as the rest of the stadium was, but up until that point, I feel peripheral would be a kind way to describe him. Also went down like Paris Hilton when he didn't quite have the pace to go clear of the last defender.

Hleb- 7. Nothing really stood out from Alex last night, but as with Saturday his directness and use of the ball is really great to watch right now.

Diaby- 4. Sh't.

Eduardo- Didn't see his goal, knew I shouldn't have left on the 90 but wanted to get home before midnight. The man needs to start a game. Soon.

Diarra- 10. How ironic that he makes his debut for us the same night as his former manager leaves Chelskov.

Not really a 10, wasn't on the pitch long enough to be judged.

The ref- 5. Wondered what game he was reffing at times.

The fans- 8. One of the best atmospheres I've been part of at the new stadium.

My girlfriend-0. For insisting we leave on the 90 minutes.

 

[Tony Montana]

The fans- 8. One of the best atmospheres I've been part of at the new stadium.

I wonder what it sounded like on TV?

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Yeah it'd be good to know, first 20 minutes I had a headache, such was the volume!

The "Adios, adios, adios" singing at the end was great, I thought.

I thought the Sevilla fans were excellent as well. At half time the had a banner out, I think it said "Lo siento Antonio" (I'm sorry Antonio) and they all clapped it. Some Gooners joined in.

 

[awooga83]

I'm shocked RTC, near me there were quite a lot leaving and i was just wishing for a goal to make them regret it and we got one Its quite surprising because the way Arsenal have been playing this season the last 20 minutes are our most likely time to score it seems.

Saw some of the match on TV via sky+ and the atmosphere did sound pretty good on TV particularly at times when the whole stadium got it together in unison.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Yeah, normally I'm of the people always going on about early leavers!

 

[Gurgen]

Almunia 7
Sagna 8
Toure 7
Senderos 6
Clichy 6
Hleb 7
Cesc 8
Flamini 7
Rosicky 6
RvP 7
Ade 7

Diaby 4
Eduardo N/A
Diarra N/A

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Almunia 6
Sagna 7.5
Toure 7.5
Senderos 6
Clichy 7
Fabregas 7
Flamini 7
Hleb 6.5
Rosicky 6.5
van Persie 6
Adebayor 6.5

 

[IBL]

Almunia 6.5 - Did his job

Sagna 7.5 - struggled at times with Sevilla's impressive left winger but superb overall, another Wenger Gem
Toure 7.5 - Captains performance
Senderos 6.5 - doesnt fill me with confidence at all, lucky not to be punished for a few of his slack moments
Clichy 7 - good but nothing spectacular

Hleb 7 - great work rate and some neat play
Cesc 8 - all our goals are going through him at the moment, keep it going
Flamini 8 - Revelation of the season so far, like a player reborn
Rosicky 7 - looked good until the injury

RvP 6.5 - better game but still off his best
Ade 6.5 - worked hard again

SUBS
Diaby 5 - leggy and casual
Eduardo 7 - the fox in the box
Diarra 6 - ok