EPL 2017/18: Everton 2-5 Arsenal: Player Ratings

Arsenal:

Monreal celebrates after opening the scoring for Arsenal

Petr Cech: 5/10

Error-prone, ponderous and timid, are all three traits any great keeper shouldn’t have. However, Petr Cech displayed all those attributes at Goodison Park. The once great keeper made error after error and didn’t look like saving anything. He gives the fans and players no confidence whatsoever and his costly mistake in the last minute only re-enforces that.

Héctor Bellerín: 6.5/10

Héctor Bellerín presented himself as an ever-present option wide on the right. He tormented Leighton Baines and in defence, he was never found lacking either. The wing-back was influential both offensively and defensively.

Laurent Koscielny: 6/10

The French defender is meant to galvanise his teammates by giving them the reassurance of defensive solidity, instead, he also looked like a bag of nerves in the first half. In the end, the Frenchman’s true quality shone through as he even contributed effectively to Arsenal’s build-up play.

Per Mertesacker: 5/10

It was a poor start from Per Mertesacker as his hesitancy to close down Wayne Rooney led to the opening goal of the game. However, from then on the German didn’t put a foot wrong as he steered the back three through.

Nacho Monreal: 7/10

The Spaniard was Arsenal’s only defender who showed any heart or desire at the back. He got into the faces of the aggressive Everton players and matched them stride for stride. The full-back also showed great desire to be the first to react to a parried Granit Xhaka shot. The Spaniard has now scored 2 goals in a season for the first time ever.

Sead Kolašinac: 5.5/10

The Bosnian had a relatively quiet game in comparison to his Spanish compatriot. His enthusiasm to get forward was admirable but he didn’t offer anything worthwhile in attack.

Granit Xhaka: 5/10

If this was a one-time thing it could be forgiven, but a week after costing his team the game, Xhaka nearly did the same thing at Goodison Park. Wayne Rooney’s stunning opener wouldn’t have happened if Xhaka hadn’t had taken an age on the ball before getting tackled. The Swiss international showed great naivety for that goal and that lapse in concentration seemed to affect him for the rest of the game.

Aaron Ramsey: 7/10

If his teammates had been on the same page as him, Aaron Ramsey could have bagged himself a hat-trick today. There were several times where the Welshman found himself free in the final third, but instead, his teammates, most notably Alexis, kept ignoring him.

However, the 26-year-old did not allow that to deter him as he kept on making surging attacking runs, allowing Arsenal to dominate Everton from start to finish, eventually getting his well-deserved goal.

Alexis Sánchez: 6.5/10

The Chilean’s tireless work rate seemed to inject a spurt of life into his teammates. Sánchez was everywhere in the final third, doing his best to make things. His movement wreaked havoc in Everton’s box and his constant attempts on goal kept Jordan Pickford ever so busy. In the end, the Chilean got a goal that his work rate deserved.

Mesut Özil: 9/10

What can we say about the former world cup winner? Mesut Özil was simply amazing against Everton, he ran the show from the first minute and reminded everyone why he’s so important to Arsène Wenger’s attacking plans.

The German created an incredible 8 chances throughout the game, provided 1 assist and on top of that, he scored a game-changing goal in the 53rd minute.

Alexandre Lacazette: 6.5/10

After a frustrating 70 minutes, Alexandre Lacazette finally got the goal he desperately craved as Mesut Özil squared the ball to him in the 73rd minute. Before that goal, the Frenchman cut a frustrated figure struggling to get into the game, but in the end, he settled the game for the Gunners.

Substitutions:

Jack Wilshere: 6.5/10

The Englishman has gradually been receiving more & more minutes this season. His three Europa League starts have clearly impressed the boss and today he was allowed 18 minutes to work his magic. And that’s exactly what he did, Wilshere completed 15 passes and provided 1 assist in that time.

Francis Coquelin: 6/10

The Frenchman came on to sure up the game and shield the midfield. He did that and allowed Jack Wilshere & Aaron Ramsey to freely roam forward.