The best way to respond to a damaging defeat is with a convincing victory. And Arsenal have one foot in the group stages of the Champions League after a comfortable 3-0 win over Fenerbahce in Turkey.
Wojciech Szczesny - 7 – Untroubled in the first-half, but was called into action on three occasions in the second-half. He was more responsible than most for Arsenal keeping a clean sheet.
Bacary Sagna – 7 – A solid presence, both at right-back and at centre-half, especially in the second-half. In a rum way, having to play with Per Mertesacker at the centre of Arsenal's defence could help them, as they'll be renewing this partnership against Fulham on Saturday.
Per Mertesacker – 7 – The stand-in captain did an admirable job, having to clear a series of crosses in the second-half. How he leads the defence over the next few weeks will be key to how Arsenal start their season.
Laurent Koscielny – N/A – Did little wrong. Koscielny's rating is simply down to him having to leave the pitch after 33 minutes with an injury. He took a nasty kick to the face, and may still be getting stitches in his head by the time you read this.
Kieran Gibbs - 7 – Untroubled in defence, and made plenty of forward runs to augment the attack. Didn't always deliver a good final ball, but was in the right place to convert the opening goal to set Arsenal on their way.
Jack Wilshere – 7 – Like the match against Aston Villa, Wilshere appears to have a huge bullseye on his shins, as he suffered numerous fouls in the match. However, he kept his cool, and dictated the play nicely, with an impressive pass success rate (90%).
Aaron Ramsey – 8 – Sometimes Ramsey's decision making and positioning can let him down. But his energy and industry was perfect for a contest such as this. He tirelessly broke up Fenerbahce attacks, and started some of Arsenal's best moves, playing a delightful pass that led to the first goal, and firing home from long range to score the second.
Tomas Rosicky - 6 – Rosicky was his typical lively self. However, his usage of the ball was uncharacteristically poor. But his pressing meant he functioned as a useful first line of defence.
Theo Walcott – 7 – While I get frustrated with Walcott's inability to keep possession consistently, we may have to accept that as long as he makes crucial interventions in the match, he's worth persevering with. Tonight, he did just that, assisting the first goal, and winning the penalty for the third.
Olivier Giroud - 6 – A pass completion rate of 50% demonstrates how average Giroud's hold-up play was. However, his physical presence means he can be a constant nuisance for defenders, and it would be churlish to ignore the confident way he dispatched the third goal from the penalty spot.
Santi Cazorla – 6 – After a busy summer, I suspect Cazorla is still short of match fitness. It meant he flitted in & out of the match. However, some of his touches - particularly in the first-half – were delightful. Expect to see the Spaniard back to his best over the coming weeks.
SUBS
Carl Jenkinson – 6 - As Arsenal took control of the game, Jenkinson was allowed more freedom to attack down the right-hand side of the pitch. His crossing was hit & miss, but overall a solid display.
Lukas Podolski – n/a – Came on for Giroud. We may see him more as a striker this season.
Nacho Monreal – n/a – Was brought on to keep the 3-0 lead secure.
This win shouldn't be overlooked for its importance. A bad result would have meant last season's unbeaten run that secured 4th place would have been for nothing. It also gives the club – assuming Arsene Wenger will spend before September 2nd – greater leverage to attract players.
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