What some expected to be a comfortable win proved anything but. Crystal Palace proved awkward opponents, and Arsenal failed to get any rhythm in their passing. But the 2-0 result evinced a win of character. It's the kind of win that could prove priceless at the end of the season.
Wojciech Szczesny - 8 – He made a mess of coming for a first-half corner, which could have cost Arsenal a goal. However, he atoned for that error with two outstanding second-half saves, and played as big a part in the victory as anyone.
Bacary Sagna – 7 – The Frenchman was probably Arsenal's best outfield player. He put in a couple of superb crosses, which Olivier Giroud should have done better with. In the second-half, he did excellent jobs on both Jerome Thomas and Yannick Bolasie, and was often in the right place to cover for Per Mertesacker.
Per Mertesacker – 6 – The “BFG” didn't have his best afternoon, finding life difficult as Crystal Palace launched direct balls towards Marouane Chamakh. He's had to play a lot of games recently, and one wonders whether he's suffering from fatigue.
Laurent Koscielny – 7 – Koscielny didn't have the best start to the game, but improved in the second-half. What was pleasantly surprising was the quality of his passing from defence. He tried more long passes than any other player on the pitch (15), and found his target with 13 of them.
Kieran Gibbs - 6 – Gibbs is often used as the “out-ball” for Arsenal. It seemed that Palace were aware of this, as Gibbs was penned back, and found it tough to get forward. His usually high standard of passing let his down, which often left Arsenal under pressure.
Mikel Arteta – 6 – Arteta had been one of Arsenal's better players, and kept his head well to put the Gunners ahead from the penalty spot. But while his red card may have been on the harsh side, he got caught on the wrong side of Chamakh, leaving his teammates in a tough position to secure the win.
Mathieu Flamini – 6 – It hasn't been the best week for Flamini in terms of luck. He picked up an injury – appearing to be his groin – and had to depart after only 8 minutes.
Aaron Ramsey – 6 – For much of the contest, Ramsey gave a frustrating display. His passing lacked purpose, and he failed to make a single successful tackle. However, the Welshman has shown that he can make key contributions even when not at this best. And his work to create Giroud's goal was a superb piece of football.
Mesut Ozil – 6 – The German found it hard to get his game going, especially in the first-half. I've noticed that when Ozil isn't functioning at his best, he tends to float out to the right flank. This was the case in the second-half today. I think his likely rest in midweek will be well-timed.
Santi Cazorla - 5 – I can only imagine that Cazorla is still short of full match sharpness, as he was uncharacteristically ineffective. He failed to spark much in terms of attacking threat, and was substituted after 72 minutes.
Olivier Giroud – 6 – There seemed evidence that Giroud is jaded after having played so regularly. He missed two good headed opportunities, and failed to hold the ball up as well as he normally does (he was dispossessed 4 times). But I love how the Frenchman never gives up, and his goal was a reward for persistence.
SUBS
Serge Gnabry – 6 – I was surprised to see the German be the one to come on for Flamini, and he gave an inconsistent display. But he made a key contribution to the win, winning the penalty for the opening goal.
Jack Wilshere – N/A – Looked distinctly unimpressed to wait until the 69th minute to make an appearance, but didn't sulk and helped guide the team over the line.
Nacho Monreal – N/A – He was ostensibly brought on to help the defence. But Monreal made some good attacking inroads on the counter.
I feel a combination of lethargy and complacency led to the average display. Tuesday's Capital One Cup clash against Chelsea gives Arsene Wenger a timely chance to give his leading names a break. It shows the progress at the club that our target isn't the West Londonders, but the contests against Liverpool and Manchester United. Personally, I'll accept losing in midweek, if it helps us get 6 points against the sides from the north.
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