It was another great day at the Emirates for Arsenal, as they exacted vengeance on the team that have taken so many players from them in recent years by all-but-ending their title hopes for the season, while keeping their own third-place ambitions firmly in sight.

The scoreline flattered City, who managed less than 40 percent possession without even a shot on target. But how good was each individual player?

Sczeszny: 7

The Polish goalkeeper didn’t have a huge amount to do today, but he showed good reflexes to turn a looping header from Aguero over the bar and provided a safe pair of hands for City’s occasional crosses.

Gibbs: 7

Kieran Gibbs didn’t do anything too right or too wrong. He picked up an injury in the second half and was replaced by Andre Santos.

Vermaelen: 8

After Koscielny kept Aguero in his pocket last time around, everyone’s favourite Belgian robot took his turn with a (suprise suprise) solid defensive performance along with some useful forward play, being unfortunate to get in the way of a goal-bound Van Persie header.

Koscielny: 8

Koscielny was a rock at the back as usual, but his performance was blighted by the fact that he picked up his 10th caution of the season, meaning Arsenal are going to have to use calamity replacement Johan Djourou in central defence, something that may cost them.

Sagna: 8

Bacary Sagna gave his usual combination of excellent defensive work and dangerous-seeming attacking play, being a more effective presence down the right than Theo Walcott himself.

Song: 7

Song wasn’t dreadful, and made some important challenges, but he gave the ball away far too often and couldn’t pull off any of the long balls he has become renowned for. Still, playing effectively enough against a team like City will be good for his confidence.

Arteta: 7

Some will think he deserves a higher score for his 25-yard winner, but in all honesty Arteta spent far too much time going backwards and sideways than trying to find the killer pass. He does deserve credit for the highly unorthodox tactic of taking the ball, kicking it, and scoring a goal.

Rosicky: 8

The renaissance continues for the Czech workhorse. He was lively and added a deal of pace to Arsenal’s attacks, something that was occasionally lacking. Whatever he’s being fed, it still works.

Benayoun: 5

A player in dire need of some of Rosicky’s wonder formula. Benayoun missed a sitter and simply ran himself out of energy without doing anything useful. I worry for him, as Chelsea won’t want him back, and I don’t think he’s done nearly enough to earn a permanent contract at Arsenal.

Walcott: 6

Theo had one of his less memorable performances. He reverted back to his run-followed-by-useless-cross style of play, which was a shame, and he was eventually subbed off for Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, who at least managed to keep the ball.

Van Persie: 7

A good performance from the captain, without any goals. He would have headed Arsenal in front early on but was denied by Vermaelen (not intentionally), and would surely have slotted home had a certain substitute chosen to pass to him....

Subbity Subbity Subs:

Ramsey: 4

Sell this man. Really sell him. Aaron Ramsey didn’t have any vision, any pace, or any finishing, hashing a fairly simple shot miles wide in the dying moments when Robin Van Persie was screaming for it. Another poor performance, but that seems to be the norm for him nowadays.

Oxlade-Chamberlain: 6

A low score because of his minimal involvement, but the hot prospect was decent enough, holding up play towards the end and giving an assured presence on the ball.

Santos: 7

Andre Santos is always good going forward but shaky at the back and today was no exception. He didn’t make any terrible mistakes however, and was arguably better at left-back than Gibbs.

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Comments  

#28 Gwan 2012-04-10 10:59
No time 2 pick up, send Ramsey on loan n ck hm out latter. Check bench depth 2 avoid player overuse. Walcot-seems burnt out-sm reasonabel break wud do 2 regain hs pace-lad still an asset.
#27 Sham 2012-04-10 10:15
Well, Santos was part of the reason why Balotelli got sent off. What he did was to set more fire on Balo hot head. And with the 'finger on you lip' sign towards Balo, instantly heated up that guy and finally he got the read.
#26 Believe 2012-04-09 14:57
In Arsene We Trust. If Wenger's willing to give Ramsey some more time, I think we ought to let him have some more time to show what he can do.
#25 gundem 2012-04-09 07:24
Ramsey the flop misses a sitter...
#24 sadie 2012-04-09 07:02
Santos gave the ball away stupidly a couple of times, ruining a promising attack (though he was not the only one...) Benayoun deserves more, kept getting the ball and made an important last-ditch clearance...
#23 MQ 2012-04-08 23:14
I really believe we need to bid for Leighton Baines in the summer need a ironman at LB!
-2 #22 Sagitta 2012-04-08 22:49
Wilshires return, Diaby presence, Rosicky and arteta form, the Ox, Wilcot and Gervinho not to mention a most likely new signing means Ramsey will NEVER break into that available ONE slot in midfield !
Many better players have been given less chances, sold, loaned or punished on bench yet this welsh guy is allowed weekly displays of shame and mistakes !
ARSENE! Stop favouring and let others play !
Benayoun and the Ox deserve Ramsey spot any given week!
He will NOT improve.
This is who he is. Stop giving yourselves excuses.
Some have it. Some don't.
It's that simple. It's called talent. He doesn't have star quality !
Maybe Wigan. Or 2nd division standards.
Nothing more.
That last selfish wasteful chance is a direct definition of what Ramsey is to this team !!
A burden that all are ashamed to admit.
SELL NOW !!!!
-2 #21 Martin Zuhairi 2012-04-08 22:38
Ramsey was tabloid hype that failed.
An Arsenal experiment that is now pure failure.
Arsene stubborn egoistic arrogance prevents this player from leaving.
Shocking we let Arshavin and NB leave yet accept this Prime player to keep playing awful football week in week out.
Ramsey is only proving to us how bad he is every few days.
Soon this agony will end.
Next season he is a bench warmer, tea maker and show cleaner !
And even that is beyond his capability!!
-2 #20 Brian Hulse 2012-04-08 22:33
Ramsey should have been sold years back.
His presence is because AW feels he owns him due to that injury.
Until today we are paying the price of such pathetic loyalty to such a useless player.
It's no wonder Wales are so crap.
No wonder no club wants him.
You know he's crap when spurs fans cheer his presence in the line up!
Ramsey MUST be sold yesterday !
Finally majority of real fans seeing this now.
Few Brits/welsh teens disagree but the majority have realised he is a liability and a disaster !
Sell sell sell sell sell !!!
He makes Denilson look like messi !!
-2 #19 John 2012-04-08 22:29
Ramsey was NEVER arsenal quality !
MUST BE SOLD !!
League is too competitive and 7 dry years means no time to waste of such players !!
Quality like arteta, Rosicky and Song needed.
Arsenal 7 years dry because of failed youth like Ramsey.
Anyone justifying his presence is blind or fooled by emotional excuses.
Being back the arsenal and stop supporting players like Ramsey !
Wake up gunners!
All top 5 clubs buying quality yet we keep waiting for Ramsey to hatch!
Quality needed. Ramsey is a joke!
A painful joke !!
+4 #18 Andy80 2012-04-08 21:49
Benyoun didn't stop running and closing down all game,dunno how you can give him a 5!!!
+5 #17 Arsenalholic 2012-04-08 21:42
Benayoun played well and deserves more than a 5, at least a 7 for him. He bailed Gibbs out at the back severally. Song also deserves nothing less than 8, he was involved in almost all the Arsenal moves, together with Rosicky and Arteta. They dorminated the midfield, and outplayed ManC. Overall, great performance lads. GUNNERS!
+6 #16 Scottish gooner 2012-04-08 21:30
Ramsey is in his f,irst full season after injury, what he needs is experience round him and nothing more than cameo appearances until next season when we should see what he an do.
+1 #15 Niklas 2012-04-08 21:15
Sagna was MOTM!
+2 #14 William 2012-04-08 20:52
Arsenal could have had 4/5 goals! Great performance by Arsenal! Hoping for a solid end to the season! Twitter - W_Armstrong
+6 #13 omar 2012-04-08 20:31
how come Ramsey could finish from outside the box but not form the 6 yards box, but i
don't think we need to sell him, he will improve.
#12 Barnaby 2012-04-08 20:28
I did give Sagna an 8, I thought.
+1 #11 Arsenalman 2012-04-08 20:26
Sagna deserved atleast an 8 for his breathtaking performance, Song also had a very strong game and deserved an 8 aswell. I also feel the Yossi had a fairly strong game despite the sitter which he missed. Deserved atleast a 6 or 7.
#10 Barnaby 2012-04-08 20:11
I was trying to look at their overall performances and not get affected by the fact that Arsenal won.
+1 #9 Triki 2012-04-08 20:09
Did not even mention Santos if am wrong. Really disagree with your marks but then I guess when we win, things change. Thought Arteta kept us ticking all the time and Song actually was not bad and he found RvP who hit the post.
-1 #8 Chris256 2012-04-08 20:08
To be fair Ramsey was nothing special before all the stuff happened. It's terrible but the guy wasn't talking about that, he was talking about his performance today.
+7 #7 Gooner Dan 2012-04-08 20:06
Far too critical of Ramsey, he missed a shot, but Yossi missed a sitter. Remember when Cesc couldn't hit a barn door in his full season? Plus Cesc hasn't had to go through the psychological effect of breaking your leg and having your national manager, who placed so much faith in you, kill himself. If you want him to improve get behind him. Slagging him off online is pure childish. Everyone goes through a bad patch, and this is his. Everyone was calling for Rosicky and Theo to be sold, but the proved them wrong. Ramsey will aswell, so Keep the Faith.
#6 Jacob 2012-04-08 20:00
What did the writer say that suggested he was a sack wenger person?

I mean to me this article seems alright, if a bit sarcastic.
-3 #5 Jacob 2012-04-08 19:58
I'm sure they're crushed. They did so rely on your traffic. Ramsey might have been injured but has never shown any kind of premier league quality and constantly seems bored and out of touch.
+3 #4 #Coyshater 2012-04-08 19:58
Your a prick... Bet u was a sack wenger mug!!!
+4 #3 rahul 2012-04-08 19:39
it was my First visit to your site & it will be my last, ramsay's 1st full season since that injury we should give him all the support he needs... Slagging off ramsay like that??
+1 #2 td 2012-04-08 19:34
sagna deserved higher - did not put a foot wrong in defence and his attacking play was breath-taking.
+3 #1 Barmacafc 2012-04-08 19:24
Song and Arteta should be 8 and Santos 7 I think He changed the game when he came on