...and the opportunity to end Tottenham’s “perfect season.”
Player Ratings:
Cech 6: Had little chance to save the penalty kick of Harry Kane. He made a fine save from Eriksen early in the second half, but made few other saves. He was lucky Kane’s first half header went wide, that Eriksen’s free-kick hit the post (he misjudged it to tell the truth) and that Kane wasn’t able to score at the far post in the second half. Then came the poor back throw in, Cech slipped, but then got up and outraced Son to the ball (luckily Son chickened out and hurdled over Cech).
Bellerin 6: Wasn’t able to stop several crosses from coming into the middle and he wasn’t able to impose himself offensively. Made one fine intervention when his speed bailed the team out. He had a shot late that was blocked in the area.
Mustafi 6: Won’t be happy that he wasn’t able to get his two headers from corners on target. Generally was solid when Arsenal had good numbers back. I think he was the one who made the ill advised throw to Cech.
Koscielny 6: His movement led to our scoring, when Wimmer tried to prevent him from getting the header. He conceded a rash penalty, that gave Spurs a lifeline.
Monreal 6: Was generally good, but at times he looked overwhelmed and allowed too much space. His intervention against Kane at the far post saved a goal and was critical.
Coquelin 6: He was generally solid, but at times looked unsure who to take in Spurs’s reconfigured midfield.
Xhaka 7: He had a good match, but missed an open Sanchez with a poor through ball in the first half. He couldn’t reach Iwobi’s cross when he broke through alone on goal.
Ozil 7: A delicious free-kick set up our goal. At times he looked menacing, but he had a second half effort saved by Lloris and he couldn’t put Walcott’s deflection home as the ball came at him too quickly.
Walcott 6: Three inches to the left and Walcott might have scored the goal of the season. It hit the upright and Ozil couldn’t score the rebound. He looked lively, despite having missed a number of games recently. The Gunners should have tried to get him more into the game.
Sanchez 6: He had both good and bad moments, but was only really dangerous when Arsenal were on the break.
Iwobi 6: Missed the best chance of the match in the first half, when wide open he could only hit the ball weakly right at Lloris. Defensively, he looked slow to get back or to pressure the ball.
Substitutes:
Ramsey 6: He had one good chance, a volley from a cleared corner and he stoked it narrowly over the crossbar. On another promising attacking move he shot wastefully when he should have passed the ball out to the right.
Giroud 5: Did not have the impact on the game that Wenger would have wanted. He had one good chance, but he headed straight at Lloris.
Oxlade-Chamberlain 5: Three contributions. A decent run and cross to Bellerin who took a shot, one wild ill timed shot, and one poor cross field pass. Maybe that’s why he didn’t get a call up to play for England.