The boys were up for this one and never allowed Basel to get into the game. Wenger opted to play most of his stars and to go for the win; and so they did. The game gave us all a good opportunity to have a look at Perez and Holding and they put a smile on all our faces.
Player Ratings:
Ospina: solid when needed and always focussed – it did not think once about Cech – 8
Gibbs: What an assured and demanding performance: very aggressive in attack and made very good decisions time and again. Two assists (one via the keeper’s hands) and one pre-assist are great game stats for him – 9 MOTM.
Koz: Solid and commanding and great support for young Holding – 8
Holding: Relatively calm and mature, a good reader of the game and great positioning, did very little wrong – 7.5
Gabriel: I like him as a FB: he has bite and good positional awareness and really makes his opponents feel his pressence/ going forward he is a little limited but never stopped making himself available once he committed himself – 8
Xhaka: the boy has got class and is starting to settle in/ good pairing with Rambo: they kept it simple and bossed their area, which allowed our attackers to have fun – 8
Rambo: disciplined performance with less ambition to go forward (clear instruction from the boss, I reckon), kept it simple and effective and worked well with Xhaka – 7.5
Ozil: lovely movement and passing and great attitude: his selfless assist for Iwobi was sublime and his pre-assist for Perez’s second was a dream pass that cut the Basel defence open in a flash with his newly acquired Swiss Army Knive – 8.5
Iwobi: really good aide-to-team performance: worked hard and supported his fellow attackers well and good run with Ozil for his goal – still needs to get on the same, phenomenally wavelength of his fellow attackers but that will come – 7.5
Perez: knows how to be at the right place and at the right time and took his chances like an assassin leading to a well-deserved and very efficient hat trick (3/3). Still early days, but there is a bit of a Freddie L about him – 9
Alexis: lovely movement and passing and great attitude… does that sound familiar? 🙂 Beautiful pre-assist for the first goal and produced a stunning, unstoppable free-kick with only the bar in his way. A leader on the pitch who has become one with Mesut: a two-headed creating and attacking machine that devours all at the moment – 8.5
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
what a performance！keep it on gunaz
Great performance, top of the table, no injuries and looking forward. You couldn’t ask for more. Once again, good call by the manager to go for it in hope.
I just realized that we are back. I had set my calendar for late December. I was testing my browser and decided to click on my favorite bookmark site, and saw a new post,!
Great news.
I’m watching the game now, just saw lucas 1st goal, what an amazing pass from alexis to gibbs for his assist to lucas.
I don’t think even Arsene could have known alexis would be as good a provider as he has shown.
I criticized him for him for using him as a striker in the first place.
So what do i know.? This…
Arsene knows best.
Tut tut TA, you are getting distracted … and we can understand why 😀
Yep, MOTM for Gibbs must be really really special for him. It was not that long ago when his injury record was somewhere between Wilshere’s and Diaby, so this is just reward for the hard work and dedication he has put in. Let us hope, for his sake, all that is a thing of the past.
What I have noticed about his improvement in play, is that every so often he passes with his right foot. He always had speed, but this season whenever he has played, there has been a focus. He rarely wastes a pass, although the one foot does make him predictable?
In this game though he really was a proper winger, fully in tune with the movement of others, and they in return, fully aware of his. The boy could have a future at this club if this continues?
I have absolutely no disagreement with any of your assessment and ratings elsewhere either …
even with Ramsey 😀
He did, as you say, play with more discipline, and most certainly AW publicly saying so had a lot to do with it. Consequently, he slotted in well with the team effort. Nothing spectacular going forward, but also not leaving an over-work team mate behind. Very solid performance.
Note of caution though. There was a hint of an injury when he was taken off. That in itself was unusual, given one of his strengths is to keep running for 120 minutes if necessary? The commentary team suggested it was an ankle knock, but Ramsey indicated to the bench it was not a major problem. But no surprised if the Xhaka Coquelin is the pairing of choice against Stoke?
As for Alexis, like Jnyc above, initially thought playing as a CF when he doesn’t in the traditional sense play there, was strange. I think the transformation though has exceeded AW’s wildest expectations? I have said this a few times lately, his awareness as a midfielder seems to have got much broader, i.e. over and above what it can do for himself regards scoring goals. It is this unselfishness, combined with his undoubted skill, that has made him a truly world class player.
It will be a sad day for Arsenal if it becomes a one season wonder?
The rumour mill has it that Chelsea are interested in him if we do not reach an agreement regards his contract. That is bad news, as living in London does have a strong appeal for both him and Ozil. Rumour there says AW will listen to offers for Ozil in the summer! That is not just speculation, just common sense financially for the pair of them. They are to valuable to be allowed to run down their contracts and walk for free? How far the BoD will go towards meeting their demands, I think, will depend on the results of our next few games, and to some extent, our draw in the CL?
Unfortunately that is a distraction from our excellent form, to which this game is another extension of, with every hope it will continue. 😀
Cheers,
Gerry
After watching the full game replay I feel that Alexis played in the hole, Ozil in the left, Iwobi on the right and Perez played up top more than they were in their original positions.
The opposition is surely bamboozled by this change of positions and it is good to drag the defense out of position once in a while.
Not much to add as Gerry and TA summed up the game. Now to get as much rest and training for the next game against the Rugby team. Not so much now, but still quite strong defensively.
JK
Oh yes. Both Xhaka brothers did well.
Granit was strong defensively and made good long passes, while his brother closed us down well at times, but he was not able to get his defenders to do what he did.
Jk
“A leader on the pitch who has become one with Mesut: a two-headed creating and attacking machine that devours all at the moment.”
What were Barca and Real thinking?
jw1
If we split both of them we will not see a attack so potent.
Good comment JW1
Cheers guys 🙂
looking fwd to hearing more from Johnnie if he managed to see the whole game 🙂
Gerry, nice additional comment re Gibbs. I favour Monreal but have no issue with seeing Gibbser start the occasional game.
Re contracts for the star duo…. Let’s leave it to the club and Alexis has been a success every season he has played for us, so no need to worry about one season wonder situation. I am sure the club will try and keep them and Ozil is rumoured to be close to agreeing a deal. Alexis might be harder to pin down but Wenger has said he will run down their contracts if needed. I am sure that money is not the only motivator and that some clubs will always be able to pay more than us; Wenger will have to seduce the players with his vision once more, and his own contract situation might be key in all of this.
TA, before we move on to our next test against Stoke, can I make request?
I know we have seen less and less comments from ‘The Prof’, Geoff Chase, but in light of the recent sunami, following the earthquake near South Island of NZ, which I believe is where his family were located? So could you pop off a quick email to check on their health and well being?
In advance, thank you.
I ask, because I would be interested if he is enjoying the Gunner’s exciting style of play, and his views on them. But a simple season’s greetings would suffice.
Cheers,
Gerry
On another note, but again squeeze in before attention is turned towards line ups, etc.
This is a Fantasy Football related item.
Last weekend, Bod’s Gooners United score a massive 112 points, when the average was a modest 50.
Well played, that man!
Having been gaining ground on my third placed side over the previous few weeks, the BGU has swept into a close second place. Doink City be warned, he’s on a roll!
Cheers,
Gerry
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