Football Special Report: Arsenal vs. West Ham United: Player Ratings and Man of the Match (Part 2)
Continued..
Gael Clichy: 7.5
The veteran left back of Arsenal was very impressive on the left flank and managed to keep on pressing visitors defence line with his surging runs. It was a solid game for Clichy, who seems to be back to his best.
Moreover, the veteran left back of Arsenal provided a superb cross for Alex Song to score the winner after making an excellent surging run on the left flank.
All in all, Gael Clichy showed great experience and composure.
West Ham United Defenders
Herita Illunga: 5.5
The veteran right back of West Ham United struggled to deal with the threat of Nasri and Sagna, and he made Sagna’s job easy for allowing him to make those surging runs on the right flank.
However, Illunga did not receive much help from the winger, which made his job even more difficult. Also, he was completely out gunned by Arsenal’s pacey winger, Theo Walcott, on many occasions.
Manuel Da Costa: 7
Manuel Da Costa played an impressive game at the Emirates and did exceptionally well to stop Marouane Chamakh and his aerial attacks. The centre half of West Ham United also made some timely interventions and tackles.
Danny Gabiddon: 6.5
Gabiddon had a decent game against Arsenal and did not allow Gunners’ attack much space to shoot. The defensive partnership of Gabiddon with Costa worked well and they managed to Arsenal at bay for most of the time but were very unfortunate to concede a
very late goal.
Lars Jacobsen: 6.5
Lars had the tough job of ensuring that Arsenal’s left winger Andrei Arshavin does not create anything. In the starting twenty minutes of the match, Lars Jacobsen was out paced by Arsenal left winger on many occasions, but as the game wore on; Lars managed
to get hold of Arshavin, and did not allow the left winger to get the better of him.
Alex Song: 8.5
It was a fabulous performance from Alex Song. The Cameroon international has vastly improved in his attacking play and has scored some vital goals this season, but this will certainly be a goal for him to remember.
Alex Songs’ late winner sealed the three points for Arsenal, and he has now scored in his three successive appearances for the Gunners. The 23-year-old was also exceptional in midfield breaking up attacks and starting play from the back.
Generally, it was a man of the match display from Alex Song. A sensational diving header to ensure the winner and was a constant threat in attack, providing inch-perfect passes. Also completed a heavy amount of defensive work
Cesc Fabregas: 6.5
Arsenal young skipper was not at his best, and struggled at times to impose himself in the midfield. Cesc Fabregas was guilty of some mistimed efforts and uncharacteristic passes. The skipper seemed to be suffering from slight hamstring problem, may be because
of that he was not at his best form. Cesc delivered a delicate through ball for Theo in the dying minutes of the match.
Nevertheless, the skipper worked tirelessly to find the winner with constant movement and incisive passing and also managed to orchestrate and lead the Arsenal attack.
Denilson: 5.5
The Samba star of Arsenal had an average game by his standards, and was wasteful on more than one occasion. However, Denilson passed precisely, but was short of creativeness and vision to deliver any meaningful attacking threat.
Moreover, Denilson did have a tendency to be wasteful on the ball and was rightly substituted in the latter stages of the match. He will probably return to the bench with the return of Jack Wilshere.
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