Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: Complete 2018/19 season player ratings

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal (L) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on April 01, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal (L) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on April 01, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Matteo Guendouzi
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 21: Matteo Guendouzi of Arsenal in action during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at Emirates Stadium on February 21, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

Matteo Guendouzi – 6.25

Matteo Guendouzi started the season with his hair on fire. He was superb. Signed as a nobody, 19-year-old, second-tier French midfielder, he strolled into the Arsenal team, bravado seeping out of every pore. And the bravado was earned. He was truly excellent, the orchestrator of the team with his exquisite passing range and incessant commitment coming to the fore.

But then he began to hit what some in American sports would call a ‘rookie wall’. Was he figured out? Did he begin to struggle with the physicality of the senior game at the highest level? Or is being consistent as a teenager just a very difficult thing to achieve? It was likely a combination of those factors — and more — but Guendouzi’s performances unquestionably faded as the year went by.

Even his performances were not as high quality, though, his talent is undeniable. He needs to calm down his hair-raising style. A defensive awareness must be developed and his eagerness to chase after the ball needs to be tempered. But there are some terrific tools to work with there, and he displayed them all in his first season at the club.