Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal player ratings vs Tottenham: North London Derby defeat

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal defenders surround Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean striker Son Heung-Min (2nd R) during the pre-season friendly football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on August 8, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal defenders surround Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean striker Son Heung-Min (2nd R) during the pre-season friendly football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on August 8, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Granit Xhaka
Tottenham Hotspur’s Dutch midfielder Steven Bergwijn (R) vies with Arsenal’s Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka (L) during the pre-season friendly football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

Arsenal Midfielders Ratings

Albert Sambi Lokonga (CM) – 7/10 – Sambi not only put in his best display in pre-season so far but also rubber-stamped his place in the starting lineup against Brentford.

Boasting a delightful first touch, his decision-making when receiving the ball is as clean as his distribution. There were some lovely passages of play from the Belgian who can first-time pass with either foot calmly and effectively. A very shrewd piece of business but tired as the game wore on.

Granit Xhaka (CM) – 6/10 – Not much wrong from the Swiss who interestingly was given more freedom to push forward than his midfield partner.

Arteta seemed content having Sambi use his deep progressive passing to effect and his allowed Xhaka to play on the angle and try to keep possession ticking over.

Emile Smith Rowe (AM) – 7/10 – Started slowly but grew into the game and eventually was spinning players left, right and centre. Kept drifting out into wide zones as he loves so much to link up with Pepe and there were a few neat moves on that right flank to open up opportunities.

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