Arsenal player ratings vs Watford: Smith Rowe secures 1-0 win

Arsenal secured a gutsy 1-0 against Watford on Sunday as another goal from Emile Smith Rowe in the Premier League extended the Gunners’ unbeaten run to ten matches.

It was a memorable day for Mikel Arteta as he led his team out for the 100th time, and to mark the occasion he made one change from the side that beat Leicester 2-0 last time out.

Nuno Tavares and Alexandre Lacazette kept their places but there was a surprise (it’s not really anymore) omission of Thomas Partey with a groin strain, who wasn’t involved in the squad at all. Ainsley Maitland-Niles came in to midfield to partner Sambi Lokonga.

Bukayo Saka thought he’d got Arsenal in front early doors as he pounced early in the penalty box, only for VAR to correctly rule him out for offside

Arsenal player ratings vs Watford as Emile Smith Rowe grabs 1-0 Premier League win in Mikel Arteta’s 100th match as manager

A tepid first half from Arsenal with chances few and far between looked like it would finally get the breakthrough it needed when Danny Rose clothes lined Alexandre Lacazette to hand the hosts a penalty.

For the second time running, however, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn’t convert from 12 yards. And this time there was no rebound.

After the break there was much more impetus and the breakthrough came after 55 minutes when another driving run from Benjamin White culminated in the ball falling to Emile Smith Rowe who brilliantly finished from outside the box.

Aubameyang once again forced an offside when he touched in Odegaard’s shot as Arsenal continued pushing for the second in a meaty contest. There was a late red card for Watford as the Gunners’ held on to mark Arteta’s century of matches with a win.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – 6/10 – Didn’t really have a save to make. This wasn’t an outing for his distribution either as the way Watford set up avoiding to press Arsenal meant the passes he likes to make weren’t on, while he also had a hearts in mouths moment with five minutes to go.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (RB) – 7/10 – Found Saka well down the right a few times and showed his underrated deceleration ability in a few key defensive moments and had Dennis in his pocket.

Benjamin White (CB) – 8/10 – Tried to force the issue with his trademark driving runs when Watford’s block was happy to sit off and wait for someone to come on to them. Kept Josh King at bay and played a huge role in Smith Rowe’s goal.

Gabriel (CB) – 7/10 – Came within a whisker of putting Arsenal in front when his header was well saved. On the ball there were a few loose passes and he could have been tighter to his man on a few occasions, but he nonetheless stood up strong to the Watford forwards.

Nuno Tavares (LB) – 7/10 – His starting position was so high, a la Tierney, but he wasn’t able to get on the ball enough in threatening positions. That changed in the second half where he showed some defensive steel.

Continued…

Midfielders

Bukayo Saka (RM) – 7/10 – Got the beat on Rose a few times and it was an area Arsenal didn’t exploit enough, even if Dennis often did well to cover. Saka looked like the host’s biggest threat whenever he was found and it was a lively outing for him whenever he wasn’t getting kicked to pieces.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles (CM) – 7/10 – Showed plenty of energy in place of Partey, who missed out from injury, and made a few key recovery challenges, interceptions and tackles that got the crowd going and halted Hornets transitions.

Started out covering the left-back area vacated by Nuno and when that stopped and he moved more infield there was greater carrying and line breaking potential in the team. Strong outing.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (CM) – 5/10 – Started well but struggled to progress the ball as he would have liked with Arsenal moving their other midfielder out into wide areas. Those early neat touches and passes faded and he drifted out of the game more as it went on, with some sloppiness creeping into his game.

Emile Smith Rowe (LM) – 7/10 – Wasn’t able to impact the game in the areas he would have liked. Arsenal struggled to create moving down the left and Smith Rowe was dropping deeper and deeper to try and progress through the thirds.

Looked distinctly more dangerous after the break with clever movement infield and took his goal very well from outside the box.

Continued…

Forwards

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST) – 4/10 – Right from the get-go Aubameyang came across a touch sleepy. He was not at it early doors and while he tried to press more intently as the match wore on, the sluggish opening will have played its part in the penalty miss.

A poor touch that inadvertently set up Saka for the goal should have been controlled better, he foolishly touched Odegaard’s goalbound shot, and overall was lacking sharpness and finesse.

Alexandre Lacazette (ST) – 6/10 – Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and for a match where Arsenal were always going to see the lion’s share of possession it would have been wise to play someone of Odegaard’s ilk to add central creativity against the low block.

As for Lacazette’s performance, however, he got himself about well and rustled numerous Watford feathers, constantly harassing and aiming to win the physical duels. A very Lacazette showing.

Continued…

Substitutes

Martin Odegaard – 6/10 – Should have scored. His effort after coming on looked like it was nestling into the net only for Aubameyang to foolishly get a touch on it. This was someone with a point to prove and it showed in his aggression, even if he was a bit rash with some of his touches.

Mohamed Elneny – N/A – Came on to shore things up but wasn’t on long enough for a rating.

Gabriel Martinelli – N/A – Another one of his trademark two-minute outings.