Arsenal comfortably saw off Middlesbrough earlier this evening to go through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. This ensures they remain on track to defend their trophy, and now the Gunners are just one win away from at least 1 Wembley visit. So let’s score the verdict on the players involved.
Wojciech Szczesny: 6Â – Szczesny’s return to the starting line-up was a relatively untroubled one between the sticks. Rarely was the Pole called into action today, apart from the one comfortable save he had to make in the first half. However, Kike’s header which hit the post late in the game did have the goalkeeper beaten.
Calum Chambers: 7.5Â – Chambers was another player seeing some first-team action after watching on from the sidelines in recent weeks, and he looked refreshed and energetic. He put in a good shift out on the right and looked the player he was back at the start of the season. Really good to see him get a game again and being impressive as well.
Gabriel Paulista: 6.9 – The Brazilian had to wait a few games before he could make his début for the Gunners, but I think he was well protected by the midfield and so wasn’t called into too much action on the day. However, he sacrificed himself for the team by getting a yellow card for a much needed body block, on a 2 on 2 counter-attack situation, and made a very good sliding tackle to get the ball out of the danger in his own box. So some positive activity when he was called into action.
Laurent Koscielny: 6.9 – The Frenchman was cool as always but wasn’t called into action for long spells of the game. He was part of a defence that was well guarded by the midfield.
Kieran Gibbs: 7.7 – Gibbs came back into the team in favour of Monreal, after going through a long period on the bench for the past few weeks. He was another player who looked lively in his position. The England international looked very potent in Arsenal’s attacks, and it paid off when he assisted Giroud for the opening goal. Some very good football on display today.
Mathieu Flamini: 6.5Â – Flamini didn’t do much wrong today. He isn’t as good as Coquelin in that position nowadays but he did his bit to ensure that Arsenal’s back four avoided bombardment.
Santi Cazorla: 7Â – The Spaniard was influential as always today. His dummy ball into Gibbs to help orchestrate the opener was key. When everyone expected him to pull the trigger, his genius did the unexpected in the moment. He was an important part of Arsenal’s passing game.
Mesut Ozil: 7Â – The German was as good as his Spanish counter-part, maybe not as influential as he may have wanted to be, but a key man in Arsenal’s attacks non the less.
Alexis Sanchez: 7 – The Chilean didn’t have his greatest game in an Arsenal shirt but as always he made himself known on the pitch. The most memorable moment from Alexis was his 20-yard sprint from just past the centre circle, to get on the end of Welbeck’s return ball in the first half. Maybe he’s still not at his magical best since that knock he received in the mid-week but he was still a threat.
Olivier Giroud: 7.9 – The Frenchman bagged himself a brace in as many minutes during the first half, latching onto Gibbs low cross from the left and slotting it underneath the body of the Middlesbrough keeper, followed by a sensational first team hit from an Alexis corner. You could say he faded a bit in the second half but his two goals proved to be the difference.
Danny Welbeck: 6.9 – Welbeck is still yet to find the net since December and it was more of the same today. He did make numerous efforts to try and get on the end of balls, and provide balls in return though. Not a majestic performance but not a terrible one. You feel that sooner or rather than later he will find the net for Arsenal.
Subs:
Tomas Rosicky: 6.5 – The Czech is always a live wire in the Arsenal side. His driving run and through ball to put Walcott through later on in the game was evidence of this.
Theo Walcott: 6 – Walcott showed his pace and intelligence off the ball when put through on goal by Rosicky’s through ball, despite failing to find the net, which could of signed, sealed and delivered the result.
Chuba Akpom: N/A – Didn’t have enough time to have a real influence on the game.
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