Ranking Arsenal’s Biggest Culprits: Five Players Who Simply Didn’t Cut The Mustard V Monaco

A night to forget for all involved…

It would be easy to say the entire Arsenal team were inexplicably and unprofessionally abject against AS Monaco that all should be on this list but it would be too galling to completely eviscerate 14 players.

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In what was supposed to be the easiest last-16 tie to call, Arsenal paradoxically surprised yet predictably collapsed against the French side losing 3-1.

The quarterfinals look like a pipe-dream for the north London side now after such a abject display both collectively and individually.

In that vein, CaughtOffside thought it would take a look at the Gunners five worst performers against the Ligue 1 side, the unfortunate few who should hang their heads in shame.

5) Theo Walcott

Coming on in the second half, Walcott almost immediately set about creating a chance that was well fashioned but missed.

He then preceded to block a glorious opportunity for Danny Welbeck on the rebound and do little to nothing of note for the rest of the night.

Perhaps more alarmingly, it was his behaviour when leaving the pitch that will cause more concern, reportedly getting into a spate and making gestures to his own supporters.

4) David Ospina

It could be argued Ospina had no chance with the first goal because of the wicked deflection it took and the quality of the hit from Kondogbia but he barely reacted to it, not even raising a glove and watching it sail into the middle of the net.

With the second, Dimitar Berbatov was given the freedom of the Emirates with which to take his shot so blame is hardly appropriate for the Colombian.

But his position for the third will cause the most concern, Ospina seemingly in the worst possible position and failing to cover a shot from one corner of the penalty box to the post on the diagonal, the shot not even curled or that hardly struck – if anything that Ferreira-Carrasco hit it with his right leg should have caused it to travel closer to Ospina, yet he was unable to make contact.

3) Laurent Koscielny

Koscielny wasn’t the almost loaded spring we’ve come to expect at the back looking sluggish, out of position and like at any moment an errant pass could put Arsenal in danger.

He was lucky to get away with a nerve-wrenching pass across the 18 yard box at one point but that turned out not to matter when for the first goal he and the rest of the Arsenal defence gave Kondogbia the freedom of the Arsenal half with which to run into rather than close down his shot.

He couldn’t be helped on the second goal and no blame could be afforded as his teammates essentially screwed him by leaving him alone in the Arsenal half.

2) Per Mertesacker

Worringly, Mertesacker seems to be going drastically backwards rather than forwards this season in a quite erringly similar fashion to Thomas Vermaelen.

His inexplicable decision to step-up and attempt to win the ball high up on Monaco’s second goal looks ever more perpllexing given just how much space he left behind him and effectively made Laurent Koscielny the sole man to mark three onrushing Monaco attackers.

In a foot race, Mertesacker will always be second-best as the third goal demonstrated. Arsene Wenger will be hoping the German was just part of the collective dip in form on the night rather than something more terminal or he could find himself scouring the markets for another centre-back sometime soon.

1) Olivier Giroud

Just not his night. You could see how frustrated Giroud was getting after each opportunity he had inexplicably flew into the crowd.

Almost everything he did was a negative though it was a surprise to see him hauled off so earlier but perhaps Arsene Wenger was simply sparing his blushes.

A smattering of boos as he left the field perhaps too harsh a response to a man who until recently has been bang in form, but against Monaco it was a performance so poor it almost warranted sympathy.