Arsenal player ratings vs Valencia: Lacazette stars despite shock miss, 4 for midfielder

Arsenal player ratings Valencia

Arsenal player ratings: Alexandre Lacazette scored twice against Valencia (Image: REUTERS•buildlineup.com)

The Gunners have one foot in the Europa League final after a comfortable 3-1 win over Valencia at the Emirates.

Mouctar Diakhaby opened the scoring for the visitors with a brave header at the back post after just 11 minutes.

However, Arsenal hit back through Alexandre Lacazette after excellent work from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Lacazette then put his side into the lead with a downward header but was denied his hat-trick by a brilliant double save from Neto before Aubameyang volleyed in a third late on.

Express Sport have rated how the Arsenal players performed against Valencia, but do you agree?

Arsenal player ratings vs Valencia – Europa League

GK: Petr Cech – 7

Left floundering under Rodrigo Moreno’s header for the opener but stood up well to make an excellent save from Kevin Gameiro in the second half.

RWB: Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 5

Caught napping in the opening stages and was almost punished with a weak header that sold Cech short.

Looked out of sorts in defence, although he did his best to provide width in the final third.

RCB: Shkodran Mustafi – 5

Some rash fouls that put his team in trouble but also made a number of excellent tackles as Arsenal played an open, expansive game.

Actually looked more composed in the later stages as he tries to play his way out of a torrid patch of form.

Arsenal player ratings Valencia

Arsenal player ratings: Shkodran Mustafi was solid in the centre of defence (Image: GETTY)

CB: Sokratis Papastathopoulos – 6

Made to look silly on a couple of occasions in one-on-one situations but was robust in the air and put his foot through it when necessary.

LCB: Laurent Koscielny – 7

Another captain’s performance from the Frenchman, making several vital blocks and one brilliant clearing header to snuff out danger with Goncalo Guedes lurking.

Hampered by an injury for much of the match but soldiered on until the final ten minutes.

LWB: Sead Kolasinac – 6

Found plenty of space down the left with some super movement but rarely found his man with his final ball – expect at the death when he picked out Aubameyang.

Arsenal player ratings Valencia

Arsenal player ratings: Sead Kolasinac finally got his delivery right in the closing stages (Image: GETTY)

CM: Matteo Guendouzi – 4

Looked short of pace in central midfield on his surprise start alongside Granit Xhaka.

Left floundering in the opening moments as Valencia flooded forward and didn’t show the range of passing Gunners fans know he possesses.

CM: Granit Xhaka – 6

Tidy, if unspectacular in the engine room as he tried to link up play although his ball for the second was delicious.

Solid defensively and looked as Arsenal pushed on after the break.

CAM: Mesut Ozil – 6

A frustrating player to watch, with the German looking ineffective for long periods before gliding into space and presenting real danger with his probing runs.

The usual criticisms apply – so talented but doesn’t do enough to impact the match.

Arsenal player ratings Valencia

Arsenal player ratings: Mesut Ozil was inconsistent once again (Image: REUTERS)

ST: Alexandre Lacazette – 8

A real live-wire in attack, harrying the Valencia rearguard and creating a number of chances for himself and others.

Great through-ball and good supporting run was rewarded with a tap-in for the opener and headed home the second.

However, the Frenchman should have at least had a hat-trick when he missed two chances from close range, a header from six yards and then saw Neto beat another deflected effort away.

ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 6

Ran the channels well and showed great hold-up skills to play Lacazette in for the opener.

Found himself frustrated with a lack of chances but demonstrated great technique to volley in the third from close range.

Arsenal player ratings Valencia

Arsenal player ratings: Do you agree with our scores for the Gunners against Valencia? (Image: buildlineup.com)

SUB: Lucas Torreira (on for Guendouzi, 58 mins) – 7

Excellent after his introduction, providing a level of control in midfield.

SUB: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (on for Ozil, 74 mins) – 5

Looked bright in the closing stages, but didn’t create any chances of note.

SUB: Nacho Monreal (on for Koscielny, 81 mins) – N/A

Drafted in to cover for the injured Koscielny.

source: express.co.uk