Declan Rice stuns, 4/10 teammate not good enough – Arsenal player ratings vs Brentford
Arsenal beat Brentford 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday to get back to winning ways in the Premier League.
Mikel Merino‘s header put the Gunners ahead in the first half, but Keith Andrews‘ determined side would not lie down.
Arsenal would wrap up the points in stoppage time, however, when Bukayo Saka found the net on the break.
Mikel Arteta made several changes to face Brentford, with Ben White, Noni Madueke and Martin Odegaard among those brought into the starting XI.
Arsenal lost Cristhian Mosquera to injury against Brentford, with the defender now set to undergo tests on an apparent ankle issue.
Declan Rice the key man vs Brentford
Declan Rice is so often the man for Arsenal, and it was no different on Wednesday. The England international was everywhere, constantly cutting out Brentford attacks and starting Arsenal ones.
When the game became bitty, the midfielder mopped up and swept for the Gunners, providing a constant force in midfield.
| Declan Rice | Vs Brentford |
| Minutes played | 83 |
| Accurate passes | 43/50 |
| Chances created (Big) | 3(1) |
| Shots | 3 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Passes into final third | 8 |
And when Arsenal were in the ascendancy, Rice ran the show, picking up the ball and galloping forward in one action, before spreading play with the next.
With every passing week, the 26-year-old appears to pose a question with stronger intensity – what would Arsenal do without him?
Arteta‘s side may not have come out on the winning side on Wednesday, that is for sure. Rice, again, was a vital cog in the Gunners’ system.
Noni Madueke impresses but Gabriel Martinelli struggles vs Brentford
Arsenal signed Madueke from Chelsea in the summer, in a deal that raised some eyebrows both at the Emirates Stadium and at Stamford Bridge.
But the winger got his career with the Gunners off to a great start, covering well in the absence of Saka.
But after Madueke suffered a knee injury in September, the 23-year-old was forced to sit on the injury table for two months.
After scoring against Bayern on his return, however, the forward now looks well and truly back to his confident best.
Against Brentford, he lit up the field with audacious skill and relentless running. His flick to White created the space for Merino’s opening goal, and the winger continued to be a thorn in the side of Rico Henry.
The winger faded in the second half and was withdrawn on the hour mark by Arteta, but Madueke will take confidence from a positive display.
The same cannot be said for Gabriel Martinelli, who struggled to leave an impression on the game.
The forward had one great chance in the first half, but blazed over after he was found by White. The Brazilian has enjoyed a strong season, but will have to produce better displays than that if he is to oust Leandro Trossard.
Arsenal player ratings vs Brentford
David Raya – 7
Ben White – 7
Cristhian Mosquera – 6
Piero Hincapie – 7
Riccardo Calafiori – 6
Martin Zubimendi – 5
Declan Rice – 9
Martin Odegaard – 6
Gabriel Martinelli – 4
Noni Madueke – 8
Mikel Merino – 7
Substitutes
Jurrien Timber – 7
Eberechi Eze – 6
Bukayo Saka – 7
Viktor Gyokeres – 5