Arsenal Player Grades: Shakhtar Donetsk, Leandro's Wastefulness
Alright, Gunners, let's break down that Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk! We dominated possession, created chances galore, but ultimately left the Emirates a little frustrated. So, without further ado, let's dive into the player grades.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good:
- Gabriel Jesus (8.5): Our main man up top, a constant threat, and deservedly bagged a goal! He's been absolutely on fire since joining, and he's carrying this team on his back.
- Bukayo Saka (8.0): Saka was a whirlwind down the right, putting in some dangerous crosses and generally looking like a menace. He's got that "I'm going to score" look about him right now.
- Martin Ødegaard (7.5): Controlling the midfield like the maestro he is. He dictated the tempo and made things tick. We just need him to find that killer pass more often, but he's a key piece in this team.
The Bad:
- Leandro Trossard (6.5): He was buzzing around, making runs, and getting in good positions, but man, he was wasteful. He just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net. It's a real shame because he had some great chances.
The Ugly:
- No one really deserves to be "ugly," but let's be honest, the finishing overall was pretty poor. We missed a ton of chances, and that's what frustrated me the most. It's something we need to work on.
Overall Thoughts
This was a game we should have won comfortably. We had more than enough chances to put the game away, but we just couldn't capitalize. It's a bit of a worry, but it's also a reminder that we're still a work in progress. We need to learn from this, clean up our finishing, and get back to that dominant form we saw earlier in the season.
The Final Word:
We'll move on from this one, but we need to be more ruthless in front of goal. Leandro, you've got to bury those chances! But overall, I'm still confident in this team. We're going to keep grinding and keep getting better. COYG!