Arsenal player ratings: Ozil goes missing on big stage but Mustafi shows improvement as Arsenal tumble out of Europe
ARSENAL crashed out the Europa League in oh so dramatic fashion after Olympiacos’ 119th minute winner saw them lose on away goals at the death.
After a lively start saw the Gunners fluff a couple of chances, the home crowd grew restless as their team struggled to break down an Olympiacos team hell bent on defending.
The teams went in goalles at half-time but after the break things went from bad to worse as Pape Abou Cisse headed the Greek’s ahead to draw the tie level at 1-1 on aggregate .
Neither team could break the deadlock in the second-half and the game headed to extra-time.
After an abysmal showing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang thought he had won it seven minutes from time with an acrobatic overhead kick.
But Youseff El Arabi’s 119th minute goal triggered absolute mayhem from the 7,000 Greeks behind the goal and broke Gunners hearts.
Here’s what SunSport’s William Pugh thought of the Gunners’ individual performances.
BERND LENO – 6
May as well have sat on the bench in the first-half given the amount of times he was tested.
Couldn’t do anything for Cisse’s opener and made a decent fingertip save soon after to keep it at 1-0.
HECTOR BELLERIN (subbed off 84 mins) – 7
Hell bent on driving his team forward from minute one.
Caught out of position as the first-half wore on as he tried to help break down a compact Olympiacos.
More of a captain’s performance than actual captain Aubameyang.
Flattened as the game went on before being subbed.
SHKODRAN MUSTAFI (subbed off, 103 mins) – 9
Looked composed and alert all night.
Some smart interceptions when needed and played out from the back efficiently throughout.
Continuing excellent vein of recent form.
Best Arsenal player before he was subbed off with a hamstring injury.
DAVID LUIZ – 4
Nothing of note in the first-half but was caught painfully flat-footed for Olympiacos’ goal in normal time.
Tried to join in attacks in the second-half but hardly a night to remember.
BUKAYO SAKA – 5
Fairly quiet first-half although he did provide the assist for Alexandre Lacazette’s disallowed goal on 38 minutes.
But then again, it was chalked off because Saka was offside so not so great after all.
Average thereafter.
DANI CEBALLOS (subbed off, 72 mins) – 7
Just what you want from your central midfielder.
High work rate at both ends of the field, regularly in the right place to thwart the visitors counter attacks and recycled the ball quickly to set his team off again.
Bizarrely subbed as Arsenal chased a winner as his midfield partners Ozil and Xhaka had offered far less.
GRANIT XHAKA – 5
Couple of half chances from distance in either half which came to nothing.
But needed to move the ball quicker to break down the defensive Greeks which he did not do.
More of the old Xhaka on display.
MESUT OZIL – 4
Sought out by his teammates in the early stages as they looked to him for inspiration.
Difficult to tell – as has been said before – to tell whether he was always one step ahead of his teammates or his passing was just sloppy.
Got less effective as the game went on and it became clear it was the latter.
NICOLAS PEPE – 6
Bearing down on goal when he was brought down by Ousseynou Ba on 20 minutes.
Was involved in almost all of Arsenal’s attacks but is so one-footed the defenders knew what he was going to do every time.
Need to work on his right foot and end product in training.
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG – 4
Woeful from the captain and would have been a 3/10 if he hadn't scored.
Offered next to nothing going forward all night then lost his man to let Cisse in to head Olympiacos into the lead.
Thought he made amends by scoring an apparent late winner with an impressive overhead kick.
But missed the sitter of all sitters to win the game after Olympiacos had nicked it.
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE (subbed off, 105 mins) – 5
Big chance just seconds in but blocked for a corner.
Otherwise quiet in a permanently crowded Olympiacos penalty area.
Goal disallowed for Saka’s offside in the first-half.
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Subs
LUCAS TORREIRA (replaced Ceballos) – 5
Lively enough when he came on. No real impact.
JOE WILLOCK (replaced Bellerin) – 5
Got amongst it but made little difference to Arsenal’s frustrating attack.
SOKRATIS (replaced Mustafi) – 5
Couldn’t do anything for Olympiacos’ dramatic late winner as ball was perfect.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI (replaced Lacazette) – 6
Won the header which led to Aubameyang’s goal and tried to make things happen.
