Arsenal 4-1 Rapid Wien: Player ratings as the Gunners ease to a comfortable victory | UEFA Europa League 2020-21
Arsenal breezed past Rapid Wien 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium to confirm their status as group winners. The Gunners began the game brightly and immediately stamped their authority, with them weaving pretty patterns in and around the box.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 10th minute when Alexandre Lacazette rifled the ball into the roof of the net from 30 yards out. A few minutes later, Pablo Mari - who returned to the Arsenal line-up for the first time since June 2020 - doubled the Gunners' lead with a neatly taken header.
Arsenal continued to assert their dominance and had several half-chances to dent Rapid Wien further. And, in the 44th minute, they surged further ahead when Eddie Nketiah pounced on Reiss Nelson's pass and prodded the ball home.
After the break, Rapid Wien started in the ascendancy and got a goal back when Koya Kitagawa capitalized on some slack Arsenal defending. However, the visitors' joy was short-lived, as Emile Smith-Rowe restored the Gunners' three-goal advantage in the 66th minute.
Here is a look at how the Arsenal players fared in front of a sparsely populated Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal Player Ratings
Runar Alex Runarsson - 6
The goalkeeper had little to do, apart from plucking the ball out of the back of the net in the 47th minute. However, he did display good handling when called upon to deal with crosses and was assured with the ball at his feet.
Cedric Soares - 6.5
The Portuguese right-back got into a lot of promising attacking positions and looked full of ideas whenever venturing into the final third. Cedric Soares was also relatively compact defensively, although he would've wanted to close down Koya Kitagawa better when the Japanese lined up his shot for Rapid Wien's only goal.
Shkodran Mustafi - 6
Shkodran Mustafi endured a few shaky moments in possession at the start of the game. However, his biggest moments in the opening half arrived in the opposition box. He first snatched at thin air in the ninth minute and then steered his header wide of the post when teed up by Nicolas Pepe.
Pablo Mari - 7
Pablo Mari showed a few signs of rustiness and had a couple of shaky moments in the opening quarter of the match. However, he grew in confidence as the encounter progressed, and he capped off his display with a well-taken goal in the 18th minute. The Spaniard could become a vital part of Mikel Arteta's plans if he can remain fit.
Sead Kolasinac - 6
The Bosnian began the game patchily and sprayed a few passes around. Sead Kolasinac's positioning was also not up to the mark in the opening 45 minutes, although he did redeem himself a tad with a couple of goal-line clearances just after the restart. However, one reckons he needs to do much better to become a constant fixture in this Arsenal side.
Mohamed Elneny - 6
Mohamed Elneny, rather uncharacteristically, was a touch sloppy in possession. He gave the ball away a couple of times, with one stray pass notably leading to a Rapid Wien attack. Additionally, he picked up a needless booking in the 42nd minute when he barged into his opponent.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 8
Ainsley Maitland-Niles started in an unfamiliar role in central midfield, alongside Mohamed Elneny. However, he rarely missed a beat in the center of the park. The Englishman was a willing runner in midfield, whereas his passing was also crisp. Having said that, he should have probably scored twice - in the 30th minute and just before the hour-mark.
Nicolas Pepe - 7
Nicolas Pepe was a bundle of energy throughout the match and caused Rapid Wien all sorts of problems. Unfortunately for the Ivorian, he couldn't marry his endeavors with an end product - an aspect that has often been under the scanner. Arsenal's record signing does seem to relish the Europa League, though.
Reiss Nelson - 8
Reiss Nelson was a constant menace down Arsenal's right flank and was instrumental in two of the three goals the Gunners scored before the break. He also rolled up his socks and performed his defensive duties diligently. With Willian not particularly setting the world ablaze, Reiss Nelson might just have done enough to warrant a start against Tottenham Hotspur.
Alexandre Lacazette - 9
Alexandre Lacazette started the 2020-21 Premier League season with a bang, scoring three goals for Arsenal in his first three starts. Since then, though, the goals have alarmingly dried up.
Against Rapid Wien, the Frenchman produced a dazzling and enterprising display, with him operating a shade deeper than Eddie Nketiah. He covered nearly every blade of grass, linked up play, and rippled the net with an audacious strike. In fact, Arsenal could use Lacazette in that role against Tottenham Hotspur too.
Eddie Nketiah - 7
Eddie Nketiah hassled and harried the Rapid Wien defenders throughout the game. His movement off the ball was particularly impressive, and he showcased excellent predatory instincts to nod the ball home in the 44th minute.
Substitutes
Dani Ceballos - 6.5
Dani Ceballos came on for Mohamed Elneny and immediately started leaving his imprint on the game. He was sharp in midfield and also provided a couple of superb through balls, although neither materialized into an assist.
Willian - 6
Since his move from Chelsea, the Brazilian hasn't been at his best, and that trend continued against Rapid Wien. He got into a few good situations but lacked the conviction one expects from a seasoned campaigner like Willian.
Emile Smith-Rowe - 7
Emile Smith-Rowe had an instant impact on the game and scored in the 66th minute, moments after replacing Alexandre Lacazette. He seems to be a good prospect but needs many more minutes under his belt to become an important player for Arsenal.
Calum Chambers - 6
Calum Chambers made his long-awaited return from injury when he replaced Shkodran Mustafi. He didn't have a lot to do and completed his stint without any significant mishaps.
Folarin Balogun - N/A
The youngster came on too late and didn't have much time to impact the game.