Arsenal Hit Full Stride to Open Champions League Proper, Arsenal Player Ratings

Sevilla have won the last two UEFA Cups, a poor substitute for winning the Champions League, but still a great accomplishment, and have won both of their first two league games in Spain 4-1. However, on their trip this evening to the Arsenal Stadium (so-named for European games) for round one of the UEFA Champions League Group Stage, they were well-beaten by Arsenal 3-0.

Once again Cesc caught the eye. He is a player, at the top of the form chart. His partner in midfield was once again Mathieu Flamini, preferred to Gilberto, and apparently with good reason: he's also coming into some good form. I recently read a rant about how 4-4-2 formations sometimes don't work; an entertaining, if painful, read, but with Cesc and Flamini both playing as mythical box-to-box central midfielders (see the arrows above), the 4-4-2 looks like a good formation for this Arsenal side.

Some of the Sevilla players looked ok, like Navas and Kanoute, and even French central defender Julien Escude. Alves didn't live up to his hype. Arsenal combined a good performance with a bit of luck (including the opening goal which took a wicked deflection) and ran out comfortable winners.

Referee Peter Frojdfeldt - Doesn't give yellow cards for hard fouls, which is great because it keeps the referee less involved, let's the game flow, and keeps players from being suspended. No big mistakes and he gave Alves a yellow card when he asked for Clichy to be given a yellow card (9).

Senderos - Preferred to Gilberto in central defense. Several half-clearances (i.e., failed clearances). Looks error prone. Not in form (5).

Flamini - Based on this game, he and Cesc have an understanding. Flamini defers to Cesc when Cesc is in a position to take the ball, and Flamini does just enough to push Arsenal forward when he has the ball. Flamini's run led to Arsenal's second goal when he was taken down by Alves on the left side of the box. Cesc put in the free kick for a Van Persie goal from close range. Flamini's full of energy and had some decent passes (8).

Cesc - Arsenal's talisman, great at breaking up opposition play, always wants to receive the ball from the Arsenal defenders to start play. His play in midfield is wonderful: close control, tricks and turns, always finds space, wins every duel, always wants the ball. Opened the scoring and had the assist for the second goal (9).

Rosicky - Strong in the first half. Controls the ball well. Went off injured early in the second half (8).

Clichy - A playmaking left back. Very active in the Arsenal offense, especially early in the game, putting pressure on Sevilla (8).

Toure - Reliable in defense (7).

Sagna - Strong in defense. Great pace going forward (8).

Hleb - A few giveaways, but a lot of that sweet close control that frustrates the opposition. He's also showing good fitness and determination (7).

Adebayor - Useful up front, good link-up play. Kept Sevilla uncomfortable (7).

Van Persie - Got a close-range goal from a free kick taken by Cesc. Had a sweet run early in the first half and made room for himself to take a shot that was well hit, but saved (7).

Almunia - Kept a clean sheet, but didn't always look convincing. Miscommunicated with Senderos early in the game in what could have been a disaster, both going for the same ball. Had a couple spills, but gathered them up just in time (6).

Diaby - Came on for the injured Rosicky in the 50th minute. While his teammates were winning nearly every duel on the pitch, he was losing out in dangerous areas. Lacks concentration, but had a couple clever touches on the offensive end (6).

Eduardo - Came on for Adebayor in the 83rd minute. Scored an injury-time goal to put a nice shine on the scoreline. Arsenal supporters are looking for Eduardo to be a 20 goal scorer whether he's starting or coming on as a sub - so job well done this time (8).

Lassana Diarra made his Arsenal debut, coming on for Van Persie in the 88th minute.

Fantastic result and a betting man or woman would put money on Arsenal, even at this early stage, to advance to the Champions League knock-out stages.

10-Man Arsenal Beat Portsmouth, Arsenal Player Ratings

Arsenal defeated Portsmouth in their third home game of the league season. Portsmouth came to play, rather than cower in fear and hang on for a 0-0 draw. Clichy, playing pressure defense high up the pitch, forced a turnover, and the ball was played into the path of Van Persie in the Portsmouth box. Van Persie beat the keeper to the ball, and David James took him out. Adebayor slotted home the penalty with James going the wrong way. The penalty looked marginally savable, but it was 1-0 to the Arsenal in the first ten minutes.

Arsenal controlled the game, and looked like they should be scoring. They eventually scored from a corner. Rosicky took the corner, Gilberto headed it on, and it landed perfectly for Cesc to slot home at the near post from a few yards out.

Senderos, who had been fair up to that point, made a mess of things early in the second half and got sent off. Toure had played Kanu onside, and Senderos was very slow to react, at first hoping for an offside flag, then running too slowly to close things down and making clumsy contact with Kanu from behind. Senderos was the last man back, and Kanu was through on goal, so he was given a straight red card. Arguably Toure was just about level with Senderos, in which case Senderos wasn't really the last man back when he bundled over Kanu, but it was clumsy and the ref sent him off.

Arsenal were still the better side, by some distance, with 10 men. From a free kick won by Clichy near the Portsmouth end line, taken quickly by Cesc, Rosicky blasted in Arsenal's third.

Portmsouth got their goal immediately afterwards. Clichy made a very rare error, and let Utaka, Portsmouth's best player, get by him with the ball. Utaka crossed in and Gilberto was caught out terribly as Kanu shinned it in unintentionally.

Arsenal continued to outclass Portsmouth, which is amazing considering that they were a man down, but there was a big gulf between the sides.

Referee Mark Halsey - Waved off an early Portsmouth dive. Sent off Senderos - I would've been upset if it were John Terry bundling over Van Persie and there were no red card, so I think on balance Halsey got things right (7).

Almunia - The Arsenal number one had a strong game. The goal was a bit of a freak goal. I'm putting most of the blame on Gilberto, although Clichy lost out earlier in the move and Rosicky had a chance to shut it down. A cross came in, Gilberto was in the vicinity and didn't deal with it, Kanu created a distraction with his shooting boot and it went in off his standing leg. Almunia made several saves and at least one nice clearance outside his box. On this form there is no way back for Lehmann and Arsenal could be title contenders (9).

Clichy - His involvement led to two of the goals. His defensive pressure led to the penalty against RVP and he earned the free kick that led to Rosicky's goal. He missed out in the sequence that led to Kanu's goal, but he had many take-aways, and when Arsenal were down to ten men, he never tired and ran Portsmouth ragged. He's a playmaker (9).

Senderos - Received a straight red when he was the last man back and fouled a striker who was bearing down on Almunia's goal. Kolo or Almunia would probably have handled it (5).

Toure - Solid in defense. One or two clearances were a little dodgy - but he always seem to do enough to keep the Arsenal goal safe (8).

Flamini - Good right back. Defends well, gets forward well. Match commentators had him among the nominees for man of the match. He was heavily involved. He makes a better full back than central midfielder (8).

Hleb - First Arsenal player to be substituted. His involvement didn't lead to any goals, but nearly did. He put in a cross that looked like it would be a goal for Adebayor, but the keeper just beat Adebayor to it (7).

Cesc - Man of the match. Heavily involved. Very skillful on the ball. Controlled the game. Also tackles well. Also provides cutting edge: one goal and one assist (9).

Gilberto - Played quite well in central midfield, like it was all too easy for him (he was playing next to Cesc). He wasn't quite as convincing in central defense, was at fault for the goal. Had the assist for Cesc's goal (7).

Rosicky - Got a goal. Passes the ball well. Had several passes across field to Arsenal players in space. Still not in his peak form, so there's more to come. Kept going all game (8).

Van Persie - Earned the penalty for the first goal. Earned some free kicks. When Arsenal were dominating the game, wasn't able to provide the cutting edge to really give Portsmouth a thrashing. Dangerous from free kicks, but nothing came of them today (7).

Adebayor - Scored the opener from the spot. Had some good link up play early, but faded alarmingly and looked off the pace (6).

Subs:

Denilson - Showed again that he could be a good right-sided midfielder. If he's good enough he'll get into the first 11 (7).

Diaby - Heavily involved. Had a go at go at goal that went over, but not by much. A very interesting player (7).

Eduardo - Didn't make a big impact, but helped his short-handed side see out the victory (7).

Things are great for Arsenal, for now. Hopefully the team will come into even better form, and look like title contenders.