Arsenal’s humiliation against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night wasn’t quite as shocking as it would have been a few years ago. The current incarnation of Arsenal always seem ready to throw an Arsenal in the works, drop an Arsenal, do an Arsenal, continually on the verge of Arsenaling things up.
Mes que un football club, also a verb.
Going full Arsenal on the European stage last night means there’s a whole continent shaking their heads at Arsene Wenger’s men, and handing out scornful marks.
There’s no better place to start than German newspaper Bild, who celebrate the occasion.
It’s at this point we’ll have to explain how they grade players in Germany.
Bild work their match ratings from German school grades and it’s on a 1-6 basis. The meanings are roughly:
1: Best grade, only given for an outstanding game.
2: Very good, above average. Did everything which was asked.
3: Average.
4: Errors, below average, but still passable.
5: Failed. Poor performance.
6: Total failure with nothing done right.
Perhaps a sad thing about these Bild ratings is that they’re oh-so-similar to another 5-1 defeat to Bayern, in November 2015. Mesut Ozil and Francis Coquelin once again get a 5, although Alexis Sanchez improved himself from a 4 to a 2.
Over to France and L’Equipe, admirers of Arsenal for as long as one can remember. L’Equipe are thankfully fans of the more traditional out-of-ten rating system.
Alex Iwobi got the worst mark, with a painful 2, and several other Arsenal players received a disappointing 3. Overall, with Arsene Wenger also getting a 3 (which will have been very hard for L’Equipe) the club’s score was 3.9.
It’s no prettier in Spain. Marca’s system of giving out stars, three for an excellent performance, means it’s so easy not to be worthy of anything at all.
Eight Arsenal players, plus Wenger, all received -, not even deserving of a solitary little star.
Interestingly, one of Marca’s stars was given to Ozil, which probably has more to do with him playing well for Real Madrid than his performance last night.
Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport are kinder. Laurent Koscielny is picked out for special praise from Gazzetta and only three Arsenal players, plus Wenger, fail to make it to the halfway point in the marks.
The truth on the marking is, as ever, somewhere in-between. Bayern Munich were excellent but Arsenal capitulated and the lack of fight is probably what will stay with many from the match.
It’s not great for the Arsenal brand, but will sure help Arsenal continue to get off the ground as a verb.
In Scandinavia they’re not really into player ratings, but do like big brash messages.
On Wednesday Sweden’s Aftonbladet sent out a clear message with their Barcelona spread, showing an image of Fawlty Towers character Manuel, with the word ‘Que?’… it was to the point.
Thursday’s edition of their sport section this time sends a message that maybe Arsene Wenger has now reached the end of the road.
Over in Denmark, BT share the same opinion and ask if it’s simply time for Arsenal to say goodbye to their long serving manager.
For some in the European media, Wednesday’s 5-1 loss, and performance, is the trigger to openly question whether Arsenal need a new man in charge.
