The first international break of the season has arrived and with Arsenal sitting top of the league it feels like the perfect time to rate the Arsenal players and Mikel Arteta's efforts so far.
The Gunners have been largely sublime, with the only blemish on their record so far coming in a frustrating 3-1 defeat to Manchester United where they were arguably the better side.
It's time to dish out our ratings for the players and for Arteta. It's worth noting that our ratings are based on those individual players' expectations for the season due to the previous standards they have set for themselves, rather than being a tool to compare them against their various team-mates.
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We've looked at every single player who has played a minute for Arsenal's first team this season, which is why you'll notice the absence of some players like Cedric Soares or Reiss Nelson.
Of course with the suspension of certain games brought about by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and injuries, certain players have hardly played this early in the campaign. It feels unfair therefore to tar them with the definitive brush of a rating with so little to go on, so for players like we have chosen to not give them a rating and focus instead on their performance and prospects.
Aaron Ramsdale: There were some quiet question marks over Aaron Ramsdale going into the season after a drop off in form during the second half of his debut campaign. The England 'keeper has come in for some criticism particularly after allowing James Maddison's shot to go in at his near post against Leicester, but on the whole he has done well. Two crucial saves against Crystal Palace helped earn a win that kickstarted Arsenal's fine momentum, and his distribution has been back to its progressive best. In fairness though, Ramsdale has generally had very little to do due to the effectiveness of the defensive unit in front of him. Arsenal have conceded the second lowest shots per game in the Premier League which has allowed the 24-year-old's capabilities on the ball to shine through once again. 7.5.
Matt Turner: Turner has only played one game so far in the Europa League against FC Zurich, but that hasn't stopped some worries bubbling under about his readiness as a back up. The American is a good shot-stopper by all accounts, but it's with his feet where the questions lie. An error against Zurich that very nearly allowed the Swiss side to take a shock lead did little to quell this. Let's not be too hasty to write Turner off though. His whole career he has bounced back against the odds and sources on the training ground indicate that he has developed since his arrival. He will have many more Europa League games in October to show his worth and perhaps we can give a fairer assessment then. n/a.
Takehiro Tomiyasu: Tomiyasu himself has admitted he's been unsatisfied by how things have gone for him this season and it's easy to see why. Last season he was an undoubted starter, but he has paid the price for missing the start of the campaign with injury and is yet to start a game in the Premier League amid the impressive form of Ben White in his right back position. In reality though the slow start to the season may be a blessing in disguise for Tomiyasu to allow him to get the rest that his body clearly needed last season with all the muscle problems he suffered. He has come on in almost every game and appears to be next in line if there's an injury at right back or centre back. 6.5.
Ben White: There aren't too many players who can transition from one position to another in the backline without you even really noticing, but that's what Ben White has done this season. In many ways, the understated nature with which he's gone about his business may have been to his detriment as he has been bizarrely overlooked by Gareth Southgate for the England squad. A break may be a good thing for White who has had to be taken off in most matches this season as his body adapts to the strains of playing a more physically demanding position at right back. In Mikel Arteta's system though the new role suits him to a tee. 8.
Rob Holding: It's tough to judge Holding too intensely off the back of one Europa League start and few late cameos but there may be some cause for concern on his part. The 26-year-old is a superb team player who can be relied upon, but he did state in the summer that being the guy who comes on to seal the win late on in the game is not what he wants his legacy to be. The fact that Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent to warm up instead of him when Gabriel went down injured may be an indication of where he is in the pecking order right now. This shouldn't be mistaken as a criticism because it's through no real fault of his own that he's not playing, but it will be interesting to see how he views his situation come the January transfer window. 6.
William Saliba: The Saliba wars will probably go down as one of the stranger episodes of Arsenal Twitter's long and distinguished history, but so far the Frenchman has proved that he was worth all the fuss. There are very few players at his age who would be able to take to the Premier League with such swan-like elegance, and everything Saliba does oozes composure. He is already world class on the ball, and has shown that when it comes to one-vs-one defending he has the pace, physicality and intelligence to deal with pretty much any opponent. On top of that he's added goals to his game and is a threat from set pieces. It speaks volumes that tying him down to a new contract has moved straight to the top of Arsenal's to-do list. 9.
Gabriel: With Saliba's brilliance it has slightly gone under the radar how excellent Gabriel has been alongside him. The Brazilian has made one mistake all season against Fulham and rectified it within the space of that game by scoring the winning goal. His physicality and ability to defend one-vs-one in wide spaces is something we already knew about, but what has gone under the radar is how good he has been on the ball. Gabriel is up in fbRef's 88th percentile for progressive carries this season and has been a steady presence in allowing Arsenal to stay high up the pitch all campaign. 8.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: Coming in to a position where Kieran Tierney had been arguably the most important player since Mikel Arteta took charge of Arsenal, Alex Zinchenko had a big task on his hands, but the Ukrainian has more than risen to it. His technical excellence has given the Gunners license to play games in the way they want to play them rather than having to adapt to what the opposition is doing. He has also brought the winning mentality of being at Manchester City with him to the Arsenal dressing room where he has quickly become a popular presence. His injury record will be a slight concern, but the Gunners are confident none of his issues are anything major so far. 8.5.
Kieran Tierney: With Zinchenko's brilliance the narrative around Kieran Tierney seems to have been that Arsenal are evolving beyond him. A tricky first start of the season against Fulham did little to deter this school of thought, but with typical diligence and professionalism, Kieran Tierney has stuck to his task to ensure that he is ready whenever Arsenal have needed him. The Scot is never going to be as technically proficient as Zinchenko, but he brings a completely different skillset to the backline that makes the Gunners far less predictable as a whole. The idea of pitting the pair against each other has led many to dismiss Tierney's start to the season, but when you consider that he is coming off the back of a near five-month injury absence, he has been more than solid. 7.5
Mohamed Elneny: It's hard to really give Elneny any rating as he played just one match against Fulham before picking up a long-term hamstring injury that caused a swerve in direction of Arsenal's deadline day plans. When he returns though the Egyptian will be a useful back up to the injury-prone Thomas Partey. He is never going to be as brave or press-resistant in possession, but what he brings in terms of experience and energy off the pitch is something Arteta clearly values very highly. It will be interesting to see if potential additions in the middle of the park in January affect his standing, but you can always rely on Elneny to be professional and ready when called upon. n/a.
Thomas Partey: When he's been fit Thomas Partey has been generally very good. There is no one in the squad capable of replicating what he does at the base of the midfield when it comes to distributing from deep, evading the press and providing defensive cover. In fairness, there are few individual players in the world who can do all that by themselves The Ghanaian's fitness remains an issue though. He has missed time yet again with a thigh injury, and Arsenal may be well advised to find a more comparable alternative in the January transfer window. 7.
Albert Sambi Lokonga: Preseason for Albert Sambi Lokonga was particularly exciting given the position he was asked to play. Rather than playing a more exposed six position he was given more freedom in the eight and looked so much more comfortable. The plan did seem for him to play that role in the Europa League matches to give him more of the experience required to ultimately end up in the deeper position. Injuries though took their toll and the Belgian was forced to play as a six in big matches yet again. He was by nor means terrible, but crucial errors, against Manchester United in particular, mean that he's probably still not ready to play there yet. 6.5.
Granit Xhaka: Much of the talk in the summer was about how Arsenal could improve in the left-eight position by turning to the transfer market. Little did those people know though, that the solution was at the club all along. Granit Xhaka has gone to another level with his performances this season and is finally being given the license to demonstrate his box-to-box capabilities in a Gunners shirt. He is absolutely thriving in the role and is an essential leader within the Arsenal squad. The fact that he has managed to win over the fanbase is beautiful to see and it's probably not too controversial to say that he is one of the first names on Mikel Arteta's team sheet. 9.
Martin Odegaard: After a quiet opening two games of the season against Crystal Palace and Leicester Martin Odegaard sprung into life to show exactly why Mikel Arteta decided to name him Arsenal's official new captain. The Norwegian is now grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and leading by example. Perhaps the best example of this was against Fulham where he refused to take the moment of adversity brought about by Arsenal falling behind lying down. The Gunners will be hopeful that any injury he has sustained is minimal to say the least, and thankfully early signs are that it will be. 8.
Fabio Vieira: There have only been limited glimpses of Fabio Vieira so far since he arrived from Porto with a fractured bone in his foot. Recently though the 22-year-old has started to come into things a little more and the early signs are very promising indeed. Perhaps the most useful thing about his addition to the squad is his versatility. Three months on from when he signed and we're still not sure where he's going to play on a regular basis, but why limit him? If he's going to cover Bukayo Saka on the right or Martin Odegaard in the middle Vieira offers a completely different skill set to both. His signing is the kind that brings genuine depth so that Arsenal are able to compete on multiple fronts and deserves plenty of praise. 7.5
Ethan Nwaneri: Of course, we're not going to provide a number rating for a 15-year-old who has literally three minutes of first team football under his belt, but his record-breaking debut against Brentford has certainly got people talking. From an Arsenal perspective, it feels like an undeniably positive story that shines yet more positivity on the work Per Mertesacker is doing in the academy while maintaining the club's perception of being one that gives youth a chance. Externally there has been plenty of criticism of the move claiming it was a moment of self-indulgence from Mikel Arteta, but there is no hint that any of those associated with Arsenal share those sentiments. n/a.
Marquinhos: Expectations were very low when Marquinhos arrived from Sao Paolo, not so much because people assumed he wouldn't be any good, but more because they didn't know what to assume at all. So far his start to life at Arsenal has been a refreshing surprise. There was plenty of talk about how not signing a backup winger for Bukayo Saka would be a problem after Nicolas Pepe's departure, but in his limited early experiences with the under-21s and first team, the Brazilian has looked like he could be a possible solution. It would be a stretch to say he's ready to threaten anyone's position in the starting XI just yet, but so far the 19-year-old winger has proved to be an uplifting surprise. n/a.
Bukayo Saka: Perhaps it's because of the high expectations we set for him after two sublime full seasons as a first-team player at Arsenal, but it's not too controversial to say that Bukayo Saka hasn't quite been at his scintillating best yet this season. The 21-year-old needed a bit of time to get going and was slightly anonymous in the early parts of the campaign. He has improved as the season has gone on though, and was rewarded with his first goal of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford which appeared to be a visual moment of relief for him. Even when not at his best though, the England international has the second most assists in the Premier League, so the thought there's so much more to come is a terrifying one for opposition defences across the country. 7.5.
Emile Smith Rowe: Smith Rowe has only played 47 minutes this season and so falls into the category of players no yet applicable to receive a rating, but his fitness so far will be a concern. The battle for the starting spot on the left wing is getting trickier with each passing game that Gabriel Martinelli stars in, and while Smith Rowe continues to struggle with groin problems he has no chance of winning that position back. It's so unfortunate for a player whose undeniable talent meant that he was among the most important players in the Arsenal squad last season. This time around though, so far at least, it's been a frustrating campaign for the Hale End graduate. n/a.
Gabriel Martinelli: After coming in for some criticism due to his lack of end product in the second half of last season, this appears to be the season where Gabriel Martinelli has truly gone up a level. The Brazilian is a consistent starter and more importantly a consistent goal threat with three goals in seven matches from the left wing position. His rotation with Jesus has made the Arsenal attack almost impossible to defend at times and his intensity in pressing has helped the Gunners sustain pressure throughout matches. He still has a slight tendency to dribble with his head down which doesn't always come off, but at 21-years-of-age it's easy to see how that will disappear with time. 8.5.
Eddie Nketiah: Many thought that Eddie Nketiah was out the door heading into the backend of last season, but a run in the team was enough to convince him to stay. The 23-year-old hasn't had as many regular starts since then, but what he has done this season is establish himself as a viable game-changing option off the bench. His ability to link with Gabriel Jesus has proved useful in games where Arsenal are chasing, and his all round play has improved tremendously. His standout moment so far was probably the cameo against Fulham where he played a huge role in helping Arsenal turn the tide of that game. 7.
Gabriel Jesus: Two words describe the Brazilian's arrival in north London. Game changer. Everyone knew that Arsenal had a huge amount riding on the player they decided to sign in the centre forward position this summer, and thankfully they seem to have got it right. Jesus' mobility, skill, versatility and goal threat have transformed the Gunners attack, while his intensity has been infectious for the rest of the squad. He is already a leader in the dressing room having been named one of Mikel Arteta's vice captains, and he is probably the most important player in this Arsenal team right now. 9.5.
Mikel Arteta: There is perhaps only one blemish on Mikel Arteta's season so far and that is that he maybe went for the jugular too early at Old Trafford, but aside from that the Spaniard has been magnificent. His clarity of instruction has helped the Gunners become such an attractive team to watch. Perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay him is that opposition teams know more or less how his sides are going to play, but so far they have found it very difficult to do anything to stop that. Off the pitch as well Arteta has been able to transform the whole mood of the club to the extent that everyone from the fans to the players appears to be singing from the same hymn sheet. There's no knowing how long Arsenal can sustain their fine run for, but for getting them from they were to this point alone, Mikel Arteta deserves a whole lot of credit. 9.
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