A section of the Arsenal fans were unimpressed with the performance of Matteo Guendouzi during the backend of the Europa League round of 16 first leg clash against Rennes.
The north London side managed to open the scoring within three minutes with a fortuitous shot from Alex Iwobi and thereafter, they had chances to double the scores.
However, it was Rennes, who equalised before the break at Roazhon Park, but that did not occur before Sokratis was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes.
After the interval, the hosts were the better side with numerous chances to find the net and fortune eventually favoured them with an own goal from Nacho Monreal.
From then, Unai Emery decided to go on the defensive with Alex Iwobi, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hauled off the field but this did not help after Rennes scored from a brilliant counter-attack before injury time.
Following the game, a few Gunners faithful were critical about the performance of Guendouzi, in particular, despite him coming on as a second half substitute.
In the lead-up to the third Rennes goal, the Frenchman had the opportunity to track the run of Ismaila Sarr, but he was rather found jogging on the field with no effort to get to the Senegalese.
A few supporters even gave the example of fellow substitute Aaron Ramsey, who nearly managed to intercept Sarr’s strike despite being 15 yards behind Guendouzi at one stage of the counter-attack.
If Guendouzi put in the same effort Ramsey put in tracking back for the Rennes 3rd goal, it wouldn't have been a goal. The poor boy was running like my mum
— Bonaeffective (@walexywalexy) March 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/Mike_Arsenal/status/1103748826668650496
did you see Matteo in the third goal? Ramsey had a good 15 yards on him and he jogged back whilst Ramsey overtook him tracking back albeit too late. Matteo is a good young talent but simply not good enough right now.
— Ishaan (@_ishaan_k) March 7, 2019
Guendouzi came to the club like a man with a point to prove, now he looks like a youngster who has lost his way, horrible passing, lazy tracking back and dwells on the ball too long
— The Atlanta Arsenal (@AtlantaArsenal) March 7, 2019
Can someone tell me out of you Guendouzi worshippers how he has a 20 yard headstart to get back on Ramsey and this happens? pic.twitter.com/BTK0ZaZ7T4
— I M F (@IMF_X) March 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/doukalli/status/1103745866924384256
Tonight, lazy Özil tracked back to make tackles at left back, whilst workhorse Guendouzi just jogged about like we were 3-1 up.
— North Bank Nadim (@NorthBankNadim) March 7, 2019
Arsenal’s immediate focus returns to the Premier League with a home game against Manchester United this weekend and the outcome could be critical to the top-four hopes.
Guendouzi is likely to feature alongside Granit Xhaka in midfield with Lucas Torreira serving a three-match domestic suspension, but he surely needs to come up with a better showing than at Rennes against a resurgent United side.
