Arsenal player ratings: Alexis Sanchez and Per Mertesacker shine in FA Cup Final

CB Laurent Koscielny 7.0/h]

Koscielny was about as untroubled at the back as Mertesacker, and he was tested even less than the German centre-back. He should have done better with his first headed chance at goal, but he almost made up for it with his second header. However, the shot was too close to Given, who did very well to react to the header.

It’s clear to me that the Frenchman is one of the best defenders in the world, because he’s so quick, which allows him to recover if he does make mistakes, and so good at reading the game. Mertesacker’s positioning and his ability to time his tackles are immense, but it’s also rare to see Koscielny out-of-place at the heart of the defense. Gabriel Paulista is talented enough to start for most teams, but it truly is difficult to break into Arsenal’s starting XI ahead of their current starting CBs.

Next: Strong performance for the youngster