1 – Nil to the Arsenal!

Okay, it wasn’t the greatest of Arsenal performances, and definitely not one of the best under Mikel Arteta, however the Gunners did provide just enough to secure 3 points and a 1-0 win over West Ham United.

The second half was better then the first half, but only a nice set-up header from Mesut Ozil to Alexandre Lacazette inside the box saved the day, but not until a long look by VAR confirmed the goal.

West Ham outplayed Arsenal for most of the game, even though the Gunners controlled the ball 69% of the time. The Hammers had 14 shots (6 on target), while Arsenal had 9 shots (2 on target). Mikel Arteta will surely be happy with the win and the three points, but he will not be happy with the overall performance of his squad. Yes, the performance was below par, but they did show enough resilience on an off day to get the win. This is something that would not have happened pre-Arteta. Still, there is plenty of work to be done!

Arteta said after the game, “I’m really happy with the result because big teams find a way when they don’t have the best day. It’s obvious that is wasn’t our best day in terms of performance, but they find a way to win it.”

The players that stood out to me for their total performances today where: Leno, Ozil, Saka, Luiz and Mari. I was most impressed by Mari’s ability to get the ball downfield and find open players. He has adapted well and is playing with consistency after his first two games. Pepe was again hot and cold, but he was getting rid of the ball much quicker than v Olympiacos. He made some very good moves to goal today that were stopped just short. Overall, the team’s passing was either off target, mistimed, or too soft. Throughout the match they missed a slew of opportunities to find open players in the box, but miscued on the final pass.

Things needs to improve quickly, because a performance of this caliber against Manchester City in the Etihad will not get the job done. Pep and his boys still have a lot to prove this season and a misfire to the Gunners is probably not on their agenda. Our lads will need to play one of their best games of the season to bring home three points and keep their top 4 or top 5 Premier League hopes alive.

COYG!

Cheers. Gunner1953