Arsenal squandered an opportunity to surpass Premier League leaders Liverpool, facing an unexpected 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham. The first half was marked by frustration for Arsenal, with controversy surrounding Tomas Soucek’s goal for West Ham. Despite a potential ball-out situation in the build-up, a lengthy VAR check found no conclusive evidence, and the goal stood.
In the second half, Mikel Arteta’s team improved possession but fell further behind when Konstantinos Mavropanos, a former Gunner, headed home from a corner. Despite efforts, Arsenal couldn’t convert chances, with Gabriel Jesus missing two headed opportunities in three minutes.
David Raya, with a rating of 5/10, had minimal involvement except for conceding two goals, for which he couldn’t be faulted. Ben White received a 5/10 rating, as he wandered out of position, contributing to West Ham’s first goal, and forced Saliba to cover, leaving space for Soucek to score. William Saliba, also rated 5/10, showed less composure than usual in scrappy situations but made no major errors. Gabriel, receiving a 5/10, had a mixed performance, being slow to react to Soucek’s goal and beaten in the air by Mavropanos, but he was solid on the ball and made effective clearances. Oleksandr Zinchenko, rated 4/10, contributed little in transitioning to midfield and made subpar tackles when defending.
In midfield, Declan Rice stood out with a rating of 7/10, delivering a composed performance. However, his shine was dimmed by a late penalty conceded. Martin Odegaard, also rated 7/10, initiated the game with his understated style but became somewhat sloppy on the ball in the second half. Despite this, he created opportunities, though not reaching his extraordinary best. Leandro Trossard received a 6/10, consistently trying to make things happen but lacking the extra touch of quality.
In the attack, Bukayo Saka, with a rating of 7/10, forced several saves from Areola and was unlucky to hit the post just before halftime. He created decent chances, although none were converted. Despite David Raya saving a late Said Benrahma penalty, Arsenal was frustrated by West Ham’s defensive mastery.
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