22 February 2025
Arsenal 0 West Ham 1
Mikel Arteta’s side had their hopes of catching Liverpool and winning the title boosted in recent weeks as they saw their rivals drop points on the road. Knowing they had another tough test the following day at Man City, The Gunners had the chance to cut the gap to five points as they welcomed West Ham to The Emirates.
Arsenal were on a fifteen game unbeaten run and despite their injury woes were full of confidence coming into the game. The visitors had yet to click under the new regime of Graham Potter and not many people gave them a chance of upsetting the odds in this one. Gunners’ fans had a real belief that this was their year to end a twenty-two year drought without a league title.
It is the one thing that baffles opposing fans, Gunners’ supporters seem to have the mindset of Real Madrid, expecting their team to scoop major honours every campaign. The reality is they have the trophy cabinet of Real Sociedad. It is a long time since that successful era of Arsene Wenger yet the Arsenal fans strut around like the lords of the manor.
Arteta’s side were looking to make it four wins on the bounce in the league, something they had yet to achieve this season. Not exactly the form of Premier League champions. The first chance of the game fell to the visitors. The ball dropped to Bowen in the box, who struck his effort first-time but dragged it wide of the far post. His goals had seemed to dry up for The Hammers this campaign.
The hosts looked comfortable in possession, but as soon as they got near the visitors’ box, they looked devoid of that killer pass to create goalscoring chances. As they gave the ball away, The Hammers broke as Wan-Bissaka drove forward. He held it up well before clipping a ball into the box, perfectly weighted for the advancing Bowen.
Nobody had tracked his late run and he was completely unmarked to head home from four yards out. The prodigal son-in-law of Danny Dyer had started the counter-attack when he picked up the loose ball on the edge of his own box. Covering the length of the pitch to make sure his side had options in the box, he had silenced The Emirates.
West Ham’s fans in the away end were loving life at this point. As the sides trudged off for the internal, they knew The Gunners would be attacking their end after the break. The perfect opportunity to let Declan Rice know what they thought of him. A hero when wearing that claret top, he was now public enemy number one for the way he ditched them.
Potter’s side were finding so much space in midfield, which is a surprise given this Arsenal team is mainly made up of centre midfielders, even up top, where Merino was the makeshift number nine. The Hammers swung a dangerous low cross into the box and Bowen was inches away from getting a telling touch as he threw himself towards the ball.
It took almost an hour of the game before the hosts had their first shot on goal. Trossard look to drill a shot as the ball dropped to him at the back post, but it was too close to Areola who blocked with his feet. Many had questioned whether this side of Arteta’s had enough goals in them to win trophies earlier in the season before the long-term injuries to Saka, Jesus and Havertz.
The fact that Arteta has not addressed their lack of a genuine number nine is his biggest failing during his time as Arsenal manager. There had been plenty of opportunities to do so, the board have backed him to the hilt financially. You could argue that two of the sides in the bottom three were more stacked in that department than The Gunners.
Kudus seized upon a poor touch from Lewis-Skelly and seemed to be through on goal, despite the challenge happening on the halfway line. The young defender hauled him down and was shown a yellow card. VAR reviewed it and sent the referee to the monitor. That only means one thing as he upgraded his punishment to a red card.
The Gunners were desperate for a goal but their lack of options on the bench was evident for all to see. Arteta brought on Sterling, which on current form seemed to be a more positive move for the visitors as they looked to protect their lead. Trossard turned away from his man just outside the box and was scythed down to win a free-kick in a dangerous position.
Odegaard stood over it, with the weight of an entire football club on his shoulders as Is the norm for the North London outfit. Without his creativity, this team looks like a goalkeeper’s dream. Amazingly, Sterling struck it straight into the wall. It broke to the Norwegian, who threaded a superb ball into Gabriel in the box. He tried to chip it over the keeper but sent it sailing high over the target.
Arteta’s side tried to throw everything at West Ham. The closest they came was a ferocious strike from White, which fizzed past the far post. By this stage, whenever Rice came to take a corner, the travelling fans started singing ‘you should’ve joined a big club’. On this showing, this game could have continued until Sunday and Arsenal still wouldn’t have scored.
West Ham held on for the three points, to make it two wins at The Emirates in as many seasons. People keep talking about Arsenal’s title race, this is just a thing of fiction. Firstly, that dream relies upon Liverpool dropping a lot of points but aside from that The Gunners have no one capable of scoring goals currently. No doubt Arsenal fan tv will be demanding they go out and sign Mbappe in the summer.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.