West Ham 0-6 Arsenal: Declan Rice rounds off a real Hammering

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After two defeats this season to West Ham, it was time for Arsenal to make amends yesterday, and boy did we do that in some style. It was quite interesting that pre-game there was a sense of anxiety after the team was announced. Not so much about the selection itself, but the bench looked light. Emile Smith Rowe turned an ankle in training so wasn’t available, while Takehiro Tomiyasu was not risked after returning from the Asian Cup with a little niggle.

When you added them to the longer-term absentees, it meant there was a real onus on the players picked from the start because it didn’t look like there was loads on the bench to change the dynamic of a game if needed. Those worries were relatively short lived, it’s fair to say.

Although it took us a little over half an hour to find a way through, it had essentially been one-way traffic all game. We got control from the start, notably changing our kick-off routine by keeping possession rather than going long via David Raya, and that stranglehold continued. For a while you did wonder if it was going to be one of those games, a bit like the one at the Emirates, where their defensive work would frustrate us, but it felt different. There was a sense of inevitability about Arsenal yesterday.

Leandro Trossard had forced Areola into a good save, and there were a couple of moments for Saka, before Declan Rice took a corner and William Saliba headed home in the 32nd minute. It looked easy, perhaps it was, but that goal opened the floodgates. Twice after that Saka should have scored – heading an excellent Jakub Kiwior cross wide, then poking beyond the post after being put in by Martin Odegaard.

The second goal came from the spot after a really good ball over the top sent Saka through, he went around the keeper who pulled him down with no attempt at the ball, and the ref pointed to the spot. Having missed one here last season, Saka stepped up to take it…

Source link : https://arseblog.com/2024/02/west-ham-0-6-arsenal-declan-rice-rounds-off-a-real-hammering/

Author : arseblog

Publish date : 2024-02-12 07:23:46

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