LONDON: Only on three occasions in the Premier League, prior to this match, has there been as many as seven goals scored in the first half and, remarkably, none in the second. Five of those goals were conceded by a humiliated West Ham to give Arsenal a comfortable win.
Gunners’ manager, Mikel Arteta, said: “We have got some momentum, we have some flow back and a real determination. Winning consecutive matches against three opponents is great and we are going to enjoy tonight. The first half was crazy.”
He added: “We are in a great moment right now, but in football be on your toes and prepare the best possible way for tomorrow.”
Arsenal’s start was confident, they were incredibly good and applied early pressure on the opposition. Their sequence of goals began as early as the 10th minute and by the 36th minutes they were four goals up.
While it was a fine team effort, one outstanding player throughout was Bukayo Saka who assisted in the first two goals and scored the fifth. From his superb in-swinging corner kick Gabriel’s glancing header at the near post opened their tally of goals.
The Gunners doubled their lead in the 27th minute when Saka received a marvellous scooped return pass from Martin Odegaard and fed Leandro Trossard to guide the ball in.
Odegaard then got on the score sheet himself in the 34th minute when he converted a penalty which had resulted from a foul by Paqueta on Saka. Then within just two minutes Arsenal were four goals up from a long ball from Trossard which Max Kilman could not cut out leaving Kai Havertz to score confidently.
With the four goals coming within a space of 26 minutes some supporters of the Hammers had seen enough and were seen leaving the ground. Those who did missed a quick response from their team which managed to score twice in two minutes to reduce the deficit, cutting Arsenal’s lead by half.
From a pass from Carlos Soler in the 38th minute, Aaron Wan-Bissaka slotted the ball past Raya and two minutes later a magnificent curling free-kick gave no chance to Raya, the Arsenal goalkeeper, making the score 2-4.
There was, however, a bit left to complete the rout. Arsenal were awarded a second penalty when their goalkeeper Fabianski’s fist, in clearing the ball from a corner kick, struck Gabriel in the 5th minute of the first-half’s added time. During this period the Hammers missed a chance of a third goal when Danny Ings missed an open goal. Thereafter, there was nothing that either side could do in the second half to change the scoreline.
West Ham manager, Julen Lopetegui said: “It was a very, very strange first-half. We didn’t deserve two goals and they didn’t deserve five. The first one was a set piece but it was a clear foul. After we have (had) to do better with the second and third goal.”
He added: “The fifth goal, before half time killed the match. It wasn’t a penalty. We were unlucky with the decision. But it’s not one excuse because we can do better.”
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
