Arteta’s guns again failed to find firepower against Moyes’ hammers – Soccernet.ee

Conceptually, cannons are much more powerful weapons than hammers, but if you don’t have gunpowder on hand, they become virtually useless. This is what happened once again to London’s Arsenal, who, despite 30 shots on target, remained empty at home against West Ham.

Arsenal dropped a lot of points in December, but the other leaders slipped too, so Mikel Arteta’s men took to the pitch knowing a win would put them back at the top. However, David Moyes’ side quickly took the lead and remained elusive.

In the 13th minute, Gabriel Magalhaes failed to clear the ball in front of the goal, Jarrod Bowen saved the ball from the byline, and finally Tomaš Soucek managed to send it into the net from five meters without protection – 0:1!. VAR investigated the situation extensively, but failed to detect that the ball had completely crossed the back line.

Arsenal had the lion’s share of possession but only came close to equalizing in the 30th minute when Alphonse Areola had to clear Bukayo Saka’s header over the bar. In the 37th minute, after a nice combination, Gabriel Martinelli took a spot kick, but turned the ball over the goal. In the rapid attack in the 42nd minute, Saka hit the post from a sharp angle, but the ball did not reach the net.

The teams were greeted by torrential rain in the second half, further hampering Arsenal’s fine passing game. However, Declan Rice’s long-range shot in the 53rd minute grazed the roof of the visitors’ goal. Two minutes later, however, West Ham scored their second when Konstantinos Mavropanos’ header from a James Ward-Prowse corner hit the crossbar, then the post and then into the net – 0:2!

Arsenal’s pressure then became desperate again. In the 65th and 66th minutes, striker Gabriel Jesus had consecutive opportunities to head the ball into the net with his head, but the first event flew too much in the direction of the goalkeeper and from an even better position he was unable to do so . get the ball into the frame.

In the 74th minute Leandro Trossard shoots from the corner of the area, but Areola arrives at the other end in time. In the 78th minute Saka’s shot from 15 meters was also intercepted by the lock of the French cage. Neither Eddie Nketiah’s 89th-minute scissors kick nor Martin Ödegaard’s 90th-minute long-range shot helped, as Areola hit everywhere.

77 – Arsenal made 77 touches in the opposition box against West Ham; the most ever recorded (since 2008–09) in a single Premier League match for a team that failed to score. Block. pic.twitter.com/5bw9P8zGHo
—OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 28, 2023

In total, Arsenal mustered 30 shots, 8 of which found their way into the frame, but it didn’t help. West Ham only needed six shots, three of which ended up between the posts: the first two hit the target and the third just missed. In the fifth minute of extra time, West Ham earned a penalty when Rice slid into his area and brought down Emerson, but David Raya managed to save Said Benrahma’s penalty.

November’s League Cup match also ended in Arsenal losing 1–3, and April’s league match ended in a 2–2 draw, so West Ham remained unbeaten for the Gunners this year.

Earning just four points from their last four league games, Arsenal continue to sit second in the table behind Liverpool. At the same time, West Ham’s current form, which has pocketed nine points, is better than that of any top club, which has already risen to sixth place in the table.

Arsenal-West Ham 0:2 (0:1)
13. Tomas Soucek, 55. Konstantinos Mavropanos

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