Written by Barry Vinnicombe
West Ham V Arsenal was played in a particularly strange atmosphere at Upton Park this weekend. Avram Grant, accompanied by his backroom staff, marched solemly towards the home dugout in a kind of premature funeral procession, with the game effectively marking the end of Grant’s disastrous tenure as West Ham gaffer.
Grant may not have officially been given the boot yet, but the club look certain to hire a new manager by the end of the week.
Predictably, Arsenal won the game with ease. They looked fresh after a turgid week of results against lower league opposition. This was the perfect time to face West Ham with the impervious Scott Parker missing and the inclusion of gutless debutant Wayne Bridge in an already woeful defence.
In deflection of Bridge’s performance, he has been out of action for a while, but there’s no excuse for playing a part in all three opposition goals when you were previously lauded as the country’s second best left-back. But let us not focus on the woes of a club in freefall…
Van Persie scored twice for Arsenal in a display that will surely mark the beginning of a purple-patch in form for the player. Granted, one of his goals was a penalty, but it will do wonders for his confidence and he will aim to build upon this in upcoming games against Wigan, Everton and Newcastle.
Walcott staked another claim for inclusion in the team ahead of Arshavin with another refined display, mixing his guile with passing and crossing that belied his ‘nothing more than a speed merchant’ tag. Although, he was up against the afore-mentioned ‘worst-player-on-the-pitch’. Nontheless, a goal and a penalty win will certainly boost his OPTA stats and indeed his stature at the club.
The defence was ok. Clichy looked far better than in previous matches and Koscielny won the majority of his aerial battles (it is a facet of his game that has become more and more valuable as the season progresses). I felt that Djourou had pretty much consolidated his role as one of the team’s most integral centre-backs but he had a shaky afternoon. His game was personified by an early back-pass that allowed Carlton Cole through on goal for a one-on-one. luckily Cole looked rusty and his effort was well saved by Szczesny who went on to perform well when called upon. The defence continues to be Arsenal’s Achilles heal and has now officially turned into a chronic ailment that is unlikely to be resolved by the end of this season.
An Improved team…
Most of Arsenal’s players have improved this year. There are a few established players who have had disappointing seasons, notably Arshavin, Sagna and Eboue. But the youngest players have improved vastly which is certainly promising. I’d place Song, Walcott and Nasri as those who have improved the most. But, I believe it is clear to see that Jack Wilshire has improved most out of the whole squad.
Considering he only made his first Premiership start in August, his development has been phenomenal. He doesn’t seem to have a set position. Wenger seems to prefer him as a deep-lying, combative central midfielder, a task that he certainly out-performs Abou Diaby in. His stay at Bolton has paid dividends and has shown the value of loan deals for younger players. He has certainly toughened up with Bolton’s education and he is far stronger than his stature would suggest. As well as this, his balance, touch and fleet-footedness make him exceptional when Arsenal are on the front-foot. He bares a canny resemblance to Cesc Fabregas at times and is arguably a better tackler.
At West Ham it was his combative side that was on show, with a number of strong tackles and interceptions that allowed Arsenal to play the ball with confidence in the midfield. He certainly wasn’t the star of the show, but his industrious, effective showing really highlighted a maturity that belies his age. His continual pairing with Alex Song may also be one of the reasons for the starlet’s quick development this season. The Cameroonian has been one of the first names on the sheet this season. His ‘keep it simple stupid’ style of play has really allowed Wilshire to flourish beside him, allowing him more freedom in attack whilst Song holds back. The two defend as a unit consistently with a clear sense of spacial and marking duties that is refreshing to see in an Arsenal team defensively suspect elsewhere on the pitch
If Fabregas does leave in the Summer, the blow will be slightly softer due to the emergence of a player with ability that will be as valuable as the transfer fee that a player of Fabregas’ quality demands.
Use your FREE bet now and play Picklive!