West Ham United fell to a 3-1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, and there were plenty of talkings points to take away from the game.
Marko Arnautovic gave the Hammers the lead with a low shot after nice link-up play with Felipe Anderson on the edge of the box, but their advantage did not last long as Nacho Monreal smashed the home side level.
Arsenal then took the lead in the second period with an unfortunate own goal by Issa Diop and Danny Welbeck wrapped up the win with a late goal, condemning the Hammers to their third consecutive defeat to start the season.
This is Futbol have picked out three things we learned about the Hammers v Arsenal below:
Anderson is improving fast
West Ham broke their transfer record this summer to sign Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson from Lazio for £36million, and the 25-year-old has had a slow start to his Premier League career. The fleet-footed forward looked off the pace in both of his first two outings but was a changed man against the Gunners, providing a real threat for the Irons throughout the game. He was heavily involved in the game’s opening goal and nearly set up a second for Arnautovic with a lung-busting run in the second half. Overall it was a solid display from Anderson and one that provides much promise going forward.
Diop must remain in the side
Another big money summer signing was centre-back Issa Diop, who cost the club £22million from Toulouse. Despite the big fee and hype surrounding the young defender, Manuel Pellegrini had so far decided against playing Diop. The 21-year-old did however start against the Gunners, and while West Ham’s defence still looked dodgy at times, he did definitely provide something extra that has been missing in previous weeks. He was unlucky to score an own goal in the second half, but his big frame allowed him to compete well in the air, and he showed glimpses of his talent on several occasions. Diop must now remain in the side going forward.
Snodgrass could be a weapon
There was much controversy over the selection of Robert Snodgrass in the side to face Bournemouth last weekend, but the much-maligned Scotland international started once again on Saturday. Snodgrass was guilty of missing a good chance right at the end of the first half, but apart from that the midfielder played well. His left foot deliveries can be a big threat for the Hammers, and he provided some good impetus going forward. While Snodgrass should not remain in the team going forward with players like Andriy Yarmolenko pushing for a start, there was enough evidence today to show that he can be a weapon for Pellegrini this season. His decision to keep him around after a season on loan at Aston Villa was most definitely correct.