Arsenal climbed to second in the Premier League table with a 5-2 win at West Ham sealed courtesy of a swashbuckling first-half performance at the London Stadium
All seven of the game’s goals were scored before the break with the Gunners racing to a four-goal advantage before the home side pegged us back with a brace in the blink of an eye. Man of the match Bukayo Saka extended the advantage again, following captain Martin Odegaard’s lead by netting from the spot.
Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos made of the action…
Mikel Arteta on a rollercoaster game…
We made it crazy, we played so well at the start of the game. We scored three early goals and then they score one immediately after kick-off and then another one – then it was game on. We have to manage the game – we did that really well. The last two games were tricky and to score goals is a big one.
Source: BBC MOTD
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Julen Lopetegui on West Ham’s performance…
We were unlucky in the decisions, in my opinion. The first goal, I think it was a block [on Fabianski]. I think it [the second penalty] was a bit soft. We were unlucky. We have to do better for sure. We didn’t make good decisions in a defensive way – that’s why it was a strange match. The team showed character to compete. We were unlucky with the decisions today. We asked before the match, the referee with the block, as a coach we have to know the limit. This week we have to do better in our individual actions, in a defensive way.
Source: BBC MOTD
West Ham (1.46) 2-5 (3.20) Arsenal
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) November 30, 2024
Jurrien Timber on what Gabriel said before Arsenal’s set-piece opener and his subsequent role in the goal…
I can’t tell you that. But it felt a little bit like an assist, to be fair. I helped him a bit. But it was good execution. it’s not the first time this season or last season, we’ve scored a lot of nice goals from set pieces. Not only Gabi did it again, but the whole team showed they are really good at set pieces.
Source: Sky Sports
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Jarrod Bowen on Arsenal’s early dominance…
There was a lot down to us, how we were without the ball and a couple of mistakes as a team. Set-pieces we worked hard knowing they were a threat. Two penalties and they’re just frustrating goals to concede. We were fighting back and we got to 4-2. I felt if we got in at half-time at 4-2 then there was an opportunity. Then in the second half we had a go. The fans were brilliant, but ultimately we weren’t good enough. The positive is we play in 72 hours and games are coming up thick and fast. Tomorrow is a new day and it is all focus towards Leicester.
Source: Sky Sports
10 – Bukayo Saka has 10 assists in Arsenal's 13 Premier League games this term; only Cesc Fàbregas in 2014-15 (12), Mesut Özil in 2015-16 (12), & Harry Kane in 2020-21 (11) have reached 10 assists in fewer of a team's games from the start of a season in the competition. Platter. pic.twitter.com/9c6T2hvLK6
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 30, 2024
Bukayo Saka on his fine form…
I’m happy so far but you know, I have to keep going. I can’t get complacent. It’s a long season and we’re only in November so, I need to continue like this.
Source: Arsenal.com
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Jurrien Timber on his form and fitness following ACL surgery…
It’s just the people around me pushing me always and saying I’m as good as the people around me. Those are the most important people in my life right now, they help me to get where I am right now and I’m just trying to push, keep going. To be honest, the players around me are so good that it makes it easy to play, but I feel good, I feel nice and I feel fit, that’s the most important thing.
Source: Sky Sports
Bukayo Saka is the first player to score and assist in three consecutive appearances for #Arsenal in all competitions since Cesc Fàbregas who did so in four successive matches back in September 2007.
— Harvey Downes (@HarveyDownes92) November 30, 2024
Arteta on substituting Gabriel Magalhaes at half-time…
It was related to the previous injury that he had in Lisbon and obviously he did great to be part of that but with that result and with the niggle that he’s feeling, we decided to take him off.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Saka on Arsenal’s form…
Today was a top performance from us and we scored a lot of goals – we are playing good football right now and we want to continue like this. We are back to our best form. We look fluid and dynamic we are all enjoying football right now.
Source: BBC MOTD
7 – West Ham v Arsenal is only the fourth Premier League game to see seven goals in the first half alone, after Blackburn v Leeds in September 1997, Bradford v Derby in April 2000, and Reading v Man Utd in December 2012. Crazy. pic.twitter.com/Zji8BguDu6
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 30, 2024
Jermain Defoe on Arsenal’s win…
To a man, everyone did their job. Arsenal were in total control from the start of the game. Everything they did today was fantastic. The ball speed, the movement, the finishing, the set-pieces. All fantastic.
Source: Premierleague.com
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Jamie Redknapp on Odegaard’s influence…
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard linked up beautifully at times and they looked like the side we’ve seen over the last couple of years. It just shows everybody what Odegaard does for this team, he knits it together. He is the glue in the team. He is an absolute joy to watch and you see how much better they are with him. He frees Saka up and gives him that time in one on one situations that you can’t really have unless Odegaard is playing.
Source: Sky Sports
𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐦 𝟐-𝟓 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥
Another five goals away from home for Arsenal as they rise to second ahead of tomorrow’s game between Liverpool and Man City.
Read our report and the best data from the game on our stats page below. 👇https://t.co/LchEBH8S0R#WHUARS pic.twitter.com/6I6tPwbOJ6
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 30, 2024
Arteta on Calafiori’s fitness…
Well, he’s been with little niggles in the last few weeks. Obviously, he had a very serious knee injury [in the past] and he’s doing really well, but we have to manage his minutes and today we have to do the same.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Theo Walcott on Arsenal being awarded a penalty after Fabianski punched Gabriel trying to clear a corner…
It was very different to a couple of weeks ago in the Champions League against Inter Milan when somebody actually did the same thing to Gabriel but probably made more of an impact. I feel like, it’s one of those where referees have to be careful because this happens quite frequently. He scrapes his face and doesn’t get a clear connection, it’s very different to the one midweek a couple of weeks ago. Anthony Taylor took six or seven seconds to make the decision. I think Arsenal’s reaction has made Anthony Taylor’s decision.
Source: Sky Sports
5 – Arsenal have scored 5+ goals in five away games in all competitions in 2024, a joint-record by an English top-flight team in a single calendar year, along with Sunderland in 1892 and Manchester City in 1937. Relentless. pic.twitter.com/1uWL5qexUr
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 30, 2024
Lopetegui saying nothing about their lucky free kick, 🤔
He’s a twat and will be jobless for Christmas
Hope Santa wraps his termination notice in lush velvety giftwrapping and stuffs it far up his… stockings? Let’s go with stockings for now.
(nah, it’s arse. Far up his arse.)
Saka assisted Trossard, what a cliche
I just hope everyone but White/Tomi is fit for Wednesday. I want us to crush them
What was Walcott on about? When big Gabi is punched in the head in the area is it a penalty or not? Tricky one!
What do the rules of the game say Theo? FFS
I remember someone saying he’s trying too hard to fit into the punditry. Seems to hold water,
Theo is as supine as a pundit as he was as a player. United and Liverpool pundits spend all their time spouting biased crap – and get a former player on there and he apologies for us. Never forget the day he captained us. I thought Wenger had finally lost his mind after several close shaves (gallas ? )
Theo was our Rashford, only find consistency around contract renewal time.
Harsh.
brother you’re entitled to not like the way a player played or disagree with a pundit’s opinion about what is a penalty or not. but theo walcott dedicated 12 years of his life to defend arsenal’s badge. have some class and give him some respect would you
he’s got a point to be honest, it’s not a full contact punch to the head, or at least it didn’t look like it from any of the 3 angles i saw, more like a roughly scraping his face. and the truth is that refs tend to be quite subjective when deciding whether that’s a penalty or not. for me the inter one was very obvious and it wasn’t awarded. this one didn’t seem as obvious and it was. whatever the result, this much inconsistency in refereeing is quite boring and shady.
The diff was the Milan one he got man and ball. This one he just got man.
And that 1892 Sunderland team did it wearing wooden clogs!
Wooden clogs? *Luxury* that is. Most teams played barefoot, in t’snow, on a ploughed field wi’ broken glass in it.
I sense more “dark arts” from Arteta.
Could he be saying that Gabriel was replaced for a different injury, to avoid the 5 day concussion rule
while i know he’s a cheeky bastard he’s also a honest human being that would never risk a player’s health by skipping that kind of rule. or any rule, honestly. he’s not a cheater, he’s just clever.
🤫🤫🤫
Another day, another top class first half display with goals galore. Starting with the display at Forest, this now a #trend, and quite the stark change from the barren spell that preceded it. So why and how were Arsenal able to effect this change? Arteta discussed after the international break that they had done some soul searching in the results that went against us and identified some areas for improvement. Here’s what I’ve seen that’s been different since then. 1. Squad rotation. Other than enforced changes, the starting 11 was consistent game to game. Now, certain players aren’t even in… Read more »
Julen “We were unlucky” Lopetegui.
They got stomped by 3 goals at home but he is whining about “luck”.