Arsenal found themselves 3-0 down inside 32 minutes against West Ham at the London Stadium today. Dreadful defending, poor concentration, and the worst football we’ve played in a long time saw goals from Lingard, Bowen and Soucek put us in an extremely difficult position.
However, Alexandre Lacazette forced an own goal before half-time, Calum Chambers forced another in the second half, before Laca thumped home a headed equaliser with 8 minutes of normal time remaining.
Both sides could have won it as Antonio hit the post, and Pepe failed to trouble Fabianski from a good position, but in the end the spoils were shared in what was an extraordinary game.
Here’s how the players rated.
Read the West Ham 3-3 Arsenal match report and see the goal here
West Ham 3-3 Arsenal – Player Ratings
The ratings are hidden by default until you vote, but if you just want to view the ratings and the comments, flick the switch at the top above Bernd Leno. Also, please give the ratings a few seconds to load.
We should have started like on fire and blow them out of the water, we have the ability just need to match every opposition in terms of effort from the start. I don´t buy those excuses that we have played more games because suddenly we found the physical reserves after conceding stupid goals. Saka and Odegaard are incredible on the ball – ability and security on another level and ESR isn´t too far behind as well.. Auba on the other hand not a very good game on the wing – Pepe should have started. I heard a lot of people… Read more »
very well said
pool, everton and chelsea are the toughest of the last few games, but we must get maximum points from the rest of the games (fulham, west brom etc)
We slept through most of the first half. I rate Arteta’s team talk at half time and substitutions and changes as responsible for the change in tempo
The Xhaka and Partey partnership is not working effectively. Xhaka moves the ball so slowly and Partey is aiming at birds when he shoots.
Partey can turn and play the ball between the lines so well. Completely different to anyone else we’ve got. Yeah, he shouldn’t shoot from distance, but it’s inconsequential really.
(anyone else we’ve got who plays CM)
Xhaka has this long standing tendency, necessity to inhibit arsenal’s momentum with his constant backwards and sideways passing. Partey, for everything that he might do right, he also has a tendency to do wrong. Errant passing, getting caught on the ball, losing the ball uneccessarily. They both need to refine their games more to make them and arsenal more potent
I would contribute everyone penny I can afford to a Kickstarter to buy Odegaard
I’m in
While you’re at it, start one to buy Arsenal as well. It’s bloody time we fans took coontrol!!
+1 for Odegaard
agreed
When Odegaard became available and was linked with a loan back to Real Sociadad, I said we should move for him
I got over 50 thumbs down
When we were reportedly in for him on loan, I said we should put €50 million on the table, and just take the player
I got almost 100 thumbs down, and a quite few negative comments
I can’t workout if people don’t like my comments? or don’t like me?
This is a rhetorical question by the way…..
“That means I don’t expect anyone to answer it”
I don’t understand why people didn’t like him, all you have to do is watch him play for 10 minutes, and you’ll realize how special of a player he is. I would have loved if we just put up 75 million for him and got him for years in the transfer window.
I thumbed you up just now for the record.
It’s you, Rich.
Cool, I’d rather be hated for being right
Rather than being liked for telling people things they want to hear, but aren’t true
Boasting about how clever you were to see a wonder kids talent I think is why all the thumbs down
Me too. But we have players on the books who aren’t playing and could be sold (fee plus saving on wages) to fund a bid for Odegaard. I’m thinking of Runarsson, Torreira, Guendouzi, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, maybe Willock and N’ketiah.
I’d think that lot will all be sold plus a few more. We also need to upgrade on Xhaka despite him being reasonably solid in the last few months.
Yep – see my comment above. We have an increasing number of players who’re just showing more and more by the week. Xhaka, whilst he seems to have reinvented his mental attitude, is simply a limited player in terms of ability. That has cost us… and will continue to do so. He is NOT a CL or top 4 EPL level talent – that’s the truth of it.
Real should offload him for free to save on wages.
I want an odegaard shirt next season. Make it happen
i want odegaard in our team next season. make it happen
Yes that is what Tombo is implying
I thought it was implied that I don’t want a Madrid shirt haha
finally, a player that passes it forward!!! hallelujah!!!
I’m starting a cologne line – Eau desgardes
I’m starting a deodorant: Odour Guard.
I’m starting a musical piece: Ode Agarde
10/10 to the mental institution that has to house Moyes after this comeback.
Leno needs competition. Thought he was a bit suspect today and his distribution still isn’t as good as it should be.
Great fight back if only we had started the match sensibly. Odegard is in a different league.
we have competition Arteta won’t drop him
Leno has been average to poor few games now. Poor passing, clearance, perhaps lacks confidence. Still makes good stops but it doesn’t make up for errors. I wonder if he really fits the style Arteta wants to play. Decision making suspect for me
A little harsh. He’s been playing with the Keystone Cops in front of him for a while now. A little shell shocked I’m sure.
He really shouldn’t have been put in that position today, and the other two were unstoppable. Other than the pass to Ceballos, really not sure what he’s done wrong. Martinez hardly covered himself in glory for Villa today, did he?
Wonder if it is indeed the lack of real competition since Emi left. There’s certainly a parallel time-line?
Looks like I’m gonna b unpop here.
Leno has saved us so many times…..I’d say give him a break.
Yes, he needs a break, maybe a couple of games to rest up. Let’s hope he has less mental lapses after the international break. Chuck in Matt Ryan for a couple of games, energy other position is rotated, why not rotate the Keeper every so often.
He had competition in Martinez, he was then inexplicably sold.
Arsenal don’t seem to be a club that can afford two decent keepers which is a real shame.
Inexplicably? He wanted a guaranteed starting position, Leno was willing to fight for the spot. Also, money is tight and it was a considetable offer. I’m not saying selling him was the best call, just pointing out that in my opinion it wasn’t inexplicable
That was a sensible sell for whole club in general and for Emi, no doubt about that.
Frustrating but also pretty impressive to come back the way we did.
I think if we can iron out our consistency problems we could be a real force next season. It’s taking time but I genuinely believe we’re getting there 💪
Only players that can say they played well today were Laca, Martin, and Chambers.
Partey has not impressed me at all for his rep and price tag.
I think Partey was playing better when he first joined to how he has been the last 5 or so matches. Huge potential though, I think he’s the real deal and will come good. Need a to stop fucking shooting though..
Partey is going to get better, but he is contributing mightily, and he is absolute quality.
Partey was quality today, minus the long rangers
take out the consistency problem in all teams and they’re all good.
still think there’s something missing in arteta
I do agree but we all knew this was his first managerial job when we he came onboard. Things are improving so I think we need to at least give him another season and then see where we are
Agree with those ratings, especially Auba. Time for him to have a break on the bench. Let Pepe start the next one.
Laca is really working hard for that new contract. Think he should get one? I for one do.
When Auba doesn’t score he doesn’t offer much. That big contract more and more looks like a mistake or at least a risk. It’s an attitude problem as far as I’m concerned
Yeah, he’s so poor unless he’s running at goal. Kind of oddly bad.
When he’s running at goal though! Wouldn’t want anyone else.
Unfortunately, Auba is so transparent his runs at goal can be seen 10 mins before he starts them. He just sticks to that advanced left position, close to the touchline and tries to finesse his way through. It’s a method that has only yielded to very lucky goals, one at Leeds and the other at Olympiacos. At Leeds, the goalie got his hand to the shot and Olympiacos, I believe it got the slightest of deflections. That particular manicure from Auba is all he has in his locker at the moment and unless he’s given the time and space to… Read more »
Meant to say manouvre not manicure. Bloody predictive text lol
Auba was equally ineffective whether he play left or right.
Arteta is easing Martinelli into the team. If Martinelli managed to score a few goals, it will make it easier for Arteta to make a change. Not easy currently to benched your most expensive player if there are no clear alternatives. Just like SAKA and ESR, with a few good performance, Arteta can now justify resting PEPE or Willian for instance.
Love Auba but I have to say the gulf in attitude, work-rate, commitment and, yes, even pure end-product between him and Laca was a chasm yesterday!
If they are all fit and rested enough my 3 behind the striker would always be Smith Rowe, Ødegaard and Saka with Martinelli and Pepe the ones to come on if we’re chasing and need to be more direct. But those 3 give you a lot of technical security. Pretty sure Arteta likes that a lot. Regarding today’s game, I think it’s about time that we have a first choice cb pairing. It maybe helps you at some point when all of your cb’s are able to play with each other but more often it costs you because you’ll never… Read more »
let’s not do the same mistake over and over and then complain. we should not renew contracts for inflated salaries.. the young guns can provide as much if not more!
If we go back to the start of the season, everyone on here ( and fans of other clubs) were hailing Auba’s new contract as the best signing of the summer. Now so many have applied distorted hindsight and say we shouldn’t give top contract to top players.
Yes, the guy is struggling but, if we’d let him go, imagine what comments would appear!
Wengers over 30 year long contracts make much more sense now.
If we lose Balogun, or even Martinelli, because of an insistence to blindly play Auba repeatedly, rather than giving him a break to sort out whatever is obviously affecting him, it will be a travesty.
Martenelli is finnally coming back on the bench let’s give him a start soon please! Chambers got his chance and had a nice performance. And for Auba’s performance the less said the better
Agree. Play players who wants to play and show it. Auba credibility as player and person took a big knock. Arteta public message that’s it’s done and dusted clearly doesn’t match the reality of on-field performance. It’s up to him to show his character. Hopefully international break will be good for all parties
The on field performance has been pretty rubbish most of the season to be fair.
Blogs, could you make one rating for the first half and one for the second? I’m really conflicted about the ratings.
We need to talk about Leno’s form lately
Yup. Shit last 4 weeks.
Have you ever seen a Jan loan signing become one of the most important players in the side?
fernandes?
Bruno? Not a loan
On the absolutely diabolical end you have Dennis Suarez, on the utterly sublime end you have the legendary Kim Kallstrom. Ødegaard is somewhere in between…
Mark my words, it will be very difficult to replace Lacazette, right now I can’t think of many that has his all round ability, his passing, his touch, his intelligence, his knack of scoring in big games, his fight, his hold up play is decent especially for his size and height too, it is a shame that injury he got hindered his pace, he used to be agile and a decent dribbler too. We have more important positions to improve with little money to do so, if we sell Laca, we need a good striker that can compete with Auba,… Read more »
I worry we extended the contract of the wrong striker…
Auba has proved that he is a great striker, we should just keep both really. No one would have expected Auba’s dip in form, it’s not all down to him either
Who else is it down to?!!
Laca should be given an extension – he’s our best center forward this season and was our player of the year 2 seasons back. Last year his ankle injury kept him below his best but he gives 100% every game and imo would be a better captain than Auba.
We were 19th in creating chances until the end of December. We were playing 3 atb with 2 defensive midfielders. Stop being reactionary, Aubameyang has done a lot for us, we should be grateful that we have 2 quality strikers.
I can think of one: giroud
To be clear I’m not advocating we buy giroud back. merely highlighting that in my opinion lacazette is no better (and maybe slightly worse)
It’s very easy to forget that Giroud scored similar goals and made similar assists in a much better team with prime Ozil, Alexis, Ramsey, Cazorla Wilshere, under a Wenger attacking system. He never dragged us out of difficult places with individual quality, much unlike Lacazette who under Emery, along with Auba dragged a mediocre team to 1 point from 3rd. It’s just a case of forgetting how much Giroud let us down, he missed sitter after sitter, he obviously can’t press, his passing his terrible too.
This will be unpopular, but I really haven’t been impressed by Partey so far. Hopefully he will find his feet and improve soon. Aubameyang is completely starting by name only, not on merit at all. He has to be dropped for Martinelli. Martinelli and Odegaard would lead a press so well together, not to mention their obvious talent.
One thing I love that Partey does is those passes through the middle instead of out to the wings. He did it 3-4 times today and something exciting almost always happens from it
I agree with the Partey bit. So often he ends up overcomplicating stuff when a simple pass would suffice, I hope he gets rid of this habit because we all know what he’s capable of!
Be careful what you wish for! You want incisive, line-breaking passing… it comes with a risk, by definition. As long as he’s completing 80% plus of those, I rather have that than Granit’s 93% where 60% of those are back to Luis or Leno!!
yes i was so excited that we got partey and still am.. but he isnt dominating the midfield like we all expected.. take xhaka out and im sure it will be a whole new game.
I wish somebody would tell him to stop blasting the ball out of the stadium when we’re in a decent attacking position, it’s really annoying, like Luiz taking free kicks.
Coaching issue – I rewound yesterday’s and watched it a few times. He clearly has an issue where he leans back slightly as he puts real power through his right foot. Should be something fairly straightforward to rectify at Colney?
We need patience with Partey – similar comments were being made about Odegaard only last week, ffs! And, whilst Thomas has been here longer, he’s had a nightmare injury run that’s killed any training fluency and played havoc with his fitness, let alone what it must have done to his confidence.
He is imperious on the ball most of the time – yes, there are mistakes and sloppy moments but even a Roller that’s been parked on bricks for a few months is always a little shaky on the first few spins.
Not that I’ll own one!
‘ever’ own one
Love to know the particular brand of pedantry that motivates someone to downvote a correction to a typo!!
Do Arsenal fans need to contribute to a GoFundMe page for Odegaard? Would happily give a month’s salary.
Also, Auba’s head is not in the game, at the moment.
We should have one this game. We are still evolving away from the dreck of the last 5-6 years into something worthy of the name Arsenal Football Club. The players came out in the first half like stubborn mules who refused to play football, refused to enthusiastically follow the manager’s game plan. They responded extremely well in the 2nd half. Partey, Laca, and Chambers were very good, Odegaard was excellent. We are better than West Ham but you couldn’t tell today because we slept through the first half and chased the game desperately in the second. The team still lacks… Read more »
Do you realise what happened the last 5-6yrs? Just Google and check where we finished the last 5-6 years before mouthing off. Even under Emery we did better than under Arteta, who has a better pool of talent that Wenger had. Every one said out team was full of Wenger deadwood and yet we went on a 22 match unbeaten streak, that too under Emery. Under Arteta, we can’t string together a 11 match unbeaten run.
I think we now have enough distance from Emery and enough experience with Arteta to accept that every manager in the post-Wenger period has succeeded and failed at different things. Emery got a 22-match streak, fine. But all along, we were on tenterhooks knowing it would end, and not because like all good things it would, but because Arsenal were defying the law of averages, getting points while the performances were often listless and directionless. If the later part of the Emery reign was any indication, that was what Arsenal were worth in a time when other teams were not… Read more »
Without straining to find a bright spot, here’s something that almost blinds you with the glare: Odegaard is the best player in the Prem at what he does–showing for the ball, keeping the ball, advancing the ball, seeing passes, making passes, running the game. Just brilliant.
Just watching a sky homage to Dennis Bergkamp.
My god I’m so glad I grew up in that era.
Wright, Anelka, Henry, Kanu, Wiltord! 4 of those in one team for a while, and that’s just the strikers let alone all the rest of the great squad.
Oh today? Yeah I guess at least we did well to come back.
Thanks for reminding me of the good old days, I needed that.
What worries me is when we are put under pressure and high press we look lost and incapable, but after West Ham backed off with the lead we had the space to dominate them and did. But even then we got hit several times on the break. I think Martinelli and ESR are mentally the type we need to not wilt under the pressure, so I hope they break into the top 11 soon. Odegaard as everyone has said is really beginning to flourish with his ability to distribute out of tiny pockets of space whilst under pressure. That is… Read more »
The key thing with Ode, and even ESR and Saka (young as they are) is that they don’t panic under the press. They have the ability to turn and twist until they create space and time to use the ball positively. Laca, too, has an ability to keep the ball through huge pressure (but his is more often pure tenacity).
Contracst that with Xhaka and Luis – they always seem a little startled when someone presses them and too often, panic or just lose possession. Hence that sphincter-tightening whenever we see them receiving a pass under pressure!
Odegaard stays.
Can see how Mikel wants us to play and build upon…but 42 points from 29 games is just way too low. We need consistency from this side the next season. Hope Europa league is ours.
As much as I would love to have EL next season, I would gladly accept no Europa next season to build and fight whole season and may bring something substantial than doing this grind again and again. Although I believe we are moving in right direction.
If I could give 0 for Auba today I would. No idea why Arteta left him on the field that long.
exactly!
imagine the reaction if it were willian
Why the fuck did he start on the right?! Bizarre.
Madness. If he’s not up top he shouldn’t be starting, we have far better options on the wing.
The starting line up cost us the points.
Hope Arteta gives us this against Liverpool. Saka & Auba need a rest. Bellerin is behind Cedric & Chambers ATM
Leno
Chambers Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Partey Xhaka
Pepe Odegaard Martinelli/ ESR
Laca
I wouldn’t fancy Chambers against Mane personally
Its very early to say….
but this isnt the Moreno chasing Chambers we once knew. Hope Andrew and James find time on the pod tomorrow to discuss the crazy notion of Calum reverting back to the position we signed him for all those yeaes back?
that’s ended v badly previously (the 4-3 in 2016)
I might give Ryan a game. Leno has been poor recently
Don’t think Ryan is the answer. We sold the answer for dirt cheap last summer.
Down voted for speaking the truth? It’s obvious who is better out of Leno and Martinez. Leno is exactly the same as every keeper since Lehmann. Can save shots but severely lacking in other areas and transfers nerves into the defence.
I was excited to see ESR come on to (I assume) play alongside MØ as double 8s/10s; don’t think ESR quite got into the offense enough (or maybe he was tasked with staying back a bit) but I don’t think there was enough time to really judge that. Would like to see more of that combo for sure.
It’s hilarious to watch Bowen try to dive. He’s so bad at simulating contact that not even Jon Moss was fooled.
Blogs – not a word for our mate Moss, allowing WH to take free-kicks from anywhere within a rough 5m radius of the actual foul?!
Whatever happened to the foamy white spraycan thingy?
Sell Guendouzi’s organs on the Deep Web to raise funds for Odegaard
Hahaha
Ashamed to say this did make me chuckle 😅
Looked like we ended the game with an ESR-Partey-Odegaard midfield, could that be a sign of things to come? I almost think Partey playing as a lone DM might get the best out of him, forcing him to focus on what he’s good at! The balance with him and Xhaka is a little off IMO.
Slightly harsh rating on Saka (again), should have done better when through on goal but was a threat throughout. And maybe generous for Auba, had a real stinker.
Crazy game. Does anyone else have the problem that news articles do not appear on the arsenal news home page. Had to find this via Twitter.
Been happening to me for a couple of weeks now, have to Google ‘arseblog news’ then click the link through the Twitter. Even happened with today’s West a preview on the main blog.
Think the rating for Leno is generous. I thought he was terrible today. Odegaard gets a 9 from me…we would not have drawn that without him, Auba is really out of sorts and Xhaka though not my favorite player should not have started. He looked knackered and went backwards all the time. I think patience required for Partey.
Agree with all of that.
We all know how the ratings work at this point….. Players have their range and won’t ever be given above or below that range.
Sign Odegaard and make him captain…
Loving what this MO is doing, but KT is still my main man for the captaincy
Is it time to say drop Auba and sell if an offer comes?
He’s been great but I’d sell, his head seems to have gone, age will begin to show soon enough and he’s blocking Martinelli/Pepe in the wide positions and doesn’t offer enough to be up top.
Would anyone agree we would do well with a giroud type with saka/Pepe/Martinelli on the wings, and odegard/smith-Rowe behind.
When I saw the line up I knew Luiz would get beaten in the air to concede a goal. Literally saw it in my head before kick off. Not blaming him though. Why were Holding and Gabriel, our two most dominant aerial players, both left out.
Imagine if Willian had come on at 3-0 down to ‘give us a bit of impetus’. There would have been a riot in Islington.
Imagine
What a game. The league games could be used to identify plans for next season and in that respect it was scary to see our attacking intent when we went all out. The big worry is definitely Auba, especially if we plan to sell Laca as well. Pepe, Saka, ESR, Odegaard hopefully, Martenelli – an exciting prospect next season.
We CANNOT afford to sell Laca at this point… not for all money.
Pairing Mari with Luiz is a DISASTER. Both slow. None can bail the other out
Luiz was particularly slow today…agreed.
Tough match to rate because it was like watching 2 different matches.
Sometimes I can’t believe how negative Xhaka is on the ball. At around 11 minutes, after being pegged back the whole game, we had a freekick near the halfway line. Time to relieve the prrssure and movr forward. Our players progressed forward, but Xhaka passed it back to Mari, who ended up getting trapped and lost possession together with Xhaka. I was fuming when Xhaka passed back, and told my wife we will concede soon cause we didn’t use our brains. 5 mins later it was 2-0. Thank God we have Partey who is willing to make passes forward, otherwise… Read more »
Couldn’t agree more mate!
Xhaka does my head in 90% of the time, as he slows down our moves and the game itself. He receives the ball with his right foot, shifts it to the left, drags the ball backwards & forwards a couple of times, looks up and to the left and right, and makes a tame/innocuous pass. A crucial 3-4 seconds in the build-up play gets buried. With him in the team we can forget fast counter attacks.
here’s an idea, try chambers instead of xhaka?
Did not thought chambers was that quick, and his positionning was spot on all game. He timed his runs very well during the game in order to get crosses in and he seems to know how to play a pass first time. Wonder what he might do in a central aera. He played a whole year there at fulham and was their best player that season. Why not give it a try as we re clearly low on options in the middle of the park.
That game pretty much summed up our season.
Xhaka slows the team down. Luiz slows the team playing laca and abu together slows the team down. playing willian slows the team down.
arteta has to get more of the youngsters on the field.
always thought chambers was not appreciated enough. If I recall correctly he was Fulham’s player of the year playing as a defensive midfielder. faster and quicker than xhaka.
Would love to seem him play that position here once in a while.
Pepe was pulled back for his big chance. Can’t mark him down for that.
Auba and Leno must be sold this summer.
Auba has been awful all season. It doesn’t matter if he’s on the right/left or up top. He’s offering very little to nothing to this team. There’s a reason we looked better against Sp*rs because he wasn’t on the pitch doing his best impression of the invisible man.
just smiling not happy
Very entertaining match to watch, both sides have chances to win it. Looking back, did we really have a good week? 1 win, as Laca said, lucky to have the pen, 1 loss at mid week (even thought we qualified) and a draw. Come on boys, we got to do better!
I worry Odegaard is too good for us/for real madrid to let go but… fuck this guy is top top quality
Hes been top drawer for the last few matches.
Was very good today.
Although I’m sure it’ll hurt the financial figures, I have a feeling a year out of the Europa league could do us a favour and give us a bit of time to get our house in order and expectations on track.
Our squad isn’t good enough to challenge for UCL places whilst juggling Thursday nights, it’s not even a debate – we’re 10th.
I like the fact that Partey attempts to shoot from deep.
I wish that he’d improve on his technique. Would definitely give Arsenal another dimension
I don’t care how much odegaard costs… buy him!!
My question is how a team in form can play like this. Second thing why trying things in first half with aubameyang as we could ha put pepe doing it, as we all know what performance west have give 1st half at utd last match. 3rd i think we the team should watch last performance of the team they are going to play before start so that they can spot the players.its not acceptable that antonio plays as he wanted,we have 4 players on the pitch to stop him but nothing was done.
Hard watching first half MUCH better second. But Arteta needs to get it right. 1) Leno – will be pissed with letting in their second near post so tamely. Otherwise several good stops to keep us in it being proactive coming out to clear. 2) Chambers – Really positive performance from him and happy to see him in his NATURAL position at long last. Excellent crosses today and not often we can say right side out performed our left. Will give us options going into summer if he can carry on like this. Love the stabbed lofted ball over to… Read more »
Willian injured Santori buddy
Smith Rowe + Lacazette + Saka + Odegaard = PERFECTION