Arsenal’s Title Hopes Dwindle After West Ham Defeat
In the heart of London, at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal fans were left pondering the future of their team’s title aspirations after a sobering 1-0 defeat to West Ham United. The match, which took place on a chilly Saturday afternoon, saw West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen emerge as the hero, scoring the decisive goal before being substituted for Evan Ferguson, a recent loan acquisition. This move, with just eight minutes of normal time remaining, seemed almost like a taunt to Arsenal, who were left ruing their lack of attacking options.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, had opted against making a midseason signing to bolster his attacking lineup, a decision that now appears questionable. The loss to West Ham has sparked a pressing question among fans and pundits alike: is Arsenal’s title race now over?
Arteta himself admitted, “It’s not in our hands,” expressing his frustration with the team’s performance. “For me, I’m really, really annoyed about the things that are in our hands and we didn’t do as well as we possibly could and that’s the performance and the result today.”
The hope that Mikel Merino could seamlessly transition from midfielder to striker, akin to Kai Havertz’s journey, seemed overly optimistic. While Merino had impressed with a late double against Leicester City the previous weekend, Havertz’s pedigree as a forward was far superior. His transition to leading Arsenal’s attack was a gradual process, not a quick fix in a time of need.
Arteta had claimed that Arsenal had been “re-energised” after rallying together following the news that Havertz would miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury. However, there was little evidence of this newfound energy on the pitch against West Ham. Arteta did not hide his disappointment, stating, “We have to be [angry]. I hope we are very much because we didn’t hit the levels today and I am very much responsible for that so I am very, very angry.”
In the opening 15 minutes, Arsenal showed some promise, attempting to find Merino with angled balls. However, once West Ham adjusted to this strategy, Arsenal struggled to maintain any sustained pressure, despite controlling possession in safe areas.
Despite the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table to five points, following Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa and Manchester City not playing until Sunday, Arsenal appeared curiously flat. Creativity was lacking, with Martin Ødegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Ethan Nwaneri all failing to make a significant impact. Declan Rice, facing his former club, was substituted after just 56 minutes.
Mohammed Kudus was a constant thorn in Arsenal’s side, particularly when Myles Lewis-Skelly brought him down just inside the Gunners’ half. Initially shown a yellow card, Lewis-Skelly’s punishment was upgraded to a red after a VAR review, due to David Raya’s advanced positioning.
One moment in the second half encapsulated Arsenal’s struggles. With a free kick in the 79th minute, Ødegaard opted for a short pass to William Saliba, who then passed back to Raya. This decision was met with boos from the stands, which gradually emptied as West Ham completed a disciplined defensive display.
- Arsenal managed just two shots on target throughout the match.
- Alphonse Areola comfortably saved a first-half effort from Riccardo Calafiori.
- Areola did not need to make a save in the final half hour.
Arteta dismissed the notion that the absence of a recognized striker was the sole reason for the defeat, stating, “No, no and I refuse that completely because I am talking about the standards of the players and the team that we played today, me included. And that was nowhere near the levels that we have to hit to have the opportunity to win a Premier League. Today, no. We were very consistent, yes, but football is about what you do today and today, nowhere near.”
There are still some reasons for optimism. This was Arsenal’s first league home defeat in 10 months, and Liverpool face a challenging week with matches against Manchester City and Newcastle United, where Arsenal have already suffered two defeats this season.
However, with key players like Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli sidelined, Arsenal’s ability to capitalize on any slip-ups by their rivals seems increasingly unlikely. The decision not to pursue a January move for Ollie Watkins more aggressively, after their £40 million bid was rejected, may prove costly. Aston Villa’s £60 million demand for the England striker was deemed too high, but the lack of a new signing could end up costing Arsenal much more in the long run.
Originally Written by: James Olley
