Arsenal put in their greatest efficiency of the season with a 6-0 thrashing of West Ham United on Sunday.
The hosts held agency for 31 minutes earlier than fully falling aside and permitting the Gunners to strike 4 instances earlier than the break.
West Ham’s distress continued after the restart and a rapidly-emptying London Stadium bore witness to 2 additional objectives earlier than the long-awaited last whistle.
How the sport unfolded
Arsenal had management of the opening phases – racking as much as 90% possession at one level – however it was West Ham who went closest to taking the lead, catching the Gunners chilly on the counter. Ben Johnson’s low cross was heading in direction of Mohammed Kudus, however Jakub Kiwior made an vital intervention on the far put up to disclaim a sure purpose.
Leandro Trossard should have thought he had damaged the impasse when he struck a fierce volley in direction of the highest of the online after assembly Gabriel Martinelli’s cross, just for Alphonse Areola to throw up a robust hand and palm it over.
With simply over half an hour on the clock, Arsenal went in entrance. Declan Rice’s deep nook flew to the again put up to seek out William Saliba, and he headed in the opener – the Gunners’ eleventh Premier League purpose from a nook this season.
The lead ought to have been doubled shortly afterwards when a cross from Kiwior discovered the top of Bukayo Saka, however he one way or the other steered his effort huge.
Another probability got here and went for Saka after being slipped in behind by Martin Odegaard, this time dinking a shot narrowly previous the put up.
Saka’s continued menace yielded Arsenal a penalty simply earlier than the break, racing onto the tip of a Trossard by way of ball and being hauled to the bottom by Areola. Arsenal’s quantity seven stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards, netting his fiftieth purpose for the Gunners.
Before half-time, Arsenal had their third. Rice floated in a free-kick and Gabriel Magalhaes evaded the poor marking of Edson Alvarez to nod the guests into an unassailable lead.
Arsenal’s fourth got here in stoppage time, with Trossard getting in on the act with a luxurious strike into Areola’s prime nook.
The tempo slowed after half-time however Arsenal have been nonetheless the aspect to make the perfect probabilities, with Areola once more producing a high quality save to maintain out a top-corner certain shot from Saka.
Saka’s brace was to come back although, with the winger weaving his method inside after one other sensible ball from Odegaard and firing in at Areola’s close to put up.
Just as was in the script, Rice made a scoring return to London Stadium with Arsenal’s sixth, firing proper into the highest nook with a screamer from vary.
Arsenal performed out the ultimate 20 minutes at strolling tempo and have moved again degree on factors with second-placed Manchester City, although have performed a sport extra. West Ham have dropped to eighth and at the moment are 11 factors off the highest 4.
GK: Alphonse Areola – 2/10 – Actually made some large saves that backup Lukasz Fabianski would not have gotten wherever close to however conceding a penalty kickstarted the collapse.
RB: Vladimir Coufal – 2/10 – Leggy from the off. Had no concept find out how to match Arsenal’s depth.
CB: Kurt Zouma – 2/10 – Failed to maintain up with the tempo of Arsenal’s assaults and was hooked on the break.
CB: Nayef Aguerd – 1/10 – Unlike Zouma who’s needed to battle (and nonetheless is, actually) varied harm issues, Aguerd is in the prime of his profession. Despite this further mobility, he had no concept the place to face on the pitch.
LB: Emerson Palmieri – 1/10 – Roasted time after time by Saka. Even White was giving him a scare in the second half, for goodness sake.
CM: Edson Alvarez – 2/10 – Booked early on for a rash problem on Saka and by no means recovered. Hauled off at half-time.
CM: Tomas Soucek – 1/10 – Completely nameless in the midfield battle, providing zero.
RM: Mohammed Kudus – 3/10 – Looked shiny early on however could not maintain this menace.
AM: James Ward-Prowse – 2/10 – Hard to recollect he was even taking part in at factors.
LM: Ben Johnson – 2/10 – Clearly not a winger, however it’s not his fault he is been put in a place to attempt to exchange the excellence of Lucas Paqueta.
CF: Jarrod Bowen – 2/10 – Completely devoured up by Saliba and Gabriel.
Substitutes
SUB: Konstantinos Mavropanos (46′ for Zouma) – 3/10
SUB: Kalvin Phillips (46′ for Alvarez) – 3/10
SUB: Aaron Cresswell (76′ for Emerson) – 4/10
Subs not used: Lukasz Fabianski (GK), Angelo Ogbonna, Oliver Scarles, Maxwel Cornet, Danny Ings, Divin Mubama
Manager
David Moyes – 1/10 – What the hell was that? West Ham have been defeated as soon as the primary purpose went in and by no means got here near answering again. The Hammers have now shipped at the least 5 in three video games this season.
GK: David Raya – 6/10 – A spectator for probably the most half. Made some snug saves early doorways.
RB: Ben White – 7/10 – Probably the quietest of Arsenal’s outfielders, however he nonetheless did his job at both finish, simply preserving the out-of-position Johnson beneath wraps and making Emerson sweat.
CB: William Saliba – 9/10 – Got the mauling off and working with a high quality header. Comfortably silenced Bowen.
CB: Gabriel Magalhaes – 9/10 – Just the 4 Premier League objectives for Gabriel this season, shifting degree with namesake Jesus. Like Saliba was not given bother by Bowen.
LB: Jakub Kiwior – 7/10 – The afternoon might need regarded a little bit totally different if the Poland worldwide did not make an interception to disclaim Kudus early on. Got concerned lots in assault too.
CM: Declan Rice – 10/10 – One purpose and two assists on his return to West Ham. Utterly unstoppable. Booed by house followers when in possession however was clapped earlier than taking his corners.
CM: Martin Odegaard – 9/10 – Played together with his common grace and composure, discovering a solution to open up West Ham time and time once more.
CM: Kai Havertz – 7/10 – West Ham have been unable to discover a answer to Havertz making runs from deep and troubling them together with his added physicality.
RW: Bukayo Saka – 9/10 – Partly at fault for Arsenal dropping factors in this fixture final season however was an enormous catalyst behind this drubbing. Emerson will not need to see him once more anytime quickly.
CF: Leandro Trossard – 9/10 – Perfectly suited to this position, notably with Havertz bombing on into the frontline and making up for Trossard’s personal lack of peak.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli – 7/10 – Couldn’t discover a purpose or help however Martinelli remained essential to the tempo and relentlessness of Arsenal’s assaults.
Substitutes
SUB: Mohamed Elneny (67′ for Rice) – 6/10
SUB: Eddie Nketiah (67′ for Trossard) – 6/10
SUB: Reiss Nelson (67′ for Saka) – 6/10
SUB: Cedric Soares (77′ for White) – 6/10
SUB: Ethan Nwaneri (77′ for Martinelli) – 6/10
Subs not used: Aaron Ramsdale (GK), Reull Walters, Jorginho, Mauro Bandeira
Manager
Mikel Arteta – 10/10 – An ideal efficiency. Nothing extra to say.
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