Arsenal face West Ham United at London Stadium in the Premier League aiming to beat a side that have already defeated them twice this season. The Gunners have suffered a defeat at home in the reverse fixture at Emirates Stadium and away in the Carabao Cup.
How Arsenal Can Defeat West Ham at London Stadium
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Carry Momentum from Past Three Wins
One of the most powerful factors for a football team is good form and momentum. When a side is confident, they feel they can overcome whatever is put in front of them. Arsenal have won 3/3 in the league since they returned from their winter break, with their most recent win coming against league leaders Liverpool in an emphatic display. With these wins under their belt and players building form, the north Londoners will be hoping to put together a run of form that puts them in good stead for the title run-in against Man City and Liverpool.
When Arteta’s team travel to east London they will be hoping to carry the force of momentum with them and avenge their post-Christmas 0-2 loss to the Hammers. In that performance Arsenal’s attack could not find the spark that could put the ball in the back of the net, however in the last three games they have managed 10 goals to boost their attacking numbers.
Manage the Away Game Atmosphere
One of the performances that derailed the Gunners’ title charge last season was a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium. After going 2-0 up and cruising to victory in the first half, they managed to shoot themselves in the foot and throw the victory away by allowing West Ham to turn the game on its head.
This season Arteta has built a side capable of dominating proceedings and pinning teams back whilst conceding the least amount of xGA in the league – sitting at only 17.8 in 23 games. This has meant that David Raya has not been called into action as much as his predecessor, Aaron Ramsdale, did last season. The defensive players in the side have been able to sniff out any chance of an opportunity arising the second it begins to blossom.
The Attack Has Started to Click
The domination of possession and territory has meant that their attackers have been tasked with breaking down resting defences which sit in low blocks in their own final third of the pitch. A recurring theme in Arsenal matches this season has been a lack of success for the attacking players. However, this tide has begun to turn in that regard as Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka (who “looks okay” to play in this fixture after an injury scare) and Leondro Trossard begin to hit form again with three goals from the Brazilian and two each for Saka and Trossard since the return after the winter break.
If Arsenal manage to use their building momentum to the fullest and restrict West Ham from having any joy in the attacking areas. In that case, they will be able to travel back across London with three points to close the gap on their rivals at the top of the table.
