West Ham 2-5 Arsenal (Wan-Bissaka 38′, Emerson 40′ | Gabriel 10′, Trossard 27′, Odegaard pen 34′, Havertz 36′, Saka pen 45+5′)
THE LONDON STADIUM — Every opponent knows about Arsenal‘s set-piece prowess by now but their ability to innovate and adapt means it remains a potent weapon for Mikel Arteta‘s team.
Stratford was the scene for a daft London derby and the first Premier League game in 12 years to feature seven first-half goals. There were no shortage of talking points: Bukayo Saka was brilliant (again), Declan Rice was booed and applauded by the West Ham faithful in equal measure, Julen Lopetegui is surely sleepwalking towards the sack and Emerson Palmieri scored a ludicrously good free-kick.
But the opening goal of the game from Gabriel Magalhaes was the catalyst for the ensuing chaos.
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When Saka lifted his head after placing the ball down on the quadrant to take an early corner, he may have briefly wondered where all of his mates had gone.
He may have sensed Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard in his peripheral vision loitering on the edge of the box, but might have had to squint to see the other five attackers congregating at the back of a crowded penalty area.
The bunching at the back post was clearly designed pre-match, but there was a brief huddle between Saka, Odegaard and Gabriel before the kick was taken to jog the memory.
Gabriel delivered the refresher course to the rest with his mouth concealed, Saka raised his hand in signal and the men in black dutifully rushed towards the front post.
It was cleverly worked. Jurrien Timber scuttled nimbly across the goal-face and gave Lucas Paqueta a gentle nudge as Saka sent the cross in.
Meanwhile, Gabriel was using Riccardo Calafiori as a human shield from Michail Antonio as he hurtled from one end of the six-yard box to the other, timing it just right to glance Saka’s inswinger in at the far post.
Nicolas Jover, the Premier League’s pre-eminent set-piece guru, will be after a raise. “That is a question for him. I don’t negotiate the contracts,” Arteta said afterwards when asked if his coach has a goal bonus in his deal.
It was the 20th set-piece goal that Arsenal have scored in the Premier League since the start of last season, more than any other team. It was also Gabriel’s fifth set-piece goal since the start of last season, more than any other player.
Arsenal’s peerless record clearly owes much to the quality of the delivery into the box, but in Gabriel they possess a player who attacks the ball brilliantly.
Their fifth goal also came via a swish of Saka’s left boot although it won’t count towards their peerless set-play record. Gabriel beat Lukasz Fabianski to the ball and won his side a penalty after being clattered by the keeper, with Saka converting the spot-kick. Gabriel scored once and effectively set up another from the exact same corner kick routine. This is becoming a cheat code.
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West Ham’s players would have breathed a sigh of relief when the Brazilian failed to reemerge for the second half with Arteta correctly predicting that his side could maintain their three-goal cushion without him. Besides the blow to the temple, Gabriel was nursing a knock sustained in Lisbon in midweek and no risks were taken.
The home side’s complete inability to cope with Arsenal’s inventive corner routine meant that they just kept doing it.
Timber almost emulated Gabriel’s effort but was denied by a point-blank Fabianski save and the veteran Pole had an uncomfortable time dealing with other crosses dropped devilishly above his head.
Not every team will be as vulnerable to Arsenal’s aerial bombardment as West Ham were: only Wolves and Southampton have conceded more times from such situations than the Hammers this campaign.
But Arsenal will keep finding ways to keep their opponents second guessing and in Saka they possess a superb corner taker.
It is an element of the winger’s game that is rarely praised, but one that merits it given the consistently pinpoint accuracy of his delivery. Saka rarely hits the first man and almost always seems to whip them in flat and at pace.
With 10 league assists and five goals to his name already, Saka is having a wonderful season. You suspect the Saka and Gabriel combination will continue to be a handy goal method for Arsenal in their pursuit of the title.