Clubs could now try to poach a "rising" Arsenal figurehead who is absolutely "key" for manager Mikel Arteta, according to reliable Gunners journalist Charles Watts.
Arsenal bury West Ham 5-2 for second straight Premier League win by three goals
The north Londoners, still hopeful of their first Premier League title in 21 years, have certainly rediscovered their best form since returning from the international break.
Arsenal-England-Declan-Rice Related
[Arsenal could eclipse Declan Rice fee with £112m bid for "superb" forward](https://www.footballfancast.com/arsenal-could-eclipse-declan-rice-fee-with-112m-bid-for-alexander-isak/ "Arsenal could eclipse Declan Rice fee with £112m bid for "superb" forward")
It would be their most expensive ever transfer.
Their 5-2 win over West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday put one more nail in the coffin of manager Julen Lopetegui, who is under increasing pressure, all the while making it their second straight league win by a three-goal margin.
Arsenal also thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League this time last week, with Arsenal finding their mojo in front of goal once again and proving to everybody that they're not out of this season's title race.
Arsenal's next five Premier League games Date
Man United (home) December 4
Fulham (away) December 8
Everton (home) December 14
Crystal Palace (away) December 21
Ipswich Town (home) December 27
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes opened the scoring against West Ham with a header from a set-piece, and his threat from dead-ball situations is becoming quite the reoccurring theme of his season at N5.
It was the 26-year-old's third headed goal in the league this season - putting him level with Chris Wood and Ollie Watkins - with Arsenal set-piece coach Nicola Jover in the spotlight as a result.
Arsenal set piece record Nicolas Jover
Arsenal's set piece record under Nicolas Jover.
Arteta was asked whether Jover should have a goal bonus, due to his contribution in making Arsenal such a threat from set plays, and reporter Watts believes that elite clubs could even come knocking on the 43-year-old's door.
Clubs could try to poach Nicola Jover from Arsenal
Jover is a crucial figure behind the scenes at Arsenal, with Watts telling CaughtOffside that sides will be taking notice of him.
“I did laugh when Mikel Arteta was asked in his press conference after the West Ham game about whether Nicolas Jover should be getting a goal bonus,” said Watts.
“That would certainly be eating into Arsenal’s profits should that be the case, given the number of goals they have been scoring from set pieces over the past couple of seasons. Jover’s star is certainly rising at the moment and his reputation grows stronger with every goal Arsenal score from one of his carefully constructed routines.
“I’m sure other managers or clubs would love to lure him away to take advantage of his expertise, but I can’t imagine he would be looking to go elsewhere at the moment. He is such a key figure in Arteta’s coaching staff and you can see how much work he puts into making the team such a threat from dead ball situations.
Nicolas-Jover-Arteta-Stuivenberg
“I loved the one against West Ham for Gabriel’s goal. It was just a bit different to the one that had worked so well against Sporting a few days earlier, but that made all the difference.
“Gabriel started just a bit deeper than he usually does. This time his starting point was from within the pack that always gathers beyond the far post, whereas against Sporting he started his run from a more central area and attacked the back post.
“It caught West Ham out and that allowed the Brazilian the space he needed to meet Bukayo Saka’s corner. It’s just such a potent weapon for Arsenal that works time and time again.”