Arsenal vs. West Ham: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
Arsenal came crashing back down to earth after their pre-season treble of trophies, losing their opening Premier League match 2-0 to West Ham United.
The Gunners pushed and probed all match but failed to find a way through, and they were stung by a Cheikhou Kouyate header from a set piece in the first half and a Mauro Zarate snapshot in the second.
"Our defending and attacking was not right, we gave away two cheap goals," Arsene Wenger lamented after the game, per ESPN FC's Miguel Delaney on Twitter.
Here B/R divides up the winners and losers from the game.
Winners: Angelo Ogbonna and Winston Reid
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West Ham's entire defensive collection played superbly, but the central duo of Angelo Ogbonna and Winston Reid were particularly impressive throughout.
Arsenal peppered the penalty area with crosses, passes and shots, but the Hammers' two mammoth presences headed everything clear without exception. Adrian came to the rescue a few times late, but this was a clean sheet borne of dominance in the air and last-gasp blocks on the ground.
Slaven Bilic has acquired quite the selection of impressive defenders for the season ahead, and a solid line is the first step on the path to success. Ogbonna (an Italy international) and Reid (a player top clubs targeted last season, per Anthony Chapman of the Express) comprise one hell of a base to build from.
Loser: Petr Cech
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What a difference a week makes.
Seven days before the West Ham game, Petr Cech was the toast of the Arsenal fanbase, as two excellent saves preserved the Gunners' lead in the Community Shield against Chelsea. Now, doubts have begun to creep in, as his one main weakness leaped to the fore in the loss against West Ham.
He was at fault, at least partially, for both scores. As Goal's Jay Jaffa (a goalkeeping expert) outlined on Twitter, he needed "to take the ball [for Payet's free-kick] at its highest point and hasn't by some stretch. That's him misjudging flight and having a poor starting position." For the second goal, he took a step to his left just before the strike, leaving him unable to recover.
Cech has a history of making errors when rushing out and struggles to judge distances when coming off his line. It didn't take long for this flaw—his only one, really—to cost his new club.
Winner: Dimitri Payet
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Welcome to the Premier League, Dimitri Payet. The Frenchman did not disappoint in his debut, spearheading a counter-attacking West Ham outfit and slicing through Arsenal's midfield in transitions with ease.
His weaving dribbling ability and cool head allowed the Hammers to construct clear-cut attacks and boast good decision-making in the final third. His beautiful free-kick delivery from deep created the first goal.
That eight-figure sum spent on him already looks a worthwhile investment.
Loser: Aaron Ramsey
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Aaron Ramsey was probably Arsenal's worst outfield player on Sunday, struggling to find a rhythm and stemming the flow of his own team's attacks with some bad touches.
There aren't many Arsenal players who can claim to have had a good game—Laurent Koscielny, perhaps, is the only one—but Ramsey's contribution was especially disappointing.
Usually a boisterous, devastating presence with the ball at his feet, he did more harm than good in the final third.
Winner: Reece Oxford
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Reece Oxford is just 16 years of age, yet he made his Premier League debut at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday against a well-oiled Arsenal machine. That screams confidence from the manager.
Despite being a central defender by trade—he shone at the recent European Under-17 Championship as a marshalling, dominant centre-back—he lined up in midfield for the Hammers here and shut down the right-hand side.
Diligent, physical and poised on the ball, he blocked, trapped and tackled prolifically.
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