Arsenal v West Ham Predictions
![MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Unai Emery, coach of Sevilla gives instructions with Manuel Pellegrini, manager of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and Sevilla at Etihad Stadium on October 21, 2015 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Unai Emery, coach of Sevilla gives instructions with Manuel Pellegrini, manager of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and Sevilla at Etihad Stadium on October 21, 2015 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d1013ebc41b2dc577a8675ffc16529a4a68204d719e36bc68f9c40c7f202a924.jpg)
West Ham take on Arsenal at the Emirates this weekend as both teams look for their first point of the season. Which of the new managers will get their season up and running?
Whilst the Hammers have had one tough match and in which they were supposedly favourites, Arsenal have had two tough matches to kick off the campaign. At home to champions City and away to rivals Chelsea. With West Ham as their next opponent they’re probably thinking this is their chance, and given the Hammers’ defensive record so far that’s not surprising.
Both teams have had a summer of upheaval, Arsenal with a new manager for the first time in over two decades and the East Londoners spending around 100m on new players and a new manger to boot. A win for either side would represent a boost to the managers, new players and the fans. So how do our staff think the match will pan out?
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Adam: West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
It’s hard to predict a Hammers win at this point of the season, no less against a team with as much potential firepower as Arsenal. I do believe there will be more organization and more structure in the game, hence the close score line. The Arsenal strikers pose a similar threat to Liverpool with their speed. Aubumeyang and Lacazette can both hurt a team on a counter attack with their speed, while the creativity of Ramsey, Ozil and Mhikitaryian can easily find one of the pacey front-men on a run.
West Ham has to start clicking sooner rather than later. Much like the Manchester City game the Hammers played in December of last season, this hard fought loss could be the first step to a string of better quality games. I think the storyline of Wilshere and Perez returning home should ignite some offence as they try to prove their former team wrong for letting them go. A spirited London Derby to be sure, just not a winning one for the East London side!
Scott: West Ham 1 – 3 Arsenal
I can’t see anything at this point except an Arsenal win. They may have lost their opening two games but they showed signs of what is to come against Chelsea and probably should have scored 5. Given that our defence has been anything but solid of late I can’t see us keeping a pacey and direct frontline out for long, even if Mark Noble is meant to be out of the match.
I’ve said that we can’t really judge the Hammers for the first 5 or 6 games of the season, and I stand by that. We need to let the new project settle and the new players get to grips with Pellegrini’s demands. This could be a decent match and given that Arsenal also have a new style perhaps they will still be getting used to it, but the odds are firmly against the Irons this week.
More reasons West Ham should own the London Stadium. dark. Next
Are we being pessimistic, realistic or even optimistic? What do you think the score will be? Let us know in the comments below or better still, click the link at the top of the page and apply to write with us regularly!