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Three West Ham players who excelled against Arsenal

ByAdam Smith|
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Angelo Ogbonna of West Ham United celebrates with Robert Snodgrass and team mates after he scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal FC at London Stadium on December 09, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Angelo Ogbonna of West Ham United celebrates with Robert Snodgrass and team mates after he scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal FC at London Stadium on December 09, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Believe it or not, West Ham had exactly three players who were difference-makers early and often in the match against Arsenal. As the Irons’ heads dropped their performances dipped, but they were impressive nonetheless.

Aaron Cresswell

Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but it will also show you just how shocking your backup left-back can be as well. Boy, you don’t want to hang the loss on Arthur Masuaku completely, but Nicolas Pepe had free reign to take over the game, for nine minutes at least, once Cresswell dropped out of the game with an apparent hamstring injury.

Up to this point, Cresswell has completely shut down Pepe and also helped in keeping Mesut Ozil out of possession and Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang disconnected from his fellow attackers. How he shut down Pepe et al was with constant pressure and physicality on crunching tackles (as seen below), putting the fear of a battering in the back of their minds.

Hopefully, the hamstring issue for Cresswell isn’t longterm as he is the solidified left-back starter for the Hammers and a quiet lurker coming for Sebastien Haller‘s goal lead for the team (4) with his three goals so far.

Angelo Ogbonna

It’s not often that you can praise a center-back after he’s on the pitch for three goals against in a nine-minute period, but Ogbonna was in his Hammer-of-the-year for in this match yet again, and nabbed a goal, as well. His header was a second chance goal off the broken corner kick. He had the presence of mind to peel back on preemptive defensive duty once the original chance had passed, but his footballing IQ saw him keep an eye on the ball and charge back in to bury the Fornals cross.

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On each goal against you can watch Ogbonna trying to play his position and everyone else’s in the backline. On Gabriel Martinelli’s goal, he had to pick up wide coverage with Ryan Fredericks still coming back into camera view. On the second had to abandon his central coverage to try and close down Pepe as Masuaku gave him time and space to shoot. And, lastly, on the final goal, he as well as Fabian Balbuena kept the high line intact but were let down by Fredericks again.

He’s been the Hammers best player this season and was yet again a stand out against the Gunners.

Pablo Fornals

Three matches in a row of strong performances for Pablo Fornals at the left-midfield position. He orchestrated the only Hammers goal by finding himself in the right place once Mark Noble and Declan Rice won the ball back off the broken corner kick chance. His well-weighted cross picked out Ogbonna and gave the Hammers the lead.

He also is running very hard, something that isn’t a given in this team and is not pulling out of any tackles against the opposition. It took some time for Fornals to adjust to the physicality and speed of the Premier League, but with three strong performances and now two assists over that span, Fornals is not only West Ham’s best attacker right now, but may be their overall best player in general!