The Premier League title is still in Arsenal’s hands. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Positive #3: Title still in our hands
The result was hugely disappointing, but, the fact remains that we are still in control of our own destiny in regard to the Premier League title race. The only game that matters now is our next match against Southampton which, if we emerge victorious, will allow us to head into the all-important Manchester City game with a seven-point advantage, albeit having played two games more.
It is vitally important that the players understand that and, more importantly, believe they are still capable of winning the league. Whether or not the last two results are looked back upon as wobbles, or the start of a downward spiral will be controlled by the reaction of the team.
Negative #3: Confidence boost for Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are a fantastic side, and the last thing Arteta would have wanted was for his players to gift them a needless confidence boost. As Liverpool have discovered multiple times during recent years, the slightest slip-up can be incredibly costly against this City side, who are ruthless in their pursuit of success.
Given our last two performances, the reigning Premier League champions, who recently cantered to a 3-0 victory against German giants Bayern Munich, will be smelling blood and will now be full of confidence ahead of the encounter between the two sides.
We may still have the title in our own hands, but so too do Manchester City.
pic.twitter.com/sngc86pWkL
<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1647866996409659392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2>Positive #1: Another quick start</h2>
<p>While the result was far from ideal, the players did perform exceptionally well once again in the opening stages of the match. West Ham’s aggressive nature in those early stages soon wavered as they were simply unable to compete with our attacking fluidity and composure on the ball.</p>
<p>During that time, our football was the perfect embodiment of how Mikel Arteta wants his side to play – eye-catching exchanges, intense pressing and rotation that bewilders the opposition. Unlike the rest of the match, it was extremely obvious which of the two teams were in the midst of a Premier League title race.</p>
<p>If were are to achieve success this season, those lightning-quick starts must continue.</p>
<h2>Negative #1: Another 2-0 lead goes begging</h2>
<p>However, just as important as those quick starts, is the ability to manage the game after we obtain the lead. In our last two matches, we have been grossly unable to do so. A loss of control at Anfield is somewhat excusable, but, to allow a two-goal lead to slip against a relegation-threatened team and to lose all composure in the process is unacceptable.</p>
<p>Whereas Liverpool’s comeback could largely be credited to their team spirit and incredible home crowd, West Ham’s was predominantly caused by our own over-confidence and complacency.</p>
<p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://www.arsenal.com/news/arteta-draw-key-moments-and-saka" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arteta</a> was also keen to place the blame solely upon our wrongdoings after the match.</p>
<blockquote><p>“We needed that ruthless mindset in that moment to go and kill the team. When a team is there for the killing, you have to kill it. Today we haven’t done it. When you don’t do that in the Premier League, at some stage they’re going to turn around and have some momentum. Then you have to defend much better, for example with the second goal. If you don’t, you won’t win the game.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Starting games quickly is a huge advantage, but if we are unable to maintain the leads we carve out, then it means very little.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 positive and negative </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_133686" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-133686" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2034,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1482602422.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2034" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1482602422.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1482602422-768x488.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Gabriel Jesus has scored four goals in his last three outings. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>Positive #2: Gabriel Jesus scores again</h2>
<p>Gabriel Jesus has been in fine goalscoring form post-international break. His opener in this match now means the Brazilian has scored four goals in three games since the start of April as he has returned from his lengthy injury in fine form.</p>
<p>Those four goals have taken his Premier League tally to nine this season, and while Jesus is a striker who offers plenty besides simple goalscoring, his goals undoubtedly make us a far better side.</p>
<p>If we are to win the Premier League, we will need the 26-year-old to continue to thrive in front of goal for the remainder of the season.</p>
<h2>Negative #2: Lack of chance creation</h2>
<p>Putting the early stages of the match to one side, we severely struggled to create any clear-cut goalscoring chances for the vast majority of the match. Particularly in the second half, there was a clear absence of urgency, as well as imagination, from the players when in possession and this led to a rather disjointed attacking display.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Arsenal created 1.63 non-penalty xG in the first ten minutes against West Ham, but only 0.46 thereafter.</p>
<p>— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://twitter.com/xGPhilosophy/status/1647617350911311872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>April 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>The statistics support that claim. Despite recording just 28% possession in the match, David Moyes’ side were able to register five more shots than Arteta’s men. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://twitter.com/xGPhilosophy/status/1647617350911311872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The xG Philosophy</a> confirmed that the Gunners were far too lacklustre in the final third after our initial demolition of the Hammers, stating that “Arsenal created 1.63 non-penalty xG in the first ten minutes against West Ham, but only 0.46 thereafter.”</p>
<p>A similar narrative was true for our draw Anfield, and this is an issue Arteta must find a solution to urgently.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 positive and negative </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_133703" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-133703" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1482636087.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1482636087.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1482636087-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">The Premier League title is still in Arsenal’s hands. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>Positive #3: Title still in our hands</h2>
<p>The result was hugely disappointing, but, the fact remains that we are still in control of our own destiny in regard to the Premier League title race. The only game that matters now is our next match against Southampton which, if we emerge victorious, will allow us to head into the all-important Manchester City game with a seven-point advantage, albeit having played two games more.</p>
<p>It is vitally important that the players understand that and, more importantly, believe they are still capable of winning the league. Whether or not the last two results are looked back upon as wobbles, or the start of a downward spiral will be controlled by the reaction of the team.</p>
<h2>Negative #3: Confidence boost for Manchester City</h2>
<p>Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are a fantastic side, and the last thing Arteta would have wanted was for his players to gift them a needless confidence boost. As Liverpool have discovered multiple times during recent years, the slightest slip-up can be incredibly costly against this City side, who are ruthless in their pursuit of success.</p>
<p>Given our last two performances, the reigning Premier League champions, who recently cantered to a 3-0 victory against German giants Bayern Munich, will be smelling blood and will now be full of confidence ahead of the encounter between the two sides.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="WzWiGUXYrc"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/17/overconfidence-cost-arsenal-west-ham/">How overconfidence cost Arsenal against West Ham</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/18/3-positives-and-negatives-from-2-2-draw-against-west-ham-united/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/04/17/overconfidence-cost-arsenal-west-ham/embed/#?secret=WzWiGUXYrc" data-secret="WzWiGUXYrc" width="500" height="282" title="“How overconfidence cost Arsenal against West Ham” — Pain in the Arsenal" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div>
<p>We may still have the title in our own hands, but so too do Manchester City.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
