Arsenal have become so boring... from issues in midfield to anonymous players in attack, Arsene Wenger has problems to solve to finish in top four

  • West Ham managed another surprising result - a draw - on Wednesday evening 
  • Their defensive organisation has been much improved under David Moyes
  • But Arsenal were also staid, slow and quite boring at the London Stadium
  • Sportsmail has broken down why the match ended as a draw in east London 

Arsenal were held to a draw by West Ham on Wednesday night, the second surprise result in a row the Hammers have managed.

It marks an improvement under new manager David Moyes. But how has he pulled it off? And what did Arsene Wenger do to make his Arsenal side so blunted at the London Stadium? 

Sportsmail has looked at how the game in east London was drawn.


Arsenal’s utter lack of creativity in midfield...

A standout stat from the first-half was Jack Wilshere’s 100 per cent pass accuracy. While that seems impressive, it spoke for an issue Arsenal had throughout the game.

They decided to field Mesut Ozil in a midfield three from the off. Him and Wilshere played as No 8s while Granit Xhaka had the job of guarding the back four.

The problem was that nobody was playing passes from midfield that offered any penetration. Wilshere seemed happy to play it side to side. Ozil grew frustrated at a lack of movement ahead of him in the second-half, screaming at those in front before playing another pass across the middle.

Mesut Ozil was used in a deeper role on Wednesday, which blunted Arsenal to an extent

Mesut Ozil was used in a deeper role on Wednesday, which blunted Arsenal to an extent

Jack Wilshere also seemed all too happy to play slow sideways passes after starting the game

Jack Wilshere also seemed all too happy to play slow sideways passes after starting the game

Ozil playing deeper meant he could not pull defenders out and create space for his team-mates. He dictated play well - making 81 passes - but it was one of his least effective recent displays.

When it comes to Wilshere, it’s easy enough to make all of your passes reach a team-mate if you are taking no risks. He only created one chance all match. He was doing Xhaka’s job rather than breaking forward, as was expected of him.

For a player who was meant to push up from midfield, that is simply not good enough.

There was no obvious space in the West Ham defence. The problem is that Arsenal have the players to find the space other people do not see. On Wednesday, they did not.

Another one of Wilshere's passes across the midfield - although this one did lead to an attack

Another one of Wilshere's passes across the midfield - although this one did lead to an attack

… and no efficiency in attack

The decision to drop Alexandre Lacazette and change system was a strange one from Arsene Wenger. Maybe it was an attempt to end a malaise in front of goal, which he hinted at after the game, that has taken over them since the loss against Manchester United.

Even so, Alex Iwobi was a bit anonymous. Alexis Sanchez played like a man out of form. Olivier Giroud’s first-half moment of note was a bicycle kick. The only problem was that he confused Aaron Cresswell’s head for the ball.

Giroud has only scored once in eight starts. It might be worth accepting he is best as a super sub. 

Striker Olivier Giroud has now only scored one goal in his last eight starts for Arsenal 

Striker Olivier Giroud has now only scored one goal in his last eight starts for Arsenal 

They had a few chances but no shots that troubled Adrian. They had 22. But only three were on target. Too many were from range.

Neither Sanchez or Giroud had a single shot that was not blocked. That means Arsenal were simply not creating good enough chances for their forwards - and their forwards did not create enough chances either.

It was all a bit boring.

Arsene Wenger shows his frustration as his side struggle and fail to break down West Ham

Arsene Wenger shows his frustration as his side struggle and fail to break down West Ham

West Ham’s organisation

One of the biggest criticisms of Slaven Bilic’s West Ham was the way they lost any ability to maintain organisation at the back after his first season in charge. They were regularly carved open like a Christmas Turkey, but it rarely took more than a butter knife to do it.

That was simply not the case on Wednesday night. Arsenal found it almost impossible to break down David Moyes’s defence. And it was Moyes’s defence. They were playing the same back three Bilic ended up preferring, yet looked highly effective doing it.

Full credit for that has to go to the Scot. His priority on arriving will have been to build from the back.

Now the trio in defence are playing like one, ably assisted by Pablo Zabaleta, who has not looked this convincing for a few seasons now, and Arthur Masuaku.

West Ham were well organised at the back against Arsenal on Wednesday evening

West Ham were well organised at the back against Arsenal on Wednesday evening

It comes in contrast to games under Slaven Bilic - this shows left-back Arthur Masuaku caught completely out of position during the game against Liverpool, leading to a goal

It comes in contrast to games under Slaven Bilic - this shows left-back Arthur Masuaku caught completely out of position during the game against Liverpool, leading to a goal

But Arsenal repeatedly came up against an organised defence that allowed little space

But Arsenal repeatedly came up against an organised defence that allowed little space

When they needed to be a three, they were a three. When Arsenal pushed and tried to probe, they became a five.

After the game, Moyes said: ‘When we came in, I think we were conceding too many goals. Thankfully we’ve tightened up a bit.’

West Ham shut down any obvious space Arsenal might have found in the final third.

This is a side that now know what they are doing defensively. It is why they did not create much in the way of chances, but it is also why they are not likely to go down under the watch of Moyes.

The final whistle sounded and the fans cheered as though they had won. Sometimes a 0-0 draw can mean more than a point. For supporters of the east London club, it showed that their biggest flaw under Bilic can be resolved by the new man.

David Moyes will have been working on his side's organisation since he took charge

David Moyes will have been working on his side's organisation since he took charge

Angelo Ogbonna shows his class

Amid all of the praise for Moyes and his organisational skills, it would be wrong not to highlight an individual performance.

Angelo Ogbonna was selected as the middle centre back and played the role to perfection. He read the game well, making two interceptions. He also won the ball back and made 11 clearances, getting the ball away from the back when necessary. And when chances did fall Arsenal’s way, he was there, making three blocks.

The 29-year-old looked a cut above and was a key reason behind Arsenal’s inability to break West Ham down.

Angelo Ogbonna performed impressively in the heart of the West Ham defence

Angelo Ogbonna performed impressively in the heart of the West Ham defence

Arsenal’s system

Arsenal started with a back four in the Premier League for the first time since the game against Crystal Palace in April last season, which they lost 3-0.

It meant little, except for the odd sight of Nacho Monreal playing at centre-back and regularly floating left. That meant young midfielder-cum-winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles, ostensibly at left-back, regularly filling in in the centre.

There was one positive to the change in defence. West Ham’s front three were slightly more blunted than they might have been.

It also gave Arsenal a bit more assurance in the event of a counter-attack - an issue against United - in the form of Xhaka.

Arsenal defenders Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Nacho Monreal struggled to cope at times

Arsenal defenders Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Nacho Monreal struggled to cope at times

West Ham’s attacking hopes

Moyes was honest after the game. He never expected four points from games against Chelsea and Arsenal. And he said his side would have to play differently against other teams.

How will that work out for them? When they did get forward they looked fairly dangerous. Michail Antonio and Marko Arnautovic had their moments.

Arnautovic was also only inches offside when he beat Petr Cech with his head. Had substitute Javier Hernandez hit the back of the net in the closing stages rather than the bar it would have given them a relatively undeserved three points.

Yes, they did not create much, and yes, they did not score a legitimate goal, but West Ham showed that they have players who can change a game.

Now that the defence is relatively sorted, those matches which Moyes’s side are expected to win should be approached with little trepidation.

Marko Arnautovic had moments that suggested he will impress under his new manager

Marko Arnautovic had moments that suggested he will impress under his new manager

Javier Hernandez also almost had a telling impact after coming on as a substitute

Javier Hernandez also almost had a telling impact after coming on as a substitute

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