West Ham United – Arsenal: One Step Closer To The Title (0-1)
Mikel Arteta’s side had to be patient to find their goal here, starting with a 3-1-3-3 possession shape in the first half before switching to a rotational 4-3-3 shape in the second half. Leandro Trossard eventually found the crucial goal late on, while controversial events in the final minutes also went Arsenal’s way as they inch closer to a long-awaited Premier League title.
Tactical analysis and match report by Josh Manley.
With just three games left in the season prior to this game, this was a match in which both teams were desperate for a result. West Ham needed to find a way to lift themselves out of the relegation zone after Tottenham Hotspur’s win last weekend, while Arsenal were looking to retain their lead at the top of the table as Manchester City remain in close pursuit.
Nuno Espírito Santo lined his West Ham side up in a 3-4-3 formation here. Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Axel Disasi were the center-backs, flanked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Malick Diouf. Tomáš Souček and Mateus Fernandes partnered in central midfield behind a front three of Jarrod Bowen, Taty Castellanos, and Crysencio Summerville.
Mikel Arteta stuck with the same 4-2-3-1 setup that had secured wins in the last two games. Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, and Riccardo Calafiori made up the back four, while Myles Lewis-Skelly continued to play alongside former West Ham captain Declan Rice in midfield. Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Leandro Trossard then played in attack, supporting Viktor Gyökeres.
Get access to this article and all other quality content of Between the Posts!
Start your two-week free trial now!
Completely ad-free exclusive articles from our expert tactics writers, plus a complete match plots page to explore.
Already a member? Log in
Comments