West Ham suddenly took the lead at the Emirates Stadium with a goal from Saïd Benrahma on the penalty spot in the 28th minute. However, that only made Arsenal more determined to play and get 3 goals in the second half, respectively, were scored by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah.
Overall, this is a game where the Gunners’ attack plays impressively to make up for the mistakes in the defense. Here are 3 players who won big on Boxing Day, as well as one who received a minus point in the eyes of coach Mikel Arteta.
The winner:
Martin Odegaard
Although no goals were scored, it is no coincidence that the Sofascore statistics page gave midfielder Martin Odegaard a score of 9.0 (the highest in the match).
Odegaard pocketed 2 impressive assists against West Ham.
He is active in 1/3 of the opponent’s court and has up to 5 passes to create opportunities for teammates (key pass), including two clear chances to score (big chance).
In addition, Odegaard completed 93% of the roads and had 83 touches of the ball. Most importantly, early this morning, the Norwegian midfielder had two assists, thereby making a great contribution to the Gunners’ impressive comeback.
Bukayo Saka
In the position that the home team was leading, Saka appeared in time to equalize the score. Arsenal’s right wing had a productive day with the stirrings of Saka and Ben White.
As for Saka, he has unbelievable statistics when he wins in 4/4 of the disputes. Besides, the young English talent has up to 4 passes to create opportunities for teammates. Unfortunately, his teammates did not once take advantage of the success to turn it into an assist.
Obviously, with such a performance, Saka deserves a new contract, with a higher income in the future. The goal against West Ham is also the 5th time, the player born in 2001 opened fire in the domestic arena this season, in addition, he also contributed to the home team 6 assists.
After the match, Saka was seen giving a long hug to Thierry Henry, who is working as an on-court commentator for Amazon Prime. With this momentum, Saka can completely become a new icon of Emirates Stadium.
Loser:
William Saliba
Saliba and a tackle made Arsenal get a penalty.
Saliba proved a bit immature in the situation that led to the home team’s only goal in the first half. It was a ball that Jarrod Bowen was rushing up with lightning speed, while the French defender showed hesitation. Saliba’s indecisive tackle left the foul area inside the box, leading to an unwarranted penalty for Arsenal. In addition, Saliba also missed a good scoring opportunity.
Obviously, his performance explains why coach Didier Deschamps has prioritized the use of central defenders like Ibrahima Konaté or Dayot Upamecano in the 2022 World Cup. To have a long-term foothold in the Premier League, Saliba needs to improve further. focus and decision-making at critical moments.
Crouching Dragon | 10:21 December 27, 2022
