Before we get into any tactical analysis of Arsenal‘s win over West Ham, we have to address the decision that saw the Hammers’ stoppage-time equaliser ruled out.
Anyone who watches football regularly probably thinks the grappling we see at corners and set-plays has gone too far this season.
I think most people are up for punishing it more, because there does seem to be too many occasions where players get away with it.
For Callum Wilson’s 95th-minute goal to be disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) because of exactly that kind of foul was ironic in many ways, because we’ve seen Mikel Arteta’s side do that type of thing, unpunished, so often.
So, I know why only seeing the officials act now will frustrate a lot of people because it is Arsenal who have benefited, but in isolation it is the right decision.
David Raya was being prevented from lifting his arm upwards by Pablo, and he was also having his shirt pulled from behind by Jean-Clair Todibo to stop him getting off the ground.
In a way there were two fouls there, so although it was a brilliant finish from Wilson and also the kind of dramatic moment that all neutral fans love, the reality is that, fair’s fair, that is a foul – whoever you support and wherever your allegiance lies.
It was the right decision, and it also wasn’t the only reason that Arsenal won that game.
They got a bit of luck along the way, and there were also some big moments with Raya’s save from Mateus Fernandes and Gabriel’s block from Wilson, which led to that controversial corner, but the most credit has to go to Arteta.
The life of any manager is that you don’t always get your decisions right.
But the mark of a good manager is if you try something and it’s not working, then you take some risks – change it up and do something else.
Arteta did that. Three times against West Ham he made a decision with his substitutes and only the last changes he made came off, but that was what won him the game.
His boldness, combined with Arsenal’s formidable squad strength that we have spoken about many times in the past few months, meant they could take another big step towards the Premier League title.