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David Moyes admitted that his West Ham United side have \u201cbeen off the boil a little\u201d ahead of Sunday\u2019s contest but they completely imploded while conceding four goals in a ruinous first half against Arsenal.<\/strong><\/p>\n West Ham had already beaten Arsenal twice this season, dutifully frustrating the Gunners with a compact and concrete rearguard. However, Arsenal\u2019s finishing \u2013 or lack thereof \u2013 played its role in the Premier League and Carabao Cup reversals.<\/p>\n For the first 30 minutes of Arsenal\u2019s trip to the London Stadium this weekend, the script threatened to repeat itself.<\/p>\n Leandro Trossard was on the end of\u00a0Arsenal\u2019s early chances, glancing a head narrowly wide before forcing a superb stop from Alphonse Areola with a crisp volley.<\/p>\n Arsenal could easily be two up. Our ability to squander chances is unsurpassed.<\/p>\n \u2014 Orbinho (@Orbinho) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n West Ham are hardly the only team to stymy the Gunners this term. As Mikel Arteta reflected earlier in the campaign: \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be as fluent, it\u2019s not going to be as hectic, because there\u2019s no space to run. When you\u2019re sitting in traffic, I want to go 100 miles an hour but I have three buses and 55 taxis and motorbikes around me, so it\u2019s tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n Stuck in another bout of gridlock, Arsenal relied upon a familiar solution: set pieces.<\/p>\n A sly block from Ben White prevented Areola from claiming Declan Rice\u2019s 32nd-minute corner, allowing the ball to sail onto William Saliba\u2019s head at back post.<\/p>\n 23% of Arsenal\u2019s Premier League goals this season have come from corners.\ud83c\udfaf pic.twitter.com\/i9cRsfY79s<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n With their 15th set piece goal of the season, Arsenal have now matched their tally from 2022-23 with 14 games to go.<\/p>\n The most since the start of the 2020-21 season is Manchester City\u2019s 21. https:\/\/t.co\/LZ5OrmEsxL<\/p>\n \u2014 James Benge (@jamesbenge) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n That concession prompted a bizarre and unexpected capitulation from the hosts.<\/p>\n Bukayo Saka squandered a pair of golden chances before Trossard sent him haring clear of West Ham\u2019s unusually advanced backline towards the end of the first half. Areola lost the race with Saka, bringing down the Arsenal forward who dusted himself off to convert the spot kick.<\/p>\n It proved to be the first of three goals in six minutes as West Ham rolled over and showed Arsenal their belly.<\/p>\n Gabriel took advantage of more slack marking from another Rice set piece to add Arsenal\u2019s third dead-ball goal \u2013 an area in which Moyes\u2019 side usually thrive \u2013 of the afternoon.<\/p>\n Bit damning for Moyes that, although he\u2019s got lucky in Arsenal not scoring despite ripping them open in play, West Ham have been done on set-pieces<\/p>\n \u2014 Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Yet, the humbling was not complete, with Trossard taking advantage of a high turnover and stuffing the ball ruthlessly in the top corner.<\/p>\n The Gunners, buoyed by a title-boosting victory over Liverpool last weekend, had clearly discovered the clinical edge that was so desperately lacking in their previous meetings with West Ham. However, plenty of attention was diverted to the ineptitude of the hosts, rather than Arsenal\u2019s newfound efficiency.<\/p>\n Absolute destruction here. West Ham even bothered?<\/p>\n \u2014 Scott Saunders (@__scottsaunders) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n With another 45 minutes still to play, the streets surrounding the London Stadium soon filled with despondent West Ham supporters. Based on their 15-minute collapse, few could blame the departing fans.<\/p>\n The West Ham fans are headed home early after being destroyed 4-0 by Arsenal in the first half. \ud83d\udc4b pic.twitter.com\/8GlYKjN9fe<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p><\/div>\n\n
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