Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

Arsenal vs West Ham Match Preview: Starting the Script

By Brian Wong

facebooktwitterreddit

The much anticipated weekend is finally here! The beginning of a new season is the best time of the year, because everyone is level on points and in the Premier League anything can happen.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

Yet for Arsenal fans, a new season means so much more. As Arsenal fans, a new season means another year where we can all hope and cross our fingers as the team walks on to the pitch. For Arsenal fans, expectations always seem to exceed reality.

Arsenal’s first match of the season is a stepping stone for the team to set the tone. The season is long and winners of day one don’t really mean much. However, for Arsenal, not only does every point matter but every bit of confidence gained from a win is just as important.

Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

1) Petr Cech is the definition of stability

After watching the pre-season and community shield, it seems like watching Petr Cech between the sticks in an Arsenal jersey has a calming effect. Cech commands a lot of respect from viewers of the game, opponents and his own team mates. Weird that that guy now plays for Arsenal.

Throughout that Chelsea game, people will tell you that Chelsea made a lot of mistakes in front of goal, and other than one fine save Cech was largely unthreatened.

Yet I see it differently, Cech projects a type of fear Arsenal keepers of late did not have. Seeing Cech forces opponents to believe they need to be more precise, and believe that anything but perfection won’t do. It’s the same effect Roger Federer has on opponents, or Kobe Bryant has on defenders. And it is because of this effect Cech has on opponents that make me believe Arsenal will be much better defensively and not concede goals against top tier attacking teams.

2) Oxlade Chamberlain reminds me of Isco

Let me first state that Isco plays a very different style compared to Chamberlain; where one weaves in and out of traffic and the other utilizes a combination of speed and strength to get free. However, if you saw Chamberlain’s amazing goal last weekend you would be lying if you said it didn’t remind you of something Isco would do.

More from Arsenal Match Previews

Like Isco, Chamberlain has the skill to create something out of nothing. It is truly a sight to behold when players like Isco and Chamberlain do magical things with the ball. As I have stressed in my offseason descriptions, this is Chamberlain’s year. Let’s just hope we see more of what we saw in the preseason throughout the year.

3) Arsenal’s attack can unlock anything

I truly believe that. Arsenal’s attack is diverse and it can beat you in a multitude of ways. Predicting Arsenal will win by two goals is not asking a lot because it is clear the team is finally clicking. Everyone, apart from Wilshere, is healthy. Everyone, except for Sanchez, got to rest up. And everyone is having fun playing the beautiful game. All of that is a recipe for success and so let’s all hope this season goes well because the expectations are as high as they get.

Next: Predicting Arsenal's Top 5 Goal Scorers in 2015/16 Season

More from Pain in the Arsenal