An encouraging Arsenal trend emerging under Arteta

Everything about Mikel Arteta seems to come in extremes: the wins are glorious implementations of his philosophy and the defeats are incriminating examples of his flaws. Arsenal beating West Ham 2-0 was most definitely the former.

Amid a backdrop of drama following the stripping of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s captaincy, the circumstances with which Arsenal had to perform in were far from favourable. For a match that would have implications mentally as well as on the table, the performance showed that matters on the pitch act as standalone.

That wasn’t a team impacted by the noise. Everything about Arsenal on Wednesday was focused solely on the task at hand. They didn’t miss a beat.

Facing a contrasting tactical format to the previous outing against Southampton, the task was to break down a low West Ham block and smother their attempts to break out through Michail Antonio’s run into the channels.

An encouraging Arsenal trend is forming under Mikel Arteta with 2-0 West Ham win the finest in the Premier League under the manager

Every Arsenal defender completed 100% of their ground duels. Check.

From an attacking perspective there had to be enough intensity to draw a well organised defensive unit out of their shape to open the spaces. The Emirates was abundant in energy as Bukayo Saka retired Arthur Masuaku early while Alexandre Lacazette got about like a rabid pit bull.

Reaching those levels and sustaining them for as long as they did paid dividends and not one West Ham fan will leave the ground feeling they deserved anything from the game. To beat a direct rival in ultimately comfortable fashion with such a youthful team is only positive, and it ranks comfortably as the best performance under this manager in the Premier League.

And this is what should be most encouraging.

When Arsenal brushed Tottenham aside it was the best performance so far under Arteta; when Arsenal tore Aston Villa to shreds it was the best performance so far under Arteta; when Arsenal went to Leicester and beat them on their own patch it was the best performance so far under Arteta; when Arsenal dominated West Ham it was the best performance so far under Arteta.

The ordering of which game tops the other can be done to one’s taste, but if progression is what you’re after you will draw warming comfort from that sequence. As a fan you know Arsenal won’t win every game, therefore you have to see signs that at least hint towards there being a brighter future. Across 17 matches this term, the team keeps surpassing their previous best performance.

Intermittently within that period there are dreadful outings. It’s not all roses and butterflies. The away form still needs improving and the manager is still flawed in many aspects, but if there is one area you look at to tell you this team will get better, it’s the steady improvement of performances. They are getting better. The good ones, at least.

Of course, this trajectory goes hand-in-hand with the development of this young group of players. They’re improving, therefore the displays are too. Even if there are parallels to draw from the previous season to this one, the rate of evolution for this group of players is in stark contrast to the previous campaign.

This is a trend to get on board with.