Arsenal player ratings vs West Ham: Gabriel header seals 2-1 win

Arsenal saw their Premier League top four dreams edge closer to a reality on Sunday as goals from Rob Holding and Gabriel secured them a battling 2-1 win against West Ham.

Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped on player availability prior to the match with Benjamin White turning out to be a surprise absentee from the matchday squad with a hamstring injury. In his place came Rob Holding.

There was a welcome start for Takehiro Tomiyasu in the starting lineup after more than three months out, while Mohamed Elneny kept his place in midfield alongside Granit Xhaka.

Up front there was another change as Gabriel Martinelli replaced Emile Smith Rowe in the team.

Arsenal player ratings vs West Ham as Rob Holding and Gabriel get Gunners one step closer to the top four with 2-1 win in the Premier League

Rob Holding produced a superb block to deny Said Benrahma in a really slow opening to the game, and then the same player get the visitors’ noses in front when he rose highest to direct a header beyond Fabianksi from Saka’s corner.

Moments later West Ham nearly drew level, with Rice’s header smacking the crossbar after a superb fingertip save from Ramsdale, before eventually finding their leveller just before half-time when Bowen struck low into the bottom corner.

After the break it was the other central defender’s chance to get in on the act, with Gabriel thumping a header through Fabianksi after being found by Martinelli at the back post.

From both sides there was some extremely poor football on show, with giveaways aplenty and spells of meaningful possession few and far between. Fabianksi denied Nketiah what could have been the winner, as emotions eventually boiled over in added time.

It was tense. It was ugly. The football on show was poor. But we don’t care. It’s another HUGE three points. Four more to go.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – 7/10 – Made a superb save to deny Rice in the first half and was once again unlucky for a goal with Bowen’s strike deflecting off Gabriel. Distribution was solid, too.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (RB) – 7/10 – Like he’d never been gone. From a defensive standpoint Tomiyasu let nothing past him, keeping Benrahma under wraps and batting away anything that came near him in the air. He shuts down everything on his side. A really excellent defender, whose calf didn’t hold out.

Rob Holding (CB) – 8/10 – A first ever Premier League goal! Given the amount of headers he’s had, it’s about time. Aside from that he did his job expertly in his own box, even if he was a touch loose in possession, like the rest.

When it was backs against the walls stuff, he shone. Some huge blocks and clearances.

Gabriel (CB) – 8/10 – Played some of the best passes of the whole game. He found men in midfield really well with low balls through West Ham’s lines. Did Bowen too much space for the goal, but made up for it with a thumping header.

Nuno Tavares (LB) – 4/10 – While he calmed down slightly from the hour mark onwards and improved, it was another really poor game for Nuno who positionally was suspect throughout, and then horribly sloppy at key moments. When he didn’t give the ball away he either over or under hit his pass. Once again it was a weak showing from Nuno who too often takes matters into his own hands and invites chaos.

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Midfielders

Mohamed Elneny (CM) – 7/10 – Didn’t offer enough with the ball at feet in the first half. Came short to provide options well and was calm when receiving, yet there wasn’t the same progressive decision making seen until after the break, where he was much more positive. Often conservative, but was arguably one of the cleaner players with the ball. Kept his head well.

Granit Xhaka (CM) – 6/10 – Was mostly tidy on the ball and covered Nuno’s marauding runs well at left-back. When the spaces opened up for him centrally the options to pass weren’t on, forcing more laboured decisions, and he too fell into the trap of careless giveaways.

Calmed the game down well late on.

Martin Odegaard (AM) – 6/10 – His movement in this game was very clever, dragging Rice out of position centrally and allowing Xhaka and Elneny to drift into space, but even he was guilty of some sloppy moments in possession.

Ran himself into the ground, as ever. That work rate was imperative in a scrappy game lacking quality.

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Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – 6/10 – Had the beating of Fredericks every single time and it was an avenue that wasn’t utilised enough. Was physically drained in the second half, having perhaps not fully recovered from his knock against Man United, which included a tense sharing of words with his manager.

Eddie Nketiah (ST) – 8/10 –  Came short to try and overload in the midfield and did well on a couple of occasions. Another workmanlike showing from him as he huffed and puffed from the first minute to the last. Fought really hard for the team and somehow didn’t score with Fabianksi proving to be his nemesis.

Didn’t score but deserved to. What a second half showing.

Gabriel Martinelli (LW) – 5/10 – Positionally wasn’t at the races without the ball. Martinelli and Nuno were getting their distances all wrong and it left acres of space for Coufal to run into. Played very narrow first half and it wasn’t working. Needed to get in behind more than he did, and while the quality was lacking for the most part, he set his namesake up well.

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Substitutes

Cedric Soares – 6/10 – Tomiyasu had to be withdrawn when his calf acted up again, handing Cedric some vital minutes, and he did well enough in his outing.

Emile Smith Rowe – N/A – Came on for the injured Saka, but not on long enough for a rating.

Sambi Lokonga – N/A – Not on long enough for a rating.