West Ham 1-2 Arsenal: 4 talking points as top four race heats up

Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at the London Stadium, in London on May 1, 2022. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Ian Kington / IKIMAGES / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Arsenal’s Portuguese defender Nuno Tavares eyes the ball. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /

3. Nuno Tavares & Gabriel Martinelli Didn’t Work

Setting up with a left side of Nuno Tavares and Martinelli, the introduction of Takehiro Tomiyasu had a domino effect in how the side set up.

Martinelli was far narrower than he usually is, spending most of his time in the half-spaces, with the idea being that Nuno could be more adventurous going forward to provide the width. However, with neither impressing individually, the left side was getting ripped open in the first half.

Sadly it was another frustrating performance from Nuno who was either giving the ball away sloppily or lacking crispness in his passing. Between the two of them distances were off, spaces were too wide and whatever tactical plan was in place wasn’t being executed accordingly.

This was just the fifth time that the pair had started a match together, with this being their first win in the Premier League when both in the lineup.

Wimbledon (H): 3-0 win
Manchester United (A): 3-2 loss
Nottingham Forest (A): 1-0 loss
Southampton (A): 1-0 loss

It’s not that these two are an imbalanced pair that won’t ever work, but when neither are on their games tactically speaking – or with the ball – it causes systematic issues that were the basis for the Hammers’ goal.

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