3 positives & 2 negatives from Arsenal's 5-2 win at West Ham

Positive #2: Kai Havertz looks like a striker again

Just when it seemed like playing a midfielder as a No. 9 was actually nothing more than a charmed experiment all along, Havertz reasserted himself as Arsenal's main man up top. He did it by scoring the kind of goal all go-to strikers have to score.

It involved a well-time run to beat a high line, followed by a neat finish to find the net. Timing, pace, power, nerve and technique. Havertz marked every box on the striker's bingo card.

His goal is timely because Arsenal click better as a team when Havertz is at the tip of the attack. His clever movement and spatial awareness create room for others to exploit. The combination becomes lethal when Havertz makes room for Saka, Trossard, or Gabriel Martinelli to dart in from wide areas.

More of what he showed at the London Stadium will not only justify Havertz keeping his current position. It will also maintain Arsenal's place among the goals.

Negative #2: Arsenal caught by one-two sucker punch

The Paul brothers must have been lurking in the weeds of east London because Arsenal somehow managed to get caught by a one-two from nowhere. Going four up with less than 10 minutes remaining in the half prompted a sudden and wholly unwelcome drop in intensity and concentration.

An Arsenal side playing a fraction slower and with a bit less aggression was promptly punished when Carlos Soler slid a terrific pass through for Wan-Bissaka. A pass the former Manchester United right-back finished like a forward at the peak of his prolific powers.

It was a fine goal from start to finish, and credit belonged to West Ham, but Arteta's player still didn't heed the warning. Rather than a quick refocus, the Gunners simply honked the horn of the clown car.

Declan Rice slid in on the edge of his box, positioning Emerson to belt a free-kick past David Raya with even more thunder than was writ across Arteta's face.

His anger was justified, and so were any Arsenal fans worrying about a repeat of the infamous 4-4 draw up at Newcastle on a grim day back in 2011. Fortunately, the Hammers didn't seize the initiative as fervently as the Magpies did, and this game wasn't officiated in a way that ought to have drawn the attention of Special Branch.

Nonetheless, Arteta is likley to spend ample time letting his players know about the virtues of keeping their focus, even when a game looks dusted. Especially when a game looks dusted.

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