With the exception of Oggy and Pablo he played the team we would have expected and for nearly the entire first half saw them play as well and better than at most times this season.
Quite simply we were brilliant for 35 minutes. But when Arsenal stepped up a couple of gears we saw the West Ham kick in as we have become a little too used to down the years and there was not enough on the bench to make a difference
The seond half decision to take off Bowen, who always puts in a defensive shift, and had scored a goal for Noble was harsh.
And given there is no manager in the Premier Legue that knows him better than Mikel Arteta, having played for him, it sent out all the wrong messages again,
He was unlucky with Mikey hitting the post and Jonathon Moss stopping a seriously threating run to play advantage. That was very poor refereeing.
Fredericks for Benrahma late on was peculiar and it left the distinct impression that Lanzini is now firmly out of the picture.
I’d like to give him more with the team having played so well in the first half but losing two points when 3-0 up and in such good form is bad news.
My view quite simply was that we should have carried on attacking them because they are a poor side defensively and at the end his defensive substitutions again didn’t work
Moyes rating 6
Frustrating game, but same result as we pulled against Spuds. The feeling however is not the same this time around… I dont understand why Moyes did not sub Benrahma for Ben Johnson and revert to a back 5 in 2nd half. Either Bowen as WB or Fredericks on. Lingard on a free role behind Antonio and see the game out. We struggled heavily on our left side today woth Ødegård teaming up with Saka (then Pepe) and Chambers (who did have a really good game); Cress never stood a chance without help…
I think that’s a fair assessment. Not sure it’s Moyes fault that our defenders weren’t that great but once again, it’s his substitutions that were baffling. Bowen did more defensively than Noble and when we needed to attack them at the end, on comes a defender!
I’m afraid to say that as much as i love Mickey Antonio, he misses a lot of sitters and that first one, when he hit Tierney, was a shocker. He looks cumbersome lately. Hopefully these next two weeks off will help him recharge
A very fair assessment, I get grief on here for repeating how negative Moyes is and it showed once again today with the subs he made. Arsenal bring on Pepe and Martinelli, we bring on legless Noble and Fredericks who cannot defend (his misplaced pass outside the box just sums him up as a player). All Moyes had to do was switch to a 3-5-2 and bring on Johnson or even Bowen (who I am not sure can defend) in front of Cresswell and play Benrahma in behind Antonio and Lingard. We would have won the game but no his negative approach to games is costing us games. I felt sorry for the players today as I did against United. I am fed up of his negativity but many fans berate me for it. He could then have brought on Lanzini and the young forward in a 3-5-2 system. I saw him constantly berate Benrahmi today and from I have heard he gave young Johnson a hard time from the line against United. This is not good.
Thought Moyes did everything right personally. You can’t vouch for two own goals. The defensive substitutions I can understand considering the Arsenal attacking momentum towards the end. Who is to say if Moyes had not made those substitutions Arsenal wouldn’t have gone on to win the game?
What defensive substitutions can u understand, both cannot defend !!!