Better than Cannavaro, well not according to Mikel Arteta
Arsenal fans are notorious for their sleuthing capabilities and as the training pictures from this week's sessions at London Colney a whole host of Twitter PIs all noticed the exact same thing. Ben White was absent. There are some still who the England international hasn't fully convinced since his £50 million arrival from Brighton in the summer, but his influence on this Gunners side is undeniable.
Against what was expected to be a tough West Ham rear guard White's bravery on the ball could have been essential for unpicking the lock. As it was a tight hamstring meant that Arsenal were going to be without one of their most important players this season, creating plenty of concern going into the game among the same supporters who had spotted it days prior. They needn't have been though as Rob Holding was ready and waiting.
Whenever he's been called upon this season - which he would probably admit is nowhere near as much as he would have liked - Holding has been ready, and on just his second start since January the 26-year-old was as switched on as ever. Of course there was the goal - his first ever in the Premier Leauge - that will grab all the headlines but it was how he actually defended that deserves even more praise.
READ MORE: David Moyes reveals why he felt Gabriel's Arsenal goal vs West Ham should have been disallowed
Holding won all six of his aerial duels on the day - no mean feat when you consider that Michail Antonio was on the pitch for the last 20 minutes. He also produced a goal saving block from Said Benrahma to prevent Arsenal from going behind, which when you consider the Gunners have only come back from a deficit to win once this season, cannot be understated in terms of performance. Had you not known which of the two Arsenal centre backs on the day had made just six starts all season in the Premier League you probably would have been forgiven for thinking that it was Gabriel, rather than the former Bolton man.
Speaking after the game Mikel Arteta reiterated his gushing praise of Holding's profesionalism in the face of limited opportunities this year. "I said to you guys, to good people, to good things happen and Rob is another great example," the Spaniard said in his post-match press conference. "Now when he plays well to give him credit, especially when he doesn’t play, the way he trains, the way he is amongst the team, he’s just a phenomenal person and player to have around the team and today, when you ask him to come he’s always ready to do something."
The Arsenal fans were also full of admiration for the centre back singing the now increasingly common tune of "he's better than Cannavaro" as the Gunners players came over at the full time whistle to celebrate just the right amount. When asked about this though Arteta swatted aside the comparisons and stated that the 26-year-old should be pleased with player he's turned out to be.
"I haven’t heard that song!" the Arsenal boss said. "Let’s not compare. Rob Holding is really good being Rob Holding and he needs to be really happy with what he’s done today for the team." He famously may not have cost £50 million, but if he helps his team qualify for the Champions League then he could be worth even more to the Gunners.
Excellent Eddie
Much like with Rob Holding, people have had their doubts about Eddie Nketiah. The 22-year-old has had sporadic chances in the Arsenal team, but has only really ever seemed to deliver against lower quality opposition. Thrust into the side for crucial games against Chelsea, Manchester United and now West Ham, he is starting to slowly turn plenty around.
While he did not score on the day, Nketiah put in a centre forward's performance seemingly of a grizzled vetern rather than one of someone making just his 14th start at Premier League level. His ability to drop deep and drive at the West Ham defence created the shooting opportunity that ultimately lead to the first goal, and up against the physical might of Kurt Zouma, he more than stood his ground.
On top of that though, the England under-21 international was a threat in transition, running into the channels and acting as a release valve to some of the intense pressure that the Arsenal backline was under in the second half. There were countless occasions where he was essentially on his own on the counter against the whole West Ham defence, but still managed to drive forward and create threatening shooting opportunites.
It is this variation in his game that sets Nketiah apart from Alexandre Lacazette, and you get the feeling he will keep the Frenchman out of the starting line up in the remaining four games of the season. With each passing game he is maturing, and there is now even a bit of needle to the 22-year-old's game as evidenced by his late scrap with Declan Rice and Aaron Cresswell.
There are still some things that aren't perfect in his game. His shooting for example is somewhat predictable in terms of technique, while there are still times where his decision making in the final third is a little hasty, but there can be little doubt that he is improving week on week.
It begs the question whether Arsenal are making a mistake letting him go if this is what he's shown he can do when his request for a run in the team is finally met. Nketiah will still likely leave North London this summer in the knowledge that the Gunners are planning on bringing in a striker who could well be Gabriel Jesus. With what he's shown in this cameo that may be too little too late for his career at the Emirates, is that he's perfectly capable of having a decent one elsewhere.
Terrific Tomiyasu
After nearly five months, it was great to see Takehiro Tomiyasu back in the starting line up for the trip to West Ham. Almost instantly you were reminded of what he offers to the team as the Japanese international won an early aerial duel to set Arsenal off on the counter attack.
The 23-year-old is rarely spectactular, but almost everything he does is the most sensible option available. There were countless occasions when he was able to simply use his strength to usher the ball out of play for goal kicks that Aaron Ramsdale used as ample opportunities to run down the clock. It's speaks volumes that Said Benrahma was practically anonymous in the game, and the one time the Algerian was able to pull away, Tomiyasu simply used the extra gear of pace he has in his back pocket to catch up and smother him.
The Japan defender ended the game with three clearances, three tackles and one interception, and just seemed to put everyone at ease with his solidity down the right flank. Contrast that to the unpredictability of what was going on on the other side of the pitch and the difference is night and day.
When Arsenal win you can look back and laugh at how crazy a player Nuno Tavares is to watch. There were times in the second half where the Portuguese full back would burst away from West Ham defenders with his blistering pace in transition, only to wildly misplace his final ball.
The 22-year-old's laid back approach to defensive positioning is always likely to cost the Gunners at one point in a game, and on Sunday it came in the build up to the Hammers' goal. As Declan Rice 's switch dropped to Vladimir Coufal, Tavares ambled over seemingly in slow motion to allow the Czech full back to put in the cross that Jarrod Bowen eventually turned home. This prompted a furious reaction from Rob Holding who instantly yelled "Nuno" before thrusting his hands together to indicate that the left back should have been over to press Coufal far more intensely.
The balance of calm that Tomiyasu brings as an antidote to Tavares' madness was a welcome sight, so when he collapsed midway through the second half fears began to grow that he had aggrevated his injury once again. Thankfully after the game Mikel Arteta was able to reveal that the problem was not as serious as it appeared.
"Tomiyasu is just that he had been out for so long and could not continue," the Spaniard said before adding: "No, hopefully, he’s fine," when asked if he was worried about the Japan defender.
With tight games like this one likely to be a regular feature between now and the end of the season, having someone with the defensive solidity of Tomiyasu is going to be invaluable. His trustworthyness at the back does also provide an important platform for Tavares to get forward and support the attack. Still though the stylistic contrast between Arsenal's current two starting full backs remains an amusingly bizarre oddity.
Arsenal's best summer signing emerges
While Arsenal's last two matches have been barnstorming, box office bonanzas, this game was not one for the neutral. The first shot did not come until 15 minutes in, and even then those watching had to wait 10 more minutes for another.
The Gunners failed to really get their passing going at any stage as emphasised by Martin Odegaard 's relatively muted performance, and days like that it's the fine margins that make the difference. Set pieces certainly fall under that category.
Having failed to really create too many chances through patterns of play, Arsenal's two goals came from corner routines worked out the training ground. Both set pieces were whipped in to a similar area by Bukayo Saka and West Ham, a team known for their aerial superiority, simply couldn't cope. When you consider the Gunners only scored six times from set pieces last season - the third fewest in the Premier League - that's quite the change in fortunes.
The architect behind this turnaround is perhaps the most prudent summer signing Mikel Arteta was able to make. Edu and the board have received plenty of praise for the success of bringing in Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga, but snapping up set piece coach Nicolas Jover from Manchester City may have been the best business of the bunch.
Set piece goals alone have been worth a whopping 16 points for Arsenal this season. For a team that lacks a clinical edge up top they are a hugely important way to gain advantages in games, and the fact that the Gunners are still yet to concede from a corner this season is indicative of how crucial they've been at the other end of the pitch too.
"It’s a process, a process that the players are really involved in," said Mikel Arteta when asked about improvements from dead ball scenarios earlier in the season. "They know that attacking and defending is vital in the game and they are so decisive and treat them like what they are. It’s another big part of the game and when they help you to win matches, it’s really important." The Spaniard is not wrong, and that summer transfer may well be the most important one of his managerial career.
