West Ham v Arsenal match preview – Arsenal must get something from the game against the Hammers tonight.
Arsenal is at a stage now that any positive result will do just so they can build some form of momentum, even a draw.
Of course, three points would be perfect while a draw would be disappointing but a loss would be disastrous.
Make no mistake, West Ham are dangerous, they proved that away at Chelsea. Yes, they are very inconsistent and if you catch them right you can put them to the sword but the same can be said about Arsenal.
This may sound like a broken record but there is a really simple three-step process for Arsenal. One, Freddie Ljungberg has to get the team selection right. Two, the players have to do the basics right, nothing spectacular, just the fundamental basics of playing football. Three, the quality players have to play to their undoubted talents.
I mean, can you imagine if Mesut Ozil played to his creative best, if Nicholas Pepe tore into defences, if Alexandre Lacazette held the ball up and used his power to bully the defences and if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was at his clinical best.
The Arsenal defence will be put under pressure, that you can take to the bank and for once they need to stand up and defend like men.
This will be a chaotic game, of that I have doubt, it will be the usual end to end stuff because you have two teams low in confidence that cannot defend. It will all come down to which team defends better and which midfield is more effective.
Basically, the midfield has to be won tonight, do that and it relieves the pressure on the defence and provides the forwards with service.
But sadly, I lack the confidence in Arsenal to get it right, especially the senior players, they have drained me of that confidence.
But West Ham is just as poor and so a draw looks like the most likely outcome.
Predicted score
West Ham 2-2 Arsenal