LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal which was given by VAR during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on March 07, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
2. Lacazette recovering his confidence
It has certainly not been the easiest period for Alexandre Lacazette. More than two months without a goal, a crisis in confidence, dropped from the starting XI for a 20-year-old who only returned from a loan spell weeks before. It is not how things should pan out for your star striker.
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But slowly and surely, there have been signs of recovery. He shanked a goal against Newcastle United, he added another against Olympiakos in midweek, he then produced an okay performance in the second leg, and from coming off the bench against West Ham here, he showcased what his true value to the team is.
Obviously, he scored the only goal of the game, a calm volley into the bottom corner from close range. But more pertinent than that was the improvement in his all-around play. His touch was purposeful and well-controlled, he looked strong and powerful as he backed into West Ham defenders, his passing was pinpoint, attempting to instigate attacks as he spun and released teammates. This was the old Lacazette.
If the Frenchman can rediscover his Player of the Season form from last year, replicating it throughout the remainder of the season, Arsenal might finally unlock what should be a terrifying offensive unit. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had to carry this team for much of the season, but with Lacazette beginning to find his confidence once more, that might be about to change.
Arsenal has been extremely positive thus far. While the results have not always followed the way of the performances, significant progress has been made in several areas of the team and there is a clear path for success in the future. But in <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51685402">Saturday’s 1-0 win over West Ham United</a>, the Gunners produced one of their most lacklustre displays under the Spaniard’s tutelage. Nevertheless, despite the uninspiring display, there were some positives to take.</p>
<h2><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pain-in-the-arsenal-podcast-on-arsenal-fc/id1314514440?ign-mpt=uo%3D4%26amp%3Buo%3D4&mt=2%22>Listen to the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal podcast here! — Emergency Podcast: Nightmare</a></h2>
<p>With that in mind, here are three positive takeaways from Arsenal’s poor performance against West Ham.</p>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-99575" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1205656991-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>3. Bukayo Saka finding consistency</h4>
<p>This was not the vintage<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=bukayo+saka%22> Bukayo Saka</a> performance. He did not score, he did not provide an assist, he only created two chances, even if that was joint-lead for the team. And yet, oddly, there is perhaps greater encouragement to take from his more ordinary display against West Ham than the extraordinary showings he has produced prior.</p>
<p>One of the most critical shortcomings of young players is their inconsistency. They perform brilliantly one week and then awfully the next. They have not mastered the normal, more understated aspects of the game, so they are capable of the outrageous but also do not repeatedly execute the mundane but nonetheless impactful processes. On this occasion, Saka did the opposite.</p>
<p>He might not have scored or assisted or burned past a West Ham defender with a sublime shimmy and shake, but he kept possession ticking over nicely with a 90% pass completion rate, he completed two of his three dribble attempts, played seven crosses into the penalty area, almost all of which were dangerous, and did not have one loss of possession, either by turnover or being dispossessed. This was a neat and tidy performance from Saka. And at 18, that really is more remarkable than much of what he has done this season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Lacazette recovering his confidence </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-99580" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1210985844-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal which was given by VAR during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on March 07, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>2. Lacazette recovering his confidence</h4>
<p>It has certainly not been the easiest period for<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=alexandre+lacazette%22> Alexandre Lacazette</a>. More than two months without a goal, a crisis in confidence, dropped from the starting XI for a 20-year-old who only returned from a loan spell weeks before. It is not how things should pan out for your star striker.</p>
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<p>But slowly and surely, there have been signs of recovery. He shanked a goal against Newcastle United, he added another against Olympiakos in midweek, he then produced an okay performance in the second leg, and from coming off the bench against West Ham here, he showcased what his true value to the team is.</p>
<p>Obviously, he scored the only goal of the game, a calm volley into the bottom corner from close range. But more pertinent than that was the improvement in his all-around play. His touch was purposeful and well-controlled, he looked strong and powerful as he backed into West Ham defenders, his passing was pinpoint, attempting to instigate attacks as he spun and released teammates. This was the old Lacazette.</p>
<p>If the Frenchman can rediscover his Player of the Season form from last year, replicating it throughout the remainder of the season, Arsenal might finally unlock what should be a terrifying offensive unit. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had to carry this team for much of the season, but with Lacazette beginning to find his confidence once more, that might be about to change.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. A win is a win </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-99590" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1210992119-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210992119-850x560.jpeg 850w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210992119-768x508.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210992119.jpeg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Dani Ceballos of Arsenal celebrates after his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on March 07, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images )</p>
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<h4>1. A win is a win</h4>
<p>There is more to a match than just the result. Yes, the result is what dictates the number of points you receive and whether you win or lose, but it is the performance that forecasts what your team will become over an extended sample size. Results can be unpredictable, but over time, teams will revert to the expected outcome of the quality of their performances.</p>
<p>However, while that is all true, when it comes to crunch time, when it comes to the latter stages of the season with Champions League places on the line and the pressure cooker ramping up, sometimes, the biggest positive you can take from a match is the result. That is the case for Arsenal here.</p>
<p>They did not deserve the victory over West Ham and they will have to perform at a higher standard to continue their winning ways in future, but the three points keep them in the hunt for a top-five finish. And after their humiliation in the Europa League, this is the only way they can achieve qualification to Europe’s elite competition.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Arsenal Vs West Ham United: 5 things we learned" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-5-things-learned-champions-league-hopes-alive/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-3-positives-despite-poor-performance/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/03/07/arsenal-vs-west-ham-united-5-things-learned-champions-league-hopes-alive/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Arsenal Vs West Ham United: 5 things we learned </a> </div>
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<p>Arsenal must be near-perfect to close out the season and sneak into Champions League qualification. That means winning games even when they do not deserve to, just like on this occasion. Sometimes, a win is a win and that really is all that matters.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
