Arsenal ease past West Ham : Arteta and Saka milestones stand out.

Arsenal milestones and statistics

Some matches are more about statistics and less about the action on the field. Arsenal -West Ham was surely one of them.And when the numbers involve the manager and the starboy of a title aspirant team, they get magnified attention.

Arsenal look strong , and West Ham languish in the depths of the League table. It was no surprise that the statistics and milestones held up the stage.

Mikel Arteta, the sharp-nosed Spaniard, was managing his 300th game—a journey of steady, sure progress. The team looks nothing like what he started with. The shambolic defence of yesteryears replaced by one of the best defences in Europe. The midfield is robust while being versatile. The formations are fluid, and the attacking options are plentiful. The fans are excited, and after a few years of being second best, they sense a chance to hold the trophy. The academy starlets are growing in stature. One of them also hit a milestone.

Bukayo Saka, easily the poster boy of the Hale End academy, was playing his 200th game. For the faithful, they have seen the boy wonder flower right under their noses. From an awkward young kid to a confident world beater with a left foot that matters, the journey has been great. More than the 100 goals involvements in these 200 matches, the feverish activity and threat Saka brings to the right wing is what makes him tick.

Statistics apart, one must say something about the evening, so here we go.

Arsenal have an easy day at office

As the fans broke into the anthem, Arsenal began assured. They kept the ball, played it around easily, and forayed into the Hammers’ box. The right and left backs showed up in the boxes. Ricardo Calafiori took a shot and should have scored. Jurien Timber slid through and had a go. Eberechi Eze shot over from close range with no one around him. The Arsenal goal was coming, and in the 38th minute, Declan Rice found himself exactly where Eze was a few minutes ago. He kept the ball down this time, and the Gunners were up.

West Ham looked ragged; the manager, Nuno Espirito Sanchez, in his early days at the job, was obviously gauging the damage. For the Hammers, it seemed to be a damage limitation afternoon. The defence was spirited, but it looked like one that could be breached anytime. Arsenal were too happy to oblige.

The only difference in the second half was that the Gunners were shooting in the opposite direction. They kept pushing and probing. Just past the hour , Julien Timber, looking more like a winger than a defender, slid into the box to meet a sublime through ball from Martin Zubimendi. El Hadji Diouf , the Senegalese defender brought him down and John Brooks the referee pointed towards the dreaded spot.

It had to be Saka to take it on t(his) day and he did.

The game record book added another statistic. The timeless Arsenal legend Thierry Henry had scored in his 200th match, and now the young aspirant to that sobriquet had followed suit.

After a string of difficult matches, Arsenal were facing a lesser challenge. West Ham has not had it going their way for some time, and the Gunners would not have been wrong in hoping for an easy afternoon.

West Ham is in shambles, and there are no two opinions. A low finish in the earlier season never did any good to their confidence, and the start to this season has been a continuation of the tumble. Barring what seems to be now a surprise win against Nottingham Forest, the Hammers have been poor to say the least. The scholarly Graeme Potter, brought in with a lot of hope, could do little and was promptly sacked.

In the end, Arsenal had a walk in the park and three points, which took them to the top of the table. A few hours later Liverpool were given a dose of their own speciality – injury-time adventures by a resurgent Chelsea.

The Liverpool stumble meant Arsenal finished the week firmly on top of the table. It might have to be the position that they finish at the end of the season if Arteta has to reach the next hundred as Arsenal’s manager. Nothing less would probably do. While he is up there in the statistics with some legends, the trophy count needs to change.

It is early days, and as usual the League is alive and kicking. This season might , like the last few get decided in the last few weeks. It augurs well for the sport and less for the impatient supporters in blue, red, white and whatnot.