'Only his last changes worked' - how Arteta's gambles finally paid off

Published1 hour agoBefore we get into any tactical analysis of Arsenal's win over West Ham, we have to address the decision that saw the Hammers' stoppage-time equaliser ruled out.

Anyone who watches football regularly probably thinks the grappling we see at corners and set-plays has gone too far this season.

I think most people are up for punishing it more, because there does seem to be too many occasions where players get away with it.

For Callum Wilson's 95th-minute goal to be disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) because of exactly that kind of foul was ironic in many ways, because we've seen Mikel Arteta's side do that type of thing, unpunished, so often.

So, I know why only seeing the officials act now will frustrate a lot of people because it is Arsenal who have benefited, but in isolation it is the right decision.

David Raya was being prevented from lifting his arm upwards by Pablo, and he was also having his shirt pulled from behind by Jean-Clair Todibo to stop him getting off the ground.

In a way there were two fouls there, so although it was a brilliant finish from Wilson and also the kind of dramatic moment that all neutral fans love, the reality is that, fair's fair, that is a foul - whoever you support and wherever your allegiance lies.

It was the right decision, and it also wasn't the only reason that Arsenal won that game.

They got a bit of luck along the way, and there were also some big moments with Raya's save from Mateus Fernandes and Gabriel's block from Wilson, which led to that controversial corner, but the most credit has to go to Arteta.

The life of any manager is that you don't always get your decisions right.

But the mark of a good manager is if you try something and it's not working, then you take some risks - change it up and do something else.

Arteta did that. Three times against West Ham he made a decision with his substitutes and only the last changes he made came off, but that was what won him the game.

His boldness, combined with Arsenal's formidable squad strength that we have spoken about many times in the past few months, meant they could take another big step towards the Premier League title.

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Arsenal started Sunday's game with exactly the sort of intent they needed in a game they had to win.

They were pressing well, winning second balls, then passing forward and moving quickly.

I was watching the game for Match of the Day and straight away I thought they looked up for it. They were looking strong and created a few excellent early chances.

After that, though, West Ham grew into the game and the first change that Arteta made, bringing Martin Zubimendi on for the injured Ben White after 28 minutes, didn't work.

I can understand why Arteta tried that because, when White went off, Arsenal were dominating the game. West Ham's wing-backs were pinned back so Riccardo Calafiori and White were getting on the ball a lot, in the Hammers half.

Arteta probably thought Rice is so comfortable on the ball that he could leave him at right-back, and Zubimendi is so technically gifted, he is more than adequate to come into the middle of the park instead and dictate play.

That way, Rice could handle Crysencio Summerville athletically. And while he had another defender, Cristhian Mosquera, on the bench, Mosquera is much more of an out-and-out defender and Arteta wanted to stay on the front foot.

Of course it didn't play out that way. Arsenal lost a bit of momentum and West Ham had a couple of chances before the break - I guess it shows you how significant Rice is in the middle of the park.

So, Arteta changed it again at half-time, bringing Mosquera on at right-back, moving Myles Lewis-Skelly to left-back and taking off Calafiori.

That last part surprised me, because Calafiori was Arsenal's biggest goal threat in the first half and he was getting in some great positions.

Still, the change itself to bring Rice back into midfield was the right thing to do, and Arteta made it quickly.

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After half-time, Arsenal were no longer in any trouble defensively, but they couldn't really create any chances. They were probing but they lacked ideas and didn't look like they were going to score.

Again Arteta saw this and again he changed things, bringing on Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz for Eberechi Eze and Zubimendi after 67 minutes, then, with the score still 0-0, replacing Bukayo Saka with Noni Madueke with 10 minutes to go.

So he subbed his substitute, which is always a brave move, and shortly afterwards also took off Saka, who had arguably been Arsenal's best attacking player up until that point.

If Arsenal hadn't scored, then imagine the stick Arteta would have got for taking him and Eze off?

It was another gamble, like the earlier changes were, but this time it worked.

When Odegaard came on he looked like he had a point to prove and he lifted everything about the way Arsenal were playing.

Odegaard has this great pressing ability, which he always does, that sets the tone for the whole team but also, when he got the ball, his passing was crisp and brave. He started playing through West Ham's defensive line and hit a couple of great balls that got Arsenal in on goal.

Then, when that magic moment comes where he has played a lovely little give and go with Rice and found space himself in the area, did he have the calmness and awareness to wait and play the perfect pass for Leandro Trossard? Yes, of course he does.

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We knew Odegaard was capable of that, but we have not seen him do it very often recently. He has not had a great season but it was Odegaard that Arsenal wanted on the ball at that precise moment, in that exact area... and there he was.

These are the kind of moments when your best players come through for you - all of them - and when that quality in your squad counts.

We've seen that time and again from Arsenal's different attacking players in the past few weeks, in the Premier League and in Europe.

Before now, Eze, Madueke, Havertz, Gyokeres and Saka have all played their part in crucial goals at important times. Against West Ham, it was Odegaard and Trossard.

Arsenal are in a wonderful position now but they are not relying on any one player to get them over the line in this title race. Instead it is their squad that is making the difference.

That's down to the strength in depth they have, and their big players producing in the big moments, but the narrative would still be very different if Arteta's big decisions on Sunday had not come off.

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