Mesut Ozil fired back a response to his critics with a goal and
an assist as Arsenal overcame a resilient West Ham 3-0 at Emirates
Stadium in the Premier League.
Germany international Ozil - making his 150th Arsenal appearance -
has come under fire for lacklustre displays this season and the ire
aimed in his direction increased during a run the Gunners took into
Wednesday's game that had seen them win just three times in their last
10 matches in all competitions.
Ongoing speculation around the 28-year-old's future in north London
has added to the animosity he has been subjected to, but his first goal
of 2017 put Arsene Wenger's side on the path to ending a three-match
winless run in the top flight.
Ozil then set up Theo Walcott to angle in the second, capping a
performance that may appease sections of the support unhappy with him
and Wenger.
The Frenchman was the target of a protest in which fans refused to
take their seats until the 13th minute - a reference to the number of
years they have gone without a Premier League title. However, the empty
spaces continually filled from kick-off.
Substitute Olivier Giroud capped the win with an exquisite finish,
with Arsenal now fifth following Manchester United's draw with Everton
on Tuesday, providing a much-needed boost to their Champions League
ambitions as the seasons enters its final stretch.
For Slaven Bilic, however, a fifth successive defeat and seventh
winless match provides further concern after he was given the vote of
confidence this week.
Emiliano Martinez made his first Premier League appearance since
December 2014 with Petr Cech and
David Ospina out injured, and he was
placed under early pressure from Manuel Lanzini and Mark Noble, though
neither managed to hit the target.
Fans continually filtered to their seats from kick-off and any
intentional protesters arrived in time to see Walcott drill a shot from
Hector Bellerin's cutback straight at Darren Randolph.
Arsenal kept West Ham penned back, but Danny Welbeck was unable to
take full advantage, failing to connect with Alexis Sanchez's dinked
free-kick before aiming a header too close to Randolph as West Ham held
firm until half-time.
The hosts needed to play with more pace and energy in order to break
down the resilient visitors and they did that immediately after the
restart, an excellent James Collins tackle thwarting Ozil in the box
before Shkodran Mustafi drilled narrowly wide.
The breakthrough finally came in the 58th minute when Ozil's shot
from the edge of the box somehow found a way past Randolph and into the
bottom-left corner.
While the West Ham goalkeeper could have done more to keep Ozil's
effort out, he raced off his line to produce a brilliant stop as Welbeck
attempted to make it two in as many minutes.
Arsenal had their second in the 68th minute, though. Ozil and Sanchez
combined down the left, with the former's cutback guided inside the
near post by Walcott.
Bellerin stretched to reach a Sanchez cross from the left, but sent
his effort narrowly wide, while Martinez was forced into his only
meaningful save by Lanzini in the 75th minute.
There was still time for Arsenal to add to their tally, with
substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain setting up Giroud, who replaced
Welbeck in the 74th minute, to curl a fabulous finish into the top-right
corner.
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