Organised but outgunned: West Ham’s structure tested in 2-0 defeat at Arsenal

West Ham arrived with organisation and a plan under Nuno Espírito Santo, but Arsenal’s pressure told in a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates. Declan Rice struck after Alphonse Areola parried Eberechi Eze’s shot, and Bukayo Saka converted a second‑half penalty awarded when El Hadji Malick Diouf was penalised for a foul on Jurrien Timber.

There were early hints of an upset—Niclas Füllkrug headed over from a corner inside the first minute—but the hosts squeezed the game into West Ham’s half thereafter. Without a shot on target, the Hammers could not turn shape into threat, and late substitutions did little to shift the tide.

A plan that held… until the rebound fell to Rice

Nuno’s selection prioritised mobility and compactness, with Matheus Fernandes, Soungoutou Magassa and Lucas Paquetá offering legs and control behind Füllkrug. For spells, West Ham’s distances were tight and the lines difficult to pierce, even as Arsenal probed via Saka and Eze.

The breakthrough came from a fine margin. Martín Zubimendi slipped Eze into space and Areola blocked the initial shot, only for the ball to drop perfectly for Rice to guide in. It was a blow to a disciplined defensive effort that, to that point, had limited the hosts to half-chances and ricochets.

Saka vs Diouf, and a pivotal decision from the referee

Saka’s duel with the raw Diouf tilted the flank battle. When Timber burst into the box, Diouf’s challenge was judged by referee John Brookes to have occurred inside the area, and the penalty stood. Saka’s conversion left Areola no chance.

From there, West Ham were stretched. Arsenal’s speed of circulation and counterpress trapped the visitors deep, limiting transition moments and exposing the need for greater mobility in possession—a theme Nuno has already identified.

Adjustments from the bench and lessons for the next steps

Nuno turned to youth and energy, handing 20-year-old Callum Marshall a debut and bringing on academy graduate Freddie Potts. The intent was clear: find an outlet and fresh legs to push the line of engagement up the pitch.

Despite some disciplined phases and an uptick in set-piece positioning, Arsenal’s pressure persisted. Areola negotiated a nervy moment when Riccardo Calafiori’s shot hit the post and rebounded onto him, but the bigger issue was territory: West Ham could not escape long enough to test the home goalkeeper.

Context, setbacks, and the work ahead

After winning on their previous two visits to this stadium, West Ham could not repeat the trick. This fifth defeat of a difficult league campaign leaves them 19th and underscores the rebuilding task in front of Nuno.

The message from the head coach is unity and hard training-ground work during the international break. The defensive structure is forming; the next step is adding mobility and incision with the ball so that the compact shape becomes a platform for chances, not merely resilience.