Arsenal analysis: Home comforts for impeccable Alexandre Lacazette as Gunners gain momentum

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James Olley25 September 2017

Arsenal kept up their 100 percent home record with a 2-0 Premier League win over West Brom as Alexandre Lacazette grabbed both goals in Monday night's Emirates clash.

West Brom were denied a penalty early on though when Gareth Barry, appearing in a record 633rd Premier League fixture, released the ball to Jay Rodriguez in the area who was then brought down by defender Shkodran Mustafi - but no foul was given.

Arsene Wenger's side took the lead after 20 minutes, Lacazette heading in after goalkeeper Ben Foster had pushed Alexis Sanchez's free-kick on to the bar.

The Frenchman scored his fourth of the season and Arsenal's second of the match from the penalty spot, midway through the second half, after a clumsy barge on Aaron Ramsey in the box by Allan Nyom.

James Olley assesses the key Emirates talking points...

Arsenal increase their momentum

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The Gunners have seemingly felt the full gamut of emotions by mid-September - early optimism, a dramatic victory followed by painful defeats, a protracted transfer saga and unrest towards the manager - but now they have arrived at resurgent, cautious optimism.

This 2-0 win leaves Arsenal one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham and level with Liverpool on goal difference - a far cry from the crisis which seemed to engulf them prior to August’s international break.

An easy win against Bournemouth prior to a hard-fought and well-earned draw at champions Chelsea have created some forward momentum in their Premier League campaign which continued here ahead of a Europa League trip to BATE Borisov, before returning to domestic engagements with a home match against Brighton on Sunday lunchtime.

The Gunners didn’t shy away from the fight

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There was an undercurrent of hostility which, while never threatening to boil over, did add a strong competitive edge to this game.

West Brom boss Tony Pulis is always animated on the touchline but he had every right to be incensed after referee Bobby Madley failed to award the visitors an eighth-minute penalty as Shkodran Mustafi fouled Jay Rodriguez in the box.

Pulis felt aggrieved at many decisions thereafter while Arsenal players in turn reacted to several robust tackles, including one moment where Aaron Ramsey sarcastically applauded the West Brom bench after they failed to give the ball back.

The Gunners have often - rightly - been accused of shying away from combative contests such as this, but here they stood their ground and earned victory.

Lacazette creates a slice of history

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Arsenal’s club record signing may have struggled to make an impact at Chelsea in his last Premier League outing but his home form has been impeccable so far.

He continued a fine run by converting the rebound from Alexis Sanchez’s 20th-minute free-kick to become the first Arsenal player to score in his first three home League games since Brian Marwood in September 1988.

The £52.7million man doubled his tally on the night from the spot to secure the points midway through the second half.

He continues to adapt to life in England but this was another small step forward on an evening when Arsenal notched up a curious collective statistic of their own: their last seven home games - five this season and two at the end of last season - have taken place across every day of the week, Monday to Sunday inclusive.

Ramsey gets a chance to advance

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Aaron Ramsey had excelled alongside Granit Xhaka in central midfield against Chelsea with manager Arsene Wenger praising the balance in his game between defence and attack.

It was therefore a slight surprise that Ramsey was pushed further forward to play as one of the two advanced players behind Lacazette in Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 system.

However, Ramsey has thrived in that position for Wales - perhaps most notably at Euro 2016 - and he will have enjoyed the greater freedom usually afforded to Mesut Ozil, only deemed fit enough for the bench here following a knee problem, in that role.

He won a second-half penalty after being barged off the ball by Allan Nyom when surging into the box - the first spot-kick in an Arsenal game this season - as West Brom were eventually worn down.

Monreal rises to Gibbs challenge - again

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There were a variety of reasons behind Kieran Gibbs’ decision to join West Brom for £7million last month - Sead Kolasniac’s summer arrival didn’t help matters - but most of them stem from the fact he fell behind Nacho Monreal in the pecking order.

Gibbs made his return to Emirates Stadium tonight and although he caused his former team-mates problems going forward, Monreal outshone him once again. It looked for all the world as though Jay Rodriguez would cancel out Lacazette’s first-half opener when steering a header goalwards from Grzegorz Krychowiak’s left-wing cross but Monreal had other ideas.

With Petr Cech beaten, Monreal somehow managed to turn the ball behind from almost underneath the crossbar to preserve Arsenal’s lead.

The passion with which he celebrated that moment hinted at the determination he showed to usurp Gibbs since arriving from Malaga in 2013.

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