Three things we learned from Arsenal win as VAR review comes to the rescue in extraordinary finale | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta gets away with making a complete mess of his first half change but Martin Odegaard provides a timely reminder of his quality

It has not been easy up to this point for Arsenal so why would it start now?

Leandro Trossard's 83rd-minute winner against West Ham has moved Arsenal to within six points of the title. Beat Burnley and Crystal Palace and they will be champions.

That did not look like being the case when Callum Wilson's finish deep into stoppage-time crossed the line despite the best efforts of Declan Rice.

A VAR review came to the rescue for Arsenal, though, and disaster was averted for Mikel Arteta and his players.

Extraordinary finale goes Arsenal's way

It was a remarkable scene.

Wilson's strike had seemingly snatched a point for West Ham and Arsenal had taken a gut punch

And then VAR got involved. Referee Chris Kavanagh stood motionless in front of the pitchside monitor for an age, watching the replays 17 times. The players lined up on the touchline offering their advice.

This was a decision with the potential to shape the title race and the relegation battle and all anyone could do was wait.

Replays showed Pablo's arm across Raya had hampered the goalkeeper and led to him spilling the ball.

Pablo was adjudged to have fouled David Raya before Callum Wilson put the ball in the back of the net

Getty

The referee returned from the monitor, ending a review that felt as though it started some time around the time Arsenal last won the title 22 years ago.

As he started to explain his decision and the direction of his verdict became clear, he was drowned out by boos.

The mood in the away end switched from devastation to jubilation. That could be a title-winning decision.

Arteta makes a mess of changes

Arsenal had been dominant up until the point Ben White was forced off with a knee injury just before the half-hour mark. However, from that moment, the match change.

That was not just down to the fact West Ham were suddenly making challenges, but also that Arteta's reshuffle did not work.

Declan Rice was impressive in December against Brighton when filling at right-back. When White came off here, Arteta moved Rice to full-back and Martin Zubimendi on in midfield.

Mikel Arteta corrected his change at half-time

PA

For the rest of the half, Arsenal had no control. Zubimendi and Myles Lewis-Skelly were bullied physically and West Ham were suddenly able to run at the Arsenal defence.

Rice, too, did not look comfortable. Shortly after he switched out wide, he could only watch El Hadji Malick Diouf charge away from him.

Arteta made a mess of rearranging his side and appeared to admit at much at half-time, bringing on Cristhian Mosquera and returning Rice to midfield.

He revealed after the match that Mosquera coming on for Calafiori was injury-enforced but he must surely have been close to making a change anyway.

The momentum had been lost and it was never really regained.

In another brutal acceptance of his mistake, the substitute was substituted. Zubimendi was hooked not even 40 minutes after coming on after a painfully bad display.

Arteta has a strong squad but he did not use it well on a chaotic afternoon of changes.

Odegaard leads from the front

Arsenal were showing little signs of finding a winner midway through the second-half, when Arteta hooked Zubimendi and turned to Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz.

For the first ten minutes or so they were on the pitch, Arsenal did not particularly improve.

The best chance came at the other end, when Mateus Fernandes skipped into the box and David Raya made a pivotal save from close-range.

The match remained in the balance and if anything West Ham looked more likely. Then Odegaard grabbed it by the scruff of the neck.

Martin Odegaard played a crucial role in Leandro Trossard’s winning goal

PA

The Arsenal captain got on the ball in the final third and started to unlock the defence, sliding clever passes through to Noni Madueke and then Havertz.

There was all of a sudden far more composure in the final. Those two passes came in quick succession and were followed almost immediately by the match-winning contribution.

Odegaard was played in by Rice and the weaved inside on his left foot before playing it back for Trossard, who finished with the help of a deflection.

It was a five-minute spell from Odegaard that made all the difference. When Arsenal needed it most, their captain stepped up.