FT: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham: Hammers start another season with three straight defeats

Well, it looks like we’ve been here before.

That is the sentence that West Ham supporters are saying to themselves after beginning a second straight season with three defeats and zero points, as an Arsenal comeback at the Emirates Stadium lead to 3-1 loss.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini certainly saw improvement from his side following the debacle of a latter 45’ last week against Bournemouth, but will again question his side’s ability to hold strong defensively once more. It was all promising for the Hammers, with Lukasz Fabianski and right back Ryan Fredericks in fine form, and then taking the lead with the match’s opening goal just like they did vs the Cherries.

It was of course Marko Arnautovic who broke the deadlock with a fine smashing finish from a good lay off from Felipe Anderson in the 25th minute. But Unai Emery’s side were always going to be hellbent on responding, and they did just five minutes later as Hector Bellerin got free from Michail Antonio and Jack Wilshere’s watch and slide in a ball that found fellow Spanish fullback Nacho Monreal for a slotted finish to level.

And then well into the second half, the Hammers suffer the backbreaking, as a ball sent in deflected off of Issa Diop’s stomach in the 70th’ minute and into Fabianski’s goal to give the Gunners the 2-1 lead. West Ham were close a few times late from evening the match at 2-2, but saw Arsenal score a match clinching third, as Bellerin found Danny Welbeck to slot home and seal the Hammers fate for another ugly early start to the season.

New manager, same old Hammers, and they will hope they don’t go into the first international break of the season with four defeats. But before an already crucial home game vs Wolves next Saturday, they will take on Wimbledon in the League Cup on Tuesday.