Three Arsenal players who have picked themselves against West Ham after Olympiacos performances
Mikel Arteta’s squad depth continues to cause the Arsenal boss selection dilemmas, but three players have already picked themselves for West Ham.
Arsenal beat Olympiacos 2-0 thanks to an early Gabriel Martinelli goal and a late Bukayo Saka strike to continue their perfect start in the Champions League.
Martinelli made history against Athletic Bilbao on matchday one after the Gunners also won 2-0 against the Spanish side.
David Raya wowed Ally McCoist with a save for Arsenal in the first half, and it was three other stars who will have also impressed Arteta.
Gabriel Martinelli
The Brazilian has been in fine goal scoring form lately with three goals, and an assist, in five matches.
Martinelli though has only made two Premier League starts this season, with Leandro Trossard recently preferred and increased competition coming from Eberechi Eze.
The 24-year-old may be seen as an excellent impact sub, but against Olympiacos he was a constant threat down the left flank and told Arteta that he must be given another chance to start in the Premier League.
Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard also faces competition from Eze for his number 10, and has been hit with a shoulder problem this season.
The Norwegian though was back to his best against Olympiacos, with a calm composure on the ball ensuring Arsenal dominated possession.
Registering four key passes and dictating the play with 86 touches in midfield, Odegaard remains a key influence on this Arsenal team and his leadership qualities gives him an extra edge to start over Eze.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Myles Lewis-Skelly earned just his second start of the season for Arsenal, and the 19-year-old took the opportunity presented to him.
The left-back is fighting for his spot at left-back, with Riccardo Calafiori currently the preferred option in the position.
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Duels | 15 |
| Ground Duels Won | 9 |
| Clearances | 5 |
| Big Chances Created | 1 |
Calafiori’s strong aerially ability makes him another useful weapon for Arsenal’s use of set-pieces, but Lewis-Skelly’s ability on the ball is another dimension at Arteta’s disposal.
Arsenal saw 61% possession against Olympiacos, and the Gunners will be expected to reach similar numbers against West Ham, meaning Lewis-Skelly should start over Calafiori.