Arsenal optimism checked as West Ham claim shock win

Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal team showed a lack of leadership after their first game of the new Premier League season ended in a 2-0 defeat against West Ham, former Gunners manager George Graham has claimed.

West Ham keeper Adrian continues to express his delight following the Hammers’ astounding 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday, getting their Premier League campaign off with a bang.

WEST Ham manager Slaven Bilic insisted his side’s stunning victory over Arsenal yesterday vindicated his decision to play a weakened side in their Europa League defeat in midweek.

But the 33-year-old was guilty of conceding two soft goals as West Ham recorded a shock result of the opening weekend – with Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate both beating Cech with efforts the Czech Republic worldwide would have been disappointed to concede.

Now captain of the England Under-17’s, Oxford was let go by Tottenham in 2011 after the club failed to find his best position, before West Ham converted him from a striker into a defender.

You can have a mistake but the last seasons from him at Chelsea he has been outstanding. I’m really pleased for the lad and I’m sure all his mentors all the way up, and his family as well, they’re pinching themselves as well.

Having spent £10million to recruit Cech from Chelsea this summer, there was a belief that Arsenal could again challenge for the title because defensive lapses would no longer be a serious problem. “I feel we gave two very cheap goals away and they were at the wrong moments-just before and after half-time”.

“I haven’t spoken to Cech”, Wenger said.

“The second one, I have some sympathy for him because [Laurent] Koscielny stood back and invited the guy to have a shot from 20 yards”.

“West Ham played well”. “I felt we were a bit nervous and we rushed our game a bit”.

“We were not good enough, we were not convincing”.

The 2015/16 Premier League season kicks off for Arsenal as they look to build on an impressive pre-season when they host West Ham United.