PL: Arsenal defeated by West Ham 0-2 at Emirates Stadium

Cech has been Wenger’s only major signing since the end of last season and, earlier in the week, he was keen to distance himself from links with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

Arsenal will recover from the “nerves” they suffered in their opening-day Premier League defeat by West Ham, their manager Arsene Wenger says.

Cheikhou Kouyate headed West Ham into the lead just two minutes before the break after poor judgment by the former Chelsea ‘keeper, who was then wrong-footed by Mauro Zarate’s shot in the 57th minute.

Clutching Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s shirt after the win at Arsenal, he said: “That game definitely helped me”.

Bilic also reserved special praise for teenage defender Reece Oxford, who put in an assured display in midfield on his top-flight debut as he became the club’s youngest ever player.

Cech is receiving a barrage of criticism, but Adrian, his West Ham counterpart, refuses to kick him out of the goalkeeping fraternity.

Arsenal were unable to muster a response as West Ham ended an eight-year wait for a win over their London rivals in Bilic’s first Premier League game in charge.

Arsenal had enjoyed a promising pre-season campaign after winning two tournaments and the Community Shield thanks to a 1-0 victory over defending Premier League champions Chelsea. We listen to people but we have to focus on the quality of our performance. “We were not good enough, we were not convincing, and West Ham played well”.

West Ham claimed their first victory over the Gunners in 8-years and it took them 16 attempts to do it. Arsenal FC failed to live up to their billing of title contenders.

“The way we conceded the goal just before half-time, with the experience that we have in our team – it’s hard to understand”, Wenger said.

Players look after Arsenal‘s Olivier Giroud lies on pitch after a… “Today, we have to look at ourselves and think that we were not good enough and not think that these kind of things are solutions for us”. We are guilty to give them a goal as soft as that, but it was a collective lapse. “Preparation is preparation, you never get that same intensity, but overall well done West Ham and we have to keep our focus”.

“I think my work was more important than my goal”.

“Slaven has come and changed us, he has got us thinking positively so full credit to him“.

“You’re looking for your big names, your big players, to perform, and they didn’t do that yesterday”, Graham added.