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Arsenal news: Jack Wilshere suggests West Ham targeted one Gunners weakness
JACK WILSHERE has suggested West Ham targeted a specific weakness of Arsenal on Saturday.
West Ham beat Arsenal 1-0 at the London Stadium thanks to a second-half Declan Rice strike.
Rice scored his first goal for the club just three minutes after half time.
Granit Xhaka failed to clear a Felipe Anderson cross and Rice finished like a seasoned striker after being found by Hammers debutant Samir Nasri.
Wilshere was working as a pundit for Sky Sports for the Premier League clash.
I think it’s the second phase. Sometimes it’s the most important phase in a set piece
He was asked if the Arsenal defence at set pieces was something West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini would have targeted.
Presenter Kelly Cates asked Wilshere: “Is that something that West Ham would have been looking at?
“In the way Arsenal defend and the way they can exploit that.”
Wilshere instead thinks the Arsenal weakness is after they’ve cleared the initial set piece.
For Rice’s goal, the corner was cleared out of the box before the ball was worked back out to Anderson for the cross.
“I think it’s the second phase,” Wilshere said in response.
“Sometimes it’s the most important phase in a set piece.
“You’ve done your job and sometimes people switch off.
“It goes wide and the second ball goes in and there’s someone free.
“Declan was free there and he tucked it away nicely.”
Victory for West Ham moves them up to eighth in the Premier League table.
Arsenal remain fifth, just three points clear of Manchester United in sixth.
United's game in hand is against Tottenham at Wembley on Sunday (4.30pm).