Arsenal lose in opener

LONDON. — And so it turns out, there is more to winning the title than signing a goalkeeper from the champions. Who would have thought it?

After spending £10 million on Petr Cech from Chelsea, the optimism was high. When Arsene Wenger beat his nemesis Jose Mourinho in the FA Community Shield, it went a little higher still.

Arsenal had finished the last campaign in such terrific form, bagged another FA Cup and Wenger had preached about the value of continuity and cohesion through pre-season.

Then, the serious business started.

West Ham turned up, with a new manager and a new muscular presence, Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate scored either side of half-time, and a very different mood descended upon the Emirates Stadium.

Old problems linger on. Vulnerable at the back, lacking punch up front with Alexis Sanchez and with the unquestionably gifted Mesut Ozil neutralised by a 16-year-old making his debut.

Then there was Cech . . .

It was not like this at Stamford Bridge, where his goal area was so well insulated.

Cech was exposed more times in 90 minutes than he would expect to be in a month at Chelsea, and yet he must hold up his hands and accept some of the responsibility for goals which were soaked in defensive sloppiness.

The first was a free-kick, well delivered by Dimitri Payet and converted by a firm header by Kouyate, who escaped Nacho Monreal with minimal effort.

When he clocked the danger, Cech charged “Superman” style from goal but was beaten to the ball and left to flounder around on the turf, somewhere near the penalty spot, as the ball settled into his net.

For the second Arsenal struggled to take the ball from Aaron Cresswell and, when they did, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was easily dispossessed by Zarate.

No one closed him down, so Zarate, ridiculed for his lack of fitness on loan at QPR last season, took aim from 20 yards and found Cech napping on his line.

The ball flashed inside the post as the ‘keeper dived too late.

“Super, Super Slav . . . and “We’re going to win the league” sang the West Ham fans. After their feeble surrender in the Europa League, no-one had predicted this.

New boss Slaven Bilic was an instant hero, as was new signing Payet and teenager Reece Oxford, at 16 years and 236 days the second youngest player to ever appear in the Barclays Premier League.

Holding in midfield, against Ozil, it was a debut Oxford will never forget.

Wenger, meanwhile, starts the season with a headache and a home defeat. His feel-good factor has vanished and he has to accept some of the blame.

It was difficult to find the logic in moving Santi Cazorla from a position, deep in central midfield alongside Francis Coquelin, where he has proved so influential this year.

Perhaps it was to accommodate Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right, arguably his best position, while keeping Aaron Ramsey in the team to offer thrust and goal-threat from midfield.

The Ox was certainly bright and effective in the opening phase of the game, pepped by a goal at Wembley and Wenger’s gushing pre-match comments, which billed him for a big season if he displays the ‘dedication’ and ‘concentration’ required.

Oxlade-Chamberlain went tantalisingly close with a swerving volley before a bubbling run and cross to the back-post which Cazorla met on the volley and nursed over.

Ramsey rattled the bar with an effort which clipped Cresswell.

Ten minutes before half-time, Cazorla moved back into the centre and was immediately beaten in the tackle by Payet, who fired over. Ramsey pulled another chance wide when Mathieu Debuchy was better placed outside him and the game changed, two minutes before half-time when Kouyate struck.

Bilic’s team dug in to defend their lead, epitomised by James Tomkins who produced a good block to thwart Ozil as Arsenal went in search of instant response.

Zarate fired them two goals ahead and they defended superbly. Sam Allardyce would have been proud. And Wenger’s team had no response.

On came Theo Walcott and Sanchez, pressed into action.

Adrian saved from Olivier Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain, who ended the game playing at right-back, smashed one into the side-netting, but Arsenal were deservedly beaten. — MailOnline.