This season will open with the academy of football playing at the home of football. Here are three things to notice ahead of tomorrow morning's match.
Opposition player(s) to watch: midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté. Kouyaté tallied four goals in 31 of the 38 matches in his first season with West Ham. The first of his goals was during the festive period when he found the twine tent for the Irons loss in league play against the Gunners at Upton Park. With a start like that, he just might become one of those players who will enjoy personal success against Arsenal, regardless the end result. In fact, ex-Hammers manager Sam Allardyce had compared him to Gunner great Patrick Vieira after Kouyaté's debut in a home loss to Spurs last August.
Opening day woes: Arsenal have had poor form to start the season with just one victory in the past fourteen seasons. That win came during the invincible season which saw Sol Campbell get sent off in the 2-1 result against the Toffies at Highbury. Everton was reduced to ten men after the two Arsenal goals from Henry and Robert Pirès but brought one back before the Merseyside player's send off.
Another team the Arsenal love: just like Villa, the Gunners have seen success against the Irons. This spurred from not having been beaten since former Hammers' boss Alan Curbishley's tenure in 2007 four years to the day of the opener to the aforementioned Invincibles season.
That's the match ahead, go the Gunners!
-Ricky
Opposition player(s) to watch: midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté. Kouyaté tallied four goals in 31 of the 38 matches in his first season with West Ham. The first of his goals was during the festive period when he found the twine tent for the Irons loss in league play against the Gunners at Upton Park. With a start like that, he just might become one of those players who will enjoy personal success against Arsenal, regardless the end result. In fact, ex-Hammers manager Sam Allardyce had compared him to Gunner great Patrick Vieira after Kouyaté's debut in a home loss to Spurs last August.
Opening day woes: Arsenal have had poor form to start the season with just one victory in the past fourteen seasons. That win came during the invincible season which saw Sol Campbell get sent off in the 2-1 result against the Toffies at Highbury. Everton was reduced to ten men after the two Arsenal goals from Henry and Robert Pirès but brought one back before the Merseyside player's send off.
Another team the Arsenal love: just like Villa, the Gunners have seen success against the Irons. This spurred from not having been beaten since former Hammers' boss Alan Curbishley's tenure in 2007 four years to the day of the opener to the aforementioned Invincibles season.
That's the match ahead, go the Gunners!
-Ricky
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