Reece Oxford might only be 16 but nobody at the Emirates Stadium would have guessed that from the calm and composed display he gave on his Barclays Premier League debut on Sunday.
The Hammers youngster starred as his team ended a run of ten successive defeats to the Gunners in style.
Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate scored the goals to seal a 2-0 victory, leaving Oxford delighted at getting the season - and his top flight career - off to the perfect start.
He told West Ham TV: "It was a great debut for me and a great day for the team. They just encouraged me and everyone was talking to me - Nobes, Reidy, Angelo, everyone. It was a great experience.
"I dont think we've won here for a long time, so it was a great debut!
"Everyone was encouraging each other and working for each other. If someone was out of position someone fills in for them. Nobody was taking a break and we just wanted it today."
The Hammers youngster starred as his team ended a run of ten successive defeats to the Gunners in style.
Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate scored the goals to seal a 2-0 victory, leaving Oxford delighted at getting the season - and his top flight career - off to the perfect start.
He told West Ham TV: "It was a great debut for me and a great day for the team. They just encouraged me and everyone was talking to me - Nobes, Reidy, Angelo, everyone. It was a great experience.
"I dont think we've won here for a long time, so it was a great debut!
"Everyone was encouraging each other and working for each other. If someone was out of position someone fills in for them. Nobody was taking a break and we just wanted it today."
Kouyate's header two minutes before the interval was quickly backed up by Zarate's strike soon after and Oxford was thrilled with the timing of the goals.
He explained: "We were practicing set pieces in training yesterday and it worked. We had a lot of players of six-foot plus and Cheikhou got on the end of that one.
"We caught them on the counter attack for the second and Zarate just finished it like he normally does."
Oxford could not have wished for a better springboard into the 2015/16 season and now he just wants to continue on his upward path.
He added: "It's a massive season for me and the team, and with England with the U17 World Cup. Hopefully I can just carry on the way I'm playing now.
"When he told me I was starting I was nervous, to think I would be playing against the likes of Ozil, but I just got my head down and it was good.
"I learned a lot from it because Arsenal probably haVe the strongest midfield in the Premier League. Playing against the best will make you the best and Nobes and Cheik helped me a lot in the game."
He explained: "We were practicing set pieces in training yesterday and it worked. We had a lot of players of six-foot plus and Cheikhou got on the end of that one.
"We caught them on the counter attack for the second and Zarate just finished it like he normally does."
Oxford could not have wished for a better springboard into the 2015/16 season and now he just wants to continue on his upward path.
He added: "It's a massive season for me and the team, and with England with the U17 World Cup. Hopefully I can just carry on the way I'm playing now.
"When he told me I was starting I was nervous, to think I would be playing against the likes of Ozil, but I just got my head down and it was good.
"I learned a lot from it because Arsenal probably haVe the strongest midfield in the Premier League. Playing against the best will make you the best and Nobes and Cheik helped me a lot in the game."