Arsenal kicked off playing away from the travelling Gooners who were behind and to the left of Szczesny. A good start by Arsenal with solid passing and evidence of a desire to win as seen in the effective closing down of players all over the park. Thirteen minutes in Djourou challenges in midfield and the ball breaks to Wilshere. Jack finds Theo in space on the right with time to cross - which he does square, low and hard towards Nasri. Samir steps over the ball allowing Robin to drill a low right-footed shot past Green into the corner of the net. His chocolate leg makes it 0-1 Arsenal with a well worked goal.
Faurbert late on Fabregas with a scissors tackle by the touchline, could have very nasty. It's all gone rather quiet at Upton Park. Great play by Song in midfield ends with a through ball to Walcott who could have scored with a tad more control, but he rather scuffed his shot. Noble replaced by Boa Morte who proceeded to kick everyone in a yellow shirt.
Wilshere almost through with really quick feet following some fine passing and movement by about half the team. Poor play by Djourou with a weak back-pass. Szczesny stood up well to the first shot and the follow up was fired over from an angle. A Freddie style cross field run sees Nasri get on the end of a pass only to shoot wide with a tricky opportunity. Arsenal were dominating, closing down well, moving well, passing well and generally bossing the game. Cole hauled down Song and some Shammers scream for a pen, no way Pedro. The ever reliant Robin lets Boa Morte know he's there following an early hack by the Portuguese Shammer.
Song wins the ball and plays it to Robin, quickly on to Cesc wide who crosses to Robin who laid it off for Song but his strike was saved by a block which deflected the ball. A fairly typical attack where WHU didn't get near the ball. Passing practice is one description and there were often two or more options for the pass. Wishere with one and a half boots on played it Samir who found van Persie whose shot slammed the bottom of the post and goes clear. A pass by Eboue puts Djourou under undue pressure. Samir wins another corner. Boa Morte with another late challenge. On 39 minutes the pass count was 81-189 but it was still only 0-1.
On forty minutes Cesc under pressure and tumbling backwards pushed it wide to Clichy as he hit the deck. Gael immediately found Robin in a left side channel with a decent chip. Robin clipped a ball into the danger zone and Theo had enough savvy and speed to get ahead of Bridge towards the nearer post and clip it home past Green with his left peg. 0-2 Arsenal and it should be game over. Theo's 10th of the season and looking the part, whatever happened to all those doubters?
We had almost total control but to prove me wrong Sears fired a good cross to the near post where Cole beat Djourou to the header to win a corner. 'Getting sacked in the morning'. Cole fouled Theo. Green saved from Djourou with his face in added time as Arsenal took a comfortable half time lead into the dressing room. Hopefully someone in the dressing room will recall being 0-2 up against the Hammers previously before throwing the lead away.
West Ham kicked off after the break in an attempt to save Grant's job. Cesc shot wide from range. There was an easy shot for Szczesny to save and keep him awake. A stunning narrow-angled shot from Robin who looked really sharp for the first time since his return. 'You've only come to see the Arsenal'. Theo shot wildly off target. Theo then won a corner in front of the travelling Gooners . A van Persie right-footed pile drive was hit over as the one-sided game continued. Spector threw himself down for a free kick, Mariner bought it. Theo shot after another 200 or whatever pass move, we may have been over doing it now but it's sweet to watch when you have a two-goal lead.
Robin flattened by Boa Morte. Wilshere's turn to be tripped by Boa Morte, this time in an ideal spot for Robin. His free kick was both hard and good but deflected wide. Meanwhile in the Directors' box the West Ham directors had both turned up in fancy dress. Nasri offside, just. A cross from Sears that was probably goal bound was well saved by Wojciech at full stretch. The Mexican comes on as sub, their Mexican: Barrea for Sears. Eboue caught the wrong side of his man, our right flank was the only weak spot today but it was still fairly comfortable. Great play from Robin and Samir set up Theo who's effort was wide.
Cole down injured while the cameras showed the ground to be full of depressed Hammers and singing Gooners. There's a ball to Theo that runs behind him, he turns to collect the ball reacting quicker than Bridge who's tired play brings Walcott down. A clear-cut penalty which Robin stepped up for. He fired it hard and low to the keeper's right for his second and our third. 76 minutes gone 0-3 Arsenal. A full-scale fire drill ensues, those remaining Shammers go for a stout rendition of 'Bubbles'.
Cesc came off on 80 minutes for a rest, he was replaced by the snoody Denilson. Great run by Eboue down the right. We're still closing well, passing well and dominating almost totally. A great solo by Samir saw his shot deflected for another corner. Nasri, Walcott and Bridge were replaced by Gibbs, Arshavin and Nouble with three minutes remaining. A great shot by Jack was very well saved by Green low down to his left, conceding yet another corner. Three minutes of added time before the final whistle and a very dignified exit by Avram Grant in front of a lot of empty seats.
A good win showing both quality and control against a poor side. Three points and another plus three on our goal difference. Still 3rd, still in there and looking good.