West Ham 1 Arsenal 2: Gunners late show breaks Hammers hearts

04 January 2010 00:59
Sir Trevor Brooking may want to look away now but when the full-time whistle split the freezing East End air, West Ham had completed 275 passes compared to Arsenal's 575.[LNB]Ignore for a moment the fact that Gianfranco Zola's struggling team had worked feverishly and come within 11 minutes of producing a minor shock by sending the Gunners out of the FA Cup in the third round for the first time since Arsene Wenger arrived at the club .[LNB]Instead, consider Brooking's goal against Arsenal at Wembley 30 years ago and the general astonishment that the elegant midfielder who personified the club's commitment to the passing game had won it with a header.[LNB]Hero: Eduardo heads home the Gunners' winner[LNB]They still claim to be the Academy of Football. It is in enormousletters on artificial turf at the mouth of the players' tunnel, butWenger could have rolled it up and taken it with him.[LNB]Arsenal can console themselves that, whatever team they field and whatever the result, they will have tried to entertain. [LNB]That used to be the West Ham way but, despite Zola's pedigree, they must find solace in trying hard and showing spirit.[LNB]They played a part in an exciting tie but were overwhelmed when AbouDiaby and Samir Nasri came on. Alessandro Diamanti's first-half openerwas eventually wiped out by Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo won the game sevenminutes from time to set up a tie at Stoke.[LNB]As this unfolded in front of a crowd of just 25,549, one of theparties interested in buying West Ham, Malaysian businessman TonyFernandes, was updating his Twitter site. [LNB]'Soon they will have an owner who will make a difference and care,'Fernandes tweeted. London financial services company Intermarket areexpected to make a formal bid for the club today and former Birminghamowners David Sullivan and David Gold remain interested in buying alarge slice of the club from current owners, the crippled Iceland bankStraumur.[LNB]'We had a difficult first half against a committed West Ham,' saidWenger. 'They were well organised, won the 50-50s and were quicker onthe ball, but in the second half we played at a better tempo and WestHam dropped physically.'[LNB]Level terms: Aaron Ramsey (left) celebrates his equaliser with Bacary Sagna[LNB]Valon Behrami's energy drove the Hammers on and it was his passwhich set Diamanti racing clear of Mikael Silvestre. The Italian madeno mistake, sliding the ball low into the corner of the net.[LNB]It was his fourth goal in five games and his second of the season against Arsenal. [LNB]After the break, teenager Frank Nouble lashed a good chance wide andLukasz Fabianski made a terrific save from Junior Stanislas but, fromthat point, the momentum swung somewhat inevitably. Aaron Ramsey andAlex Song started to dominate the midfield and Wenger sent on Diaby andNasri for Jack Wilshere and Fran Merida. [LNB]West Ham fan Wilshere, 18 on New Year's Day, had failed to sparklebut Wenger said: 'Because he doesn't play often, he feels underpressure to deliver something special when he does.[LNB]'He needs to play but it's difficult for me to send him on loan because we have nine players out injured.'[LNB]Opener: Alessandro Diamanti slots past Fabianski to put the Hammers ahead[LNB]Robert Green made a fantastic double save to keep out Diaby andSong. Then Nasri skewed a good chance wide before Ramsey levelled.[LNB]Song arrowed a pass into Vela's feet inside the penalty area and theMexican striker bundled it though to Ramsey, who had made a sweepingrun to unleash a sweet left-footer into the far corner.[LNB]Arsenal were down to 10 men when they scored the winner and Wengerwas fuming about a high tackle by Luis Jimenez which left Diaby needingtreatment on his neck. 'It was a little high ... Diaby is quite a tallplayer,' he said.[LNB]Get out of my way: Fran Merida (left) and West Ham United's Frank Nouble fight it out[LNB]His mood was softened by victory, after Vela swung in a dangerouscross from the left and Eduardo beat Matthew Upson in the air to headinto the top corner. It sparked a few mocking chants about the qualityof England pair Upson and Green.[LNB]Eduardo went close again and Upson scrambled a Vela shot off theline before Arsenal trooped off to discover an aerial attack at Stokewill test their cultured approach in the next round.[LNB]'I hope it is not a windy day,' said Wenger, who hinted thatManchester United's shock exit yesterday could help them in theChampions League. [LNB]It won't give them much of an advantage in the title race, but moreso in the Champions League because the fifth round is just before aChampions League game and before that we play in midweek.'[LNB] LIVE: FA CUP THIRD ROUND - Follow the action from Sunday's cup clashes as it happens FA Cup fourth round drawStriker Gignac snubbed by Arsenal who seek cover for Van Persie I want to emulate Gerrard: West Ham's Collison on FA Cup mission [LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail