Source: Telegraph
West Ham United 2 Arsenal 2: match report
Redemption for Rafael Benitez but, come May, an equally important narrative from today’s football may yet involve Arsenal and the manner in which they failed to punish slips from their main rivals in the Premier League title.
Since back-to-back defeats in Manchester, Arsenal had quietly and efficiently put together a run of four consecutive league victories to support Arsene Wenger’s rather bullish claim that he is “convinced” his team will win a trophy this season.
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West Ham United 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2: match report
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With so many unpredictable results all around them, the reward for such consistency could be found in the league table and the chance to move within three points of Chelsea with a game in hand.
Yet familiar weaknesses were again evident as they allowed West Ham United to recover from a 2-0 deficit to scramble a 2-2 draw.
It followed a similar frustration in the Champions League on Wednesday against AZ Alkmaar, when an injury-time goal denied them victory.
Wenger had said on Friday that he would have to be unfair on someone with his selection as goalkeeper and, once again, it was Manuel Almunia who missed out, leading to the assumption that Vito Mannone now genuinely is his first choice.
Mannone’s shot-stopping ability is clear but, at the age of only 21, erratic moments are also always likely and one misguided clearance in the opening moments yesterday would have left many Arsenal fans behind him in the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand holding their breath.
There were other worrying moments in the opening 15 minutes with West Ham, desperately in need of points, pressurising Arsenal as Scott Parker, who had returned from suspension, and Mark Noble formed an encouraging base in central midfield.
With Carlton Cole occupying Arsenal defenders, Jack Collision created space on the edge of the penalty area, although his shot was well saved by Mannone and the follow-up controversially ruled illegal after Guillermo Franco was wrongly adjudged to have wandered into an offside position.
Yet while West Ham had their share of possession, Arsenal were initially more incisive in front of goal.
Having had one shot controversially blocked by the arm of Matthew Upson, Robin van Persie scored in his fourth consecutive league game with a simple finish following an error from Robert Green.
Bacary Sagna had exchanged passes with Abou Diaby and crossed into the West Ham penalty but, with James Tomkins ready to head the ball clear, Green came off hiss line and succeeding only in impeding his defender to leave Van Persie with an open goal.
West Ham enjoyed further pressure without any end product before William Gallas doubled the lead shortly before half-time from a Van Persie corner.
Poor defending again contributed as Herita Ilunga was easily out-jumped by Gallas, whose header also eluded Parker on the line.
Arsenal had further chances to finish West Ham, but Cesc Fabregas shot narrowly wide and then Andrei Arshavin forced an excellent save from Green.
This spurred West Ham and they were handed a lifeline when Mannone parried Alessandro Diamanti’s shot into the path of a grateful Cole. West Ham were then denied what looked a definite penalty when Gallas tripped Parker as he surged into the penalty area.
Moments later there was another clumsy Arsenal challenge as Alex Song tried to dispossess Cole and, this time, referee Chris Foy was satisfied there had been contact. It took an age for the kick to be taken but, even after
Mannone had been booked for delaying tactics, Diamanti smashed the ball into the right-hand corner. There was further drama as Parker was sent off for a second bookable challenge when he slid in front of Fabregas and appeared to handle the ball.
Arsenal had one final chance to clinch victory, but Green made up for his earlier error by saving Van Persie’s goal-bound header with his out-stretched leg.
