Arsenal 3-1 West Ham: Theo Walcott puts Arsenal back on top

Goals:

West Ham United– C. Cole 46′

Arsenal– Walcott 68′, 71′ Podolski 79′

Lineups:

West Ham United: Adrian, O’Brien, Tomkins, Collins, McCartney, Jarvis, Nolan, J. Cole, Noble, Diame, C. Cole

Subs: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Diarra, Taylor, Maiga, Collison, Rat

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud

Subs: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Monreal, Flamini, Gnabry, Bendtner, Podolski

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A match against reeling West Ham United, toiling in the relegation zone of the Barclays Premier League, was perceived to be a welcomed notion after a tough few games for Arsenal. Following over an hour of football, however, the Gunners seemed doomed to another negative result.

The match was heavily contested at both ends of the pitch. In match’s 10th minute Wojciech Szczesny was alert to palm away a Mark Noble free kick, while at the other end West Ham goalkeeper Adrian had to stretch to divert a header from Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla.

Arsenal kept responding with continued possession, but in an all too familiar script could not capitalize. Aaron Ramsey’s lob pass over the Hammer’s defence found Theo Walcott but the winger’s volley went wide from a fantastic goal-scoring position. The two sides went into the break deadlocked.

The second half began disastrously for Arsenal. Within a minute of the restart, Szczesny spilled a shot from Hammers midfielder Kevin Nolan, and Carlton Cole was there to tap home the rebound as Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs casually watched two feet away.

Arsenal looked rattled thereafter, and after Szczesny stopped Matt Jarvis one-on-one,  Carlton Cole deflected a pass narrowly wide. It easily could have been 2-0 West Ham, and the match could have been all but over.

Shortly after, Arsenal pushed forward, and in the sixty-eighth minute Theo Walcott found himself barrelling down at West Ham’s defence from out right. He swiftly cut into the box and shot low from his left foot. The ball found its way through a maze of legs, before scuffing through the hands of Adrian and into the net.

Walcott wasn’t done there. Three minutes later substitute Lukas Podolski crossed from left, and the ball deflected into Theo’s path in front of goal. He drove home a powerful header, leaving Arsenal fans ecstatic the young Englishman is back in full force.

Podolski put the game to bed when Olivier Giroud displayed his phenomenal link-up ability, holding off two West Ham defenders before teeing up a shot for the German, who slotted perfectly into the bottom corner. It was reminder of his ability to finish from anywhere around the box.

After the game, manager Arsene Wenger was quick to highlight the good parts of Arsenal’s game:

“The positive is we created chances. The negative is we didn’t take them. Sometimes              there is a guilt flying around the team when you don’t take your chances. You think, basically, we deserve to be punished and we were. But we responded very well in the second half, in the end winning the game in a convincing way.”