Three key incidents didn’t go Arsenal’s way. Rosicky chose the wrong option with only Green to beat; Stiles was unsighted when Spector brought Hleb down in the West Ham box, and Flamini lost out to Etherington – a crucial missed tackle which lost a point.
Having said that Arsenal didn’t deserve to take all three points – but similarly didn’t deserve to lose one either.
A draw was on the cards given that Pardew changed his system to 4-5-1 putting three to chase down the ball in midfield, and playing deep in defence and packing it when Arsenal had the ball.
As the game wore on Arsenal became tired after the Moscow exertions. Pardew played for a point – but realising Arsenal were tiring went for the win in the last 30 bringing on Harewood and Sheringham.
The system Arsenal play need players at their peak. If they are 95% then things don’t come off. Several of Henry‘s passes and lay offs for example were interecepted – illustrating a slight delay.
Unlike Moscow (Wednesday) Arsenal’s final ball was often lacking.
The game had an aggressive start. West Ham players – Mullins in particular got in tight when an Arsenal player got the ball.
Henry’s free kick went straight into the wall.
Clichy showed great recovery speed blocking a cross. Fabregas performed a great lay off at speed.
Etherington’s cross from a corner was just wide, and eluded the flying Zamora, after Arsenal were caught 2-1 at a corner.
Henry headed a Hleb cross to van Persie but his shot was on the shin – saved by Green on 12.
Fabregas set up Hleb on right who cut back to Gilberto who shot over.
More intricate set up play ended with a Rosicky snap shot over.
Jonathan Spector came flying in with challenge on van Persie’s shin. He was booked.
Lehmann kicked straight to a West Ham player. Spector crossed but the effort was headed wide.
Henry made two mistakes in sucession. Firstly he was too slow to a ball which was interecepted, then he miscontolled a Fabregas through ball. As if to make-up he burst through on the left – but over-ran it.
Fabregas, who was being tighly marked, managed to find some space and sent a diagonal ball to Henry who laid it off first time to Rosicky who found himself one on one against Green. The Moscow influence bore down here. Had he scored the sitter on Wednesday he probably would have shot to the left. But he chose the narrow angle and was well wide.
Clichy was booked for heading Spector and the ball.It was a harsh decision. He had both eyes on the ball.
Zamora wriggled through but Gallas intercepted for a corner.
Henry went on another run on the left which ended up as a corner. He gesticulated he wanted more effort from the players.
A 2p bit hit van Persie on the back of the head.
Zamora elbowed Clichy ‘s nose in an aerial challenge. Van Persie was booked for handball.
The second half started with Hleb delivering a few bad lay-offs and passes.
Bowyer had a penalty claim. Gallas didn’t touch the ball, but there was minimal contact, if any.
Henry was through but for a last ditch by Gabbidon.
Zamora shot wide and Henry headed away from goal.
Adebayor came on for van Persie on 60. In this mood, the Dutchman was attracting trouble like a swimmer with a nosebleed in a pool of sharks.
Gilberto had a shot wide.
On 62, Pardew sensed he could win the game. Sheringham and Harewood came on for Bowyer and Zamora.
Sheringham, who immediately implanted a more subtle approach to West Ham’s attacks, soon after set up a Mullins shot.
On 67 Henry exchanged a 1-2 with Hleb. Spector took out Hleb but the ball changed trajectory – and the American got a slight touch on the ball. Stiles was totally unsighted anyway.
The incident will lead to calls for video referees – like rugby and cricket. Interesting that Sky and BBC pundits disagreed about the penalty. BBC favoured one, while Jamie Redknapp on Sky, said it was the right decision, due to Spector getting the ball – without realising that Stiles was unsighted.
So a panel of three (like in boxing matches) should hit a button within 20-30 seconds – yes or no. And the majority decision is final.
Clichy saved a goal from Sheringham diving for a cross.
Eboue came on for Hleb and Flamini for Hoyte.
A Gallas slip let in Harewood. But the move was brilliantly saved by Lehmann.
A Toure flashing shot bent slightly too much with Green beaten by the pace.
He then backed it up by some brilliant defending.
Eboue, who immediately made Arsenal look more threatening sent in a couple crosses from the right to Adebayor.
The lanky forward though looked off the pace, not having the instant control of the front five, and made the wrong decision in area, trying a shot when a pass to Henry would have been better.
Soon after, he was judged harshly offside from a Fabregas through ball.
And so to the final denoument. Flamini half tackled Etherinton on the left, but the English winger’s will was stronger, and in the tangle of legs, he took the ball on, taking a return pass from Sheringham. Harewood stole a march on Clichy from the cross, fired it from point blank range. Amazing that Lehmann got a hand to it as it deflected into the net.
Pardew over-celebrated in front of Wenger, straying too close to the Arsenal technical area, and looked to say something beginning with F and the Frenchman reacted by pushing him away.
After the whistle, Fabregas appeared to make sharp contact with Sheringham.
I have said before, after European games, Arsenal should start adopting a more direct style. To play the fast pass and move game – which relies on speed of passing to evade the physical approach – doesn’t come off if the players are tired. And they were lacking in confidence after that result.
The 4-5-1 doesn’t look offensive enough when Henry is not on his game, as was the case yesterday. And Pardew nullified it by putting three terriers in midfield and not allowing Fabregas, Rosicky and Hleb any time on the ball.
With Baptista, Lauren, Ljungberg and Diaby to come back – things could change, but only if Wenger adapts the system somewhat.