Outplayed for much of the match, Arsenal managed two headers off corner kicks and kept pace with Tottenham, which had easily beaten Leicester earlier in the day. I expected the Hammers to rest more of their important players before their crucial second leg against Frankfurt midweek. But they put out a strong team and were very good. Our man of the match, according to Arteta and me, was Rob Holding, who got his first Premier League goal in 81 appearances. Credit to him for training and being ready to come in for the injured Ben White (hamstring). He's not great with the ball at his feet, but he's become a reliable central defender with unmatched prowess in the air. Ramsdale made a great save too. West Ham scored at the stroke of halftime off a fine move and finish, helped by a deflection off Gabriel's butt. Gabriel got our second, though, on a continuation after a corner kick, Martinelli putting in a wonderful cross for Gabriel to power home off Fabianski's knee.
There are four potential banana peels remaining: Leeds, which will be desperate to avoid relegation; Spuds, who are playing better than us now; Newcastle, which looks quite strong currently; and finally Everton, who may also be desperate to avoid relegation then. Up next for the Spuds is Liverpool. Then it's us, Burnley, and finally sorry Norwich.
Poor Norwich. I feel sorry for their fans. It is hard to find anything positive for their fans in this miserable season for them. They have had the kind of a season that QPR is famous for.
ReplyDeleteThey're used to bouncing back and forth between the Championship and Premier League. Next year they may be deliriously happy because they get promoted.
ReplyDeleteI looked at the stats for the WHU-ARS match today, and they do give the Gunners an edge in corners and shots on goal, so maybe I was a bit harsh on our performance. I'll be interested in the By the Numbers column tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThis has been Crystal Palace's longest stretch in the Premier League.
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