Arsenal 2 West Ham United 0: compare report

By Olvier Brown at the Emirates 815AM GMT twenty-one March 2010

On aim Denilson non-stop the scoring for Arsenal at the Emirates Photo GETTY IMAGES

Once overlooked as a work in progress, Arsenal cannot appear to stop creation swell towards the dream-like idea of a initial championship in 6 years.

Scarcely credibly, this sunrise they lay at the limit of the Premier League and conjunction the games in palm for Manchester United and Chelsea, nor the fluidity of the pretension race, can lessen the scale of that accomplishment.

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When Arsenal were knocked about twice, convincingly, by Chelsea, the repairs to Arsène Wengers plan was deliberate grievous. After 6 unbroken wins the Frenchman can brave to visualize a delight to obscure even the impulse when his category of 2004 lasted a total deteriorate but defeat. "This group will win, the earlier the better," he said, with a note of vindication. "People dont think about how immature we are."

Fittingly, Sol Campbell, Arsenals one superfluous couple to the "Invincibles, enjoyed one of his most appropriate matches in new memory, putting in the sort of untiring change to confute his 35 years. The win, pleasantness of a idea in each half for Denilson and Cesc Fabregas, was gradual by the first-half exclusion of Thomas Vermaelen after he had brought down Guillermo Franco, even if the West Ham United forwards greeting was exaggerated.

Arsenal are expected to interest opposite the ban, that could have an discernible outcome on their pretension chances if Vermaelen is out for 3 games, since the stability deficiency of associate centre-back William Gallas with a calf injury.

But the declaration with that Alexandre Song deputised in an unknown on all sides last night was striking. "We had an superb game; we played with category and suggestion when the incident became difficult," Wenger said. As for the predicted subject about light a fourth joining prize of his reign, he grinned knowingly. "We are not underneath any special pressure. We are over expectation."

No consternation Arsenals conflict of the aesthetes opposite Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final is so keenly anticipated. Their play, even when shackled by a frequency defensive West Ham, was a investigate in elegance, with Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin creation all demeanour of crafty transformation out far-reaching to await Nicklas Bendtner. Gianfranco Zola, sullenly digesting the outcome of 4 true defeats, paid in instalments to the ability of his opponents, acknowledging "They are going to be competing right to the end."

Denilson was the man to distinction from the aptitude on the flanks, exploiting West Hams excitability inside of five minutes. An unfinished clearway fell true to the Brazilian, who, after a little apt interplay with Bendtner, laced a set upon in to the bottom-right dilemma over Robert Greens dive.

Such was West Hams toothlessness up front that their main hazard sprang from Alessandro Diamantis fearsome free-kicks. The Italian did not defect with his initial celebration pretence of the night, forcing Manuel Almunia to jump to cover a dipping 30-yard bid that flew incompletely over the bar.

Arsenal, maybe a hold tired by their bomb start, began to rein themselves in, subjecting West Ham to peaceful probing rather than a some-more heartless filleting. Still, the corner of receive was roughly embarrassing. There were glimmers of a riposte, though, at slightest until Diamanti inexplicably motionless not to fire when he had Vermaelen and Sol Campbell backpedalling instead electing to find Franco, who was cut off by Gaël Clichy.

Vermaelen was far from his autocratic best, deliberation how frequency he was called in to action. The point was valid when he found himself dull by Franco, whom he sought to lift down by grabbing a handful of the Mexicans shirt. Referee Martin Atkinson, receiving recommendation from an assistant, had no perplexity in producing the red label a oppressive decision, even though Vermaelen was failing in duty for permitting his man to outmanoeuvre him in the initial place.

Arsenal one after another to tease, rather than torment, with their 10 men. Under lashing sleet in the second half, they were in risk of wilting Emmanuel Ebou regularly attempted to surge inside, usually to be thwarted by Matthew Upson, but to Wengers relief, a reply was not forthcoming.

As Campbell hold organisation with a little last-ditch tackling, Carlton Cole could abuse his fitness when his shot struck the outward of Almunias post. Fabregass late chastisement hermetic the Arsenal ascendancy.