Depleted Hammers go out with a whimper

Arsenal 1 West Ham 0 (Carabao Cup)

We're down to the bare bones fanwise, as it's only Lisa and myself heading to the Emirates. Though thankfully she arrives at Mayhem Corrner with a four-pack of Badger ales before the kick off. Then it's a walk to the Arsenal where 7000 Hammers fans are chanting "Your ground's too big for you!" at the Gooners. The upper tier of the Clock End feels quite stratospheric and not much different to the back of the London Stadium.

It's always going to be a big ask with Rice and Quina in central midfield. Arsenal’s reserves are better than ours (Welbeck and Giroud are up front) and it's a poor game. Walcott heads a great chance wide and that's about it for the half until Welbeck punishes poor defending two minutes before the interval. We lose a header and then Hart looks very hesitant on his line. Pointed chants of "Adrian! Adrian!" go up from the away end.

The second half isn't much better, as Hart escapes with a booking after racing out to clatter a striker. Hernandez gets little service and looks despondent. The Irons do try to attack at the end with Carroll, Sakho and Arnautovic coming on, but still we can’t get a shot on target. The best effort is a Creswell free-kick that goes just wide. Our best player on the night is Masuaku, who at least gets some good runs in down the left. And at least e have a new song in, "Arthur Masuaku, he's better than Lukaku, he never gives the ball away!"

The game certainly proves that we can’t play without the suspended Lanzini. Also that a lot of the recent good run has been based on the hard work of Antonio and Arnautovic up front. Zabaleta is also missed at right-back, along with Noble, while Obiang has gone from playing really well at Stoke to not being able to find a man with a pass again. 

We retreat back to my gaff for some more Badger ale. It's sad that with a semi-final at stake it's been such a muted game with big empty patches of seats in the upper tiers of the Gunners fans. But I guess our priorities are now beating Newcastle and staying up.

PLAYER RATINGS: Hart 5; Cresswell 5 (Carroll 5), Ogbonna 5, Reid 6, Collins 6, Masuaku 7; Rice 5, Quina 5 (Arnautovic 5), Obiang 4, Ayew 5; Hernandez 5 (Sakho 5).