It's off to the Library where Big Joe has secured a box, accompanied by Danny the Millwall fan and Andy the Gooner. We pass Tony Adams wearing an orange suit on the carpets outside, while inside the box there's Bud or Camden Hells on offer and a cup of tea for Joe. Our host says the curtains have to be drawn before the kick-off, which we say is often the best way to watch West Ham at the Emirates.
Then it's out on to the seats in the corner opposite the West Ham fans. We're not optimistic as the Irons are without first-choice centre backs Zouma and Aguerd. For 13 minutes it's all Arsenal attacks. But then in West Ham's first real break Emerson gets a cross in, it's headed across goal by an Arsenal defender and Jarrod Bowen plays it back across the box from right on the line. Tomas Soucek is there to prod it home and a VAR pause rules that there's no proof the whole of the ball went out of play.
Have we just made them angry by taking the lead? It looks ominous when Paqueta goes off with a knee injury and is replaced by Benrahma. Areola makes a great one-handed save from Saka's header.Then a loose ball from Alvarez lets in Saka to shoot against the base of Areola's post. But Emerson and Coufal are managing Martinelli and Saka pretty well and Alvarez is doing a great job in front of the back four, while Bowen and Kudus offer an outlet to take off the pressure, and it's still 1-0 to the Hammers at the break. I exchange furtive messages with Agent Lola who is also among the home fans.
The second half begins with more Arsenal pressure, but on 55 minutes West Ham win a corner at our end. Ward-Prowse slings over another pinpoint delivery and there is Konstantinos Mavropanos to head home against his former club. Blimey. Have we scored the second too early though?
"WHERE'S THE W**KER WITH THE DRUM?"
A great bit of skill from Odegaard sets up White to cross, but Jesus heads over. Then Trossard fires against Areola's legs. But Dinos Mavropanos and Angelo Ogbonna, who looked so vulnerable at Anfield, are suddenly forming an impregnable back line. The whole side is working massively hard, even if I'm still worried by the fear of three late goals.
The Irons fans start to enjoy themselves as Declan Rice is misplacing passes."Two-nil down, Two-nil down, Declan Rice!" chant the away crew, along with "You should have signed for a big club!" And then it's "Champions of Europe, we know what we are!" Plus a rousing rendition of "Where's the wanker with the drum?"
So it ends with a famous 2-0 victory, our first at the Emirates since 2015, and David Moyes' first win at Arsenal in 23 attempts. Joe and myself retreat into the box for a final drink and cockney knees-up as the players salute the ecstatic away fans. A tactical masterclass from Moyes and his men. Irons!
PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 8; Coufal 7, Mavropanos 8, Ogbonna 7, Emerson 8; Alvarez 9, Paqueta 6 (Benrahma 7), Ward-Prowse 8, Soucek 8; Kudus 7, Bowen 8.
2 comments:
Tactical masterclass - 30 attempts at goal and Jesus missing straightforward chances is nothing to do with tactics.
Thanks for your view, Mr Arteta. Though a side defending magnificently and working so hard had quite a lot to do with tactics.
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