Yes the GUNNERS won! ...but you gotta luv what

[Karl]

Avram Grant's has done. Many laughted at this man. There were stories when he took over at Chelsea that he did nothing...it was a team already running with all cylinders firing.

Well his record at Chelsea was much better than some big shots who came in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avram_Grant

You have to love how he has gotten this previously drab lousy team humming. His team put in great effort and a very good show. They played good football...not good enough today but good none the less.

[Assasin]

I was thinking about the same thing. A lot of people on here buy the hype. I say Martinez of Wigan during the worldcup and was impress with his technical knowledge and look at the team him use to beat the "other Manchester side"( and mi nah talk Bolton).

Coaches have a lot to do with teams more than we give credit. That is why when mi certain man come and cuss coaches like Wenger and Fergie fi go out and buy big money baller just for their sake mi have fi laugh.

Yeah he did a good job. He just wanted a little more firepower upfront. If Big Sam had a decent forward he would had come away with at least a draw today.

[Karl]

Arsenal 1 - 0 West Ham

Arsenal 1 - 0 West Ham




Song met Clichy's cross to head his fourth goal of the season

By David Ornstein


Alex Song headed an 88th-minute winner as Arsenal snatched a dramatic victory to keep West Ham bottom of the table.
The visitors looked on course for a hard-earned point thanks to a string of outstanding saves from Robert Green.

He reacted brilliantly to repel a Cesc Fabregas shot in the first half and later thwarted Theo Walcott and Fabregas for the second time.
Samir Nasri hit the bar and Walcott the post before Song nodded in Gael Clichy's cross to seal the points.

The result keeps Arsenal second in the Premier League, five points behind leaders Chelsea, while West Ham stay 20th, cut three points adrift of any other team after Wolves shocked Manchester City.

Arsene Wenger's side looked to have hit a brick wall as Green and the tireless Hammers defence saw off attack after attack in the second half.


But their pressure eventually told thanks to Song's late intervention and Wenger's men can head into Wednesday's Champions League game at Shakhtar Donetsk in high spirits.

West Ham must now regroup ahead of their trip to Birmingham next Saturday and, despite this demoralising late defeat, they deserve plenty of credit for a resilient display.

Both sides arrived off the back of morale-boosting victories in the Carling Cup, but a return to league action brought with it a reminder of the current disparity between the two clubs.

While financially-sound Arsenal appear well set to launch a sustained challenge for the Premier League title, cash-strapped West Ham have struggled badly in Avram Grant's first season at the helm.
lick

Wenger pleased with patient performance

Having collecting just six points from their first nine matches, midfielder Valon Behrami had admitted his side were taking to the field "a little bit scared" - and a lack of belief was apparent in the early stages as they struggled to make it out of their own half.

The busy Andrey Arshavin shot wide after a flowing move and it took a superb challenge from Danny Gabbidon to deny Nasri, whose corner was then headed over by Song.

West Ham did well to emerge from the opening quarter unscathed and they soon settled into a tidy rhythm, looking dangerous from both set-pieces and on the counter-attack.

Free-kicks by Mark Noble and Victor Obinna caused trouble, Frederic Piquionne squandered a promising opening after surging in from the right and Arsenal had to be alert following Obinna's run and cross from the left.
The Gunners carved out the best chance of the first half when Song and Bacary Sagna combined to tee up Fabregas, but Green showed quick reaction to save the Spaniard's curling effort with an athletic dive to his right.


Grant proud of players despite defeat

Arsenal were not at their fluent best but still carved out chances and Green did well to thwart Song and Sebastien Squillaci before the break.
There was a greater sense of urgency about the hosts after half-time and Nasri rattled the woodwork with a 35-yard free-kick to set the tone.

West Ham were working hard to keep their opponents at bay but Nasri, Fabregas and Arshavin began to station themselves higher up the pitch in support of lone-striker Marouane Chamakh and Walcott came on for Denilson as Arsenal went all out for the win.

Chamakh glanced an Arshavin free-kick straight at Green before Walcott latched on to Fabregas's sublime through-ball and watched his low strike come come back off a post.

West Ham once again had Green to thank for a one-handed save from Fabregas and, with time ticking, Wenger introduced Nicklas Bendtner in place of Arshavin.

Arsenal continued to press and it eventually paid off as Song rushed on to Clichy's floated ball in from the left and won the match with a close-range header.

[PeeJay]

Man city coach is a Rucks

I am beginning to believe Man city Coach won't last the full Season>>> His Substitution timing and selection of team is so wierd....r crazy is a shame

[Assasin]

But X no say a foriegn coach a carry di swing?

[Me]

Avram Grant's has done. Many laughted at this man. There were stories when he took over at Chelsea that he did nothing...it was a team already running with all cylinders firing.

Well his record at Chelsea was much better than some big shots who came in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avram_Grant

You have to love how he has gotten this previously drab lousy team humming. His team put in great effort and a very good show. They played good football...not good enough today but good none the less.

They are bottom of the table and they have always played "good football". Can't see any change in the team. They are just getting bad results just like last season. The previous they played good and won

[Me]

Martinez and Grant foreign. The british coaches for the most part are Championship level managers.

[Karl]

They are bottom of the table and they have always played "good football". Can't see any change in the team. They are just getting bad results just like last season. The previous they played good and won

Before Avram Grant they were rucks!
They have not yet shed that image...but they have started to look like a football team.

[Me]

How quickly everyone forgets how this board was buzzing when Zola had the team playing a good brand of football, finishing in the upper half of the table and had lots of young players emerging in his team. The following season, the team had high expectations, started losing, got injuries and the young players lost confidence. Their midfiled has always been one of the better passing midfields. now they play some of the same good passing and are not winning.

[OJ]

sorry what has Avant Grant done.. screwed up chelsea, portsmouth and will relegate west ham.. better they left zola..

[Gamma]

it will be a while before we get bricktop to comment of football .....

[Assasin]

what about your fair weather friend HL who proudly claims he didn't like the direction Arsenal is going and proudly became a supporter of "Money boys"?

If they were wining you think you coulda talk to Bricktop and him?

[Bricktop]

Unnuh lowe mi nuh man...

[Assasin]

. Bwoy a so it go, the one man team is without the one man. There is only one Carlos Tevez.

[Karl]

How quickly everyone forgets how this board was buzzing when Zola had the team playing a good brand of football, finishing in the upper half of the table and had lots of young players emerging in his team. The following season, the team had high expectations, started losing, got injuries and the young players lost confidence. Their midfiled has always been one of the better passing midfields. now they play some of the same good passing and are not winning.

...before and at the end of last season they were crap!

I think Zola lost his nerve when he withdrew the young Jamaican speedster. That boy made the team dangerous...and kept the oposition honest (unwilling to throw many men forward for fear of being hit by 'speeeeeeed'!).