West Ham Utd 0 Arsenal 0 (24/09/05)

[Herts Iron]

As I mentioned on an earlier post, due to a dream I had last night Im going for 2-2. If this were to happen I would be delighted.

[Atters]

Yes, no Vierra and YES no Henry, but at the end of the day it is still Arsenal and a very difficult game in prospect.

As usual they will make it difficult for us - probably by packing midfield but just for abuse reasons I'm going for a 1-0 Hammers win. (please!!)

[Lost Hammer]

4-1 Arsenal.

With Mike Dean as the ref I'd go with this aswell.

[dodger]

For Arsenal:
Veiria GONE
Henry OUT
Pires OUT
Ljungberg (probably) OUT
Bergkamp DOUBT

For us:
Aliadiere OUT (couldn't play anyway...



I feel a shock maybe on the cards..

[DRAGON SLAYER]

Arsenal are likely to be without both of their regular widemen for the trip to West Ham on Saturday.

Left midfielder Robert Pires is definitely out. He has failed to recover from the kick on his thigh that forced him off during Monday's victory over Everton. Right-sided Freddie Ljungberg (thigh) is described as a "big doubt". Dennis Bergkamp (back) is also a concern.

Thierry Henry (groin) has now returned to England but manager Arsène Wenger is working on the assumption his top scorer will be sidelined for another month.

"We will see him in four weeks at the earliest," he told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon.

"As for Saturday, we have a doubt about Dennis Bergkamp, who has a back problem. Robert Pires is certainly out because he has not recovered from a kick on Monday night.

“There is a big doubt over Freddie Ljungberg as well but Mathieu Flamini is available again after a knee problem."


looks even beter now

[Herts Iron]

Yes, no Vierra and YES no Henry, but at the end of the day it is still Arsenal and a very difficult game in prospect.

As usual they will make it difficult for us - probably by packing midfield but just for abuse reasons I'm going for a 1-0 Hammers win. (please!!)

Defo, they didnt half pass the ball well Monday. The crowd will be a deciding factor

[Atters]

Yes, no Vierra and YES no Henry, but at the end of the day it is still Arsenal and a very difficult game in prospect.

As usual they will make it difficult for us - probably by packing midfield but just for abuse reasons I'm going for a 1-0 Hammers win. (please!!)

Defo, they didnt half pass the ball well Monday. The crowd will be a deciding factor

I make you right too (Mutual appreciation!!)

Patience is going to be required I think on Saturday, we may only get one chance but I hope we take it!

[w4hammer]

my pal is a 15 year away season regular for the gooners- he said they are NOT looking forward to this match at all....this was b4 the 'boro collapse and the"injuries"

...i still think this is a HUGE test, if we can get past the first 30 minutes intact, a good WHU result is on the cards...im realistically looking at 3-1 to them..

why? prior to the goal rush and fun we've had with villa and fulham, they both had REALLY good chances to score one or two.....plus im sure pards will **** with the formation and try and slow it down in the middle-which if anyone saw the chaos in the ten mins at fulham when we tried 5-4-1, we just aint up to....I cant wait to be proven wrong tho!

I just hope we i) arent' overawed ii) start getting on their backs

COME ON YOU IRONS!

[029924]

my pal is a 15 year away season regular for the gooners- he said they are NOT looking forward to this match at all....this was b4 the 'boro collapse and the"injuries"

...i still think this is a HUGE test, if we can get past the first 30 minutes intact, a good WHU result is on the cards...im realistically looking at 3-1 to them..

why? prior to the goal rush and fun we've had with villa and fulham, they both had REALLY good chances to score one or two.....plus im sure pards will f*ck with the formation and try and slow it down in the middle-which if anyone saw the chaos in the ten mins at fulham when we tried 5-4-1, we just aint up to....I cant wait to be proven wrong tho!

I just hope we i) arent' overawed ii) start getting on their backs

COME ON YOU IRONS!

Agreed, had Villa and Fulham had their scoring boots on, it could have been much different. Bigger and better teams like Arsenal wont miss the chances Villa and Fulham did. I think we can expect Arsenal to score, I just hope we can continue our good run of scoring. 1-1 if you ask me.

[simon hammer]

3-0 to the cockney boys. It's about time we had a good result against Arsenal.

Ah...my pills have arrived.

[The Delephant Man]

I would imagine the lads will be geared up for this one (not that they haven't been for the previous games). This is why we strived for promotion last season, games like this. No disrespect to the teams we've played already, but the Arse is a big game.

I can see them scoring, but also see us scoring too. I'll go for a 1-1 draw. Patience will be needed, can't see us getting loads of chances TBH. We will have to take those that we get.

Come on Irons.

[Wiltshire Ham err...]

I'm looking forward to a 'bollox-to-caution', attacking game for us, loads of goals and most of them to us.
3-2 to us sounds good.

We will need a spot of luck, there are any number of scenarios that may help them, if we go one nil up and then struggle to get another I would be worried and if the Upton Park crowd quieten down that won't help either so I intend to go and shout myself hoarse and get my money's worth...

...then wait for a couple of hours in one of the fine local hostelries before attempting the tube home .

[Hammer Smith]

Match preview from BBC....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 255480.stm

West Ham v Arsenal

Upton Park
Saturday, 24 September
Kick-off: 1500 BST
BBC Radio Five Live

Team news to follow later.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

WEST HAM UNITED against Arsenal is an east versus north London affair, with the Hammers chasing a fourth League and Cup win on the bounce, and Arsenal searching for their first point away from home.
The start of the Hammers return to the big League was inconsistent with a win, a draw and a defeat from the first three outings. But since then they've notched back-to-back victories (4-0 home to Villa, and 1-2 at Fulham), and added to that a 2-4 victory in the second round of the Carling Cup, away to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night. Now they play their second London Premiership derby in succession, with Marlon Harewood intent on adding to an impressive tally of four goals in two Premiership appearances.
The Hammers' only home win in 10 Premier League fixtures with Arsenal was 2-1 on 3 October 1999, courtesy of a Paulo Di Canio double.

ARSENAL go to Upton Park on the back of Monday's 2-0 victory over beleaguered Everton at Highbury. They desperately need to halt a five-match Premiership sequence this season, which has seen home victory followed by away defeat. The Gunners would leapfrog West Ham if they were to win, but it would still leave them London's third highest Premiership club, below Chelsea and Charlton.
The Highbury club have lost to Chelsea, and beaten Fulham so far this season in London Premiership derbies. They've been defeated only once in 36 top flight capital clashes, while West Ham are pursuing a fourth such victory in a row, following successes home to Spurs and Chelsea in 2003, and the triumph at Craven Cottage last weekend.
The Gunners are unbeaten in seven Premiership matches against West Ham, including draws in their last two visits to Upton Park.

Referee:
Mike Dean (Wirral)

SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM

WEST HAM UNITED
6th 10 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 2nd
Lowest could fall: 8th
Lost only two of the last 19 matches played in all comeptitions. Failed to score once in five Premiership games this term. Kept clean sheets in two of the last four top tier outings. Tied with Chelsea on their Premiership scoring average so far this season of two goals per games played.
Both Chelsea and West Ham have netted four goals in a top flight game this term. West Ham's was 4-0, home to Aston Villa on 12 September - Chelsea's was 4-0 home to West Brom on 24 August.
Gone 15 League games since losing by more than a single goal (3-1 at Reading on 12 March). Last recorded three victories on the trot in the Premier League, against Middlesbrough (h), Manchester City (a) and Chelsea (h) on 21 and 27 April and 3 May 2003 respectively - all by 1-0 margins.

ARSENAL
7th 9 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 2nd
Lowest could fall: 10th
Won 11 of the last 15 Premiership matches. Yet to draw a League game this season.
On the longest current run without a score draw in the top division of 15 matches (1-1 at Southampton on 26 February). Played 10 top tier encounters since a goalless draw (away to Chelsea on 20 April). Completed 18 matches in the highest League since a loss by more than a single goal (2-4, home to Manchester United on 1 February).
Bottom-but-one in the Premiership's "Away" table - leading only Sunderland - on a superior goal difference. Both are without a point on the road.

KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES

WEST HAM UNITED
Jeremie ALIADIERE is on loan to West Ham from Arsenal.
Bobby ZAMARA is a hat trick short of 100 career League goals.
If he plays, Tomas REPKA will be making his 150th League appearance for West Ham.

ARSENAL
Ashley COLE and Kolo TOURE are the only players to have figured in every minute of every one of Arsenal's League and Cup matches this season.

HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
League: West Ham 24 wins, Arsenal 43, Draws 29
Prem: West Ham 3 wins, Arsenal 13, Draws 4

HEAD TO HEAD at West Ham
League: West Ham 13 wins, Arsenal 18, Draws 17
Prem: West Ham 1 wins, Arsenal 5, Draws 4

[dmyeo66]

For Arsenal:
Veiria GONE
Henry OUT
Pires OUT
Ljungberg (probably) OUT
Bergkamp DOUBT

For us:
Aliadiere OUT (couldn't play anyway...



I feel a shock maybe on the cards..

What you think Arsenal going to win .........I am a going for a Hammers win 3-1.

[GJH]

I feel a hammering is on the cards.

In Arsenals favour!

[RUNWELL RAY]

My heart says we will win but my head says 1-1, Teddy to score

[James P]

Their starting lineup is likely to be

Lehmann
Lauren
Toure
Campbell
Cole
Flamini
Fabregas
Silva
Hleb
Reyes
Van Persie

Is that really that worrying? Yes Arsenal are an awesome team but would you say that XI are a fair representation of Arsenal's strength.

I can't imagine they've fielded that weak a team in the Prem for years.

I can see us doing this. I'd be annoyed if we lost, we'll never have a better chance to get something off them.

[4everahammer]

I thought we was in with a chance with no Henry and Vierra gone. Then they get Campbell back to sure up their defence and he goes & scores 2 goals
I'll gladly take a point but i'm not confident.

[easthambull]

No controversy from me.I think 2-0 to us.Marlon with 2 more.I really hope we play our usual game,plenty of width from Matty and Yossi.Will be in the Geen Gate before the match.5 pints of Stella just to take the edge off any last minute panics.Anyone know what price I can get for that score with Marlon 's brace?

[whufc4life]

My mate just got 4/1 odds on west ham winning. Great odds i think.