EPL: West Ham Utd vs Arsenal FC

last SG · 2007-09-29T22:21:43+00:00

Yes!! Plus the Champions League, Carling Cup and FA Cup, let's go for a 50 unbeaten run man (hope for the best dude, LOL).. Cheers.

turbo_drift SG

Barclays Premier League
Upton Park
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Kick-off: 3pm

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League Table:

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TV Listing:

West Ham vs Arsenal - 10:00pm - (Live) - Channel 22

==========Start Your Predictions Now==========

798 SG

last season we lost to this west ham home n away. i hope this season arsenal need to find a way to beat west ham n their negative football.

vishnusux SG

thats last season..last season we lost to sheffield too…but this season we will have sweet revenge…3-0 to arsenal!!

felirox SG

yeah we didnt beat west ham hoem and away..all becos of poor finishing. this time we im still skeptic abt arsenal’s finishing but i think we’ll rape them by a goal from adebayorrrrr!

Nadare SG

rape rape Shocked Shocked

felirox SG

Hot-shot Adebayor is looking for revenge

WHEN West Ham came away from the Emirates Stadium last season with a magnficent 1-0 win, perhaps the player with most regret from the game was Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

The Togo international missed a hatful of chances that day, as well as being denied numerous times by the imperious Rob Green.

But Adebayor has started the new season in tremendous form and after six games, he has six goals to his name to lead the Premier League scoring charts.

And the striker is now looking for revenge on Saturday.

"We have to battle for it on Saturday," said Adebayor after Saturday's crushing 5-0 win over Derby County.

"I don't know if we can get our revenge for losing twice to them last season, but we are going there to win the game.

"We are going to fight for it, to play with our hearts and fight for every ball and hopefully we can win it."

Arsenal have been in superb form so far this term, storming to the top of the table, and Adebayor is determined that their good run will continue.

"Every game people say this will be a test. They said it when we went to Spurs and when we played Sevilla last week," said the 23-year-old.

"We are preparing hard to win the match, and we do that for every single game," he said.

"To win the first few games was really good for our confidence and now we are feeling confident going into every game."

It seems that Arsenal owe West Ham something of a hiding having gone two seasons without beating the Hammers, but Adebayor will need to keep his shooting boots on if the Gunners are to come away with the points at Upton Park.

BrUtUs SG

hope gunners get revenge…

turbo_drift SG

For me, it’s 2-1 to Arsenal.

turbo_drift SG

bump. Any new predictions?

ghimpheng SG

2 - 1 to West Ham

Arsenal always poor against set piece and West Ham Likely to Start With Ashton and Charlton Cole

akinos SG

2 - 1
RVP to score at least one!!! i also have a few doubts. ><

felirox SG

if rvp scores agaisnt west ham... and adebayor didnt score any..i'll be upset cos i just sold rvp for adebayor for my fantasy football!! Evil or Very Mad

gigabyte14 SG

i expect a good match

3-1

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Late decision over Hleb and Song joins injured trio

Arsène Wenger is waiting on the fitness of Alex Hleb before naming his squad for the short trip to West Ham on Saturday.

The manager has already ruled out Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), William Gallas (groin), Jens Lehmann (elbow) and Alex Song (calf) so the only question mark surrounds the knee of the Belarus midfielder.

Well have to assess the situation of Alex Hleb. Wenger told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday. Well look at that on Friday morning. But we lost Alex Song with a calf problem on Tuesday night.

In addition, none of the three already-injured players are likely to return before the midweek trip to Steaua Bucharest.

William Gallas is maybe a week or 10 days away, said Wenger. But I would not like to set a time on it really. As for Rosicky you can probably fix the date for Sunderland [next Saturday]. Jens Lehmann will be another week.

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1-0 to West ham …

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'They think they are a bogey side for Arsenal'

Funny old team, West Ham. Last season they did the double over the champions, Manchester United, and followed suit against Arsenal. So how on earth did they get dragged into a relegation battle? Quite simply they failed to maintain those high standards against sides which, on paper at least, were inferior.

The inspirational interventions of Carlos Tevez saved the Hammers from the drop by the skin of their teeth and, after a summer of solid purchases, it's no surprise to see West Ham among the early-season frontrunners. In fact they would have gone second had they not succumbed at Newcastle last Sunday.

West Ham can bounce back this weekend by reeling off their fourth successive win against Arsène Wenger's side. Key striker Dean Ashton is back from injury and back among the goals, while Scott Parker made his first appearance for Curbishley's side in midweek following his summer transfer.

We spoke to Dave Evans of the Newham Recorder for a West Ham perspective ahead of Saturday's London derby. Read on for his verdict on West Ham's start to the season, their new signings, the importance of Ashton and the secret to their victory in last season's corresponding game.

THE STORY SO FAR
"It certainly has been a much better start but I think the expectations among the West Ham fans are perhaps a little higher than they should be. They bought plenty of players but some of them are already injured and when you look at the players who have left the club - Tevez, Benayoun - it evens it out a little bit. They have started well, especially away, but there is a lot of improvement which can be made and I think they proved that on Wednesday night in the Carling Cup against Plymouth.

"I think they have a better squad on balance. They have more pace now and Craig Bellamy makes a big difference in that, especially when they play away from home. They played in a similar way to how Arsenal used to, very much a counter-attacking game with real pace. Bellamy and Matty Etherington have just ripped teams apart. They beat Reading 3-0 but it could have been six, they beat Birmingham 1-0 but it could have been three or four. They look pretty devastating away from home and they are just starting to pick up at home too. They are looking quite good."

MAN OF THE MOMENT
"With hindsight Dean Ashton was a huge miss last season. He was so important when he first arrived and that was only from January 2006. When he signed West Ham got a kick-start especially in the FA Cup and they went all the way to the Final. Last season there was so much chopping and changing with the strikers. Alan Pardew, when he was in charge, seemed to change it nearly every week. He'd try one combination and when that didn't work he'd take them off and try two more. There was no continuity in the team but Ashton is so reliable. No one is saying he's 100 per cent yet but he scores goals, he'll pop up and put it in the net. He has three in three games now."

NEW FACES
"Scott Parker has only played one game and he's obviously not match fit but he'll be an important player in the centre midfield. Bellamy gives them an extra dimension, a bit of pace, so West Ham can play in a different way. Kieron Dyer was another one who showed the same pace and willingness to support the strikers and it was a real shame that he got injured so badly against Bristol Rovers. He'll be out for another six months as will Julien Faubert, who was like lightning on the wing. It looked like being a really speedy West Ham team but they've lost Faubert, Dyer, Parker has only just come in, Bellamy is injured too. Freddie Ljungberg has come in and done alright, but he's been injured too. When they are all fit it has the makings of a very good squad."

CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM
"We asked the manager what his aim was at the start of the season and he said he wanted a solid season after the relegation battle - and that meant top 10. Since then the real owner of the club has taken a more hands-on role which suggests to me that he perhaps he wants a little more than to 10 for the outlay he's put on the squad this season. He's certainly looking for top six and I don't think that's unreasonable but they will have to stay injury-free for the rest of the season because they've lost players already. There has always been talk about the left-back position. George McCartney has been playing there and he's done fairly well, he's an experienced player now. They tried to sign Nicky Shorey and it never materialised, I think Reading were asking a little bit too much money. So I suspect West Ham would like to strengthen there and also on the left side of midfield. They've got Etherington playing as well as he's ever done for West Ham but he can be inconsistent, as can Luis Boa Morte."

CAUSE FOR CONCERN
"There has always been talk about the left-back position. George McCartney has been playing there and he's done fairly well, he's an experienced player now. They tried to sign Nicky Shorey and it never materialised, I think Reading were asking a little bit too much money. So I suspect West Ham would like to strengthen there and also on the left side of midfield. They've got Etherington playing as well as he's ever done for West Ham but he can be inconsistent, as can Luis Boa Morte."

TALKING TACTICS
"There is no reason why Alan Curbishley shouldn't send out his side to attack Arsenal. I think West Ham fans are thinking that they are perhaps a bogey side for Arsenal, it's three wins on the trot now against them. They played very well against the top teams last season, they beat Arsenal twice and Manchester United twice, so I think West Ham raise their game. I think they've got a chance, Arsenal are playing very very well, but I think the secret to last season's result was keeping Cesc Fabregas quiet. I think Nigel Reo-Coker marked him out of the game that day and they got a late winner. If they can do that again to Fabregas there's no reason why they shouldn't get the result."

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Eduardo to miss Upton Park trip but Hleb passed fit

Alex Hleb has been passed fit for the trip to West Ham on Saturday but Eduardo has been ruled out.

The Belarus midfielder had been trying to shake off a knee problem and was set to be assessed on Friday morning. He was clearly successful. However Eduardo aggravated a groin problem in the 2-0 Carling Cup win over Newcastle in midweek and it has gradually got worse since then. Otherwise the absentees were the expected ones.

Jens Lehmann (elbow) is still out, Gallas (groin) is out, said Arsène Wenger. Eduardo is out and so is Song (calf) while Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) is also missing.

Eduardo has done his groin and I had to take him off before the end of the game. Since then it has got worse than I expected it to be. But Alex Hleb is back in the squad.

Theo Walcott will be rested.

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*West Ham v Arsenal*

West Ham's Craig Bellamy could return as could Scott Parker and Freddie Ljungberg, who came through the Carling Cup win over Plymouth unscathed.

Bobby Zamora (knee), Calum Davenport (calf), Nigel Quashie (foot) are out. Julien Faubert and Kieron Dyer are long-term absentees.

Arsenal will be without striker Eduardo (groin) but Alexander Hleb will be available after a knee problem.

Keeper Jens Lehmann, William Gallas, Tomas Rosicky and Alex Song are out.

West Ham (from): Wright, Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson, Gabbidon, McCartney, Bowyer, Mullins, Noble, Etherington, Ashton, Cole, Pantsil, Collins, Spector, Ljungberg, Parker, Boa Morte, Davenport, Reid, Bellamy.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Diaby, Adebayor, van Persie, Fabianski, Gilberto, Eboue, Diarra, Denilson, Hoyte, Bendtner.