West Ham 0 Arsenal 2

West Ham started the game quite brightly and retained possession and passed the ball quite well during the opening 20 minutes. However the only real attempt on goal that they could muster in that period fell to Di Michele whose shot forced Almunia to tip the ball over the bar

In the 20th minute Walcott broke into the box on the right and his shot hit the crossbar. This seemed to lift Arsenal and for the rest of the half Arsenal had the best of the possession.

Parker however was looking up for the game in midfield and did well on occasions to win the ball back for West Ham. In the 28th minute Parker won the ball just outside the West Ham area. The ball fell to Cole who passed back to Parker. Parker played a first time ball forward that split the Aresenal defence and put Bellamy clean through on goal. Bellamy shot low from about ten yards and Almunia did well to get a foot to the ball and deflect it over the bar.

Arsenal's best chance of the half fell to Walcott five yards out but Green did brilliantly to save. Green also did well to save from Bendtner who shot from wide left of the goal from eight yards.

In the second half Arsenal dominated the play. Despite some great defending from Collins and brilliant goalkeeping from Green West Ham couldn't keep a clean sheet. In the 56th minute Van Persie was played clean through but Collins rushed back and just brushed him off the ball.

In the 70th minute Van Persie shot from 11 yards and Green saved expertly low down to his right. However two minutes later Arsenal were ahead as Adebayor's shot, which was heading wide, was deflected by Faubert into his own goal.

In the 79th minute Green was forced into another superb save when Adebayor shot from just inside the area. In the closing ten minutes West Ham created a little pressure. Bellamy shot high and wide from 9 yards in the 80th minute. In the 84th minute Collins also shot high and wide from just outside the area.

In the 90th minute Sears turned and shot just inside the area. The ball was blocked by the defence and played up field. Adebayor was put clean through on goal, he dribbled past an out-rushing Green and scored Arsenal's second.

To end a bad day for West Ham the ref, for reasons only known to him, decided to send Cole off for a foul seconds before the final whistle.

The biggest positive for West Ham today was the return of Collins. He and Upson together look much more solid than Neill and Upson.