West Ham vs Arsenal, The Pre-Match Preview
Sunday 25th October, 4.15pm
It’s a classic London derby and it definitely won’t be an easy game. West Ham aren’t doing that well in terms of points on the board. It’s a bit unfortunate – they have played decent football and Zola has installed a certain style of football into their game. I’ve watched a few of their games and they always look like they carry a threat, but they’re just not getting the points at the moment.
One player who has really impressed me – simply because I didn’t think he had it in his game, is Carlton Cole… I really didn’t think he would become the player he has been this season. Some of the goals he has scored have been sensational. He isn’t the finished article, but he is definitely thriving under Giofranco Zola.
Another player who is always someone who I keep an eye is Matthew Upson. Since joining us from Luton as one of Arsene Wenger’s first and few English signings, he couldn’t break into our team. He was later sold to Birmingham and then went on to West Ham, and he’s also won a few caps for England – finally becoming the player that Arsene Wenger thought he would be. Arsene spoke about Matthew Upson in the pre-match conference on Friday and talked about the player’s progress since he left Highbury…
“I knew when he left that he will make a big career. But at that moment when Matthew was here, he was impatient. That I could understand as well because I bought him at Luton and after a few years he didn’t play here. I didn’t stop him [going] because I knew he had qualities to play in the Premier League but he had players in front of him that stopped him. I knew he would [make it]. He had Premier League quality and had the potential to be international quality . He is there now because he is at the right age for a central defender and for a few years now he has not been stopped by injuries which was his problem for a while.”
Arsene also talked about whether he had ever thought of re-signing the former Gunner. But think about it, would he have made it into the team ahead of Gallas, Vermaelen or a fit again Djourou?
“It was always in my mind. He has good quality, good attitude, good spirit but of course this is not the best moment to talk about that. He is a player at West Ham. Three, four, five years ago yes, but now he is settled and has a good career where he is. You have two job [choices] as a football player. Your job is to be in the top level of the Premier League. Between the age of 18 to 21 is a very sensitive step for a player. You have to make the step. If you don’t make it you become impatient and you lose the players.”
Some interesting stuff there, and any fan could see why Upson had to move on. He wasn’t getting the games and by moving, he’s managed to establish himself in the Premier League as well as getting into the England squad.
Anyway, time to look at our squad and a few injury worries ahead of the game – Tomas Rosicky is out again and his groin injury is not yet recovered, but Niklas Bendtner is back in the squad and will surely be on the bench. Eduardo is also back, but Theo Walcott misses out.
There is an interesting sub-plot developing at the moment in regards to our keepers – Almunia was fit in the last game against AZ, but Mannone was preferred to the Spaniard, and it looks like Italian may get the nod ahead this Sunday.
Arsene said this about the goal keeping department:
“I wouldn’t say Manuel is no longer our automatic first choice,” he said. “But Vito has come in and done well. It is always difficult with these kinds of decisions. You could say our job is to be unfair sometimes to players. You don’t want to be but some time you have to, no matter what decisions you make sometimes you are unfair to one or two players.”
Okay, so team news… with Arsene being unfair with Mannone….
Sagna – Gallas – Vermalen – Clichy
Song – Diaby
Eboue – Cesc – Arshavin
With a bench of Mannone, Gibbs, Silvestre, Ramsey, Vela, Eduardo and Bendtner.
So, over to the comments, what are your thoughts of the game tomorrow… Predictions? Will we keep our winning run?