Arsenal scored twice in five second-half minutes to come from
behind to beat West Ham 2-1 and secure their place in the FA Cup
fourth round.
With more pressing matters ahead in their respective Premier
League campaigns at opposite ends of the table, both managers could
perhaps be forgiven for their team selection at Upton Park.
However, once the action got under way, the encounter turned
out to be a decent cup tie.
West Ham, battling relegation from the top flight, took the
lead in first-half stoppage time when Alessandro Diamanti beat the
offside trap to slot past Gunners goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
But with 12 minutes remaining the outstanding Aaron Ramsey
levelled and Eduardo's looping header after 83 minutes completed
the turnaround.
The Gunners have a crucial Barclays Premier League game
against Bolton on Wednesday which could see them narrow the gap to
leaders Chelsea to a point.
But their quest for a first trophy in five years - since they
won the FA Cup in 2005 - remained alive on more than one front as
they entered the fourth round draw, where they were pitted against
Stoke.
Even though Wenger had made five changes from the 4-1 win
over Portsmouth in midweek, it was certainly not an inexperienced
Arsenal side, with the likes of Carlos Vela, Fran Merida and Luke
Wilshere included along with veteran defender Mikael Silvestre,
captain in the absence of injured Cesc Fabregas.
The Hammers - famous winners over the Gunners in the 1980 FA
Cup final at Wembley - had come back from 2-0 down here to draw
their league encounter earlier in the season, and started well,
with Diamanti firing over after cutting in from the right.
Merida had a low, 25-yard strike comfortably saved by West
Ham goalkeeper Robert Green after 12 minutes before Arsenal slowly
built some pressure on the home defence.
Wales teenager Ramsey and Merida both had shots charged down
before James Tomkins gave the ball away, Eduardo pounced and the
Croatian forced Green to make a full-stretch save as his 20-yard
effort looked set to creep into the bottom corner.
West Ham responded after Alex Song - off to the African
Nations Cup with Cameroon tomorrow - bundled over Daprela to
concede a dangerous free-kick, 25-yards out. Junior Stanislas was
just off-target with a dipping effort over the bar.
There was action at both ends as first Diamanti's curling
shot from the left was palmed away by Fabianski before Thomas
Vermaelen lashed his first-time shot over after a corner.
Stanislas stole possession on the edge of the Arsenal box,
but the ball just would not drop for the England Under-21 forward.
After 40 minutes, Mexican Carlos Vela got on the end of a
long ball up field, but his angled shot was blocked by Green at the
right-hand post.
The Hammers took the lead in first-half stoppage time when
Diamanti beat the Arsenal offside trap to collect Valon Behrami's
pass and slot in off the post.
The hosts resumed in positive fashion after the interval,
with England Under-19 forward Frank Nouble, who was making his
debut, firing wide from the edge of the area before Stanislas'
25-yard shot was palmed away by Fabianski.
Arsenal made a double change after 65 minutes, replacing
Merida with Diaby and Wilshere for Nasri.
The changes seemed to galvanise the visitors, who had lacked
any real penetration in the final third.
Green made a fantastic double save to deny first Diaby after
he burst into the penalty area and then the follow-up effort from
Song.
There was, however, little the England goalkeeper could do
about Arsenal's equaliser with 12 minutes left, when Ramsey smashed
a low shot into the far corner after collecting Vela's pass through
a crowded penalty area.
Before the Hammers could mount a recovery, Arsenal had turned
the tie around.
Vela was again the provider, sending over a cross from the
left, which Eduardo met ahead of Tomkins to loop the ball over
Green into the top corner.
Arsenal could have further extended their lead, but former
Gunner Matthew Upson cleared Vela's shot off the line and Green
saved from Ramsey.
