This one was hard to watch. Our young gunners played their worst game this season, but it was still enough. To think that the starting XI for the Pond Life and  playing well, still isn’t enough to beat our reserves… why, it’s enough to make a man chuckle. Isn’t it?

A fairly comfortable win, but the Clarets did by no means just lay down. You have to admire the fight they put up. And honestly, they got robbed on that red card for Lafferty. Perhaps Alan Wiley thought it was a two-footed challenge. But it appeared in the replay to be a yellow card offense, not a straight red. Apart from that, they certainly put a scare into the Arsenal side a few times and kept the press on even after going down a man. Still, Arsenal were just too strong, even with many starters not in the line up. At 9′ in, Eduardo Da Silva coolly slotted home his 6th goal in four matches. It seems like you don’t hear anyone reference Eddy anymore these days without using the term “clinical finisher“. It’s an apt description, yes. But it’s getting a bit musty. We need something new for which to describe the smoothness that is Eduardo’s demeanor when approaching goal. From now on, I’ll refer to him as the P-Box Pimp. Or something to that effect.

Dolph Lundgren Nicklas Bendtner, who also started, took a nice feed from Eduardo at 75′ and found his way around the keeper to score. Here’s another individual who’s making himself quite comfortable in front of the goal. He nearly netted a gorgeous bicycle kick but he keeper was there to collect. Had that shot gone a few feet to either side, it would certainly have fooled the keeper. But, he still managed to score the winner. Several weeks ago I called my old pal Arsene up and asked if we could see more of Nick. He said “How deed you get zis numbore, you eedeeyot?” But, he saw my reasoning. And I’m enjoying watching this guy play. He’s got some aging to do, yes. But that’s inevitable, or so I’m told.

So, overall… a comfortable win for the Gunners that sees us through to the fourth round in the FA Cup. Looks like we’re up against either Stoke City or Fat Sam and his lot, after they button things up and figure out where the net is. Stay tuned.

Crozilla strikes again. After a lovely brace to lift us out of the hole on Boxing Day, Eduardo Da Silva earns himself a nod from The Professor to start the West Ham match up front with Ade. This nod took about 75 seconds to pay dividends when Eddy performed a textbook chest trap and strike before the ball hit the ground to put a low one past Green.

At 18′, Emmanuel Adebayor managed to not only head a cheeky little ball just past Green who had come out, but then recover it at the last possible moment and flick it to the far post, where it struck and then rolled in. Even on the replay I was shaking my head and wondering how he got that shot past the near post to hit the far post and bounce in. Not that Ade stuck around to watch it. His momentum carried him out over the barricade before the ball even crossed the line. We then got a good look at the replacement for last year’s Touchline Swordfight dance. Ade demonstrated the new yet-to-be-named footwork with his new dance partner, Emanuel Eboue. I often wonder where the choreopgraphy for this sort of thing takes place. A drunken kickline outside the pub? Who knows…

Overall, commanding performance by the Arsenal. They had full control of the match from the start. West Ham did the double on us last season. Honestly, I expected more from them this match. Perhaps they blew too much juice on the defeat against Manchester United on Boxing Day? Might be, but I like our momentum now that we’ve gotten most of our key injuries back on the pitch.