West Ham 2 Arsenal 2 Who Handed It To Who On A Plate?

Where to start? First 10 minutes we looked lively and good. Next 60 minutes Arsenal were so much in control I was planning to title the report, "Humiliation", last 20 minutes, the game turned inside out and we put a cruising Arsenal to the sword. In a sense, Arsenal let us off the hook, but, in truth we handed them their goals in the first place so it was a case of both sides saying, help yourself to a point!

First off, full marks to Zola. I have been very critical in recent weeks but credit where credit is due. Firstly he reverted to 4-4-2, secondly he dropped Faubert and thirdly, he got his substitutions right. The decision to withdraw an ineffective Noble and replace him with Diamanti was made early and gave us the chance to save the game. In the past, Zola has left it too late to make a change and then gone hell for leather from a hopeless position. This time, he rightly elected to substitute Noble and the decision to go with Diamanti was inspired. A cross between Di Canio and Zola is definitely overstating the case, but Diamanti showed here that he can play and can offer the unexpected that this side so desperately needs. Thirty minutes do not a legend make, but this boy has got ability, no question. His free kick was sublime, the penalty was perfect and his willingness to shoot on sight was refreshing. Yes his radar was off but if he plays and shoots regularly, he will get goals from midfield.

The second substitution was also spot on. Hines won the free kick that led to the goal and his pace worried the Arsenal defence. Just as I have been saying, pace up front forces an opposition defence to drop deeper. As soon as they do that, space appears in front of them which a player like Diamanti can exploit. I suspect that Zola has just stumbled on his best team by accident!

Keeping perspective is difficult in the heady euphoria of such an epic fightback. If truth be told, two thirds of the game was a no contest, but still we must remember that Arsenal did not fashion their goals, both were down to Green's frailties on crosses. Both? Yes both. The first was an embarrassing Green error which must have put another nail in his England's Number One coffin. Don't blame Tomkins, Green should have been either claiming that ball with both hands or punching it clear. I have noted him palming away crosses in recent games (he did it earlier in this game)and sooner or later, a weak parry like that is going to result in disaster. The second goal came from a header in the six yard box, and that area should belong to a keeper at a corner. Absurdly, Green was allowing an Arsenal player to block his run at EVERY corner. Just as at Blackburn last season, he was standing behind the opponent and making no attempt to get him out of the way or demand protection from the referee or his team mates. This is basic stuff. Green should have been jostling the player and demading referee protection, instead he did his "I don't like this" heavy blink but otherwise accepted it. The guy needs to find a nasty streak still.

At the back, the goals apart, I thought we coped reasonably well. Spector was stretched on a few occasions but he was up against Arseshavings and a very good Arsenal team. He coped. Upson was impressive and Tomkins did ok, albeit he was involved in the mix up for the first goal and the wrong side of Gallas for the second. I believe that Collins would have done better for both goals personally. His sale is proving costly.

That said, I think Arsenal were on cruise control once they scored the second. Who knows what would have happened had we not handed them their goals?

At half time I was expecting it to be a three or four goal defeat and until Diamanti's arrival, I couldn't see a way back into the game. Cole, again, was a giant but he had no support up front: General Franco had that one run but, otherwise, was largely anonymous; Noble was somewhere between ineffective and hopeless; Collison and Behrami were busy but offering nothing in the final third after the first fifteen minutes and Parker was preoccupied with breaking up Arsenal attacks.

Then came Diamanti's brilliant free kick and yet another Cole goal. Grumpy is still criticising Cole on the Org showing what a gormless bigot he is because, once again, Carlton ran his heart out for the cause and proved that, if we create chances, he can put them away. Winning the penalty also proved that he is maturing in his thinking. I thought our first penalty claim was stronger but Cole was cute enough to feel the kick and go down. Last season he would have stayed on his feet but now he has a far greater awareness.

We still haven't won at home but today felt like a victory. Who knows, had Parker stayed on the pitch, we might actually have won it! Will this kick start our season? Zola must have seen that 4-4-2 is the right way to play and Hines and Diamanti may just have helped him to see his ideal team selection. Sunderland away now looks like a winable game!

Player ratings: Green 4 (I know he made one excellent save but that's his job, the errors were sadly predictable): Spector 6, Upson 8, Tomkins 6, Ilunga 6; Behrami 6, Noble 3, Parker 7, Collison 6: Cole 8, Franco 5 Subs: Hines 6, Diamanti 7, Kovac not on long enough to rate.