MATCH SPY: Adebayor comes off the bench to transform game
West Ham 0-2 Arsenal Premier League Sunday 26 October Arsene Wenger described victory at West Ham for a second successive season as a big win after Emmanuel Adebyaor came off the bench to transform the game. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie had both
West Ham 0-2 Arsenal
Premier League
Sunday 26 October
Arsene Wenger described victory at West Ham for a second successive season as "a big win" after Emmanuel Adebyaor came off the bench to transform the game.
Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie had both hit the woodwork before the Togo international finally made Arsenal's superior possession count.
First his cross-cum-shot was turned into his own net by Julien Faubert after 75 minutes before Nicklas Bendtner played a magnificent 50-yard pass and Adebayor (90) rounded goalkeeper Robert Green - who had been outstanding for West Ham - before firing into an empty net.
Most Read
- 1 The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee flypast: Where, and when, the planes will fly over north and east London
- 2 Positives for Arsenal despite missing top four
- 3 Calls to make road in front of a Highgate school safer
- 4 Barnet leader pledges council tax rebate and an end to outsourcing
- 5 Floating park between Camden Town and King's Cross
- 6 Highgate woman pledges £1million for children's autism charity
- 7 CCTV footage released as family pay tribute to 'loving son' Olsi
- 8 Harry Hill's Tony Blair rock opera premieres at Park Theatre
- 9 Nazanin was 'forced' to sign false confession by Iran
- 10 Man arrested following stabbing on Royal College Street
Carlton Cole compounded the hosts' misery in injury time when he was shown a straight red for a reckless challenge on Alex Song. It was West Ham's third successive loss against a side who have taken more points off them than any other side - 30 and counting.
With Chelsea losing and Manchester United dropping two points, Wenger believed victory was essential.
"To come out of it with a frustrating 0-0 would have felt like a wasted opportunity to get closer to the top," said the Arsenal manager.
"We knew before the game we could not drop points. West Ham can also feel frustrated because they defended well and gave everything."
And on his decision to start Adebayor on the bench, Wenger added: "He came on with a very determined attitude and did very well.
"Last year I over-used him (Adebayor) and now we go into a period where we play every three days, which is why I want to rotate a little bit.
