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Arsenal (2) 2 - 0 (0) 

Teams
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Linighan, Bould, Winterburn, Morrow, 
         Parlour, Merson, Bergkamp, Hartson
         Subs: Wright (Bergkamp 71), Dickov (Hartson 84), 
               Rose, Helder, Lukic 

West Ham: Miklosko, Breacker, Dicks, Williamson, Rieper, Rowland,
          Dowie, Jones, Hughes, Lampard, Bilic
         Subs: Slater (Lampard 66), Lazarides (Rowland 70),
               Ferdinand (Bilic 87), Mautone, Bowen
          
Result : Arsenal               (2) 2   West Ham                (0) 0
Scorers: Hartson 27, Bergkamp (pen) 40 

Bookings: Bould, Winterburn            Bilic
      
Att     : 38056
Referee : P Durkin (Portland)
A satisfactory result on Saturday, though not a terribly inspiring performance against a team which was lacking all it's new signings through injury. Arsenal were comfortably in control of the first half, but after the break allowed West Ham too much of the ball. Indeed had Futre, Raducioiu or even Cottee been playing instead of Steve Jones, the outcome may well have been rather different.

Both teams were playing the in vogue 3 at the back formation. Arsenal also had a 6th defender, Steve Morrow, partnering Parlour in midfield because of David Platt's eleventh hour back injury. The Gunners also appeared to start with Merson playing up front with Hartson (Wright apparently not yet match fit), and Bergkamp playing just behind them, though Merson seemed to drop deeper the longer the game went on.

Arsenal started reasonably well and should have taken the lead fairly early on. Bergkamp flicked a beautiful first time pass with the outside of his foot to find Merson unmarked in the right side of the area. Merse crossed into the 6-yd box to find Hartson sliding in at the near post, but the Welshman didn't get enough of a touch on the ball and it sliced wide of the far post.

Hartson then set up Bergkamp, nodding on a long ball forward. Bergkamp struck the angled volley from just inside the area well, but it flashed a couple of feet wide of the far post. Merson then fed Hartson on the edge of the area, and he turned and fired in a shot which was again well hit but went a few feet wide of the near post.

At the other end Jones was released by a ball down the left, his first touch took it slightly too far in front of him, though he did well to stretch and shoot straight at Seaman. In reply Bergkamp had a good run down the right, and his cross picked out Hartson at the far post. The Welshman's header went a couple of yards wide of the opposite post.

Eventually Arsenal did take the lead. Merson took the ball down the left, then played it back to Winterburn. Nutty failed to control it properly but a ricochet from his challenge for the loose ball found Dixon who had somehow popped up in the left side of the area. A turn worthy of Bergkamp allowed Dixon to play the ball across into the 6-yd box where Hartson just reached it ahead of defender and keeper. The ball bobbled against the post and along the line, but Hartson was first up and lashed it gleefully into the net.

West Ham might have equalised when Rieper was allowed a free header following a corner, but soon after that the Dane handed Arsenal their second goal. Dixon crossed deep from the right to find Hartson beyond the far post, but his header back was stopped by Rieper's hand as he jumped in front of Hartson with his arms in the air. The ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Bergkamp dispatched the penalty clinically into the left hand corner of Miklosko's net.

The second half was a rather different story. Perhaps because of the heat Arsenal seemed content to sit on their lead and let West Ham dominate possession, and but for some woeful finishing from Jones the Hammers might have grabbed a point or more.

The first 15 or 20 minutes of the half were fairly uneventful, though Arsenal might have added to their lead. Dixon made another good run forward, played a one-two with Hartson down the middle to give himself some space on the edge of the area. His left foot shot was slightly mishit though, and Miklosko save comfortably.

West Ham should have pulled a goal back when Seaman kicked a clearance from a back pass straight at Jones, who appeared to use an arm to help control the ball. On his own, he took some time to fully gain control but nonetheless still had time to pick his spot past Seaman. Fortunately he did it almost too carefully, bending the ball inches past the angle of far post and upright.

Soon after that, he had another good chance when the ball was played through to him just outside the left corner of the 6-yd box. He looked yards offside but the flag stayed down and he hastily volleyed high and wide of the goal. Bould and Winterburn both stupidly got themselves booked for their over-vehement protests to the linesman. Perhaps an indication that the players are more affected by the back room situation at Highbury than we might realise.

With 20 minutes left, Wrighty came on to thunderous applause, replacing the not yet fully fit Bergkamp. He didn't really have much of a chance to do anything, though late in the game Hartson broke down the right but his pass to WWW who was clear on the left forced him just too far wide, allowing a defender to get back to cover. Wright still managed to check back onto his right foot and curled in a shot which Miklosko leapt to clutch in mid air.

At the other end, the number of missed West Ham chances was still mounting. Jones again failed to convert a good opportunity, slicing wide when a cross from the left found him unmarked at the far post. In the final couple of minutes Seaman was finally stretched when he tipped a 20 yard shot from Hughes over the bar, to confirm that this was never going to be West Ham's day.

In normal circumstances I'd have said this was a somewhat disappointing Arsenal performance. However, given the background of the shenanigans of the previous week, the result was more important and in the end the victory was comfortably achieved. Nobody had a bad game and Bergkamp looked encouragingly sharp when you consider that he'd only played 45 minutes pre-season. Hartson had one of his better games, certainly an improvement on his form last season, while Merson had a typically in and out sort of game.

I thought Parlour had a pretty good game, and Morrow had a tidy game sitting in front of the back three. Dixon was the other notable performer, getting forward at every opportunity, and Keown was again the pick of the back 3, though he did have a couple of dodgy moments with back passes to Seaman.

report by Derek Brownjohn

Arsenal (2) 2 - 0 (0) 

Teams
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Linighan, Bould, Winterburn, Morrow, 
         Parlour, Merson, Bergkamp, Hartson
         Subs: Wright (Bergkamp 71), Dickov (Hartson 84), 
               Rose, Helder, Lukic 

West Ham: Miklosko, Breacker, Dicks, Williamson, Rieper, Rowland,
          Dowie, Jones, Hughes, Lampard, Bilic
         Subs: Slater (Lampard 66), Lazarides (Rowland 70),
               Ferdinand (Bilic 87), Mautone, Bowen
          
Result : Arsenal               (2) 2   West Ham                (0) 0
Scorers: Hartson 27, Bergkamp (pen) 40 

Bookings: Bould, Winterburn            Bilic
      
Att     : 38056
Referee : P Durkin (Portland)
A satisfactory result on Saturday, though not a terribly inspiring performance against a team which was lacking all it's new signings through injury. Arsenal were comfortably in control of the first half, but after the break allowed West Ham too much of the ball. Indeed had Futre, Raducioiu or even Cottee been playing instead of Steve Jones, the outcome may well have been rather different.

Both teams were playing the in vogue 3 at the back formation. Arsenal also had a 6th defender, Steve Morrow, partnering Parlour in midfield because of David Platt's eleventh hour back injury. The Gunners also appeared to start with Merson playing up front with Hartson (Wright apparently not yet match fit), and Bergkamp playing just behind them, though Merson seemed to drop deeper the longer the game went on.

Arsenal started reasonably well and should have taken the lead fairly early on. Bergkamp flicked a beautiful first time pass with the outside of his foot to find Merson unmarked in the right side of the area. Merse crossed into the 6-yd box to find Hartson sliding in at the near post, but the Welshman didn't get enough of a touch on the ball and it sliced wide of the far post.

Hartson then set up Bergkamp, nodding on a long ball forward. Bergkamp struck the angled volley from just inside the area well, but it flashed a couple of feet wide of the far post. Merson then fed Hartson on the edge of the area, and he turned and fired in a shot which was again well hit but went a few feet wide of the near post.

At the other end Jones was released by a ball down the left, his first touch took it slightly too far in front of him, though he did well to stretch and shoot straight at Seaman. In reply Bergkamp had a good run down the right, and his cross picked out Hartson at the far post. The Welshman's header went a couple of yards wide of the opposite post.

Eventually Arsenal did take the lead. Merson took the ball down the left, then played it back to Winterburn. Nutty failed to control it properly but a ricochet from his challenge for the loose ball found Dixon who had somehow popped up in the left side of the area. A turn worthy of Bergkamp allowed Dixon to play the ball across into the 6-yd box where Hartson just reached it ahead of defender and keeper. The ball bobbled against the post and along the line, but Hartson was first up and lashed it gleefully into the net.

West Ham might have equalised when Rieper was allowed a free header following a corner, but soon after that the Dane handed Arsenal their second goal. Dixon crossed deep from the right to find Hartson beyond the far post, but his header back was stopped by Rieper's hand as he jumped in front of Hartson with his arms in the air. The ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Bergkamp dispatched the penalty clinically into the left hand corner of Miklosko's net.

The second half was a rather different story. Perhaps because of the heat Arsenal seemed content to sit on their lead and let West Ham dominate possession, and but for some woeful finishing from Jones the Hammers might have grabbed a point or more.

The first 15 or 20 minutes of the half were fairly uneventful, though Arsenal might have added to their lead. Dixon made another good run forward, played a one-two with Hartson down the middle to give himself some space on the edge of the area. His left foot shot was slightly mishit though, and Miklosko save comfortably.

West Ham should have pulled a goal back when Seaman kicked a clearance from a back pass straight at Jones, who appeared to use an arm to help control the ball. On his own, he took some time to fully gain control but nonetheless still had time to pick his spot past Seaman. Fortunately he did it almost too carefully, bending the ball inches past the angle of far post and upright.

Soon after that, he had another good chance when the ball was played through to him just outside the left corner of the 6-yd box. He looked yards offside but the flag stayed down and he hastily volleyed high and wide of the goal. Bould and Winterburn both stupidly got themselves booked for their over-vehement protests to the linesman. Perhaps an indication that the players are more affected by the back room situation at Highbury than we might realise.

With 20 minutes left, Wrighty came on to thunderous applause, replacing the not yet fully fit Bergkamp. He didn't really have much of a chance to do anything, though late in the game Hartson broke down the right but his pass to WWW who was clear on the left forced him just too far wide, allowing a defender to get back to cover. Wright still managed to check back onto his right foot and curled in a shot which Miklosko leapt to clutch in mid air.

At the other end, the number of missed West Ham chances was still mounting. Jones again failed to convert a good opportunity, slicing wide when a cross from the left found him unmarked at the far post. In the final couple of minutes Seaman was finally stretched when he tipped a 20 yard shot from Hughes over the bar, to confirm that this was never going to be West Ham's day.

In normal circumstances I'd have said this was a somewhat disappointing Arsenal performance. However, given the background of the shenanigans of the previous week, the result was more important and in the end the victory was comfortably achieved. Nobody had a bad game and Bergkamp looked encouragingly sharp when you consider that he'd only played 45 minutes pre-season. Hartson had one of his better games, certainly an improvement on his form last season, while Merson had a typically in and out sort of game.

I thought Parlour had a pretty good game, and Morrow had a tidy game sitting in front of the back three. Dixon was the other notable performer, getting forward at every opportunity, and Keown was again the pick of the back 3, though he did have a couple of dodgy moments with back passes to Seaman.

report by Derek Brownjohn

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