Preview: West Ham United v. Arsenal

Alessandro Diamanti is probably singing that stupid bubbles song...

Pic via Guardian.

Boleyn Ground, London

Saturday, January 15

5:30 p.m. GMT, 12:30 p.m. EST

• Referee: Andre Marriner
• This Match, Last Year: West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal
• Reverse Fixture: Arsenal 1 - 0 West Ham
• All-Time in All Competitions: 53 Arsenal wins, 33 West Ham wins, 38 draws
• Arsenal's League Form: W-L-W-D-W-D
• West Ham's League Form: L-D-W-D-W-L

Predicted Line-Up

guesses in red

Szczesny

Eboue - Koscielny - Djourou - Clichy

Song - Wilshere

Walcott - Fabregas - Nasri

van Persie

Subs from: Shea, Gibbs, Denilson, Ramsey, Arshavin, Bendtner, Chamakh

Suspended: Sagna (third of three, violent conduct)

Doubtful: Denilson (thigh)

Out: Fabianski (shoulder), Squillaci (hamstring), Diaby (calf), Almunia (ankle), Vermaelen (Achilles)

Arsenal News and Notes

• Good news, everyone! Tests this week show that there is no long-term concern over Thomas Vermaelen's Achilles injury. This, of course, does not quite mean he is on his way back.
• Lukasz Fabianski is did not pass fit with a shoulder problem. Denilson is a doubt with a thigh problem, but I can't imagine him being anywhere near playing in this match, right? I hope.
• Sebastien Squillaci still needs about a week or two with his hamstring injury. Abou Diaby is still out a while with a calf problem. Manuel Almunia may never be seen again.
• This is the final match of Bacary Sagna's three match ban.
• Aside from Eboue over the banned Sagna and Szczesny in goal, I can't see why we wouldn't use the same starting XI that beat Chelsea and Birmingham but drew City.
• Arsenal have not won in three competitive fixtures, their longest winless streak of the season. Their last streak this long was last year when Gunners went winless in five from April to early May.
• Arsenal will wear their yellow change kit tomorrow, since West Ham wears claret. In 10 games this season wearing yellow, Arsenal have won just three, drawn three, and lost four, including Tuesday's Carling Cup tie at Ipswich.

West Ham News and Notes

• West Ham have just completed a six-month loan signing of Wayne Bridge from Manchester City, possibly so he can keep a better eye on where John Terry is in relation to his girlfriend. But, also because the Hammers were so light at left back that center half Matthew Upson played there on Tuesday.
• Victor Obinna will start a three match ban after being sent off on Tuesday.
• Players possibly returning from injury for the Hammers include Herita Ilunga (hamstring), Kieron Dyer (thigh), Benni McCarthy (calf), and Lars Jacobsen (heel).
• Longer term injuries include Jack Collison (knee), Manuel Da Costa (ankle), Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh), and Peter Kurucz (knee).
• West Ham have won three of their four competitive fixtures in 2011, but the loss was a 5-0 drubbing at Newcastle last midweek.
• Three of West Ham's four league wins have come at home. In addition to beating relegation rivals Wolves and Wigan at Upton Park, the Hammers also beat Tottenham 1-0 in September.
• In league play, West Ham's goal difference is -2 at home and -14 away.

Match Facts

• West Ham struck in the 74th minute, then again on an 80th minute penalty to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in this fixture last year.
• Arsenal returned the favor, using late goals from Eduardo and Aaron Ramsey to knock West Ham out of last year's FA Cup, 2-1, in January, the last match played between these two sides at Upton Park.
• Arsenal used an 88th minute winner from the head of Alex Song to win the reverse fixture on October 30.
• Arsenal's last league win at Upton Park was on October 26, 2008, 2-0, thanks to a Julien Faubert own goal and an injury time goal from Emmanuel Adebayor.
• West Ham's last win over Arsenal at home was in November of 2006, 1-0, with an 89th minute winner from Marlon Harewood.

The Referee

• The referee is West Midlands-based Andre Marriner.
• His name sounds like a soap opera character, doesn't it?
• Marriner has taken charge of just one Arsenal match this season, the 4-0 win at Newcastle in the Carling Cup's fourth round.
• By contrast, this will be his third match at Upton Park this year. Previously, he worked West Ham's 3-1 loss to Bolton and 1-1 draw with Fulham.
• In 19 games year (15 Premier League, 1 Championship, 1 League Cup, 1 FA Cup, and the Community Shield), Marriner has shown 68 yellow cards and 3 red cards.

Around the League

• Saturday: Chelsea v. Blackburn Rovers; Stamford Bridge, London
• Saturday: Manchester City v. Wolverhampton Wanderers; City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
• Saturday: Stoke City v. Bolton Wanderers; Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
• Saturday: West Bromwich Albion v. Blackpool; The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
• Saturday: Wigan Athletic v. Fulham; DW Stadium, Wigan
• Sunday: Birmingham City v. Aston Villa; St. Andrew's, Birmingham
• Sunday: Sunderland v. Newcastle United; Stadium of Light, Sunderland
• Sunday: Liverpool v. Everton; Anfield, Liverpool
• Sunday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Manchester United; White Hart Lane, London