West Ham travel to the Emirates stadium tonight to take on Arsenal in the rearranged clash from Boxing Day.
Many are calling this ‘Mohamed Diame’s trial’ with rumour mill linking the Gunners with the combative midfielder all transfer window but for 90 minutes all the ‘paper talk’ goes out the window as West Ham look to upset the odds and take all three points.
We caught up with the Editor of www.gunnersphere.com to try and get a bit of inside knowledge to pass on to Sam Allardyce.
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What are your thoughts on West Ham’s season so far?
There doing admirably in my opinion. They have found a good manager in Sam Allardyce, who has pretty much settled the club and made them into a hard outfit to beat in the Premier League. I expect them to finish in the top half of the table.
If you could have one West Ham player in your team, who would you choose and why?
Just because I think we are in desperate need of a holding midfielder at this time I would take Momo Diame. He does his job well and is a powerful figure in your midfield. Him or Mark Noble – love his passion.
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Who should us Hammers watch out for the most?
The majority of the Arsenal fans would probably say either Santi Cazorla or Theo Walcott. But I think you guys have got to try and keep Jack Wilshere quiet to get anything out of the game. He runs the midfield and dictates play for us, and if he gets going its hard to stop him.
What are your memories of previous clashes between the two sides?
I only really have two – Thierry Henry’s superb goal in 2002, which the game ended 2-2 and when you guys beat us 3-2 at Highbury – Sol Campbell was never the same again.
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How do you think you will line-up?
Can’t see Arsene Wenger changing the team to much after our latest result against Swansea last week in the FA Cup.
I think he will set out the team like this:
Szczesny
Sagna Mertesacker Vermaelen Gibbs
Wilshere Diaby
Cazorla
Walcott Podolski
Giroud
What are your pre match predictions?
Anything can happen as it is a London derby, but I think the need to win will be on our players mind and Wenger’s. I can see us nicking it 2-1.
