West Ham - top o' the league

And so it is. Arsenal are top of the league with a hard fought victory against a poor West Ham team.

What are West Ham? They have some decent players (some very decent players!), but they carry injuries and under perform so often. They are better than Birmingham and Fulham on paper, yet they cannot achieve a string of results to suggest this. So it must be bullshit.

Yet, they have quality but are dysfunctional. They have loyal fans but they sing defeatist songs. They didn't take their chances which lead Zola and Diamanti to have a 100 yard row in front of 60,000 people. It was like watching two midgets starting a break dancing challenge, through the wrong end of a telescope - and I sit near the pitch side/dugout. So much gesticulating, lurching, chin raising and head shaking. From what I could see, Zola was angry with Diamanti for not chasing down defenders and tracking back. The reply was the insistence that the ball should be played into the channels and not so close to the defenders. Either way, it is all part of the same process and they are both angry about West Ham not retaining the ball very well. The point of me writing this is to question how a player can shout back at the manager, in front of so many and not get substituted?

Vermaelen's sending off was weak. Refs can and should be more accountable. A website where they publish their own report and findings/reasoning for the game they have just covered could shed more light on how decisions are made and why. Who knows? It might even win over a few fans who don't really understand the multiple choices, variables and considerations taken into account in a short space of time.

Oh while I think of it, there are is a certain type of dullard fan at the Arse who cannot help themselves during a opposing substitution. "Replacing x,y,z" says the PA, "WHO?" shout the dullards, "Mark Noble" says the PA, "WHO???" bellow the dullards.

Piss off. It is the weakest, most dim intimidation tactic. Is the player meant to feel somewhat less of a footballer because some fools, question his name? Fuckwits.

Bendtner's substitution surprised many of us. Arshavin looked bored as usual and Fabregas didn't want to push too hard due to a recovering hamstring, so the choice of Diaby as Nik's replacement was odd. But it worked. Abou is turning into a player. He can dribble and penetrate. His passing could improve but some of us are starting to believe that Abou, Theo, Cesc, Samir, Alex, Nik, Denilson, are all 20-23 years old and getting better together. If they all stick together and improve at a similar rate, other teams will get run over.

Where am I going with this? Ah, Manuel Almuina. A good save on the pen. It motivates and inspires which is great. But 5 minutes before Campbell sliced a clearance out for a corner because he had no call. Campbell doesn't always follow the Wenger rules and berated Almunia for his lack of call. Now you are plainly not allowed to do this at Arsenal. It ruins the unity, psychology and spirit in the mind of Wenger. It leads to people getting booed and Almunia had an even more exaggerated look of a junkie having a shit in a doorway round the back of Oxford Street and being caught by the police.

Campbell may be trying to exempt himself from blame, but he's not afraid to put a rocket up some deserving recipients. The problem is that Wenger doesn't like it and will usually have to spend halftime cuddling Almunia and stroking his hair. So the save was vital.

Eboue is getting better and better. Clichy too - which is about time. Though he still has the knack of getting nutmegged by the shot cutting in from the right wing. Song could be the find of the decade soon. He just won't stop doing the ugly stuff but he can play a bit too. Again, I muse over what Flamini, Hleb, Diarra and others must be thinking. Their teams fall short.

Anyway, it seems that Arsenal have a chance. I have a funny feeling that Man U and Chelsea will both be held today. If Blackburn flood the midfield and Samba kicks Drogba, then Chelsea could fold. By all accounts, Torres and Gerrard have started to remember the definition of quality and Man U have been hiding behind Rooney all season. He has scored once in 11 games against Liverpool and might find this game a challenge. By Man U can also be glorious and know victory and success more than all other English teams combined. (Certainly in the modern game).

So who knows? Not I. But I am intrigued by the alignment of the planets when it comes to Arsenal's chase for the title. We have won games well, badly and averagely. That is the sign of a champion. How can this be?

Got in at 1am and I have a hangover. I had to get up at 7.30 to entertain the baby and I am rambling/tired.

Arsene Wenger's plan demands that we keep flying under the radar as everyone waits for the big guns to win the war. Chelsea, Man U and Barca don't worry me. Birmingham, Spurs and Wigan do more.