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The one thing going in the Hammers' favour is the fact that it is being played at the fortress of Upton Park. However, there is a brand new pitch now, which is at a higher level, so it might be as familiar as it once was.
The fact remains though, that the Hammers remain about as consistent as lumpy custard. One week we can beat Man U, and the next we're being trounced by Blackburn. It doesn't make sense, and it should be high on the agenda of things that Glenn needs to sort out.
There is, however, more realistic competition for places now, with several defenders capable of playing at Premiership level fighting for a couple of places. David James will line up in goal, but which four line up in front of him is anyone's guess.
Tomas Repka is probably the first name down in defence, and he will probably have Nigel Winterburn on the left. The other two spaces will be filled by two of Gary Breen, Christian Dailly Sebastian Schemmel and Ian Pearce. My choice would be Breen partnering Repka, and probably Pearce just edging it over Schemmel.
Midfield will most likely feature our England trio of Cole, Carrick and Sinclair - and Edouard Cisse will probably make the numbers up to four, although Schemmel is a possibility.
Up front, Fredi Kanoute should be fit to start, and partner Jermain Defoe in what could be a lethal partnership for the season. With both players keen to get past the twenty goals mark, there should be goals galore at Upton Park this season.
But Arsenal's defence is fairly resilient, and our young midfield has a hard tastk ahead of them if they are to dominate in tomorrow's game. Arsenal have been boosted by the return of Bergkamp and Wiltord, although Gilberto is missing from the squad.
There should be goals in the match - the last goaless draw was five seasons ago - and the statistics favour Arsenal. Indeed the last time the Hammers won was a couple of seasons ago, and it required the mecurial talent of Paolo di Canio to unlock the Gunners.
| At West Ham (48) | At Arsenal (48) | Overall (96 matches) | ||||||||
| Results | Total | % | Results | Total | % | Results | Total | % | ||
| West Ham | 13 | 27.08 | Arsenal | 24 | 50 | West Ham | 24 | 25 | ||
| Arsenal | 18 | 37.5 | West Ham | 11 | 22.92 | Arsenal | 42 | 43.75 | ||
| Draws | 17 | 35.42 | Draws | 13 | 27.08 | Draws | 30 | 31.25 | ||
| Goals | Total | Av.pg | Goals | Total | Av.pg | Goals | Total | Av.pg | ||
| West Ham | 63 | 1.31 | Arsenal | 82 | 1.71 | West Ham | 115 | 1.2 | ||
| Arsenal | 71 | 1.48 | West Ham | 52 | 1.08 | Arsenal | 153 | 1.59 | ||
| Records | |||||
| Highest Aggregate | 7 | Arsenal | 6 - 1 | West Ham | 1975/1976 |
| Highest West Ham score: | 7 | West Ham | 7 - 0 | Arsenal | 1926/1927 |
| Highest Arsenal score: | 6 | Arsenal | 6 - 1 | West Ham | 1975/1976 |
| Season | Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition |
| 2001/2002 | Wed 24 Apr | Arsenal | 2 - 0 | West Ham | Premiership |
| Sat 15 Dec | West Ham | 1 - 1 | Arsenal | Premiership | |
| 2000/2001 | Sat 03 Mar | Arsenal | 3 - 0 | West Ham | Premiership |
| Sat 21 Oct | West Ham | 1 - 2 | Arsenal | Premiership | |
| 1999/2000 | Tue 02 May | Arsenal | 2 - 1 | West Ham | Premiership |
| Sun 03 Oct | West Ham | 2 - 1 | Arsenal | Premiership | |
| 1998/1999 | Sat 06 Feb | West Ham | 0 - 4 | Arsenal | Premiership |
| Sat 26 Dec | Arsenal | 1 - 0 | West Ham | Premiership | |
| 1997/1998 | Tue 17 Mar | West Ham | 1 - 1 | Arsenal | F.A. Cup |
| Sun 08 Mar | Arsenal | 1 - 1 | West Ham | F.A. Cup | |
| Mon 02 Mar | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | Premiership | |
| Wed 24 Sep | Arsenal | 4 - 0 | West Ham | Premiership | |
| 1996/1997 | Wed 29 Jan | West Ham | 1 - 2 | Arsenal | Premiership |
| Sat 17 Aug | Arsenal | 2 - 0 | West Ham | Premiership | |
| 1995/1996 | Sat 24 Feb | West Ham | 0 - 1 | Arsenal | Premiership |
| Sat 16 Sep | Arsenal | 1 - 0 | West Ham | Premiership | |
| 1994/1995 | Sun 05 Mar | Arsenal | 0 - 1 | West Ham | Premiership |
| Sun 25 Sep | West Ham | 0 - 2 | Arsenal | Premiership | |
| 1993/1994 | Sat 30 Apr | Arsenal | 0 - 2 | West Ham | Premiership |
| Wed 24 Nov | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | Premiership | |
| 1991/1992 | Sat 14 Mar | West Ham | 0 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 02 Nov | Arsenal | 0 - 1 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1988/1989 | Sat 04 Feb | Arsenal | 2 - 1 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 01 Oct | West Ham | 1 - 4 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1987/1988 | Tue 12 Apr | West Ham | 0 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 26 Sep | Arsenal | 1 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1986/1987 | Wed 08 Apr | West Ham | 3 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 08 Nov | Arsenal | 0 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1985/1986 | Sat 15 Mar | Arsenal | 1 - 0 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 12 Oct | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1984/1985 | Sat 02 Mar | Arsenal | 2 - 1 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 27 Oct | West Ham | 3 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1983/1984 | Mon 07 May | Arsenal | 3 - 3 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 10 Dec | West Ham | 3 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1982/1983 | Tue 10 May | West Ham | 1 - 3 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 02 Oct | Arsenal | 2 - 3 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1981/1982 | Sat 01 May | Arsenal | 2 - 0 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 05 Dec | West Ham | 1 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1977/1978 | Sat 25 Feb | West Ham | 2 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 01 Oct | Arsenal | 3 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1976/1977 | Sat 19 Feb | Arsenal | 2 - 3 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 11 Sep | West Ham | 0 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1975/1976 | Sat 20 Mar | Arsenal | 6 - 1 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 29 Nov | West Ham | 1 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1974/1975 | Mon 28 Apr | West Ham | 1 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 26 Oct | Arsenal | 3 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1973/1974 | Sat 06 Apr | Arsenal | 0 - 0 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 24 Nov | West Ham | 1 - 3 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1972/1973 | Sat 28 Apr | West Ham | 1 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Tue 29 Aug | Arsenal | 1 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1971/1972 | Sat 22 Apr | Arsenal | 2 - 1 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 04 Dec | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1970/1971 | Sat 09 Jan | Arsenal | 2 - 0 | West Ham | First Division |
| Mon 17 Aug | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1969/1970 | Sat 04 Apr | Arsenal | 2 - 1 | West Ham | First Division |
| Mon 25 Aug | West Ham | 1 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1968/1969 | Mon 21 Apr | West Ham | 1 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 26 Oct | Arsenal | 0 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1967/1968 | Fri 29 Mar | West Ham | 1 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 25 Nov | Arsenal | 0 - 0 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1966/1967 | Mon 29 Aug | West Ham | 2 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Tue 23 Aug | Arsenal | 2 - 1 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1965/1966 | Sat 16 Apr | West Ham | 2 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 20 Nov | Arsenal | 3 - 2 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1964/1965 | Sat 27 Mar | West Ham | 2 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 14 Nov | Arsenal | 0 - 3 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1963/1964 | Sat 21 Mar | West Ham | 1 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 09 Nov | Arsenal | 3 - 3 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1962/1963 | Sat 02 Mar | West Ham | 0 - 4 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 13 Oct | Arsenal | 1 - 1 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1961/1962 | Sat 21 Apr | West Ham | 3 - 3 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 02 Dec | Arsenal | 2 - 2 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1960/1961 | Sat 25 Mar | Arsenal | 0 - 0 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 05 Nov | West Ham | 6 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1959/1960 | Sat 02 Apr | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 14 Nov | Arsenal | 1 - 3 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1958/1959 | Sat 28 Mar | Arsenal | 1 - 2 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 08 Nov | West Ham | 0 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1931/1932 | Sat 26 Mar | West Ham | 1 - 1 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 14 Nov | Arsenal | 4 - 1 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1930/1931 | Sat 28 Feb | West Ham | 2 - 4 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 25 Oct | Arsenal | 1 - 1 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1929/1930 | Sat 08 Mar | West Ham | 3 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 02 Nov | Arsenal | 0 - 1 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1928/1929 | Sat 23 Feb | West Ham | 3 - 4 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 13 Oct | Arsenal | 2 - 3 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1927/1928 | Sat 11 Feb | West Ham | 2 - 2 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 01 Oct | Arsenal | 2 - 2 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1926/1927 | Mon 07 Mar | West Ham | 7 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Sat 16 Oct | Arsenal | 2 - 2 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1925/1926 | Mon 05 Oct | West Ham | 0 - 4 | Arsenal | First Division |
| Mon 21 Sep | Arsenal | 3 - 2 | West Ham | First Division | |
| 1924/1925 | Mon 23 Mar | Arsenal | 1 - 2 | West Ham | First Division |
| Sat 27 Sep | West Ham | 1 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |
| 1923/1924 | Mon 10 Sep | Arsenal | 4 - 1 | West Ham | First Division |
| Mon 27 Aug | West Ham | 1 - 0 | Arsenal | First Division | |