On this day in 2013, Arsenal beat West Ham 5-1 in the Premier League.

The match was originally supposed to be played on Boxing Day but there was a tube strike and it was postponed to 23 January.

The Gunners ran rampant at the Emirates, having a total of 23 shots, 17 of which were on target, compared to West Ham’s seven (five on target).

The visitors actually took the lead in the 18th minute through the Hammers’ Jack Collison but Lukas Podolski scored the equaliser just four minutes later.

A brace from Olivier Giroud, plus goals from Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott sealed a well-fought victory, which was slightly more comfortable than our 5-1 win away to West Ham this season. Although, there was 50/50 possession, which is unusual for such an emphatic win at the Emirates.

Teams

Arsenal

  • 01 Szczesny
  • 03 Sagna
  • 04 Mertesacker
  • 05 Vermaelen (Koscielny – 57′ )
  • 28 Gibbs
  • 10 Wilshere
  • 14 Walcott
  • 16 Ramsey
  • 19 Cazorla
  • 09 Podolski (Santos – 70′ )
  • 12 Giroud (Oxlade-Chamberlain – 73′ )

Substitutes

  • 24 Mannone
  • 06 Koscielny
  • 11 Santos
  • 25 Jenkinson
  • 15 Oxlade-Chamberlain
  • 23 Arshavin
  • 26 Frimpong

West Ham

  • 22 Jaaskelainen
  • 02 Reid (Diarra – 62′ )
  • 05 Tomkins
  • 17 O’Brien
  • 20 Demel
  • 04 Nolan
  • 10 Collison (Potts – 62′ )
  • 14 Taylor
  • 16 Noble
  • 09 C Cole
  • 12 Vaz Te Booked (Diame – 70′ )

Substitutes

  • 13 Henderson
  • 33 Potts
  • 07 Jarvis
  • 21 Diame
  • 23 Diarra
  • 26 J Cole
  • 32 O’Neil
Ref: Marriner
Att: 60,081
That season, Arsenal finished fourth in the Premier League (I know), two points behind Chelsea in third, five behind Manchester City in second and 16 behind Manchester United who won it by a landslide during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge.
We got knocked out of the FA Cup fifth round by Blackburn Rovers and booted out of the League Cup quarter-finals on penalties by Bradford City.
Oh yeah, and we faced Bayern Munich in the knock-out stages of the Champions League and despite beating them 2-0 away, they beat us on away goals since they won 3-1 at the Emirates.
All in all, not a great season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDT9kMeqpNg