Arsenal 3 - 0 West Ham: Giroud inspires Gunners to routine win ahead of Monaco clash

THIS is the scoreline Arsene Wenger has been dreaming about for days – and will continue to do so for the next 48 hours at least.

GiroudGETTY

Giroud gave Arsenal the lead with a powerful strike

But it’s not about banging three goals past a West Ham keeper who played throughout with a finger he dislocated in the warm-up.

More the fact that it is the exact margin Arsenal need to keep their manager’s Champions League dream alive against Monaco on Tuesday.

It was a miracle he was clinging onto last night as he said: “If we have no belief, we have no chance.

“We have to go there and give everything – and all our offensive players are capable of producing something special.

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Aaron Ramsey's second half strike gave the Gunners breathing space

They didn’t have to quite do that yesterday against an injury-ravaged West Ham team whose goalkeeper, Adrian, produced a string of superb saves despite having his injured finger strapped up throughout.

But in Olivier Giroud Arsenal have a match-winner at any level whose performance yesterday included a cracking opening goal and equally important assists for the other two, scored by Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini.

Wenger added: “Olivier scored a fantastic goal. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but he is a player with special qualities.”

Arsenal are going to need all of them, both in Monaco on Tuesday and in pursuit of Premier League title the manager insists they are not in “at the moment.”

Adrian, for all his bravery, could do nothing about the Frenchman’s opener on the stroke of half-time – a fitting reward for an impressive first-half show.

To West Ham’s credit, their response was just what boss Sam Allardyce probably ordered during the break. And for a while they virtually camped in Arsenal’s half.

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Wenger's side moved to within a point of Man City in second

In the meantime, Mesut Ozil’s apparent Arsenal misery continued when he missed a sitter with the goal at his mercy. 

You’ll need to ask the German why he blazed the ball where he did when it looked simpler to put it in the back of the net.

Not that it mattered. Ramsey, with a superb strike, and Flamini – just 56 seconds after he had come on for Ozil – got the two goals in three minutes that saw Arsenal home rather more comfortably than they probably deserved.

All of which left West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald bemoaning a bad run which has put paid to the sort of glory they were dreaming about at the beginning of the season.

McDonald, who revealed that Hammers manager Allardyce sent him out to face the Press so he could concentrate on picking up his “really down” players, said: “We have had a lot of injuries and some really rough games against the top six sides.

“Arsenal are a very good side and they did what they often do with two quick goals that finished us off.”

Not really the fate that Adrian’s defiance deserved.

As McDonald added: “He made some great saves, despite playing with a dislocated finger.

“He stood up to be counted and has been a brave lad.”

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