4th Oct 2012 | Football
West Ham v Arsenal Tip
The Gunners look like they can still be bullied in the air after all. The Hammers are capable of exploiting that.
West Ham surprised many on Monday night, not least me, by winning convincingly at QPR with 17 attempts on goal. That performance showed that Sam Allardyce is building a side that can compete on its travels as well as at home.
That said, I would always prefer to back them at Upton Park where they have taken two wins and a draw from their first three games back in the big time. With five goals scored and only one conceded on home soil, the Hammers are good value at best odds of 16/5 (Ladbrokes) to beat Arsenal on Saturday.
The Gunners received a reality check when losing at home to Chelsea last weekend. With fewer points on the board than their next opponents, it’s hard to justify the 10/11 (Bet365) odds being offered for the away win.
Arsenal’s defeat suggested that they aren’t as defensively sound yet as some thought. One man who can test that to the max is Andy Carroll. Given 20 minutes having recovered from injury at Loftus Road, the England target man should be raring to go for this next London derby. He could ensure another unpleasant afternoon for Arsene Wenger.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 00:16 4th Oct, 2012 but subject to change
