That’s all folks.
Well done to Jacob for manning the blog for the game.
Will the rest of Wenger’s reign be so positive? We will find out on Thursday.
Alexandre Lacazette scored twice, while Nacho Monreal and Aaron Ramsey netted one each in what turned into a simple win
That’s all folks.
Well done to Jacob for manning the blog for the game.
Will the rest of Wenger’s reign be so positive? We will find out on Thursday.
On the upside for West Ham, Stoke were held at home by Burnley, so will struggle to stay up now. Paul Doyle was at the Bet365.
Moyes thought his team were good for a point until Rice ducked under Ramsey’s cross.
Asked whether 4-1 was a fair result, Moyes said: “The last 10 minutes it might have been but before then we were good for a point.
“The young should have headed it away, why he ducked I have no idea.
“We’re distraught for the team, as I thought the team effort was incredible.
“I am more disappointed in the last five minutes but maybe I had too many attacking players on.”
Our man Daniel Daniel Taylor was at the Emirates. Read his report:
Wenger has spoken to a slightly less croaky Shreeves.
“I think we are at the moment top of the home league. We constructed patiently our win in the first half, it was tough to find space.
“From the second half onwards we looked like we could score as we found more space.
“At 1-1 you could see we were wobbling or not and the second goal killed them.”
Regarding the Elneny injury, Wenger said: “It doesn’t look good on his ankle.”
The Frenchman was also pretty diplomatic on his future and whether he jumped before he was pushed. “Look, I have nothing to add. I think it was in my statement what I wanted to say. Apart from that, I have nothing to say.”
Lacazette showed that he can be clinical in front of goal, once again. His efforts will be a great boon for the Frenchman and anyone who arrives to manage him in the summer, knowing how much attacking prowess Arsenal have to offer.
Poor Joe Hart. He made two absolutely stunning saves but his game will not be remembered for conceding late goals and Ramsey’s cross into the net. I would argue that was the fault of Declan Rice - no goalkeeper is expecting their defender to duck out of a header on the edge of the six-yard box. It was a very strange decision from the young centre-back, one he will not make again.
Henry doing some more criticism of the Arsenal defence, pointing out no one bothered to see where Arnautovic was in the box. It was pretty poor from the back four. Maybe that will change next season...
Aaron Ramsey has spoken to a very croaky Geoff Shreeves on the win.
“We took a bit of time to get going; it was very hot out there, but I don’t want to make excuses.”
On Wenger’s imminent departure: “Obviously, it’s really tough to take. He’s believed in us, backed us and given us all these opportunities. I owe him a lot and he deserves everything he gets.
“We’re not thinking about who’s coming in next and it’s all about doing it for him and hopefully we can end up with a cup.”
A final one for the list...
Well...it was all quite easy in the end for Arsenal. Aubameyang make a very positive after coming on. Would have been a touch underwhelming if Wenger began his long good with a defeat. They were helped by the second goal coming from a Rice mistake but Arsenal were on top at that stage.
That’s all from me. Will Unwin will take you through the post-match reaction.
It’s Arsene Wenger’s day! And nobody can really have any complaints about that. Unless you’re David Moyes.
90 min+2: Lacazette, on a hat-trick, almost dribbles through. Instead he lays it back to Xhaka, who sidefoots a decent chance over. West Ham have badly run out of steam. They are six points above the bottom three with four matches left and aren’t quite safe yet.
90 min: There will be four added minutes. “There’s only one Arsene Wenger!” the Arsenal fans chant.
Ramsey dribbles into the area from the left, beating Zabaleta with ease, and cuts it back to Lacazette. He eludes one challenge before slamming a low shot past Hart. Arsenal have turned on the style!
88 min: Calum Chambers replaces Danny Welbeck.
87 min: Arnautovic is booked for barging Aubameyang over.
86 min: Andy Carroll replaces Arthur Masuaku.
Arsenal are enjoying themselves now. Welbeck plays a one-two with Xhaka and finds Aubameyang. He moves it on to Lacazette, whose shot from the right zips off Cresswell and flies past the unfortunate Hart.
84 min: That defending was so bad it’s enough to make you think Rice was paying tribute to latter-day Wengerball.
This is a farce. Arsenal counter down the right, Aubameyang tearing down the right. His cross is headed away by Rice, but Ramsey picks the ball up on the left. He curls a cross into the six-yard box and this time Rice decides to duck under it and leave the ball to Hart. One problem: Hart isn’t telepathic and he was unable to stop the cross from drifting into the far corner! Oh dear. A total breakdown in communication, Rice showing his inexperience, and Arsenal have the lead again!
80 min: There’s more mayhem in the West Ham area, Hart unable to gather a loose ball, Ogbonna unable to hack clear, but Ramsey and Lacazette can’t bundle the ball in. West Ham survive.
79 min: Arsenal are enjoying a lot of possession at the moment. West Ham can’t get out. A clearance falls to Welbeck. He curls one towards the far corner from the left, but Hart flies to his left to brilliantly push it away! That looked a certain goal! What a goalkeeper!
78 min: The crowd’s a bit quiet. You can hear the shouts of encouragement from the West Ham bench. “Get out him to, Cheikh ... Get it out, Arthur ... Bring me, Marouane Fellaini.”
76 min: The camera lingers on Andy Carroll, allowing us to gaze at the Geordie hunk for a while.
74 min: Mustafi goes through the back of Hernandez. He’s booked. He isn’t very good, is he?
73 min: Koscielny attacks Xhaka’s corner, but Hart gathers the loose ball.
72 min: Xhaka lines one up from 25 yards, steps round Noble and forces Hart to tip his low effort wide of the left post. Excellent save.
71 min: The West Ham fans are singing about Carlton Cole, as you do.
70 min: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replaces Alex Iwobi.
68 min: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be on soon. You have to wonder if Wenger ever wanted him.
65 min: Ashley Barnes has made it Stoke 1-1 Burnley.
Masuaku surges down the left and crosses towards Arnautovic. Ospina comes flying out to punch away, but West Ham keep pressing. Kouyate sees a shot blocked. The ball eventually comes to Lanzini, who manages to poke it to Arnautovic, free on the left. He takes a touch and then he rams a brilliant low shot past Ospina, the power too much for the Arsenal goalkeeper to handle! Oh Arsenal.
63 min: Zabaleta’s chipped cross forces Koscielny to glance away from Arnautovic. The ball comes to Masuaku, who wins a corner on the left. Lanzini’s corner is headed away but West Ham keep pressing, a spell of head tennis ending with Arnautovic volleying over.
62 min: Maitland-Niles is booked for a late tackle on Noble.
61 min: A free-kick to West Ham on the right. Lanzini whips it in and almost combines with another substitute, only for Hernandez to head over. That was a good chance for a player of Hernandez’s finishing ability and he knows it.
60 min: Manuel Lanzi replaces the ineffective Edimilson Fernandes and Javier Hernandez replaces the disappointing Joao Mario.
58 min: West Ham are about to introduce Manuel Lanzini and Javier Hernandez.
57 min: Iwobi pops up on the right and cuts the ball back to Ramsey, who sweeps a shot wide. Meanwhile a replay of Monreal’s goal shows that the dozy Masuaku was standing on the post and simply stepped aside, leaving it to Hart, who was furious. Absurd defending. He could have cleared it.
55 min: Arsenal are rampant now. West Ham are all over the place. They’ve not recovered from going behind. Lacazette gets a shot away from inside the area, but it’s blocked. Then Ogbonna heads a dangerous cross behind for a corner.
53 min: Arsenal fancy this now - which is nice of them - and Iwobi drives into the area from the right, only to ruin a promising run with a poor cross.
A corner to Arsenal on the left. Xhaka sends it towards the penalty spot and the unmarked Monreal arrives to volley the ball low to Hart’s right! Wenger in!