There are few better ways to prepare for a challenge that most commentators feel to be beyond them. Arsenal face Monaco on Tuesday and a probable exit from the Champions League but at least they travel in the knowledge that when they click, they can do so with a lethal edge. West Ham United do not particularly resemble the Ligue 1 side but were fairly relaxed, and there is every chance Monaco might be too given their 3-1 lead from the first leg.
A James Collins tackle on Theo Walcott in the penalty area had enough doubt about it for Chris Foy that the referee waved play on. It was a let off for the visitors, whose confidence would have been swiped had they conceded so early. Instead they were able to maintain a bullish attitude even though their defence had a make do and mend element to it with Winston Reid, James Tomkins and Carl Jenkinson all unavailable.
Arsenal dominated but the visitors summoned enough adventurous spirit to prevent it from all feeling totally one-sided. A scintillating counter-attack that involved Mesut Özil composure and Olivier Giroud audacity stuttered when the ball reached Alexis Sánchez. Moments later a Calum Chambers cross to Sánchez prompted a headed effort that almost deceived Adrián, the goalkeeper who dislocated his finger in the warm-up.
Still, West Ham refused to buckle. A volley from Kevin Nolan, as he connected with an unhurried cross from Matthew Jarvis was blocked, with a degree of desperation, by David Ospina. It was all very elegant and unhurried from the visitors as if being so depleted absolved them from any culpability should their approach backfire.
The pass of the game was made by Alex Song, who dispossessed Özil and immediately played a beautifully-weighted ball through to Diafra Sakho. It was Song at his best; trademark solidity with a dash of ingenuity.
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Adrián meanwhile continued to thwart Arsène Wenger’s team. Chambers’ ball into Aaron Ramsey, who volleyed with his knee, prompted a glorious save from the Spaniard. Ramsey then crossed for Sanchez and again Adrian came to his makeshift back line’s rescue. That Sánchez would be the first substitution of the afternoon came as no surprise.
The chance for the first half to end with the flourish of an Arsenal goal appeared to have been wasted when Walcott, presented with one of the more simple opportunities of the afternoon, blasted over the loose ball after Adrián had saved Özil’s point-blank shot. In added time though a smooth, almost cocky, left footed strike by Giroud after he seamlessly took the ball from Ramsey, clipped the far upright and beat West Ham’s agile keeper.
Jarvis wasted a chance afforded from a half- cleared Stewart Downing corner and Sam Allardyce became animatedly annoyed when Sakho beat the Arsenal defence but had no team-mate in support. Still, the visitors were doing enough to unsettle their opponents and maintain that famous jittery atmosphere so often found at the Emirates.
A neat Chambers pass through to Ramsey was cut out with lovely timing by Collins but from the ensuing throw -in Giroud set up Ramsey for a second Arsenal goal that calmed the nerves somewhat and opened the floodgates as Santi Cazorla passed across the face of goal where an unmarked Mathieu Flamini lurked for a simple finish.