Danny rediscovers goal touch
ARSENAL’S forgotten man Danny Welbeck ended his three-month goal drought to send the Gunners into the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
The striker scored for the first time since September 9 just before the break with the home side’s first shot on target.
It was only his fourth goal of the season for Arsenal but it left the stubborn and shot-shy Hammers with a mountain to climb in the second half.
Resurgent under new boss David Moyes, West Ham frustrated Arsenal by holding them to a goalless draw at the London Stadium a week ago.
A goal behind last night, though, they could find no way back.
Arsene Wenger named an experienced line-up for this quarter-final with Theo Walcott captaining a side that was full of internationals.
With Premier League survival the top priority for his side, Moyes made six changes to the side which smashed Stoke 3-0 at the weekend.
Young talents Domingos Quina and Declan Rice both started and there was a recall for Joe Hart.
West Ham were the first team to stop Arsenal scoring in a league game for three months the last time they met.
In fact, they went into the game on the back of keeping three straight clean sheets and looked just as hard to break down in this one.
For nearly 40 minutes Arsenal passed the ball around without looking remotely dangerous and the visitors were content to sit back and soak up the pressure.
Only then did the home side threaten, when Sead Kolasinac picked out Walcott with a cross and the Gunners winger sent a free header wide.
It wasn’t until just before half-time that Arsenal finally made the breakthrough.
Mathieu Debuchy headed the ball into the box and when Winston Reid and James Collins failed to deal with it, Welbeck stabbed home.
West Ham were two down at half-time