Arsenal vs. West Ham: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Arsenal defeated West Ham yesterday by a score of 3-1, doing the job after a strugglebus game in the FA Cup semifinal over the weekend. With a depleted team and a tired team, falling behind and playing poorly early wasn't really a shock - but the comeback sure was nice. Let's take a look at some of the awesome, horrible, and absurd things that went down.

The Good

• Olivier Giroud's first touch on his goal. It was pretty awesome, and probably wouldn't have been a goal without it. He made a defender fall down. Baller status achieved.
• Thomas Vermaelen's ball for Giroud's goal. It dropped in where only he could get it, almost as if he'd dropped it in there.
• Aaron Ramsey's header for Lukas Podolski's last goal. Ramsey's heading ability is underrated. So's his "everything else" ability. That's how good Ramsey is at this point.
• Podolski's finishing. Operation Yashima is a success.
• Vermaelen's overall performance at leftback. I personally was concerned before the game, but he played well.
• Kim Kallstrom in general.

The Bad

• Giroud's miss. It didn't end up costing Arsenal, but still, come on dude. I try to defend you, and you do that? Take a lap.
• Podolski's second half, aside from the goal. He kind of disappeared.
• Wojciech Szczesny since the red card against Bayern Munich.

The Ugly

• The mixup between (the otherwise good) Kallstrom and Vermaelen on West Ham's goal. Guys playing in their first start for the club and out of position respectively can't be blamed too much, but still, it was shit.
• Andy Carroll and Sam Allardyce. Even literally laughing at Jose Mourinho's bastardhood doesn't excuse you, Sam. You take a lap too.