Lukas Podolski scores twice as Arsenal beats West Ham 3-1 in Premier League action

LUKAS Podolski scored twice as Arsenal came from a goal down to beat West Ham 3-1 in the EPL to provisionally reclaim the last Champions League spot.

LUKAS Podolski scored twice as Arsenal came from a goal down to beat West Ham 3-1 in the Premier League and provisionally reclaim the last Champions League spot.

Arsenal trailed to Matthew Jarvis' 40th-minute opener, but Podolski equalized before the break and Arsenal dominated the second half.

Olivier Giroud made amends for an earlier miss by putting Arsenal ahead in the 55th and Podolski finished off the win with another clinical strike in the 78th.

Arsenal leapfrogged Everton into fourth place, although the Merseyside club is only one point behind with a game in hand.

“In the first half it was difficult but the vital thing was to come back just before half-time to 1-1 and in the second half we controlled it well,” he told Sky Sports.

“Overall, it’s a hard-fought win but a very, very important one and as well, a very pleasant (one) because after the Saturday game we had to dig deep with some players and they showed a great mental response.”

Coming off their penalty-shootout win against Wigan in the FA Cup semifinals on Saturday, Arsenal looked sluggish at the start.

News_Image_File: Arsenal's Polish-born German striker Lukas Podolski scored a double.

West Ham was the better team for the first 30 minutes, but when the opening goal came it was against the run of play following a period of sustained Arsenal pressure.

Kim Kallstrom, making his first start for Arsenal since joining on loan in January, lost track of Antonio Nocerino down the right flank as the West Ham player broke into the area. Nocerino's shot was stopped by Wojciech Szczesny, but Jarvis was there to head in the rebound in a goalmouth scramble.

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Arsenal responded quickly, however, as Santi Cazorla found Podolski in the area and the Germany forward took one touch to create space before slotting a clinical finish inside the far post.

Before that, Giroud had wasted Arsenal's two best chances as the France striker couldn't make contact with Podolski's cross in the 14th, and then wasted a one-on-one opportunity in the 30th. Cazorla picked out Giroud that time as well, but the Frenchman went for finesse rather than power, trying to chip the ball with the outside of his boot past Adrian, but the goalkeeper palmed it away.

News_Rich_Media: Highlights of Arsenal's 3-1 win over West Ham United at Emirates Stadium.

Giroud changed tactics the next time, however, after Thomas Vermaelen picked him out with a long ball into the area. Giroud downed it with one touch and then slotted a shot between Adrian's legs to put the hosts up for good.

“It was a great goal, a really great goal. First touch with his left foot and he finishes well with the right foot,” Wenger said.

“Some credit as well to Thomas Vermaelen. He came in with a great ball but there was a lot to do after that and it was a great goal.

“If the first touch in the box is not perfect then there’s no chance of scoring but that first touch was perfect.”

Arsenal kept pressing and the third goal came after Giroud broke down the left and sent a high pass in toward substitute Aaron Ramsey, who picked out Podolski with a header and the German blasted a high shot into the net.

“Aaron is a very important player for us and he has that power and that drive forward. He surprises you as well with his vision in the final third and he did that with the header.

“It came to the feet where you want it to go because Podolski is a great finisher.”

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