Translated from French football website FootMercato Diame is quoted as saying:

“Overall , my season was OK, although I think it is not as good as last season. I started badly, but gradually I got my bearings, and now it is pretty good. I feel very good, I hope to be still useful by the end of the season, scoring goals, and why not reach the threshold of six goals (four now).I’m not going to hide it, I have ambitions, and I would like to join a big six English club. At the end of this season, I still have got one year of contract with West Ham, so I do not know what will happen. But I do not hide it, I’m ambitious, I want to see above. I am 26 years old , it is time to take that step . Liverpool? I do not know if there is something real at the moment, but I think my name is still there. But I can not tell you today if I will be a Liverpool player or not . My priority is to stay in the Premier League, because for me it is the best league in the world. It would be a good thing for me to stay here, now I can not close the door to overseas, where there are also large clubs. But my priority is to stay in England.”

In response to Diame’s comments to the french media Big Sam said in his post match interview last night

“If he [Mo Diame] wants to go to a top-six club he’ll have to perform better.”

Former Liverpool player John Aldridge has urged Liverpool to seriously consider Diame in the summer

“I would urge Liverpool to keep tabs on Mohamed Diame. He is a brute of a midfielder. A tremendous player and so strong and powerful in that central role,and he is exactly what the Reds need in there. Diame is certainly one for future reference”.

This is a reminder that readers of this blog are invited to meet up for a drink after the Crystal Palace game on Saturday.

It’ll be at The Miller’s Well, 419-421 Barking Road. From the ground, go towards Barking and it’s about 100 yards on the left past East Ham High Street. Children are allowed in until 9 pm. http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-millers-well

West Ham were denied a penalty against Arsenal last night when Matt Jarvis stayed on his feet following a challenge from Bacary Sagna.

Sam Allarydce wasn’t happy in his post match interview claiming there is no reward for being honest.

‘The fact is that when you stay on your feet referees don’t give penalties,’ said Big Sam. ‘The ref finds it very difficult to give. For honesty there is no reward. So what do I do? A foul is a foul, it doesn’t matter whether you go down or stay on your feet. You get slaughtered for diving, but when someone is honest and you don’t get what you should get. Every team, when you stay on your feet particularly in the penalty area, it’s a critical decision so you have to make the referee’s mind up.‘If there is contact, you should go down and make the referee’s mind up for him. There is no reward for being honest. But that is not the reason we haven’t won.’

Should Matt Jarvis have gone down when he felt contact or was he right to do the honourable thing and stay on his feet?

UPDATE:

Matt Jarvis has broken his silence saying:

“I don’t really know what to say, maybe I should be a bit cleverer and do what other players have done. Perhaps then, I could have got the penalty. I thought about it too late and then, if I had gone down, it would have been a late dive.”

Should players go down when they feel contact in the box even if they can stay up?

Please use this thread to comment on the match as it progresses.

Lineup: Adrian, Reid, Tomkins, Jarvis, Armero, Carroll, Noble, Demel, Diame, Downing, Nocerino
Subs McCartney, Vaz Te, Taylor, Jaaskelainen, C.Cole, J.Cole, Johnson

From West Ham United Stats

Arsenal vs West Ham United

• Head to Head *
  Head to Head Win : Arsenal: 44.8; West Ham United: 29.1%
  Won: Arsenal: 74; West Ham United: 48
  Drawn: Arsenal: 43; West Ham United: 43
  Lost: Arsenal: 48; West Ham United: 74
  Goals Scored: Arsenal: 269; West Ham United: 222
  Goals Conceded: Arsenal: 222; West Ham United: 269

Recent Form
Last 6: Arsenal: W L D D L D; West Ham United: L L L W W L
Goals Scored: Arsenal: 5; West Ham United: 7
Goals Conceded: Arsenal: 13; West Ham United: 9

Home/Away Form: Arsenal: W L W W D D; West Ham United: W D W L L W
Goals Scored: Arsenal: 13; West Ham United: 7
Goals Conceded: Arsenal: 8; West Ham United: 5

Injured/Doubtful
Arsenal: Naxto Monreal, Laurent Koscielny, Abou Diaby, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Serge Gnabry,
West Ham United: George McCartney, Joey O’Brien, James Collins, Kevin Nolan, Marco Borriello

Suspensions
Arsenal: n/a
West Ham United: n/a

Top Performer (min 5 apps)
Goals Scored:
Arsenal: Olivier Giroud 13; West Ham United: Kevin Nolan 7

Assists:
Arsenal: Mesut Ozil 8; West Ham United: Kevin Nolan 5

Passing Accuracy:
Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny 93%; West Ham United: Mark Noble 83%

Chances Created per game:
Arsenal: Mesut Ozil 2.9; West Ham United: Stewart Downing 1.8

Successful Dribbles per game:
Arsenal: Jack Wilshere 1.9; West Ham United: Mohamed Diamé 1.9

Tackles per game:
Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey 3.5; West Ham United: Mark Noble 2.8

Aerial Duels Won per game:
Arsenal: Olivier Giroud 4.3; West Ham United: Andy Carroll 8.5

For the full match preview, including my pre match analysis with special focus on the opposition’s key player, how we should set up, and their weakest link, and additional stats including each side’s in-form player, a summary of the last meeting, top five performers, and a managerial head to head, head to West Ham United Stats

Tom Aldworth / hammerstats
COYI