Arsenal v West Brom: Chris Lepkowski's match report and player ratings

Sep 23 2009 by Chris Lepkowski

SO it wasn't too painful for West Brom after all.

Horror stories of grown men being taught a lesson by children from Arsenal's finishing school meant Albion's visit to the Emirates came with a chilling pre-match advisory.

Yet it was only a solitary first-half drama, that being the dismissal of Jerome Thomas, which altered the path of the game.

Otherwise it was fairly even with Albion showing they were more than capable of bullying the north London's superbrats.

Sanchez Watt and Carlos Vela scored second-half goals after Thomas had got himself a red card for striking Jack Wilshere in the face. Wilshere, a tremendous talent, equally showed why Arsene Wenger has yet to fully trust him - he reacted as if struck by a iron bar.

Chris Lepkowski will be live online at 10am tomorrow to answer all of your WBA questions and to talk about the season so far - pop along and ask him a question at www.birminghammail.net/live

Thomas will serve a three-match ban for the moment of madness, which stemmed from a clumsy collision with the young Arsenal midfielder.

His initial reaction was to stretch out his hand to try and pick Wilshere up. The teenager responded with a mouthful of verbals. Corporal punishment might have worked 30 years ago - it never did any of us any harm - but you can't go raising your hand to a kid these days, not matter how vile the brat is, and, as a result, the Baggies man was forced to take the walk.

Thomas' actions ruined what had otherwise been another lively display.

Crucially, with left-siders Marek Cech, Joe Mattock and Chris Brunt injured, Thomas was pretty much assured a clear run in the starting line-up for the next week or so.

That chance will go to someone else. For instance, Gonzalo Jara, making his debut at left-back, left a more productive impression on Roberto Di Matteo.

His opening minutes - occupying a role which isn't his favoured - were nervy but he reacted swiftly. He acclimatised to the pace of the game without any fuss.

What was also soon apparent is that Jara reads the game and holds his position well. Whether the left or right foot is favoured we've yet to know - he looked capable with both.

But his efforts and those of his ten, and subsquently nine, team-mates weren't enough.