West Ham Utd 0 Arsenal 2:ARSENAL WERE ultimately the clear and deserved winners, but if their captain, William Gallas, was tempted to lean on a post with another gasper between his lips, it was an indulgence he could never afford against a determined and well-organised West Ham side.

The home team had a game plan, and they stuck to it with discipline. It was to defend in numbers and hit Arsenal on the break.

Craig Bellamy and David Di Michele supported Carlton Cole from deep positions, and their populous midfield made it difficult for Arsenal to play through.

West Ham also created the most thrilling and clear-cut chance of the match on the half-hour when Scott Parker, playing the best ball of the afternoon as he fell over, sent Bellamy scampering towards the Arsenal goal.

Bellamy decided to shoot low instead of lifting the ball over the sliding Manuel Almunia, and the goalkeeper saved it, desperately, with his outstretched left leg.

The crucial difference between the sides was that when Arsene Wenger turned to his bench there was Emmanuel Adebayor and Abou Diaby to come on, and when West Ham looked up their sleeve there was little.

If Wenger had any doubts about whether his efforts to keep hold of Adebayor in the summer were worthwhile, he cannot have them now. His contribution when he came off the bench in the 68th minute was massive.

First he created mayhem in the West Ham defence with a shot that would have gone wide but which was guided into his net by West Ham defender Julien Faubert.

Then, in the 93rd minute, he latched on to Nicklas Bendtner's superb cross-field ball from a left-back position to slip it past the advancing Robert Green, who scarcely deserved to be on the losing side.

"He came on with a determined attitude and did very well today," said Wenger. "He's a regular player in my side and he fights very hard. Last year I overused him, so this time I want to rotate him a bit. When there's a breather in the championship, we play in the Champions League.

"This was a big win for us. We would have felt that this was a wasted opportunity not to get closer to the top. We knew before the match that we couldn't drop points today."

Arsenal stay fourth, and Wenger is happy with their position. "We are one point behind Chelsea and four points behind Liverpool, which in October is a good position to have. West Ham decided to frustrate us by defending very deep and protecting very well in the centre.

"But West Ham can feel frustrated, because they defended very well and gave absolutely everything.

"A week ago, everyone made Chelsea super favourites; now it's Liverpool, so things change very quickly. We were very close last year, when we lost only three games."

This was West Ham's third defeat on the spin.

But their manager, Gianfranco Zola, was in a positive mood. "The players' commitment was fantastic, and their attitude perfect. They are doing everything that I've asked them to do, so I have no complaints. I'm not worried at all because we are going to get through this moment. It won't be long before we get the results."

Not, though, presumably on Wednesday, when they are away to Manchester United.

Green was lucky not to be sent off when, challenged by Bendtner, he appeared to handle outside the area. But the goalkeeper's form was so outstanding he deserved the break. He saved particularly well from Theo Walcott four minutes later.

Walcott's surging diagonal runs troubled the West Ham defence, but it was the extra quality of Adebayor that made the vital difference. "I think he smokes a very good cigarette," said Wenger as he left the press conference.