If you read some reports, we barely made it past West Ham to win the dubious privilege of playing Stoke away in the next round (thanks for that). Must of been watching a different game to me.

Mind you since I watched the game on the TV, there was a sense of deja vu as the last time I had been to West Ham it had seemed like watching a game in someone's front room. I guess they've added corporate boxes for all the second hand car salesmen since, so the Boleyn Ground probably seems a tad bigger now. In my extended family it was always a straight choice between the Hammers and Arsenal, so I might get a bit of grief from the Dark Side. Not going to mention Sir Trevor tripping over and winning the Cup for them.

Yes we didn't play too well in the first half, largely I think because the two players who did turn up in midfield, viz Ramsey and Song, had to do all the work for Merida and Wilshere who didn't. I know there has been much talk in the past of Merida being the natural successor to Cesc, but I don't think so. And now apparently he's signed for Atletico or someone and will be returning home. I don't like to see gifted players leave, but we can't keep all of the midfielders we have happy, even if we traditionally lose half of them, well the same two at least, to injury on a regular basis.

I thought Wilshere looked out of his depth, although Arsene may have a point and he may have been trying too hard to impress. Something that should change with growing maturity. Having read the 'Young, Gifted and Jack' article recently in the Sunday Times, he looks to be grounded so hopefully a loan spell should help form him a little. I say hopefully because if he doesn't go on loan it means we have another midfielder crocked and we can't afford to let another body out of the squad.

Obviously the whole thing changed around with Diaby and Nasri coming on as it took a lot of the pressure off Ramsay which allowed him to play his more natural game. Even allowing for his less than sparkling performance, I think Jack had to go off so he could get ready for bed or something anyway. Every so often Arsene comes up with a player who is head and shoulders above his contemporaries, Cesc is an obvious case in point, he's done it again with Ramsey. Cesc is right to be looking over his shoulder.

Putting aside the fact that playing younger players keeps them from wearing hoodies and hanging around outside offy's, for which we seldom get the thanks we deserve I might add, it does show us what they are capable of against a team which should not be where it is in the league. Yes, yes, West Ham have loads of injuries, but they are far from the only teams in that situation. And frankly concentrating on that takes away the fact they are a half-decent footballing team. They worked hard to stop us playing and only tired towards the last quarter whic is what traditionally happens when teams attempt to stop us playing (legally). There's only so much running you can do before getting well knackered. Strange that so many commentators failed to see that and didn't conclude that as long as we could keep going, we would finish the stronger. Speaking of keeping going, credit where it's due I thought Sylvestre had a decent game. I know his manc connections make him an easy target, but let's try and be fair huh?

So now we have the window wide open and every man and his dog is being linked with us as we evidently don't have enough players yet. I have to say that on the showing against West Ham, I'd be inclined to agree. If we want to have a chance of winning competitions we are in, we can't afford to carrying passengers who are along purely to get experience. Well apart from in the Carling Cup anyway. Whilst we continue to be a footballing side, the cloggers will continue to injure our players with euphemisms which parade themselves as committed tackles. So we need an attacker, a defensive midfielder and we also need to sort out whether Senderos is an Arsenal player or not. If he is, give him some game time. If he isn't sell him and get someone we are likely to play. Even if he did perenially come up short against Dogbreath, he's far from the only one and he was always someone who gave their all. He doesn't deserve to be in limbo.

So next round we get to go to the ground that only Stoke really like to play at. Depends who we have who can walk without crutches as to how well that goes. Chances are we might have a few more for Colin to practice on afterwards. Of more immediate concern is our fabled game in hand. We have to win it, but at present it's hard to figure who is going to be fit enough to play, so at this stage a prediction is speculative at best.

And finally I have to mention the 'It's up for grabs now' Arsenal podcast with Alan Davies. I somehow missed it when it started and have spent the Christmas season catching up. If you love Arsenal and hate the Spuds, and make the mistake of listening to it in public, you'll probably injure yourself trying not to laugh out loud. You'll certainly make some really inappropriate noises trying. It's really what footy supporting is all about, knowledgeable and very, very biased. Click on the iTunes banner at the top of the page and search for it in the podcasts. You sincerely won't regret it.