Robert Green puts on another super show at the Emirates but it is not enough to prevent defeat.

ROBERT GREEN doesn’t talk to the press anymore.

An articulate, intelligent man, he has been hurt by many of the stories written about him since that summer’s day at the World Cup in South Africa and deeply angered by what has happened to his family since those stories have been printed.

It was inevitable that the events of the summer were going to affect his confidence at the start of the season, though perhaps a little surprising that the chants of the opposing crowds would also affect him in the way they did.

But in the last few games, the 30-year-old former Norwich City goalkeeper has shown that form is temporary and class is permanent as he has put in some of his best performances for the Hammers.

Saturday’s clash at the Emirates saw Green at his very best and it was fitting that it was on his 150th league appearance for the club.

It must have reminded many West Ham fans of his 20th appearance for the Hammers which also came at the Emirates.

That day in April 2007, Green made save after save to keep the rampant Gunners at bay, and with Bobby Zamora scoring at the other end, West Ham became the first away team to triumph at Arsenal’s new stadium.

This time round he was in imperious form once again, but even that was not enough to prevent bottom-of-the-table West Ham from crashing to an agonising 1-0 defeat, courtesy of a goal two minutes from time.

“Rob is a good goalkeeper,” said West Ham boss Avram Grant. “Maybe he started the season not at his best, but he was not as bad as people were saying.”

Mistakes against Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea put further pressure on Green, but since then he has been a rock in the Hammers defence and even returned to the England squad for their clash with Montenegro.

“He is a good character and he put in a good performance today as he has for most of the last two months,” said Grant.

“Do I think he was back to his best today? I think he has been doing that for the last month at least. Nobody can always be good, but in the last month he has been playing well.”

West Ham defender Lars Jacobsen reiterated the point.

“I’m so pleased for him that he’s playing very well,” said the Danish defender.

“The last five or six games he’s been a tremendous character in the goal and done very well.”

It would have been nice to know what Green himself thought about his performance and his form, but alas, the goalkeeper is not talking to the press.

Mind you, when you are playing as well as he is, you don’t need words to illustrate it.