West Ham United 0 Arsenal 0: Shot shy Arsenal take a point

Last updated : 24 September 2005 By Brian Dawes

Cole and Rice in conference
The first chant of the day to be heard was ‘Charlie, Charlie’ as the great man himself wandered through the Gooners in the in the away section, otherwise known as the Centenary Lower Tier, prior to kick off.

With Bergkamp, Henry and Pires injured we started with Hleb on the left and the obvious replacements up front. The Boleyn Ground was banged out with 34,742 punters but the ones in claret and blue seemed a bit quiet. Which rather disproves my pet theory that it’s the youngsters who make the noise. Arsenal’s away fans are generally not the youngest followers of teams around the country but they were pretty non-stop noisy today.

Songs about Bobby Moore pre-match and Beatles songs post match seem to indicate that the ‘Ammers are caught in a time warp and their miss-shaped stadium seems caught in it’s own time warp – it looks a mess. Will they ever finish it I wonder? I think not. ‘Oh Teddy, Teddy you play for the West Ham and you’re still a ****!’ Freddie to Robin who fired over, as Arsenal attacked towards the travelling Gooners, it was a decent shot from range. The Hammers broke fast and Lehmann sliced clear. It was good end to end stuff early on. Gilberto headed clear an early attack, at the other end Lauren to Freddie who’s cut back found Robin but his shot was saved.

All too often an Arsenal attack would end on Robin or Jose’s right foot or Freddie’s left, it was that sort of day. Always seemingly it arrived to the wrong player on his wrong foot. Carroll was booed throughout for his past sins, not that either keeper was called into action too often. A reverse ball from Sherringham ‘Y’ found Etherington ‘Y’ who won a free kick just outside our box. The most despised git ever to play against Arsenal hit the free kick just past the post. At this stage the match was fast and furious, with both teams seemingly going for it. West Ham played the offside trap against our free kicks, which were not a patch on our previous match.

We had half chances, mainly from balls that were almost but not quite the full monty. Cole won a corner after a good passing move, Cole also blasted well over from range. Reyes picked out a great shot that bent into the side netting. West Ham countered with a long-throw, which we scrambled clear. The game must have disappeared up it’s own arse however because I found myself watching the rather sad antics of a bald official who was intent on stopping fans taking photos, the sad ****! Van Persie and Gabbidon collided head to head and both required treatment. There was a lot going on but nothing was happening. It was as if a card sharp was flashing a good hand but then hiding it away. Cesc got well advanced and claimed a penalty but it wasn’t clear-cut.

Benayoun snatched at a good chance and blasted his shot wide. Freddie broke, found Reyes and he found Van Persie who shot over. What had started brightly came to not a lot and we’d reached half time with neither side bothering the keepers unduly, or even at all.

Freddie: 100% effort as usual
Half time was a total joke. There was a seriously crap dancing troop who were celebrating East London’s winning the Olympics – funny I thought London had won it, but no apparently it’s The East End Olympics. Then there was that has been Tessa Sanderson screaming incoherently into a microphone and, I think, congratulating the crowd for their support of the Olympics – do what? And then there was a **** who appeared to be the proud local Scottish Mayor of Newham who made a poor taste joke about beating the French for the Games and then beating the French today. The racist f***wit! He clearly hadn’t noticed that the Arsenal didn’t even have a Frenchman on the pitch. This was I imagine good old East End entertainment at it’s highest level.

The second half was as effective as the first. We huffed, they puffed, we fannied around passing, they tried but failed to go anywhere. Have you noticed how Lehmann’s bald patch appears to be expanding – I did, it was that exciting. Hleb showed loads of skill but he’s easier to knock off the ball than Pires, and he’s a lightweight. Reyes and Van Persie are both brilliant until you put them on their wrong foot. Etherington (Y) was still a threat and Lauren was not on song today.

Every now and then we’d threaten but it was one of those days where players were taking it in turns to screw up a move. Lehmann was required to charge out and head clear, which he did confidently. Reo-Coker won a throw after fouling Cesc on a run. From Benayoun’s long throw the Hammers got in a shot that was blocked by a hand. I have to say I’ve seen penalties given for less but also not given for something more blatant. If it had been a ‘Ammer’s ‘and I would have been screaming blue murder. Sherringham was booked for giving Mike Dean grief over the penalty, despite getting away with a very obvious handball himself a lot earlier. A couple of over-hit crosses were all West Ham had to offer against our determined efforts to pass it into their net.

What the feck is wrong with shooting every now and again?

Repka was booked for blocking a Gilberto run. Van Persie got a good shot in that was deflected after Cole and Hleb conspired to over-pass on an otherwise good move. Gilberto injured, required treatment and he didn’t last much longer. A big blow with Europe looming. Europe, was that what the distraction was? Flamini on to replace Gilberto. One of the best tackles of the half was the ref on Reyes, get out of the fecking way you ****! Van Persie headed clear a ‘Ammers corner. Quincy on for Reyes who sulked all the way off the pitch at snail’s pace. Quincy=y started well enough with a good run and cross. Hleb to Quincy in yet another almost but not quite move. Sherringham 'Y' replaced by Zamora 'Y' ‘Are you Tottenham in disguise’ Zamora was on to fall over and win free kicks, and he did. Freddie should have won the game when a truly brilliant ball from Hleb fell at his feet, but he failed to control it with his first touch. It should have been three points in the bag right there and then. Not that I’d knock Freddie because as ever he gave it his all throughout.

Quincy had a shot blocked. Cesc dragged a shot across the face. The game petered out as quite evidently Le boss was saving players for our European bid. Quite why he has high hopes in Europe I’m not too sure, I bet Ajax are not exactly quaking in their boots.