We Love Talking
If you have something
you want us to talk about
send us an email.
Editorial
'Dull and frustrating...' Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
WeLoveCamden reader and Arsenal fan, Christian Kent, takes us through another difficult day at the office for Arsene Wenger.
Had he or hadn't he boarded a plane to London? The pre-match chatter was all about the Russian, Andrei Arshavin, and whether he had agreed a deal with Arsenal in the final minutes of the transfer window.
The delay supposedly being about a personal payment between Arhavin himself and Zenit.
Saturday's game against West Ham really embodied the way in which Arsenal have played of late. Dull, uninspiring and frustrating football.
As an Arsenal fan, attending a game is always a pleasure but gone are the days of Thiery Henry, Ian Wright or the 'Dennis fox in the box' Bergkamp rousing the crowd with a wonder goal.
A full 90 minutes at the Emirates has become more akin to arriving at Heathrow with the expectation of boarding the new A380 and being ushered towards a propeller plane from the 1980s, or eating a 6oz steak from Garfunkels compared with a fine piece of Argentinian steak from Buenos Aires.
The propellor plane will get you from A to B and you will never leave an Angus Steakhouse hungry, but do you leave either feeling excited, fulfilled and wanting more - the current Arsenal team just don't have the impact and style that us arsenal fans are searching for (and expect).
With the price of a season ticket at Arsenal far from cheap, in these days of the credit crunch, Arsene Wenger really does have a job on his hands to keep the supporter base on-side and the gate receipts flowing over the Emirates bridge.
Should he sign, does Arshavin know how much pressure is on him to perform and provide the spark that we have all been searching for?
Wenger went for an interesting starting eleven on Saturday - no Robin Van Persie, arguably Arsenal's best player or Carlos Vela, the quick, creative Mexican. Van Persie was rested for the FA Cup replay against Cardiff....since postponed due to the bad weather. Wenger may well be regretting that decision.
Despite Arsenal's complete domination, very little happened in the first half.
It's that inability to create chances in the final third of the pitch that needs so much work. Surely Wenger has his boys working on that during training? I dont think there was even a chance from Arsenal in the first half.
Vela joined the game in the 36th minute when Emanuel Eboue was injured by Scott Parker and helped provide a little bit of momentum. Meanwhile West Ham seemed to be playing for a draw.
Their best chance came just as the Arsenal fans were tucking into a pint of Fosters and a chicken balti pie - a minute or so before the end of the first half James Collins headed into the top corner of Arsenal's goal - fortunately cleared by Gael Clichy.
In the second half Van Persie had a run out (68), replacing Nicklas Bentdner. Oddly not Emmanuel Adebayor who had squandered two very good chances for Arsenal in the second half.
Arsenal did play with spirit, with Nasri and Diaby (later injured) driving most of the play.
Clichy also had a good game. But West Ham defended very well. It was the same old story - Arsenal no longer have the skill to break down teams that put 10 men behind the ball and defend, defend, defend. Collins and Upson for West Ham were solid.
Next stop White Hart Lane. Robbie Keane will be back and Arshavin (hopefully) will be looking to win the hearts and minds of the Arsenal fans. A must win game.
1 Comment
-
Gunnersaurus has got more bite than Arsenal these days...
This Arsenal team are toothless and predictable
As a West Ham fan, the Emirates fixture is usually one of dread. 90 minutes of goal line clearances, zero possession and panic. But on Saturday it was clear that Arsenal lacked a cutting edge.
We are on a good run and going into the game there was a heightened level of expectation of us getting a result, but I thought our open style of play would allow Arsenal to play their neat and attractive football and generally play us off the park - and to an extent that's what happened in terms of chances. But they never looked like scoring and we were calm and collected in defence.
I think teams go to the Emirates now with a genuine expectation of getting some sort of result.
There is definitely something missing at Arsenal these days and I'm not sure Arshavin is the answer.
