Arsenal lacked luster

The best passing team in the Premiership were reduced to long range efforts today as West Ham United, playing at home, continued to surprise the doubters with a gritty defensive display and just enough chances on goal to claim themselves a fair result.

Well, a draw might have been a fair result but 0-0 forced me to keep flipping over to Man U – Blackburn where there was drama to be played out.

Teddy Sheringham continues to play above his age. Old Man River provided the Hammers their best chance of the game with a first half free kick that just missed wide.

While the game was open and has some flow, bad passing in front of goal and some stingy defending preserved the feeling that there would be no breakthrough goal.

Bobby Zamora, a West Ham substitute could have won the game with a late header but the chance went begging wide.

While the likes of Freddie Ljungberg, Robin Van Persie and Jose Reyes were industrious there was a distinct lack of snap in Arsenal’s play. Compared to the form of the unbeaten run that ended last season, the Gunners play was a far cry. Having Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry injured didn’t help. But, dare I say it, Arsenal can’t seem to capture the midfield the same way they could when Patrick Vieira was in charge.

As for West Ham, I’m impressed; this is a good team and the clear surprise of the young Premiership season. I said before the season that they have questions to answer in midfield but from what I have seen Nigel Rio-Coker, Matthew Etherington and Yossi Benayoun are up to the job.