Arsenal vs West Ham

Saturday's game was, again, frustrating. Since (& including) the West Brom game, we've been average at best in the league at home. Against WBA we were both unlucky and awful. Against Birmingham we were poor. Against West Ham, we were alright, but lacking, simultaneously. If I'm honest, I really do think we should  have come away with a 4 or 5 nil win - after all, we had 20 shots on goal (according to the BBC) compared to WHU's 6 -and I feel that it was only Rob Green's heroics in their goal which prevented it. 

I can stomach only coming away from the game with a 1-0 win; what does leave a bitter after-taste though, is that it was yet another poor refereeing display at the Emirates. I feel that Scott Parker should have been, at least, booked during the game, the referee warning him multiple times. There were also some dubious decisions. One instance, where Chamakh was called back for offside (after a Walcott shot I think), was as far as I could see from the MOTD replays, completely, 100%, totally wrong.

Returning to the football though, the free kick from Nasri, which hit the bar, was truly amazing, a fraction of an inch lower, and it would have been in. An audacious effort from a full 35 yards. Not the only occasion upon which we hit the woodwork though, Walcott being denied his third goal of the week by Green's right post, again mere centimetres away from a goal. When it came though, it really was worth the 88 minute wait. Clihy, superbly released down the left hand side, dummied the cross perfectly, beating his man with ease. Then it was the final ball... On his weaker right foot, the number 22 swept in a tempting cross, that needed only the slightest touch to break the deadlock. Nicklas Bendtner's outstretched leg almost reached it, but instead it fell onto the diving head of Alex Song. Rob Green never stood a chance; the Emirates in ecstasy, West Ham hearts broken. 

Before the goal however, they'd had another lucky set of escapes. Twice the penalty area like a pinball machine. Chance after chance spurned by Arsenal, the East Londoners lucky to come away unscathed. Then only to play out the remaining minutes. The Hammers, previously content to waste as much time as possible, found a new vigour about themselves, pushing for the equaliser, but to no avail. Not even a half-decent opportunity on goal could they muster, let alone the finish they so desired. Nervy moments nonetheless; it was one of those games in which anything could happen; even at that late, and outplayed stage. The Gunners held on, to achieve a well deserved win, the 3 points keeping them in second place.

The title race seems to be over before it even began, Chelsea 5 points clear already, the title must be theirs. Now all that remains is to determine the positions of the rest, and to fight for silverware on other fronts. Right now, I feel that second should be ours, leaving City, United and Spurs to slug it out for the last two Champions League places.