So, after three defeats in a week (despite actually winning the second game, we still got dumped out of a semi final in the last minute, so it counts as a defeat), we need to get the show back on the road at home - not for the first time this season.
West Ham are the visitors in a cheeky midweek round of Premiership games, and of course the added attraction here is our old friend Teddy Sheringham, without a doubt the footballer most despised by Arsenal fans over the last 10 years (no matter how much good progress Wayne Rooney is making). Teddy will be 40 in 2 months time, so really should have retired ages ago, the snivelling little bastard. Excitement therefore, because it could be our last chance to see him and say goodbye!!
Unfortunately, Alan Pardew scuppered the excitement a little by leaving Sheringham on the bench throughout - teasing us but without giving us what we wanted. West Ham also dampened the excitement for Arsenal fans by scoring 3 times and winning the game. So, an easy home victory and a chance to abuse Teddy one last time, was in fact nothing of the sort.
All was made more annoying by the number of West Ham fans in the North Bank, and the complete failure of Arsenal stewards to do anything about their presence - even when they started openly celebrating goals. Increasingly the way of the world, and an effect of Arsenal's keenness to sell overpriced corporate packages - if away fans buy them, they won't throw them out having paid so much money. So as we all know, with money at Arsenal, you can buy your way anywhere, even places that you're really not supposed to be.
To be fair, despite losing this game, we created just as many chances as in the 7-0 destruction of Middlesbrough. We scored 2, and Anton Ferdinand and Shaka Hislop between them played fantastically well to ensure that the ball just wouldn't go in any more than that. Against Boro it went in (almost) every time. The real problem today was that we conceded 3, and from only 4 shots that West Ham managed to have. Campbell had a shocker, which is becoming too common, and we looked generally frail in defence.
It does seem that with Arsenal this season, if it isn't the defence going wrong, its the attack or the midfield; and we haven't really had a run all season where everything has actually been working properly! Never mind, nothing like an away trip to Birmingham, next up, to try to improve things!!
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