(0) 0 - 0 (0) ArsenalBoleyn Ground, Monday 2nd March 1998FA Carling Premiership
(0) 0 - 0 (0) ArsenalBoleyn Ground, Monday 2nd March 1998FA Carling PremiershipWe really missed Wright and Bergkamp up front. Manninger mad a couple of crucial saves and we had a couple of shouts for penalties.
West Ham United vs Arsenal Mon Mar 2 1998
Result : West Ham (0) 0 Arsenal (0) 0
Arsenal: Manninger, Dixon, Adams, Keown, Upson; Vieira, Hughes,
Platt, Petit, Overmars; Anelka
Subs: Winterburn (Upson 75), Boa Morte (Platt 85),
Grimandi, Rankin, Lukic
Booked: Vieira
West Ham: Lama, Breacker, Pearce, Unsworth, Impey, Lomas,
Lampard, Lazaridis, Berkovic, Hartson, Sinclair
Subs: Potts (Breacker 46), Finn, Abou, Bishop, Mean
Att: 25717
Ref: P A Durkin (Portland)
A disappointing result at Upton Park last night in a rather disjointed
game dominated by defences. An Arsenal attack lacking the injured
Bergkamp and Wright was always likely to struggle, relying as it was on
Anelka with Platt and Overmars in support. A somewhat more recognised
West Ham attack was equally ineffectual against an Arsenal defence at
it's dominant best.
Petit, Winterburn and Grimandi were all fit again, but Wenger kept the latter two on the bench and kept faith with the team that played the cup game against Palace the previous week with the exception of Petit and Overmars replacing Boa Morte and Bergkamp. Arsenal again played a sort of 4-3-3 with Platt and Overmars to the right and left of Anelka up front. The game started suprisingly slowly with Arsenal looking slightly the brighter early on, before the home side got on top and did more attacking during the opening half hour. The first time either side really threatened was about 15 minutes into the game when a long cross field ball picked out Impey in space on the right wing. He advanced towards the area before laying the ball off inside to Berkovic. The Israeli midfielder belted in a shot from about 20 yards which was heading just inside the near post until Manninger flung himself to his left to pull off a brilliant fingertip save. At the other end Lama was at last called into action after about half an hour when Anelka tried a well hit snap shot with his left foot from just outside the area, but it was straight at the keeper. The young French striker then appeared to miss what looked from the other end like the best chance of the half. Hughes went on a great run and dribble down the left before played the ball across the face of goal. Unsworth was well placed to intercept but completely missed his attempt, and Anelka just behind him about 8 yards out did likewise, surprised by the ball reaching him. He recovered to retrieve the ball though, and played it back to Dixon who swerved past a challenge just outside the area before firing in a shot which went just wide of the near post and into the side netting. West Ham were causing the Arsenal defence a few problems with their attacks down the flanks, though Keown and Adams were usually in the right place to clear. The one exception was when a cross from the left found Hartson, his control (lack of) caused the ball to bounce up which gave him the chance to try an overhead kick which went straight at Manninger. In reply Arsenal were denied another reasonable chance when Unsworth stopped a pass forward from Platt to Overmars with his hand. Even from the other end of the pitch it was an obvious handball, so how the ref failed to see it I don't know, though the TV replay apparently showed it was just outside the area. And the Gunners came close again after Dixon had done exceptionally well chasing what seemed a lost cause to win a corner. From it Hartson attempted a clearance but completely miskicked and the ball spun forward towards Adams. From the corner of the 6yd box he hooked an overhead volley back towards goal, but it bounced wide of the far post and Hughes in the middle just failed to get a decisive touch on it. The second half was little better. Wenger apparently said his tactics were to keep it tight for the first hour, expecting the game to open up in the last 30 minutes. It never really did, though there were one or two good chances at either end. Manninger made another great save when Hartson took the ball round him following a pass into the box by Sinclair. Hartson slightly scuffed his attempt to clip the ball into the empty net with his left foot though, and Manninger brilliantly recovered by flinging himself back towards the goalline to grab the shot. At the other end Arsenal had another penalty appeal turned down when Petit turned superbly in midfield before delivering what looked a great through ball for Anelka to chase. Unsworth came across though, and certainly obstructed Anelka and the TV angle from behind the goal showed he had a handful of his shirt as well. The ref was well back though and waved play on. West Ham then came close a couple of times when a Lazaridis cross from the left was just touched off Hartson's head by Manninger, and then a corner from the left somehow went through a crowd of players in the 6yd box and out the other side for a goal kick. Arsenal came closest to winning it in the final 10 minutes. First Anelka went on a brilliant run into the left side of the area, going past 3 defenders before clipping in a left foot shot from an acute angle which Lama reacted well to, pushing it aside at his near post for a corner. Then Boa Morte, on for the last 5 minutes in place of Platt, came closest of all. Petit spotted Boa Morte's run into the area from the left, marked only by Impey, and chipped a free kick down the middle to pick him out perfectly. Boa Morte took the ball down well with his left foot and then clipped a shot back towards goal with his right. He looked to have done everything right, but Lama made a great save, spreading himself well and just stopping the shot with his foot. A couple of minutes later Petit played a virtually identical free kick, this time picking out Adams' run from a similar position, but again Lama came out and just managed to punch the ball off Adams' head. Not a bad result considering the circumstances and West Ham's home record, but in the context of the league title not really good enough. The defence certainly looked encouragingly solid, but at the other end there wasn't enough purpose, with Bergkamp's invention and Parlour's driving runs badly missed.
Manninger 8.0 A couple of fantastic saves, and otherwise looked fairly
solid apart from a couple of dodgy moments with crosses
and his usual appalling kicking.
Upson 6.5 Looked reasonably confident again, though a little naive
defensively at times.
Dixon 7.0 A fairly good game and the typical whole hearted attitude.
Adams 7.5 Typical Adams again.
Keown 8.0 Never let a thing get past him, despite playing most of
the match with a head wound.
Vieira 7.0 Fairly solid and did a lot of good work defensively.
Unlucky to be booked late on when he pulled out of a
tackle only to see Lazaridis dive.
Petit 7.5 Also had a great game covering in front of the defence,
and also played some good forward passes in the 2nd half.
Hughes 7.0 Had a good first half particularly, looking Arsenal's
most creative player, but faded somewhat in the 2nd.
Platt 5.5 Somewhat out of position playing virtually as a striker,
but his touch and passing was mostly awful.
Overmars 5.5 Also very disappointing, never really did anything.
Anelka 6.5 I don't think the lone striker really suits him, though
he had inconsistent support from Platt and Overmars. He
did have some good moments, though I still think he
doesn't anticipate enough and tends to expect passes to
feet when he should be looking for space.
Winterburn Reliable as ever.
Boa Morte Was quite lively in the short time he was on. Perhaps
his best role is as a substitute for the last 10 mins.
Other reports
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