It’s time strikers bit the bullet

MATCH of the Day’s Goal of the Month competition is often a reasonable barometer of the Arsenal’s form.

The fact that our only inclusion in the March goalfest was as the team on the receiving end of one of Peter Crouch’s strikes, sums up our miserable month. In truth, considering we’ve endured our most inconsistent season for many a moon, it’s amazing our unbeaten record at the new stadium actually lasted as long as it did.

Whilst many might point to our profligacy in front of goal, to my mind Saturday’s matchday programme must be partially culpable for our first ever defeat in our new premises, as the stats feature fatefully revealed that the third game of West Ham’s only winning streak of more than two games last season was their 2-3 triumph at Highbury.

Sadly Bobby Zamora didn’t appear the least bit bothered by the long list of stats that suggested this game would be a stroll for the Gunners, as he lobbed Lehmann on the stroke of half-time. Whoever it was, they were spot on when they spoke about “lies, damn lies and statistics”!

Nevertheless I’ve absolutely no truck with the so-called supporters who booed the Gunners off at the break and who doubtless would’ve done likewise at the final whistle, if it wasn’t for the fact that the majority of them were already halfway along Holloway Road in their rush to get home.

Even after a dreadfully lacklustre display at Anfield, the hard-core, loyal Gooners who schlepped all the way up to Liverpool, did their best to laugh off this embarrassing defeat. Whereas perhaps our new gaff attracts a larger element of Gooners who demand results in return for some of the meshugana prices and who therefore feel more entitled to express their displeasure.

In respect of goalmouth thrills and spills, personally I thought Saturday’s game was great value. Moreover I’ve always believed there was nothing to be gained from booing one’s own team, even when it’s deserved, as it’s hardly going to encourage them to try harder.

With Róna in Dublin, I took my West Ham supporting boss with me in her stead. Dave hasn’t been back to watch a game with me, since his beloved Hammers endured a humiliating drubbing at Highbury some years back.

Where, if I recall correctly, we absolutely tore through them, scoring three in the first 20 minutes. According to him (up until Saturday at least!) most Hammers fans were resigned to their relegation fate. Yet with their predilection for aesthetic football, they’re intent on enjoying the artistry of the likes of Carlos Tevez, while they still can.

What’s more he couldn’t pass up this opportunity (possibly his last for some time) to watch the Irons first appearance at our new stadium.

In the past our games against West Ham were an almost guaranteed six points and I could sense his mood of trepidation. Yet I assured him that on current form it was most unlikely we’d be witnessing a repeat of the sort of rapier like striking that had previously put West Ham to the sword.

Although on the evidence of the amount of opportunities created in the first few minutes, I was anticipating having to eat my words.

However it soon turned into one of those games where we could still be playing and not have breached Robert Green’s goal. It might help our cause if our players were able to learn to head the ball with their eyes open.

Yet with such a dearth of striking options, goal-scoring was always likely to be a problem.

As ever my main criticisms are reserved for the pitiful performance of our crowd. London derbies were once some of the loudest games of the season and yet our struggle to raise the decibel level all afternoon, resulted in well deserved “library” taunts from the visitors.

Worst of all is the mass exodus long before the final whistle which ensures all our home games end with a whimper, rather than a bang.

Where in the past we’ve grown accustomed to seeing the Gunners mount a last ditch assault on the oppostion’s goal, of the sort that makes you wonder what they were doing the rest of the match and where we’ve garnered plenty of points as a result of last minute goals (and given away more than a few!), in my opinion the new stadium is not the least bit conducive to this happening in the future.

Then again there were similar circumstances at St James Park on Monday. But then this was such a non-event, with both sides merely intent on avoiding defeat that it might have been better if they’d shaken hands on a draw and saved us all the bother of an eight hour trek for such half-hearted fare.

If the loss of our unbeaten home record has the effect of helping the Hammers avoid relegation, then it will be some consolation. But the only way we’re going to continue to cling to Champions League qualification is if Wenger can find a means of juggling his pack to conjure up some goals from somewhere!