Gianfranco Zola had described himself as “an optimistic” in the build-up to this game but he might concede that an opportunity was missed. West Ham had threatened to haul themselves away from the stragglers, only to surrender their advantage late on and then struggle to retain even a point.
Relegation remains disconcertingly close and it was Pompey who will cling to signs of recovery here. There was polite applause from the locals at the final whistle, perhaps a sign of cautious optimism, though a period of frantic recruitment awaits both clubs ahead of the closure of the transfer window on Monday. The cavalry cannot arrive soon enough.
West Ham’s new owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, may have brought relative financial security after last week’s takeover – assurance that contrasts markedly with the on-going uncertainty eating away at Portsmouth – but they remain embroiled in a struggle against relegation and fear of the drop has dictated their transfer policy. West Ham continue to compete with Tottenham Hotspur to sign the Monaco striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, who played with Gianfranco Zola at Chelsea before moving to Barcelona, on a free transfer. More certain is the arrival of the Blackburn forward Benni McCarthy. A fee of around £2.5m has been agreed for the South African, who leaves Ewood Park condemned as “selfish and unprofessional” by Sam Allardyce after missing training as he sought to secure the move.
West Ham need the pair’s bite. With Carlton Cole’s’ recovery from a knee injury sufficient only for a return to the bench, the youngster Frank Nouble started this match. His best efforts were blunted by the brilliance of Asmir Begovic in the hosts’ goal. The Bosnian’s double save from Nouble and Alessandro Diamanti was stunning, but it was soon surpassed by his spring and touch to deny Jack Collison.
Those chances had come midway through an otherwise stale half, with Portsmouth just as frustrated to see Rob Green react smartly, in front of the England general manager, Franco Baldini, to save Aaron Mokoena’s skimmed attempt from distance. The goalkeeper was bypassed by Younes Kaboul’s volley from the resulting corner, but Mark Noble scrambled the attempt from the goal-line.
The locals craved the first goal, wailing in frustration as Hermann Hreidarsson and Kevin-Prince Boateng fizzed centres across the six-yard box with Frédéric Piquionne failing to make contact in the middle. That agony merely intensified when Diamanti drifted over a fine cross from the right flank which prompted panic and Kaboul, under intense pressure from Matthew Upson, saw the ball loop into his the net with Begovic stranded.
Confidence is so brittle in these parts that chasing a deficit felt daunting. Marc Wilson should have converted Angelos Basinas’ corner and Boateng’s miss at the far post, steering a shot wide after Julien Faubert had slipped, had the home support aghast. Piquionne’s departure with what appeared to be a hand injury moments later might have drained hope of recovery yet further, only for the Frenchman’s replacement, Danny Webber, to sprint on to John Utaka’s pass and, once clear of the visitors’ back-line, steer a low shot beyond Green. Pompey had their point and, for Gold and Sullivan in the stands, here was first-hand evidence of the size of the task ahead.
Premier LeaguePortsmouthWest Ham UnitedDominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk
