West Ham holds Southampton to 0-0 draw

                    Southampton's Daniel Osvaldo has his goal attempt saved by west Ham's keeper goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and West Ham united at St Mary's Stadium in South. This was the kind of match that Roy Hodgson probably would have enjoyed. It was not that it was terrible, and the wet and windy conditions down by the south coast undoubtedly contributed to a painfully high error count, it was more that there were long periods when neither side could do anything right. West Ham United, deprived of Andy Carroll, the return date from the foot injury he suffered in training this week is unknown, showed admirable resilience to frustrate Southampton, who were left to rue the excellence of Jussi Jaaskelainen, they denied them a first home win of the season. Southampton edged it, as they often do at St Mary's, but Mauricio Pochettino's side have not scored from open play in their  four matches. They were bogged down in the swamp of West Ham's midfield and Pochettino's new-look attack is yet to.
                     West Ham also need to find a cutting edge. This was a third successive game without a goal and it was telling that their best chance fell to James Collins, who blazed over with seven minutes left after being set up by Mark Noble. In the absence of Carroll and with Mladen Petric not fit enough even for a place on the bench after signing on a free transfer last week, it felt as if the focus from West Ham might have been on containment rather than adventure. The onus was on Southampton to break them down. Once again, he was forced to start the ineffective Modibo Maiga up front and the Malian forward toiled thnklessly, rarely giving the impresion that he might score his first goal of the season. West Ham were also missing the injured Stewart Downing and Joe Cole, meaning that Ravel Morrison started his first Premier Leaguematch. but they did begin well and created the first chance after seven minutes, Mohamed Diame turning Luke Shaw on the right and forcing Artur Boru to beat away his fierce shot.
                        Southampton had been missing a spark in the ground, something to drag the game above the mundane. Victor Wanyama attempted to ignite it with a Volley that Jaaskelainen pushed over and Lambert crashed a header against the post from the subsequent corner. There always seemed to be a heavy touch sadly.