ANDREI ARSHAVIN’S value increased without the Russian playing yesterday when Arsenal dominated for the entire 90 minutes against West Ham but lacked the wit to unlock a resolute defence and were booed off after falling further behind the top four in the tooth-and-nail pursuit of a Champions League place.

In the absence of Robin van Persie, surprisingly left on the bench until midway through the second half, Arsenal never looked likely to turn their overwhelming territorial advantage into goals and West Ham withstood the pressure more comfortably than they might have expected. They are now unbeaten under Gianfranco Zola in eight games. They managed only one meaningful goal attempt, which Carlton Cole fired straight at Manuel Almunia in the 76th minute, but deserved their point for the combative spirit of a back four in which Matthew Upson and James Collins excelled.

Collins recovered from a heart-stopping start, when he grazed his own crossbar with a defensive header, to make a series of last-gasp tackles and cleared a shot from Kolo Toure off the line with goalkeeper Robert Green beaten.

West Ham now have six wins and two draws from their last eight games under Zola’s thoughtful, constructive management. They are heading in the right direction, which is more than can be said of Arsenal, who have not been beaten in 10 Premier League games but continue to lose ground to the leading group.

Already without Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott because of long-term injuries, their midfield resources were further depleted when Emmanuel Eboue and Abou Diaby both suffered knocks. Arsène Wenger rated Diaby, carried off on a stretcher in the 90th minute with a damaged thigh, as “quite serious”. Neither player will appear in the FA Cup replay against Cardiff at the Emirates on Tuesday night.

The Arsenal manager admitted disappointment with the result, but added: “I couldn’t fault our spirit. We gave everything for 90 minutes, had 70% of the possession and restricted them to nothing.” Realising that he was selling West Ham short, he accepted that they had “defended very well”. And invited to explain Arsenal’s failure to score, Wenger said: “Collins and Upson won absolutely everything and we lacked some sharpness.” So why no Van Persie, who had scored against Everton in midweek, until late on? “To prevent injury,” he said. “We have to be cautious with him because he played three times in six days and has had bad experiences in the past when we pushed him too far.”

Would Arshavin be arriving before tomorrow’s transfer deadline? “Maybe, maybe not,” Wenger replied, with a Gallic shrug. “It doesn’t worry me too much. To say he is flying to London is not true, but we are not far away from agreeing things \. We have until Monday night, so let’s see what happens in the next 24 hours.”

The match was as one-sided as stalemates come. Toure would have broken the deadlock early in the second half, after a weak punch by Green, but his acrobatic shot was met on the goalline by Collins’ reliable forehead.

The Welshman’s partner, Upson, twice denied Denilson with his lunging body and when Arsenal did fashion a couple of decent chances, Emmanual Adebayor wasted them both with poor headers. The worse of the misses saw him nod straight at Green from substitute Carlos Vela’s inviting cross from the left.

West Ham might have burgled a win near the end but Cole shot into Almunia’s midriff, reprieving the Arsenal keeper, who had literally thrown possession away. Zola, pleased with the point, insisted they had not been defensive — presumably on the basis that you can fool all of the people some of the time.

ARSENAL: Almunia 6, Sagna 6, Toure 6, Gallas 6, Clichy 6, Eboue 6 (Vela 36min, 5), Diaby 6 (Song Billong 90min), Denilson 7, Nasri 7, Adebayor 5, Bendtner 6 (Van Persie 68min)

WEST HAM: Green 6, Neill 6, Collins 7, Upson 8, Ilunga 6, Behrami 6, Parker 6, Noble 6 (Nsereko 70min), Collison 6, Cole 5, Di Michele 5 (Boa Morte 83min)