After reading Dan’s interesting piece about the ten worst games at the Emirates Stadium, celebrating the 20th anniversary of our modern home, I couldn’t help but relate to the West Ham defeat for several reasons.I can remember the occasion very well for personal, familial and Arsenal-related matters, for good and for bad.It’s the last live game I’ve attended at the Emirates and, unfortunately, the result didn’t quite reflect the true nature of the Gunners, who were trying as hard as possible to close the title gap on eventual winners Liverpool.It also followed the installation of a remembrance plaque for my great-grandad, former 1930s Arsenal legend Ted Drake, around the corner at Highbury.To some extent, Arne Slot’s Merseysiders were in a league of their own during the 2024/25 campaign, but we certainly should’ve beaten the Hammers instead of losing to them 1-0, considering they were fighting relegation before going down the following campaign and we were just the better side overall that year.A special Arsenal moment before the matchBefore the match, I was greeted by Arsenal officials at Highbury to have a look at the plaque for Drake, who is described on the metal carving as one of Arsenal’s greatest strikers in history.It was great to see that, after 30 years of having his ashes laid on the old pitch there, a memorial was finally unveiled following the club’s promise to have one for him at the home of football after moving to the Emirates.I managed to sort it out following eight months of chasing bureaucracy while struggling to find full-time work for six months after coming out of uni.They handed me that season’s shirt with “Drake” on the back, which I proudly held up with my Grandad in front of the plaque and camera.However, within a year I donated the shirt to Oxfam for charitable reasons, which some people close to me questioned, even though I felt I was giving it to a good cause.Afterwards, we made our way to hospitality at the Emirates, which I hadn’t experienced before, and it was a skin-pinching moment.At the same time, I am quite modest and, apart from that occasion and a few press-box invites at non-league level due to my writing, and at Southampton once because of the connections on my Sports Journalism course nearby at Solent University, I have always stood or watched games of football and enjoyed the atmosphere better that way.Nwaneri (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)A frustrating afternoon against West HamI must admit, after having not seen a live game at the Emirates since before COVID, when we beat AFC Bournemouth 1-0 in 2019, it would’ve been nice to have seen the men in red and white win or at least score.It felt strange witnessing Arsenal not find the back of the net at all during the occasion, which I’m sure many fans can relate to considering we had annihilated West Ham 6-0 away the previous campaign.It was a shame that Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off, but West Ham had ten men defending at times against the Gunners and we just couldn’t find a breakthrough.Even Martin Odegaard struggled from close range, which I can recall witnessing from the corner of the ground I was in.In a nutshell, it was a bittersweet day of football and one that will personally live long in my memory, like maybe a number of fans on the greatest Arsenal fan platform too!Liam HardingWere you at the Emirates for Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham in 2025? What memories do you have of that afternoon, and which Arsenal match has left you with your own bittersweet memories? Let us know in the comments below._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsFrom Ted Drake tribute to West Ham frustration: My bittersweet Arsenal day27 September 2026, 21:00Arsenal Women Weekly Roundup: Chelsea loss, European win and Fox boost27 September 2026, 19:30Arsenal receive fresh Timber boost as defender returns to matchday squad27 September 2026, 18:00The post From Ted Drake tribute to West Ham frustration: My bittersweet Arsenal day appeared first on Just Arsenal News.