Lack of attacking potency costs West Ham points - again

West Ham had looked unstoppable after beating Liverpool 3-2 in early November, sitting second in the Premier League table an having a real chance of pushing even further.

That memorable victory, however, was followed by a rocky patch of form with David Moyes' side losing to Wolves and Manchester City before drawing with Brighton in their subsequent three.

Then came another gargantuan win at the London Stadium. A 3-2 win over Chelsea signalled the recapturing of the insatiable spirit and bustling bubble that has been key for West Ham under Moyes.

With another opportunity to build on a landmark win, however, came another subsequent slump.

Sunday afternoon's 0-0 draw with a relegation-threatened Burnley was, to put it bluntly, dull, drab and dreadfully disappointing.

Following the performance against Chelsea - which provoked a No.10 level party atmosphere at London Stadium - the Hammers were pretty lifeless this Sunday.

To give credit where credit it is due, Moyes' men were thoroughly committed in their defensive duties. The centre-back pairing of Craig Dawson and Issa Diop was impenetrable in the absence of Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna, the midfielders covered their colleagues throughout and the discipline and desire of the front line to press and track back was clear to see.

That's where the praise must stop, however. Creatively and offensively, it was a gutless and soulless showing from Moyes' side.

Declan Rice was the only player among the visitors' ranks to drive forward with the ball, look for opportunities to slice open a resolute Burnley back line, and show an unwavering will to do everything possible for a second consecutive league win since that win over Liverpool.

Apart from the 22-year-old, who was absolutely excellent (of course he was), Hammers fans were left rightly disappointed by their players.

Tomas Soucek was so often too passive in his passing when venturing into advanced areas, Manuel Lanzini's influence on the match waned so much that he was barely noticeable after the interval, and the forward line were worryingly quiet.

Said Benrahma showed some lovely touches in the final third and created some glorious openings for himself, but was also consistently unable to provide a finishing touch.

Jarrod Bowen couldn't replicate his mammoth showing against Chelsea last time out, mostly proving utterly absent from his side's build-up play. Apart from occasionally looking creative, the winger really failed to leave his mark on the game.

Meanwhile, Michail Antonio couldn't put an end to his baron run form. Yes, his movement was exceptional at times and, yes, he linked with teammates and contributed nicely to his side's build-up play - but the Jamaican international has now gone seven Premier League games without a goal.

He, like the large majority of his colleagues on Sunday, simply failed to step up and produce something tangible for the Hammers.

Obviously, there is no reason for deep concern. The 0-0 stalemate leaves Moyes' side fourth in the table, still looking good to really compete for Champions League qualification towards the latter stages of the campaign.

It is, though, the second time that a lack of a clinical touch have cost West Ham the opportunity to build on a colossal victory - while it may not raise too much worry for now, it's certainly deeply disappointing.