This is the sort of match which we often fail to get anything out of. But we came good in the end. It certainly wasn’t our best performance of the season, but we did deserve the three points. Stoke didn’t help themselves by self-combusting. They weren’t the worst team we will play this season, but despite being first to the ball a lot of the time, they failed to capitalise on the possession they had.
I can’t ever recall a player being sent off for hitting one of his own teammates, but that is what happened to Ricardo Fuller just as Stoke were kicking off following the West Ham goal. I suppose it’s this sort of thing that keeps us going to matches. Just when you think you have seen it all.
Our clear man of the match was Valon Behrami. What an engine he has. I don’t think I have ever seen a player like him. Tenacious is a word which hardly does him justice. He was all over the pitch and won the ball back countless times. When he first came to the club I thought he was a headless chicken, but he knows exactly what he is doing. I didn’t think I would ever admit a player deserved to keep Noble out of the team, but I will make an exception for Behrami.
Overall, the midfield had quite a good balance to it. Scott Parker was all over the pitch too, although too often his final ball was off beam. He takes too long to decide what to do with it and today missed the obvious ball on too many occasions. Luis Boa Morte had one of his better days today and in the second half gave the team some much needed width, although he still had an annoying tendency to drift infield. Jack Collison was superb again and quite why he was subbed is anyone’s guess. His tackling was effective and he was probably the most creative of the midfield four. He’s also not afraid to shoot.
With two of our defenders being changed (O’Neill and Davenport) I suppose it was inevitable that we looked shaky at the back on occasion. The Stoke goal came about because neither Faubert, nor Collins picked up Faye from the corner. Otherwise Collins was commanding in the air and had a good game. The same cannot be said, unfortunately, for Julien Faubert, who has joined Carlton Cole as the crowd’s favourite whipping boy. At times he was simply awful, giving away possession too easily and being weak in the tackle. He fared a little better in his regular forays forward, but too often his crosses were misdirected.
Carlton Cole was largely anonymous in the first half and only really came to life after he scored. Confidence is a wonderful thing. The truth is he should have scored immediately after the Stoke goal. A poacher would have tucked away Collison’s cross without thinking twice. Cole blasted wide. But for all that, he was miles better than the totally ineffective David di Michele. Apart from a skilful cross, he contributed very little to the game and it was a mystery to us all when Zola substituted Tristan for Collison rather than di Michele.
Tristan again looked totally out of it after he on for the last 20 minutes. Yes, he scored, but it was quite a flukey goal. I couldn’t understand why Zola thought Tristan or di Michele were better bets than Freddie Sears. But why should I complain? We got three points and now sit in tenth place, just one win away from a European place. What a difference a week makes, eh?
Green 7
Ilunga 7
Upson 7
Collins 7
Faubert 5
Behrami 8
Collison 8
Boa Morte 6
Parker 6
Cole 6
di Michele 4
UPDATE: To all those Spurs fans leaving comments protesting (several using very homophobic language) at the headline to this article, your comments won’t get through moderation. So piss off.
Hi Iain,
Good post – couldnt diagree with anyhting you’ve said.
2 points to make – in 30 yrs of watching WHUFC ive never seen;
1. A team try to time waste from the 10th minute!!!!!
2. A 8-0-2 formation before?????
A decent performance, a good win and without doubt the worst opposition ive ever seen at the Boleyn.
COYI!!!!
“They weren’t the worst team we will play this season”
Disagree!!
Also think you’ve been far too harsh on Di Michele.
Good shout brooking still the best. Freddie’s got plenty of time to develop. He’s doing ok in the reserves where he’s getting used to playing top tier defenders from other teams.
Over the last few weeks I’ve gained more and more respect for SC and Gianfranco. They can see what’s wrong with the team and have taken corrective action (Cole’s shooting and the team’s concentration and fitness in the last 20 minutes of games). They know how to motivate players (Benching Faubert certainly brought the best out of him when he was brought back in against Pompey).
I’m pleased to see that they are prepared to give players the benefit of the doubt too.
Although I’m not convinced Carlton Cole will prove to be a Premier League quality striker you’ve got to admit he’s improved in the last couple of games and, if he continues to go in the right direction, will do a decent job for us for the remainder of the season.
Fantastic result against a tough team to beat in Stoke. Even without Bellamy we created plenty of chances and managed to stick a couple of them away. I thought it was a terrific team performance and I’m not going to single anyone out for criticism. Loved the moment of magic from Di Michele and he seemed to work hard too.
COYI!!!!!!!!!
Stoke were utterly dreadful and got what they deserved – thankfully.
This game was won by our centrebacks solidity (again), as well as the creativity of collison, Berhami, Ilunga, LBM and the persistence of Cole.
Faubert was poor and the right back position remains seriously weak in Neil’s absence. Di Michele is nowhere near the pace of the prem yet and may never get there.
Most frustrating player for me yesterday was Parker. Slow and indecisive going forward and lost the ball on countless occasions.
I agree nearly all of your comments Iain although I think Tristan was a class player in his time and has a goal scorers instinct. He may not have known much about the goal but the fact was he was in there for the rebound. A poacher will get goals. I do not rate Di Michelle though and I also think he’s blocking opportunities for Sears. The ref should have nipped Stokes timewasting in the bud by getting the yellow card out much sooner, they were at it from the start.
I am really disappointed that you were nasty to Spurs though, please remember at all times that they are a BIG CLUB. I repeat they are a BIG CLUB and will soon be pushing for the Champions League……
Mike – Ilunga jaded? He never stopped attacking and was our one player getting in wide positions. OK, Faux Pas did as well, but then he can’t cross for love nor money.
Newcastle are there for the taking, as are Hull. Fulham represent our hardest task coming up and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Bobby Z scored (he’s due one!).
If we can get 7 points (6 would still be good), from these then we would be looking to press for a European place.
The recent performances make the Tottenham debacle baffling. One of the worst Spurs sides I have seen and we gifted them 3 points.
Good to see you’re still here, Toby!
You were lucky against us but should have buried Arsenal in the 1st half. Good point in the end.
I LOVE it when a team waste time and it end’s up their own that they’ve wasted. Of all the uninspired things about football it’s the one that bugs me most. Worst of all is when players go to the corner flag and sheild the ball. Whether it’s the other team or West Ham it’s the thing that gets my goat the most!!
Big Casino, put quite simply, you baffle me.
Zamora over Di Michele, McCartney over Ilunga?! Utter Nonsense.
Firstly, Zamora has played every game but one for Fulham this term and has scored, wait for it…..once. Di Michele, with only two full games and a handful of substitute appearances, managed to scored twice and get an assist on his, and Zola’s debut (I remember well, big fantasy league week for me!). In short, give the man a chance. We managed to endure Zamora’s mediocrity for 4 years, waiting for Di Michele to turn the corner should be a walk in the park…
Secondly, Nani, far from being a misguided fool ‘whos got it wrong’, is a shrewd man with an eye for a talent. Ilunga, who has been a revelation since donning the claret and blue, is not only an adept replacement for Macca, but was also free of charge. Di Michele was free, as was Walter Lopez and a certain Mr Tristan. Please explain to me how strengthening the depth of our squad, free of charge (with the exception of wages, of course) is a bad move. Whether these players will cut the mustard in the long term is irrelevant; with these players on board we have options in a squad ravaged by injury, and as the old adage goes, ‘the best thing in life are free’.
The man brought us Valon Behrami, and brought the world Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni and Roberto Baggio (amongst others, so ease off and give the man a chance!
Hola Hammers! creo que deberíais confiar en Tristán. Es un jugador especial y si se siente querido es capaz de todo. Él tiene mucho arte en sus botas, para regalar juego y goles al equipo. Y el West Ham tiene un equilibrado y muy buen equipo con el que se puede compactar.
Ánimo DIEGOL!!!! Eres muy grande.
Vamos Hammers
GOOOO WEST HAM, go for the gol!!!!
Cieza’s Hammers
Have to agree with Imp in his repost to Big Casino. Everything he says is fact and irrefutable, as much as I liked Zamora….
Big Casino is right with one exception. Di Michele is a joke. OK he scored twice in a game earlier in the season but even then had a poor game. He was our worst player on Sunday (worse than Faubert!) and is probably only here for the money. Kneeling down, doing up his boots, against Tottenham when a free kick was being launched into the box was laughable. He couldn’t get a game for Torino – a well below average Serie A side – so what exactly makes him good for us?
On another point of player judgement, I heard Iain on 5-Live on my way to the game on Sunday. He called Damien Duff “one of the best wingers in the world”. Eh? He was a good player when he joined Chelsea but is distinctly average now, although I will concede he has had a lot of injuries. But one of the best wingers in the world? Without even thinking about it I give you Messi, Ronanldo, Ribery, Young, Walcott, Robben etc., etc. – and even though the last three are not among the best in the world thay are several long streets ahead of Duff.
Still, we all have our own opinions.
Di Michele was NOT our worst player on Sunday. That’s just crap and not even worth arguing. And even if it were true, players need a proper run in the team before they can be judged. You may have noticed that Tristan hasn’t exactly set the world alight, but I don’t notice anyone slagging him off because it would be very premature. The same is true of Di Michele, give the guy a break.
I do feel sorry for Stoke, they do try