*************************************************
Rate the players’ performances HERE
*************************************************
I was very tempted to skip this match and watch it on TV. But you know me… Wrong decision every time. It was the worst match I have seen at Upton Park since, well, the last one – probably Spurs in December. Frankly, there are very few positives to pick out from this game, but I’ll do my best.
Firstly, the debut of Junior Stanislas promised much. He whipped in a couple of excellent crosses, which, had Cole been playing, he would have been on the end of. He also showed some neat trickery on the left and seemed at home from the word go. In fact, in 20 minutes he looked more dangerous than Savio had in the previous 70. Which wasn’t difficult. More on Savio in a moment.
The second positive was the solid performance of Radoslav Kovac. He seems to improve with each game. He won some excellent tackles and was the only West Ham player to win any headers. I’d say he was Man of the Match.
James Tomkins had a busy and solid game, as did Lucas Neill. Otherwise, dear oh dear. Upson was stretchered off – it seems we lose one player a game at the moment.
Ilunga had a complete off day, losing the ball on countless occasions. As did Mark Noble, who looks a shadow of his former self. Even Scott Parker had a spate of giving needless balls away, although otherwise he had a reasonable game.
Savio showed the occasional neat bit of trickery but far too often lost out when in possession. He is shoved off the ball all too easily. I still think he is being played in the wrong position, though. He needs to play behind the lead striker in the centre. I just don’t see him on the wing.
Up front Di Michele had a few mazy runs which amounted to nothing. He was busy but ineffective. Sears looked brighter than in previous games but didn’t have a serious shot in the whole game.
All in all, you have to give credit to West Brom. They came to do a job and they did it with relative ease. They shut us down brilliantly and allowed our midfield very little time on the ball. They won everything in the air. Their only problem was that they had nothing up front either. They squandered two golden chances. It pains me to say it, but they were the better side. But let’s put it in perspective. We were without our leading striker, two of our three best midfielders, our first choice centre back and played half the game without the other one.
It’s two points lost, but I can remember many similar games when we’d have lost a game like this.
Green 7
Ilunga 4
Spector 5
Upson 6
Tomkins 7
Noble 4
Parker 7
Kovac 7
Savio 5
Stanislas 7
Di Michele 5
Sears 6
*************************************************
Rate the players’ performances HERE
*************************************************
Great comments all D.McCailey. Let’s be positive about this season – it’s a marked improvement on last year and is going in the right direction. Last night was a blip and I expect us to play much better vs Blackburn.
Liked your comments too Roymondo. Especially the Man Utd one. On that point, though, two thirds of the home fans at Old Trafford seemed to think so.
What a prawn sandwich eating, corporate fan disgrace they truly are. A poor excuse of a support. I know football fans are fickle, and that it’s a long way back to Aldershot and Reading from Old Trafford, but they should be ashamed of themselves.
europe is still very much within our own hands and some teams like spuds have a very difficult run in now.
the match was woeful, theres no two ways about it, and DDM is the worst player i think i have ever seen! He does 10 bad things for every 1 good thing, on a good day!
i agree that stanislas showed potential but he needs more time, we cant expect the best out of him in 20 mins i think he had a case to start as noble really doesnt look the quality i was expecting a few years back.
sears had a good game i think, and i also think he proved tonight he could make it as a prem player as he had a good touch most of the time and constantly harassed the defenders, would probably do fairly well with either cole or ashton.
The Problems:
Quite clear we lacked our creative midfielder and i think that has been colly since zola arrived. also behrami does seem to be missed more than i expected. if we can get dyer in the team and keep him fit for at least this season he could add pace and creativity.
i think all in all zola will have said forget about it to the players, move on to blackburn and if we play half as well as we can we should clinch 3 points!
Well, Goatygav, Manure fans are not like fans of most other clubs. The majority are just “pot hunters”, have very little understanding of the game as a whole, can’t understand when their team loses (and Ferguson’s comments that they were the better team on Saturday helps them to think it is a travesty), don’t want competition – just a monopoly- and all come from Surrey and Exeter anyway.
And they wonder why they are not liked!
Yup – bang on fella. To be fair though there are a number of sensible ones. Truth is that most of them stopped going to games many years ago and have been replaced by those who you describe so accurately.
The ones that I know, who supported them during the leaner Dave Sexton, Ron Atkinson and early Fergie days now generally watch their team from the pubs and their homes or have gone to watch FC United.
This is like the comments after Middlesbrough. Football is not one endless upward curve – there are ups and downs on the way to improving. I actually thought we passed the ball quite well last night – we were always going to struggle up front where we are lightweight.If we finished 7th this season it would be an amazing achievement – so lets all get real and quit the knee jerk reactions – good or bad!
This was one of the top 5 worst performances ever imo and Iain you have given four 7′s !?
Too many optimists on here………………
my god what is it on here,yes it was bad last night but lets get it right..we were missing possibly half our starting eleven,we had four 19yr olds in the squad and were playing a team fighting for there lives(not that they looked like it).we are seventh in the league yes 7th!!! for f…s sake 3months ago we were looking like relegation material, we have a great management team in place a good young squad tevezgate out of the way and new owners around the corner. wot is wrong with you lot?wot do you expect top four finish,fa cup winners???? WE ARE WEST HAM!!!! things will always be up and down thats the beauty of it.please lets get behind the team and zola/clarke we are down to the bare bones and europe is gonna be a sruggle but if anyone can get us their our italian/scottish connection can!!!!!!!!!!!’up the hammers’.'thegeneralmuz’
Well said Generalmuz!
Don’t know if anyone else listened to Wrighty and Durham on Talksport drivetime today, but they seemed strangely uninformed about the whole compensation situation. And Durham was doing his usual impression of a cow’s backside.
No – didn’t hear them D. McCailey. I generally end up laughing AT them during their rants (Adrian Durham especailly). He’s a wind up merchant who’s paid to boost Talksport revenues by getting people to phone in.
Mokumhammer – in your profile picture your head’s down fella. By the sounds of your comment your spirits are the same way. Head up mate – have a look at the league table. It’s making me optimistic.
Clack, yes I have belatedly seen your posts in response. Thank you very much for the information and your take on the issues raised.