What an off game. At times in the first half I thought we were comprehensively outplayed, and yet despire all their fancy passing play (which was a joy to watch) they didn’t really threaten our goal. But if we had gone in one down we couldn’t have complained. Instead, we scored an unlikely goal ourselves after Diamanti found himself one on one with the goalkeeper. It wasn’t a great strike and Fabianski very nearly tipped it round the post, but that’s 6 goals in 10 starts for Diamanti, albeit 4 of them from the spot.
I think I am in a minority here, but I am not a huge fan of Diamanti. He’s a grandstander, a gloryhunter who will always go for glory when the simple pass might be more productive. In the first half he was largely anonymous before the goal. He sparked a bit in the second half and hit a couple of good free kicks from distance and played two incisive passes for others to run on to but then got distracted by a petty dispute with one of the Arsenal players. Diamanti is a luxury player. On his day he can be unbeatable but I imagine his teammates find him incredibly frustrating. However much I don’t rate him I do recognise that he is a player who can turn a game with one moment of sublime skill.
Robert Green had his best game for a long time, saving at least three certain goals in the middle of the second half. He kept us in it. I’m not sure whether he was at fault for Arsenal’s second goal or whether it was just a very well directed header. Defensively we looked relatively secure until the last ten minutes. Upson played well and although Tomkins had a shaky game (for him) the full backs were in great form. I cannot understand why Fabio Daprela hasn’t been played before. He is a specialist left back and really looked the part. Three times he stormed forward with mazy runs and his tackling was pretty hot too. Faubert also did well, using his speed to good effect. But his crossing was woeful, again. If only he could recitfy that, he’d have a chance of making a decent right back.
The midfield was makeshift and at first it showed. We played five across the middle with Behrami and Kovac playing the anchor roles. They grew into the game as it went on and Behrami was all over the place making a great nuiscance of himself. Kovac, too, buzzed around and put in some good tackles. His passing was far better than normal. Stanislas flattered to deceive at times but you can’t fault his effort. I wish he’s have a little more confidence in himself sometimes. The big disappointment, again, was Luis Jimenez. I am afraid that he hasn’t played well in a single game for West Ham yet, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if his year long loan is cut short and that he returns to Italy sometime this month.
Up front we offered very little. Frank Nouble looked far fromn the player some of us imagined him to be. He got better as the game went on and once he had had a couple of goal attempts early in the second half he gained a little confidence. However, his heading was woeful and his hold up play left a lot to be desired at times. And we saw very little of his alleged lightning speed. He went off and was replaced by Freddie Sears who hardly got a touch on the ball.
Make no mistake, Arsenal put out a good side. Bringing on Abu Diaby was what turned the game. He provided them with some much needed bite. But the best Arsenal player by far was Aaron Ramsay. I hadn’t seen him before but he is quite some player. A bit of a Berkovic but with more application. He is the player Diamanti should be but never will be.Jack Wilshere was also very impressive. If he really is going out on loan, I’d be delighted if we took him for the rest of the season.
So overall, we have to be disappointed that we didn’t manage to keep the score at 1-0. Bearing in mind the makeshift nature of our lineup we shouldn’t be too despondent. It was also good to see Anthony Edgar get a few minutes. He looked quite bright. I suppose we now have the consolation of being able to concentrate on the league!
Green 8
Daprela 7
Upson 7
Tomkins 6
Faubert 7
Diamanti 6
Stanislas 6
Kovac 7
Behrami 8
Nouble 5
Jimenez 4
Sears 4
As ever, Iain, I agree with a lot of your analysis.
Can't go with your assessment of Diamanti though. He is the one player who offers us something different, something unpredictable. At times, yes he is frustrating but every time I go to UP now, I stick a quid on Diamnti as first goal scorer which, in the last 3 home games, he has been.
I think Diamanti is always going to split opinion. My observation is that after he took that knock in the second half and didn't want to hang on to the ball he spent 10-15 minutes playing simple balls … i.e. one touch to control and then a quick lay-off.
If he could blend his creativity with that simplicity when the situation dictates it then I think he could develop into a great player.
Regarding his free-kicks and long shots he seems to lack power and pace – keepers always seem to get there. Maybe he will sharpen up. No complaints with his pens, obviously
I actually think we performed quite well and were unfortunate not to at least draw if not win. I thought Arsenal were very lucky and for the majority of the game were quite inaffective. Zola and the team will be very disappointed after what I thought was a very spirited display. Deprela and Nouble did well on their debuts. ouble was found out by the pace and the ccasion but presented himself and will be better for the game. Remember he is only 18.
Diamanti finished his goal very well. I thought apart from a couple of expensive lapses in concentration our defence again looked solid and it will have been a very good run out in preparation for Wolves – a game we must win. A worthy mention should go to Behrami, who I thought showed a return to form and Faubert (I am not usually a fan) was very impressive except for his lack of aerial ability. Nice to see Green showing some improved form.
I really thought we would go on and win the match today and I hope this week gives us some positive news. Don't like the sound of Sullivan and Gold taking over.
This is more like it than Iain's.
Handon, I think Nouble was slighly ahead of him most of the time and the pass you were suggesting would probably have resulted in an offside decision.
2 against the keeper and an offside? That isn't actually possible
I think Hotmort is correct, having looked at the replay. Nouble's positioning was such that it would have been a forward pass to a player ahead of Diamanti, therefore offside.
Yup, that's true. Checked it too, and Hotmort is correct
Well done for checking … although having said all that, even if Nouble had been onside I don't think the man from Del Monte would have passed to him. He doesn't seem to 'do' simple passes – until he's carrying a knock and wants to get rid of the ball as soon as poss.
Behrami was a monster today. His energy and commitment was awe inspiring.
Kovac, too, ran himself to a standstill making his performances in the early part of the season quite baffling.
Sadly, young Frank Nouble failed to rise to the challenge and looked exactly what he is…raw, inexperienced, unfit and naive. Probably needs another 18 months at least in the reserves with the odd 10 minutes coming off the bench.
Was very impressed by Daprela. The boy done good, as football experts used to say.
Lofty, I thought Nouble did ok … as you say he was raw and slow moving his feet … however as he ran out of steam they took control of the game … had he scored at the beggining of the second half instead of pushing his shot wide I wonder what we’d have been saying then .. just goes to show that maybe GFZ was right to not have him start … the same with Dixon … if we could just get the laft side balanced out in midfield I think we’ll be fine … Peperahmi and Parker with Collison in midfield is very strong … ohhh to have LBM available ..
Sears 4? Why? Was it his fault that Jimenez and Kovac can't pass the ball?
I had my doubts over Nouble, and his display confirmed those. He's not EPL class, not fast as lightning and not what we need: Diamanti plays through balls behind the defence line, why not to use a poacher like Hines or Sears?
Wilshere had a good game? That's quite a joke. The boy did nothing. He was subbed and suddenly Arsenal took the control of the game.
Daprela's performance was promising. He did nothing outstanding, he simply cannot play with his right foot, which is a bad disadvantage.
Regardless of stats, needless to say most WHU players had a decent game for the first 65 minutes, but unfortunately our fitness levels are absolutely shocking. considering we're paying Antonio Pintus a decent whack, they were all suddenly dead men walking and bared no resemblance to the team that threatened to put Arsenal away early in the second half.
Handon, spot on for your comments on Wilshere… promising young kid, but contributed absolutely nothing. I get incensed with 2-bit pundits licking the arse of these over hyped youngsters and can't accept the same negligence from a Hammers season ticket holder. Also, Ramsay took his goal well, but was otherwise anonymous. Both were firmly in our back pocket for the match as a whole. I knew when Diaby came on, he would cause us problems, and he was the difference maker, in contrast to Nasri who (having seen him loads this season) is utter shite.
Tomkins was abysmal (dreadful positional sense, countless errors), – Da Costa should never have been dropped. Diamanti is different class (his vision and through balls for weeks and weeks now have been outstanding but he lacks the receptive players around him – Hines would profit for sure) and Behrami was incredible – forget Fergie's ridiculous comments regarding how there should have been more than 5 minutes added time in their game, the biggest disgrace of the day was this lad, who was undoubtedly head and shoulders, not getting MOTM; He was a man possessed and if he provides more of the same, with Parker returning alongside for the visit of Wolves next week, we shall have no problems there at all.
Harbrook, well put mate … was it Diaby or that Nouble had run himself into the ground … because i didn’t see le arse scoring until the subs came on … peperahmi and Kovac hounded their midfield and with Parker return imminant we should have no probs with Wolves … Diamante, Parker Collison and Peperahmi is a match for most midfields … but I’d love LBM back to add some ballance and push Diamate up front …
A bit harsh on Nasri there, for a player that broke his leg in August and has only played about 7-10 games, (I think) and scored 4 goals and probably a couple assists. Better than your player Behrami that managed to play well against four 18-20 year olds that have almost no playing experience in the league.
Kovac can pass.
I think you are being overly critical, Iain. I thought we were the better side from 15 minutes to 65 minutes and deserved at least a draw.
Positives:
Green – something like his old self.
Faubert – another good game. His pace is back and attitude is spot on.
Daprela – strong tackling left back. Just what we are looking for! Reminded me of Dicks.
Kovac – has got better in every game and proven the critics (incl. me) wrong.
Behrami – back to the form that made him such a key figure last season.
Diamanti – with the Head. Yes, hbe is frustrating, but some of his vision is sublime and let's not forget the curler that Fabianski saved brilliantly.
Stanislas – an improved performance. needs to build his self-confidence.
I though Nouble did OK for a raw kid but is far from the polished article. However, I will take Iain to task on his pace. He powered through Arsenal a couple of times in the 2nd half, but remember he was up against some of the fastest defenders in the premiership.
All in all, I thought the boys did well and will beat Wolves with the same attitude.
Kovac passing percent was 45… Good 'nuff? O boy I miss Parker, who usually completes 80% of his passes.
Handon…whose figures are they?
Finnish site, mate.
Sorry, Handon, I'm not accepting those stats. Kovac was excellent today and I can barely recall a pass going astray.
The true match stats come from Pro-Zone and they have yet to be published. I look forward to comparing their figures against the men from Helsinki…whoever they are.
We'll have to disagree on this one, I'm afraid.
Haha, we'll see
Arsenal played most of the football but I was beginning to believe we might nick it just before they scored. I am in the pro Diamanti camp and whilst he will always be emotional he is capable of real class. The back five played well with the possible exception of James Tomkins. The midfield battled and Behrami, who is not the best footballer ever to wear the claret remains inspiratiional. Lets not be too hard on Nouble. he is raw and inexperienced but he was also up against two international centre halves in the most compettive match he will have played. We played him too much like Cole and did not turn their full backs enough. But he is not fit enough and someone needs to tell him to use his left foot.
Not the end of the world overall and I also fail t understand why you gave Sears a 4…seems very harsh.
Went to the match today,someone who works for West ham in the corporate area,gave me assurances that Upson and Green would not play today,when the team sheet appeared,they were on it,so it just goes to show that the people who work there haven't got a clue what's going on ,so how do the papers know,it's just all made up….
wishere was bad very bad, and i m an arsenal fan.
Iain, I think Devo and the boys are closer to the mark … thats two games running you've come out very critical … with what we had available I thought it was an emence performance … two subs, one changes the game, because I didn't think le' Arse were gonna score and the second beat Upson and caught a lucky header that if you look at Green wrong footed him and left him dead …
Daprela, was the a big plus for me … peperahmi was was at his best … Kovac and Faubert continue to improve leaving only Jimi who just isn't at the races …
As for the critism of Diamante … luxury or not … he wears the Claret and blue as if his life depends on it … and may I suggest you re watch the finish … Fabianski might have got to it … but it was always in ..
The difference today was summed up by Jim beglin … West Ham's bench could be mistaken for a creche'
Over critical of Nouble I feel there Iain. 18 years old and exected to hold the line against a seasoned defender in Gallas. I personally thought he battled as well as could be expected.
Both Diamanti and Jiminez frustrated the hell out of me today. I was screaming at the TV for them to pass the ball at times.
Did surprise me alot that Upson and Green were out there today. Perhaps assurances have been given?
We can't rate Nouble higher than he deserves just because he is 18. He is obviously one for the future and we all wish him sell. Fact is, he was poor today and worth no more than 5. I'm sure his day will come.
All I am saying is to lets have some perspective for Nouble not to write him off after one game against a very good Arsenal defence.
You are spot on. Certainly not writing him off, but I have to say I thought he would have shown a little more. I guess the occasion was too big and too soon for him.
Oh well. lock up the trophy cabinet for another year. We had opportunities today, but we didn't make the most of them, and were made to pay. The positives for me were Behrami, who should have got the MOM award despite the result. He took up Parkers mantle as somebody had to, and his effort was inspiring. Also Kovac improved again, as did Rob Green, who I personally don't think he was at fault for the second as was suggested. If anything, Upson should have been first to the header, but he played well apart from that. Daprela looks better than Ilunga has been all season. On the negative side, Jiminez offers nothing. A complete waste of air! And I disagree with most about Stanislas. One good effort, but other than that he loses the ball almost every time he gets it. Arsenal gave a great display in the last 15 today of how to keep the ball when you are in front. We need to learn how to do that, and quick. Diamante was brilliant and awful at almost the same time, and I'm afraid Nouble isn't ready yet, but he's very young and he's all we've got at the moment, though not sure why Dixon didn't get a bench spot in front of Sears who basically failed at Palace? We were quite close to getting a result today, but no cigar.
I take many positives from today. I thought for 65mins or so we were the better side or at least matched a good Arsenal team. Behrami was great and I thought Daprela had a good game for a debut which was a massive positive. We were committed for most of the game. I like Diamanti, I know he is a bit hit and miss at times but I think he brings something to the side and he is entertaining (and sometimes madning at the same time). We worked hard and ran out of steam for the last part of the game. I do like a cup run but I feel with the depth of squad we have right now we could do without it. We need to concentrate on staying up in a really tough league.
Have to agree that your being overly critical Iain. We were never going to win the cup but thought we only lost today due to the lack of depth to our squad. A much better performance than vs totscum which riles me no end. As long as we start to turn up for the games we should be ok. Still not sure about Green, made 2 fantastic saves but should have done better with the winner. If we can get confidence back then hopefully we'll see them all playing better.
Why are people concerned about Gold and Sullivan?Intermarket have had a dream opportunity if they want to produce their offer Monday which was stated they would do.
The 7 January seems d-day because if there are new owners they would have to be quick in recruiting and selling.
On a brighter note Wolves at home next Sunday Villa away the following week then Pompey and Blackburn,9 points from these game will finish January off nicely.
You tend to think this season is over already only the normal from West Ham,survival,no wonder today,s crowd was only 25,000,how serious are the cup competitions apart from Champion,s League,obviously not that much anymore!
A bit harsh there Iain, I thought for 75 minutes we played really well and if only Jimenez had put in a decent pass when we were 3 against 2 up front on a couple of occasions we would have wrapped it up.
Diamanti is our most creative player even if sometimes frustrating. I thought Nouble did quite well and I think he has a big future.
Daprela really impessed and his forward runs almost came off on a couple of occasions. Stanislas had his best game this season. MOM has to be Berhami though – never stops running and I lost count of the number of tackles he made.
All in all quite a few positives and not too disappointed.
I for one think their is a lot of positives to take from todays game,yes we ran out of steam at the end but the effort the team as a whole put in was excellent,and if we apply ourselves this way for the rest of the season i think we will be fine.Apart from the second goal i thought the defence played well Upson should of done better and was probably our weakest defender,Deprela had great debut.The midfield worked tirelessly apart from jiminez who like some foriegn imports is just not suited to the English game.Lets not dwell on this defeat to long it was a good effort against a good side i'd like focus on the positives.
Considering we was short of a few first teamers and we was playing Arsenal, it wasn't that bad.
A defeat is still a defeat and another at home. No excuses really, we are just not good enough.
I thought we played really well today, but I'm starting to get fed up of us playing well and losing. Every week Zola says we will win our next game and we are playing well, but we never do. I thought Behrami and Daprela were excellent today in particular. I agree with Iain that both Jimenez and Diamanti are both luxury players, and I preferably wouldn't have them in the side, but we had no other choice today. We now absolutely must beat Wolves next weekend and must really focus on staying up. Sometimes I really wonder if Zola knows what a mess we are actually in.
I must add that every West Ham fan I know used to constantly bitch and moan about Curbishley. Whilst I don't know for sure, if you were in that camp tlovegrove, then this is unfortunately what you now have to endure. We used to have piss poor to mediocre performances yet decent results (finished 10th with ridiculous injury list and were 5th in the league when Curbs left) and now that seems impossible (except perhaps Portsmouth, where I think we were lucky to get out with 3pts on the balance of play).
As for the mess we're in, it don't look great at the moment, and I don't wana appear lackadaisical, but just look at the home fixtures from now until the end of the season – we'll be just fine.
I thought you guys played superbly in the first half and Zola without doubt had his tactics spot on, coming at us right from the off led by a very impressive Behrami, teaching our 2 young kids Wiltshire and Merida |(who have embarrassed senior pros in previous Carling Cup games) a lesson or two… so much so that Wilshere struggled to make any impact, and Merida was a lost soul continuously giving the ball away whenever we pushed forward… Song held it together when you broke forward for the first 15 mins of the 2nd half, but I think you would have got your 2nd if we didn't make those subs… like you say Diabi made a huge difference and your energetic start which gave and that deserved lead at half time was always going to cause you tired legs near the end, and we had the quality on the bench to make it count… play like that week in week out and I have no idea why you are fighting the bottom of the Prem… one question though, why does Rob Green always have absolute blinders when he plays against us?
A good post from an opposite fan. I'm amazed.
Like you said, Merida and Wilshere were poor and offered nothing. I'm bit confused how Iain was impressed by Wilshere; even a gooner thinks he didn't play particulary well.
Gooner, thanks for your comments mate … the bottom line was the bench, Diaby and Eduardo … had we scored through Nouble at the begginig of the second half your subs bench would still have made an impact as we just ran out of steam … good luck in the next round
Gracious comments Gooner. Your boys showed a bit of class in the last 20 minutes, but as you hinted we were more than a match for much of the game. I agree our youngsters ran out of puff and ideas towards the end and your bench was the difference today. Injuries made it a strange game. Just make sure Spurs & Chelsea don't win it now! Regards
Arsenal supporters as always more gracious than Spurs so welcome gooner11. Our boys did well but you can bring on world class players and we can't at the moment. Good luck in the next round.
kimse3…the Taliban are more gracious that Spurs, but you are not wrong.
I believe Diamanti to be a class player. Nouble – not so.
Green was great but he's in the shop window so that's not so good after all!
I can't understand the Diamati critics yes he gets it wrong sometimes but i do'nt think he's a luxury player,if every one played with his pride and passion we'd be in a much better position!
Ian I have to disagree with Diamanti. For me the guy has made a huge sacrafice in how he wants to play the game to help out the team. He spends far too much time in our half defending but he does so willingly and with application. He obviously isnt as effective when in our half but he harries and hassles the opposition.
To call him a luxury player is unfair, he wouldnt cover the ground he does if that were the case. He is a player who thrives on passion and like all such players he will have highs and lows during the game. Since we lost Cole Diamanti has taken on a massive role in trying to carry the teams attacking threat on his own. He will always frustrate and thrill in equal measure. People compare him to PDC but it is an unfair comparison, for starters Diamantis late entry into the professional game means he lacks the supreme conditioning that modern day players have, yet his effort is for the most part very good. There are times when the guy looks dead on his feet but will summon a burst of energy to tackle back or run forward which can only come from a deep love of playing football.
He has scored 6goals this season and people can gripe that 4 are from the spot but that makes them all the more impressive. You are talking about a guy with very limited experience against top class keepers yet he stands up and invariable puts the ball beyond them.
I think right now we are seeing at best 60% of the player Diamanti will be for us and even then at times he is breathtaking.
Totally agree celtic the guys got passion if you could bottle and sell it you'd make a fortune,i love having him in the side even if he does have his faults.
An accurate and knowledgeable post.
I thought Nouble did alright, offered more than Tristan last year and about the same as Franco. Worse touch maybe, but more pace and mobiliiy.
Our passing was often woeful. I think Kovac is getting better, but his passing is shocking. Jimenez was very poor. I agree no harm sending him back and freeing up the wage bill. Trying to work out if he wants to be there.
Think Daprela did alright, should start next game Ilunga not fit.
I am inclined to become a big fan of Diamanti, but he is not fit enough still. His token gestures to make tackles towards the end of each game are ridiculous.
We played well and put 110% effort in – especially Behrami who was outstanding. What a difference he makes to us when he's fully fit and firing. The first half in particular we pressed and hunted in packs winning the ball. Diabi changed the balance of the game in Arsenal's favour when he came on and we had our backs to the wall thereafter – perhaps because of the substitution and perhaps because we couldn't keep the pace we set in the 1st half going the entire 94 mins – perhaps due to a bit of both.
Both teams had chances to win the game – main difference being that they took theirs whilst we only took one of ours.
Stanislas looked lively and Iain was right to praise Rob Green for a very positive performance. His decision making was bang on and he commanded his area well and shot stopping was impressive on several occasions.
All in all a decent performance I thought. Wolves next – if the team puts in the same levels of effort and commitment I'm certain we'll take the three points.
Iain disagree with you on Diamanti. Its nice to have someone in the team who will actually shoot. I also love the fact that the opoosipion players clearly hate playing against him. We need a player who will rattle a few cages. I think our sqaud is full of too many nice professionals.
I agree with most of your other comments, im glad im not the only person who thought Nouble was woeful. I was very disappointed.
I think 4 for Sears is a little low. The game had already turned in arsenals favour by then and he didnt really get a chance….maybe a 5 or 6 would be more suitable.
I agree with others that Iain is rather negative with his comments. We shouldn't forget that we had two players making their first starts and another (Edgar) coming on for the first time.
It's also right that the introduction of Diaby changed the game and there is no comparison with their bench to ours.
Behrami was tremendous today and Kovac not far behind him. Green had a good one and both full backs did well. Very impressed by Deprala.
It was a tough first game for Nouble and too many on here were expecting too much from him. No fault for effort though.
Jiminez has his best game for us but was still very poor and Diamanti is a real enigma. He scored, had another great effort saved and played som e great balls but is annoying with the ease he loses possession at times and his habit of giving away niggly fouls which are not necessary. I guess that it is all part of his make up and we have to take the rough with the smooth.
Interesting comment by Tony Fernandes on his Twitter Page:
http://twitter.com/tonyfernandes
He gives a pretty strong hint that he or somebody will takeover our club pretty soon. If we play like we did today for the rest of the season, we will be in no trouble come the end of the season.
I think Iain has been pretty fair in his asessment. the stats dont lie.
we only had 32% of the possession and only 3 corners compared to arsenals 14!!!!!
OPTA tells you all you need to know about stats!!
Handon…you wrote that without even blushing…top drawer.
lol
Why should I Lofty?
Iain don’t expect you like a left winger but Diamanti is class. He is the only player we have that is creative in the final third. Play him
in the Di Canio role to the left of a main striker and he will be a real player.
gutted,realy thought we had them for most of tha game.great display from the chap at left back and birihani was imence !!! what an engine !!! great to see we have what it takes to save us from relegation !!! coyi well happy hammer even though we lost ide rather loose and see we can save this season !!!
I agree with most of what has been said on here particularly about Behrami's great game as well as a very good game by Kovac, but, in my opinion, not quite up to his great performance against Chelsea. Green was almost back to his best, although I do wonder whether he shouldn't have reached the second goal. Daprela had a very good first start and, on recent form, could be challenging Ilunga for the left back position on a regular basis . Upson was sound except for being beaten to the ball by Eduardo for the second goal; and Faubert is beginning to show what a real asset he has become at right back. Tomkins made a few errors but was still sound in most of what he did and provided good support to the middle of the defense.
I was disappointed in Stanislas; I felt that, apart from his excellent shot on goal that was well saved by Fabianski, he was poor. He gave the ball away too easily and too often, but I know he can play better. The same applies to Diamanti, who, although often frustrating, is always capable of producing a match winning goal or pass which usually makes him worth his place in the team. Jiminez was almost anonymous throughout the game as was Freddie Sears during the short time he was on the pitch; but i am afraid that it was ever thus with both of them.
The big question mark is Nouble. He certainly did not perform as well as his pre-match advocates were suggesting, but he showed promise. I guess his failure in the air was the biggest disappointment and his hesitancy in front of goal also caused groans from this particular supporter. But, he worked very hard, chased and featured prominently throughout the time he was on the pitch and when I compare him to my recollections of the much maligned Carlton Cole of 18 months ago, Nouble was certainly no worse and maybe just a little better. I also think that with Franco alongside him he will be a lot more dangerous than he appeared today. I certainly think he is one for the future and needs to get a lot more exposure at this level to bring out the best in him.
On FB Nouble is promising more to come out from him, when he gets match fit. That's actually easy to believe, today he did nothing special.
Agree with this Hotmort. I think we need to be patient with Nouble. Very tough leading the line in his debut v Arsenal at 18 !! As much as we'd all love to be on the pitch ourselves, that was really quite an ask for the young man. With encouragement I think he'll develop into a player, but may have been a bit much today. No choice though until we get the much needed reinforcements that we will hopefully get soon following the take-over. Thanks for the comments on Junior too, as I was beginning to feel a tad isolated! I'll live though!
good thoughts mate I agree with you about Nouble … what no one has picked up on was his work rate leading the defence from up front … this allowed the midfield to hunt as a pack .. was it Diaby comming on or the fact that Nouble went off exhausted … on a positive note … if we can survive this season and as Dux promised in pre season … GFZ will have all the TC money in the summer then the future looks quite rosie … just gotta hang in there and survivie … and on the performances of the last two weeks we won’t be far off
I agree about Nouble. He is young but he did some great hold up play that showed plenty of promise. Sometimes these things take some time and it would be harsh to expect the final product on a debut. I think he will come good (like C Cole) in time, We need to be patiant with these young players (all of them) and reliase that they have to develop and gain the experiance.
my ratings:
green 7
faubert 6
tomkins 6
upson 7
deprela 7
diamaniac 9
behrami 8
kovac 5
stanislas 5
jimenez 4
nouble 1
i personally am glad we did not get through as now players will have more time to rest and less chance of sustaining injuries.
first of all, nouble for me looked like he just been down the boleyn for one too many. he was slow and lazy. didnt look like he want to be there. i think he had one shot, which well wide. he did not run. when he held up the ball he looked as if he didnt know what a football was and was looking round for answers. the guy is a complete numpty! send him back to chelsea i say!
jimenez is not crap. he just needs to stop BALL WATCHING!!! at least three times he stood watching arsenals players clear the ball instead of trying to tackle them! i think he's a good player he just needs to work harder.
but the best player by far today was behrami. never stopped running and did ever thing right, if not more!
and diamanti will be the new di canio. he shows everything. passion, eye for goal, great at set pieces and he's italian! he can change a game in an instant. him, cole and franco upfront would be dinamite!!!
COYI!!!
A point worth considering now the dust has settled, we went out to an Arsenal team who when they beat bolton will be one point off the top of the league. ManU went out to a Leeds team 42 places below them in the league tables and they were at home! Just thinking about it is making me smile.
One thing about those who have been dismissive of Frank Nouble. He made his debut (you cant count 14mins in 5sub appearances) against the most in form team in the country right now who have picked up 16 out of 18 points in their last 6games and he was up against their 1st choice centre half pairing, a partnership that have kept vastly more experienced, big money, big wage and big reputation strikers a lot quieter than they managed to keep him today.
You dont have to be Tony Carr to know that you were watching Carlton Cole 18months ago before Zola turned his career around, except that Nouble is only 18 and if anything was more impressive than Cole was when Zola arrived at the club.
For me the guys attitude was enough to know he has a big future ahead of him and we are lucky that he decided to turn down Chelski and Arsenal to come to us. I mean lets be fair Wenger is no mean judge of young talent and he wanted the lad.
Sorry i agree with 99% of your posts but i cant agree with you on this.
Frank Nouble didnt even seem to try yesterday. I know it was his debut and Arsenal are the most inform side in the league but that wasnt their league side….far from it. And its the worst ive seen them play in a long time.
As for Carlton Cole his change in form has been nothing short of a miracle that no-one expected. It wasnt just 18 months it was years before he started to forfill is potential. Nouble needs to show his potential a lot quicker, he wont get the same amount of chances Cole got.
I was far to quick yesterday to say he was rubbish and shouldnt be given a chance. He obviously deserves more time. But just because he is young and it was his debut doesnt mean that he deserves a 6 for playing poor.
And we shouldnt get too carried away with the fact that Wenger wanted him. Although he's probably the best talent spot in the league he has made some errors…..Jeffers for example. Plus most of his youngsters never break it into the arsenal side, they just get sold on.
Yesterday was a great opportunity for Nouble to show everyone what he was made of and he failed to take it……lets just hope it was a one off and he can go on to do great things for us in the future.
COYI!!!
Tariq, I’m sorry mate but I thought he worked his socks off doing a job … we defended from the from and by working the line he exhausted himself … as I have said above in other comments .. was Diaby comming on or Nouble going off … we stopped them playing from the back when he was on … thay sat deeper because of his pace … he wasn’t anything special but he did his job … and it justifies GFZ decision not to blood him sooner and I guess that will go for the boy that came from the Spuds ..
we seemed to run out of steam on about 60 mins……………….i thought behrami was immense…….. Nouble i thought looked a bit nervy, still think this lad has a lot to offer………….all in all a lot better then previous performances, lets hope this takeover goes through and gives a push we need for the rest of the season…………..in zola i beleve
Strikers win games,we don't have any.
we should of been out of sight come 70 mins,we just don't have a finisher!
Behrami, massive game!
Jimenez is completely crap,never reacts to anything that's going on around him,probably the slowest legs in the squad.
Green…8
Faubert 6…cant cross, has pace…inconsistent,, squad player.
Tomkins 6…average…caught wrong side for first goal…inconsistent..squad player
Upson…6..out jumped by 5 '8 striker…can leave i dont care no more.
Daprela 7 best defender on show. like to see more of….First choice on this show.
stanislas 5 never crosses a ball never beats anyone..overated…reserves
Behrami 9 machine..first choice.
Kovac 6 ok,squad player
Diamanti 8 has Flair and can see that pass
Nouble..6 average seemed scared to shoot..reserves not ready yet.
JIMENEZ 0 worse player ever in the claret and blue less affective than tristan.
gotta say i agree about jimenez,never looks bothered ,actually never realise it when hes playing.total waste of space
I thought Behrami (especially) and Kovac were heroic, Diamanti scored again plus some good touches and effort, Daprela really encouraging (would be good if he discovered his right foot though). A tough game for Nouble to start in but I thought he showed promise and had good positional sense for an 18 year-old, just needs some shooting boots. If anyone was to blame for the second goal it was Upson but I think that would be to harsh really – it was a good move by a great team, I'm afraid. The only really dark spot for me was Jiminez again. He is taking so long to settle I think we should only keep him in January if our injury crisis shows no sign at all of improving. And it was good to see Rob Green getting back closer to form (my heart still loses a beat when the crosses come in though). All in all, no shame here, and plenty of reasons to look forward to Wolves' visit.
I thought we played well generally. Wasn't as impressed with Daprela though, he had from what i remember a good first half an hour or so but faded out more and more as the game went on. Same with Faubert, great in the first half but He, Tomkins and Daprela just couldn't cope once Nasri and Diaby was brought on. Stanislas and Jiminez are virtually useless, couldn't get the ball and couldn't make use of it when they actually got the ball. Nouble reminds me of a Carlton Cole not too long ago, big in size, decent pace but still raw and needs to play more intelligently, got the ball in a couple of occasions but wasted them trying to take on one too many defender. Diamanti was to me our only threat in attack and he did well considering the kind of support he was getting and the players he had to pass to. And isn't Diamanti the kind of players we all have been screaming for after Benayoun left? A player with a little bit of flair capable of those moments of magic in the game.
Jimenez needs to leave and quickly. He came here with a reputation and nicknamed The Wizard! He can’t pass, he can’t dribble and has no passion for the team.
What we have to remember about Diamanti is this is his first season in the PL. Italians are used to their fancy football in Serie A, but Diamanti has shown that he is willing to stand up and be counted with the team. He will come good, although I do agree that he was frustrating yesterday.
I thought the defence looked solid, and it was only from the 75th minute that they looked to be weakening. Green looked back to his best, as did Upson. Tomkins needs a run in the side, and will settle again next to Upson. Very impressed with Daprela, although Faubert was woeful at times.
My MOTM was Behrami. Although not the most skillfull of players, he runs all game, never gives the ball up, and fights for us. He is going to be a key player for the rest of the season, and we need to protect him.
When Cole, Parker, Noble, Ilunga and Collison get back to fitness, we will have a very capable team again, especially if they show the fight they did yesterday. In the end, we were simply outclassed by a team going for the title, and for the Champions League!
A good game but we completely ran out of steam in the final 20mins and as soon as they equalised the heads dropped – which is a bit worrying.
Totaly agree about Diamanti – too much of a glory hunter, not a team player and loses his head when we are losing.
Though Tompkins was afwul yesterday – he just makes TOO many mistakes and had Arsenal had Van Persie and Bendtner out there, they would have scored 5. I think he will eventualy become a half decent premier league defender but NOT at the moment.
Big plusses were Behrami and Deprela. Behrami filled the gap that we lost with Parker's injury and Deprela was a joy both in defence and going forward , although he needs to work on his decision making and final ball.
Happy to be out of the cup as we have bigger fish to fry in the league.