From some of the comments on the previous threads you’d think we’d lost 5-0. I wonder if many of those people were actually at the game because I saw far more positives than negatives.
Those who questioned why Cole, Parker and Ilunga didn’t start clearly haven’t been smacked too hard by the clever stick. If players aren’t fit, they don’t start, especially on a cold day when you’re recovering from a hamstring injury.
The best thing about the game was the defensive performance and the clean sheet. Admittedly they had several chances in the latter part of the game, but the defence played as a unit and was untroubled for most of the game. For me, Tomkins was man of the match. Until Roberts harried him off the ball in the last ten minutes he hadn’t put a foot wrong. Spector had his best game in a West Ham shirt, with a first half run into the penalty area which could easily have ended with a shot. Faubert too had a great game, rarely looking troubled and at last having discovered how to deliver a cross.
In midfield Mark Noble was excellent in the first half, although he faded a little latterly. Behrami was as committed as usual, although he played more wayward passes than he normally does. I felt Jack Collison was below par and didn’t really get into the game and wonder whether he might now be rested for a few games. Kovac put in a poor performance and deserved to be subbed.
Up front Nouble struggled to get into the game but looked brighter in the second half. He looks very languid and as if he isn’t trying too hard. Its not true but he really needs to improve his heading and first touch.
And now we come to Diamanti. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. He’s a luxury player. Sure, he’s great at set pieces and has a wicked left foot shot, but he’s a glory hunter and not a team player. For me, apart from Kovac, he was the worst performer today.
Cole, Parker and Sears all came on in the second half. Parker looked great and had a great mazy run to the byline and zipped a cross across the face of the goal. Cole changed everything when he came on and hopefully he can play a full game against Burnley. And as for Sears, he hardly got a kick. Again.
All in all, a perfectly acceptable performance. We could have shaved it but we’re up to 15th. And thank God I don’t have to watch Blackburn every week!
Green 8
Faubert 8
Tomkins 8
Upson 7
Spector 8
Collison 5
Noble 7
Behrami 6
Kovac 5
Diamanti 5
Nouble 5
Cole 6
Parker 7
Sears 5
hang on guys. ive just notice that most of you are bad mouthing ilan ok i agree he is not prolific at goal scoring but based on 2 goals every 12 games thats 5/6 goals per season wouldnt say no to that at present would you also with mcarthy basically signed i dougt he will get much first team football more of a just in case player so in the words of steven gerrard calm down calm down because alas we look to have 4 striker that are playable at west ham andd possibly signing the right back hutton would improve us immensly
onwards and upwards i say
coyi
Right guys, i will cut straight to the chase, this brazilia nremains a 'mystery' player, sky sports news UNDERSTANDS that it is Ilan we are looking to sign, this doesn't mean it actually is, it could still be anyone, it does make sense if it is as he is now a free agent after he wanted to terminate his contract with his club, A lot of you are saying that you don't want him but can we at least give the guy a chance, ok fair enough his goal ratio isn't amazing but he seems to be a player who is in the right places at the right time. Benni McCarthy is a good adition to our club and i bleive he will form a good partnership with Cole, this brazilian as i say could be anyone, don't just immediately think it is Ilan because SSN have said so, now this is why i think it might not be him, G&S want a striker who will come in and guarentee goals as they have said it is pointless signing someone who won't get the club goals. Benni i bleieve will score goals but as like most of you im not sure if Ilan will.
This is why i think it could well be someone else, Adriano and alvez are the two names i keep thinking as they both have goals in them especially Adriano now remember G&S said they would pay expensive wages for 4 months for a player who they think will help and i believe Adriano is the man. another name i thaught it could be is Neymar or however you spell it, But i see him as a player we should sign in the summer as he is a great prospect. Tomorrow i see being a massive day for us and i think we will get constant updates of developments happening at our club. Whoever comes in, we must be happy with and as long as we keep hold of the rest of our team it will have worked out to be a great transfer window, lets just hope we can get some good bussiness done tomorrow, as always guys, keep the faith.
Braderz ….and whos going to service Adriano? or has to come get the ball and try to beat everyone like Nouble,then I suppose everyone will say hes not ready.
Carlton, Benni and/or Diamanti, I think we all know that Adriano is a class player better than Nouble as nouble is still very young, i think when Nouble is older he will be a force to deal with in the prem but he isn't at the minute which is why we need to d osome good bussiness, i am not bothered if we don't spend much as that is the best way to do it as it keeps us away from further debt, if they can loan Adriano and afford his wages for a couple months then it is worth it for the short term but this Ilan will be a free transfer which will mean we will have only spent 2.5 million which will have been for Benni, i would love for us to also try and loan a few other players but can't see it happening.
John Hartsons season 1998 25 goals…90% of goals came from wide areas.
watch the DVD.
Zola should watch this.
Best bet ever West Ham 2-1 to win away at Burnley we will have a full strength side they are struggling big time!
Zola commenting on Benni….Hes looking for quality in the final third.
Zola should also realize its the lack of quality from the midfield in the final third.
We should buy the Brazilian Ari of Az Alkmaar 24 years old 9 goals in 7 games the Dutch champions are potless and he is a hotshot but yet again we seem to lack the ability to go for better quality and dont have many talent scouts with their eyes open.
18 kid at Brisbane Roar Tommy Oar great talent who would develop and fit in at the project but what scouts do we have actively working anywhere apart from Wanstead flats,and not all the best play there.
How come Wigan found 3 Palacios,Valenciaand there curent star in South America,honestly where the bloody hell are the people who unearth these guys it is global now guys not just local talent it makes and saves you a fortune but no our youth academy will keep producing but not quickly,sooner we have scouts on every continent the better we will become!
Another fansite reports Daily Star suggests we are after Pompey fullback
Start going after quality, not fat, broken down, cheap, old, experienced has beens!get the Brazilian from Az Alkmaar,Ari a class act and cheap and 24 with plenty of mileage left on the clock!and hunger,we need fighters with desire!
I agree with Iain, and I am not looking through rose tinted glasses, it really is not that bad and believe me I've seen my fair share of relegation problems at WHU.
There is a general lack of confidence which creates a feeling of dread when playing, we need one good result to clear the cobwebs and we will start climbing the league.
The only problem I see, is that we do not have that talisman of a player who inspires those around him.
Anyone wonder how me managed to let Victor Moses sign for someone else for such a small fee? An attacking minded player with an eye for goal and a massive amount of potential signed by another team for roughly the same amount of money as we are paying for a player in the twilight of his career with suspect form and fitness!
It sounds a lot like Diamante played like he did on Tuesday night. The only difference being he had a decent strike on Sat. I actually like his creative attributes, but when he's bad, he's really bad, and he was awful at Portsmouth. He is a luxury that we can't really afford, or at least only perhaps in substitute appearances to change the game if things are not going well.
Tomkins was excellent on Tue, and sounds like he was good again, but he is still prone to the odd mistake which proved costly v Pompey. I know he was taken out but what was he doing there??
I had to rely on my best mates match report that was texted to me following the game. One word… AWFUL .
Lets hope a couple of signings will spark something very soon, as I tend to feel it was 2 points dropped again rather than a point gained, but willtry to 'keep the faith'. Could the Brazillian be Socrates by the way?..I heard he still likes a game in between fags!!
It is amazing Celtic, I was raving about Beckford and Moses and someone on here started by saying Beckford got lucky goals against Manu and Spuds and what had Moses done,some people on here have not got a bloody idea!
What I find interesting is to think what the response would have been if we were less than 18hours from the close of the transfer window with no players unveiled at Upton Park and only an out of shape out of form Benni McCarthy and a Brazilian who probably wouldnt get recognised outside of his own house on the cards.
There would have been uproar and a mass slagging of all things Icelandic, with boycotts of frozen prawns and a public burning of Bjork CDs but all you have to do to get away with bringing in some very average players is to turn up in a couple of crap jackets, mention the word "debt" a couple of dozen times and you can wheel in any old bag of bones and be hailed a hero!
If only the previous owners didnt all wear such nice jackets!!!
Make no mistake Scot Parker is among the best in the premiership but he suffers the same failing, as almost all of our players over the years, it is that when we get to the goal line our players persist in smashing the ball across the face of goal at a speed that even batman couldn't get on the end of. How is it that our coaching staff have never watched the preferences of the best teams in the premiership. All the best teams score goals from passes PULLED BACK from the goal line. This is certain to provide the best opportunity to score, but we don't do it.
That music is totally brilliant!