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Results: Player Performances v Burnley
Those stats are bizarre. Firstly Faubert was our best player on the night. Jonathan Spector also played far better than this table would suggest. I have never been their biggest fans but over the last few games the both of them have really stood up to be counted and performed very well. They deserve more credit for that.
I agree that the new boys did pretty well – Ilan though, although scoring a well taken poachers goal, did miss a equally inviting chance with a header 2 minutes from time.
Fingers crossed that Faubert gets the chance to shine on the right wing and we play a 442.
I'm afraid too many people have agendas against certain players. I raised this issue before.
If that was an" above average" game for Faubert, then he has no chance!
that is true.
I'm slightly fearful of tonight but looking forward to it. If we start the game in the right way I think we will be OK
I thought I would mention a few parallels with Lazio.
Although a bigger club than us – they won the Scudetto in 2001, they are suffering like us this year.
They are in the bottom 3, third from bottom. Their Owner Claudio Lotito who like ours does not own the club outright but has controlling say on all matters.
This Chairman also has a history of speaking openly about his dissatisfaction of some of his players- 2 of his better players were frozen out and Goran Pandev and cristian ledesma took him to court, and as a result Pandev won, and was released from contract- on a free transfer.
Although it should be said Lotito froze out the two players, whereas Dyer has not specifically been frozen out – although he is being targeted because of his wages and injury problems.
Pandevs price would have been in the region of £10M.
Baladini the Manager of Lazio finally came out with a statement after the latest loss, stating that he knows how to do his job, but the President is not helping.
Now there is plenty of talk in Italy, that the Manager is going to be given the sack. The fans are absolutely up in arms about it, as they realize the Manager has been dealing with extreme outside influences.
Pandev is now playing for Inter Milan and is being their star Player.
I am using this as an example of how disruptive it can be when chairmen get too involved with football matters. Any good chairman needs to address the financial side should never speak out against the team and the players. Lazio's are an example of what can happen to a team when this does happen.
Believe me, if a big club like Lazio can be undermined there is no reason why West Ham won't suffer the same fate
Agree Andy, my starting line toinght would be
Green
Spector RB
Upson CB
Tomkins CB
Ilunga LB
Faubert RW
Behrami CM
Parker CM
Stanislas LW
Cole CF
Ilan CF
Would love to see what Faubert could do with a little more freedom on the wing, would also be confident that he can and will cover any forward runs by Spector.
Would like to have another lefty on the left wing but don't trust Diamanti (although I like him) to cover back or cover any Ilunga runs forward.
I'd give Ilan his chance cause he scored on Saturday.
Daprella on bench because from the little I've seen of him he can move with the ball and get back quickly
I reckon, as I've said in a previous post, if we hammer into them from the off tonight and can also get the fans into a productive frenzy there is no reason why we can't win, even after all the crap of the last few days or is it weeks at this stage?.
COYI
That's a good team. Personally I wouldn't be able to pick between Mido and Ilan- either would do. It would be interesting either way
One Position I would change is Stanislas. I wouldn't have him in the team full stop. I don't think he makes enough of an impression and his defending is woeful. He had a number of chances to whip in a left foot cross against burnley but did neither.
His 'shot' which hit the post was in fact a cross also. I like you don't quite trust Diamanti but I would go with him as we don't have another choice other than Collison. If you don't start with Collison then start with Diamanti.
He has a wand of a left foot and in my opinion is a better tackler than Stanislas,
In fact, I just don't see what Stan does bring to the table at all really.
Perhaps bring him on for the last 20 minutes- but on the right wing – not the left.
anyway – we agree that faubert and behrami need to start where you have them. Fingers crossed for tonight mate!
Stanislas on the right maybe,just dont like the way he cuts back on his right foot,all momentum lost.
———————-Cole—————————
———–Ilan – Diamanti – Stanislas———
—————Parker – Behrami—————–
—-Ilunga – Upson – Tomkins – Faubert—-
———————-Green————————-
not to sure about mido,but noble was shocking!!!
If we are to undo Brum tonight surly we must have a left footer on the left!
my team still would be.
………………….green……………………
faubert upson tommo ilunga/deprela
collison….parker….behrami….diamanti
………………..ilan cole………………….
Wouldn't move faubert if hes doing ok at RB.
collison is quality hes quick got good feet ,always played on the left never helps.
ilan looks fitter than mido
behrami cant play any other role apart from chasing and being a nuisance
Collison is not quick, chris – he does have quick feet, I agree. He needs a rest.
devo hes quickest out of a bad bunch
If diamanti cant get up and down,then stick deprela there.
To save money on the night I would put in David Gold as an attacking wing back and David Sullivan as a very able centre back. Karren Brady could stand on the corner by the Boleyn and sell programmes rushing in after kick off to prepare the bar in the West stand ready for half time.
Very droll, Roshi, although I fear that S&G would still claim their wages without the 25% cut.
Thinking about it, all the subs and team members who take up the seats behind Zola could be utilised as stewards under the command of Steve Clarke, freeing up valuable seats to sell to fans.
Nah, that won't work: it's kids for a quid tonight.
That's alright, make the kids work for their £1 entry. Place them around the pitch holding a candle in each hand and turn the floodlights off.
No longer Fortress Upton Park, but Cathedral Upton Park. Maybe we can get them to sing "Bubbles" too, and save on the DJ.
Good call Roshi. If Sullivan stays in front of goal with his mouth open we should be nailed on for a clean sheet.
First on the Burnley game .. Faubert best player on the park (let alone our team!)
Right tonight . .nervous? Yes . .confident? Not really . .. .
They are missing Benetez so they will do exactly what every side do against us at home and thats play 5 in the middle and try to use the fans against us. Frustrate and out battle us in middle of the park with Ferguson, Boywer etc and hit on the break. They will keep Feruson and the Gardiner in front of the defence so no holds appear and then try and catch us on the break.
One way around that IMO is to play the game high up the pitch and get width!! So that means that Stanislas (if he could be bothered) and maybe even Faubert could become our most important players. Another way is to leave Faubert and Illunga bomb forward at every opportunity knowing that its 2 on 1 at the back and make their midfield players make calls. Now with Cole and MIdo/Ilan we have a presence up front for crosses to be sent in. . . tbc
Finally the 3rd option is to play 3 up front with Kovac then sitting in front of the back 4 and leave our full backs to become wingers in essence. Therefore
Tactic 1: Green, Spector, Upson, Tompkins, Illunga, Faubert, Behrami, Parker, Stanislas, Cole, Mido
Tactic 2: Green, Faubert, Upson, Tompkins, Illunga, Kovac, Parker, Behrami, Collison, Cole, Mido / Ilan
Tactic 3: Green, Faubert, Upson, Tompkins, Illunga, Kovac, Parker, Behrami, Cole, Mido, Ilan
What do people think?
We've struggled to play in the way the team train so changing formats and tactics on a whim would have no chance of working. The only thing I do know is that we have to attack them tonight. They are better at containing than us and if we try to play it safe we'll get nothing from the game.
I await to see the team line-up and formation more than I normally would.
How we are set up should tell a lot about how we go about our business
Am I alone in thinking that these player polls are a totally pointless exercise?
I wonder if people voting actually watch the game or just go shopping with the wife, because every game the result of the poll doesn't seem to bear any relation to the game played.
Agreed. Perhaps Iain could put a checkbox on the poll to confirm the person entering the form ratings actually watched the game for the full 90 mins? At least it would make people who only saw the "high"lights on match of the day think twice before clicking…
yep spot on.
Faubert and even spector were our best players against Burnley.
Devo I think the only rest he needs is a rest from playing Left wing.
comment to all above……
Rather see spector at center half than fullback,he always gets roasted sooner or later.
captains armband should go to parker.upson's legs are gone.
Parker should be captain. I see he is issuing the rallying cry for tonight, not Upson.
Spector has to play RB tonight to get faubert further forward. He is the only player that gives us width and can put in dangerous crosses. Obviously, Diamanti has a sweet left peg, but he isn't a winger, which is why I still prefer to bring him on when the game is more open.
I'd plump for Mido over Ilan, but wouldn't complain if we started with all 3!
Agree on Speccy, but then again he's been doing as good a job as you could hope. He's not the only LB/RB that gets roasted by speed…
In truth no one knows what the teams going to be,neither does zola,
played 4 4 2….got beat by burnley.
played 4 5 1….cant score.
played 4 3 3 beginning of season couldn't buy a win,but maybe Mido Cole Ilan starting could make it work.
Leaving early going to see mum!! tar tar see you all there.
Anyone else seem that Lawro has West Ham down with a win tonight, and a clean sheet. The nearves have been turned up to 11
And Hansen has us down for a draw! Quick someone the Merson on the blower so he can predict a defeat and we can all feel normal again!
So I think the result hinges around who we get commentating on Soccer Special tonight!
Well yeah but we probably need to send out a team capable of doing a job. Personally I would go 4-4-2 with a diamond in midfield.
GK Green (not a lot of choice)
RB Faubert, CB Upson/ Tomka, LB Ilunga
MF Behrami, Parker, Stanislas
AM Diamanti
CF Cole, Mido
Collison looks jaded, Noble cant play along side parker in a flat midfield 4 and Mido is a more creative player than Ilan and more likely to help supply Cole.
I've got a bad feeling about tonight. We're in shocking form, Brum are in decent form, there's bad blood between our owners and their manager and Zola is apt to be too defensive in his selection.
All adds up to a 443 formation with 2 defensive midfielders and wide players who aren't wingers and AT BEST probably scraping a point……..Championship here we come!
Christ! i've turned into Chrischris!!!!!!!!
Less of the pessimism, We now have forwards who looked good on saturday. Theres going to be a full house under the upton park floodlights the atmosphere will be electric and brum will fall.
C'MON YOU IRONS!
I think everyone is bigging up Birmingham a little too much here.
We really have plumbed the depths if we can only see a draw at best at home to Birmingham. The fact is, Birmingham are a very compact side with little or no flair and not much pace. If we keep them pinned back them I don't see us having a problem If we go cagey and give away nervous free-kicks and corners then we are in for trouble.
The fact that Bowyer in Centre Midfield has been their best player this year, really says it all. Get at them from the first whistle. Once we get one, go for two and then don't stop until we get a third.
Birmingham for me are JUST the team that we want tonight. They are over-rated, mid-table(which is more a reflection of a poor Premiership than them being any good), the most unadventurous team in the division…We aren't playing the top 6 – we are not even playing the bottom 6. This is a must win 3 pointer, and I will be very surprised if we don't win. They are there for the taking!
Well said
Andy Birmingham are punching well above their weight and that kind of confidence can carry mediocre teams to big results.
On paper first 11 for first 11 this should be a no brainer, we are by far the stronger team but unfortunately matches are played on grass not on paper. I watched some of the Burm v Wolves game recently when they went 1 down there was no sign of collapse or a fall off in confidence, they had the bedrock of confidence to stick with the game plan.
However there has to be a nagging doubt against other teams are they going to be the ones that we finally click against. There have been flashes all season that we can pull teams apart when we go forward, even against the likes of Chelski and Arsenal we have ripped them apart on occasion.
Tonight we have to impose ourselves on them from the kick off and boss the game. For me thats wy Diamanti is so important he causes teams to think twice before pushing up the pitch.
Its a winable game but it will still be tough and certainly not made any easier by the antics of Golivan in the press!
Dear fellow Hammers. My brothers, and sisters.
I've said this only twice. And in both occasions I proved to be right. So here it comes:
I believe in us. There's a big result coming tonight. 3 pts to us!
Hear hear Brother! The Hammers will rise like the Phoenix from the ashes tonight and score a 2-0 victory. Taking us to the dizzy heights of 14th!!!
COYI
Aye aye! That's the attitude mate!
3 5 2 WING BACKS !
Green
Tomkins Da Costa Upson
Faubert Behrami parker Kovac Deprela
Cole Mido
Here's the team guys from the WHU website!!!
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Kovac, Parker, Diamanti, Mido, Cole
Subs: Stech, Spector, Da Costa, Noble, Collison, Stanislas, Ilan
As close to 433 as we will get with Diamanti behind Mido and Cole. Good for GZ he has certainly given us a chance COYI!!!
Good bench as well. Now it's up to the players.