From a reader and fellow Hammers fan (who I know personally)…

I was at the Mayfair Bar last night – the entire West Ham squad was there. They were sitting in a big U just people watching. They looked v glum and it looked like they have been told to “go out and bond or have a good time”. They looked understandably miserable, but it shows they care! I sent them over three bottles of Laurent-Perrior but they were good boys and refused alcohol. Robert Green was v sweet and came over to say thanks but they had to go – they were out of there by 11pm. I wished him well for the rest of the season and in S Africa.

In our current dilemma, one is tempted to draw a negative comparison with the great escape of 2006-07.   Yet, the current situation feels very much like the one that we had for most of that season.  Our side was badly under-performing, players bought in January were either injured or not delivering and the team completely lacked confidence and cohesion.  If anything, the results were worse, who can forget the 4-0 defeat to Charlton or the 6-0 humiliation to Reading that season (Mmmm …. where are those teams now? Funny how things turn out some times!). 

The Stoke City match feels a bit like the 3-4 home defeat to Spurs in some ways, a reverse that many saw as the final nail in our relegation coffin.  Those that remember the aftermath of that defeat will recall that commentators were not hailing it as the harbinger of a great revival, rather it was widely seen as the end of the road.   The depressives and severely myopic amongst us were predicting Championship football and making comments about finding routes to Barnsley the next season, sound familiar at the moment?

When we went to the next match, away to Blackburn Rovers, the majority were resigned to defeat.  Yet that match was to prove to be the turning point of our season.  We should not have won by rights, but things went our way on the evening and it proved to be the start of a truly remarkable run to the end of the season.  After that pivotal match, hope and belief returned to the team and supporters, more importantly confidence returned and the players started to express themselves and take risks on the pitch, where previously they played safe and even abdicated their responsibility.

We played with Tevez and Zamora up front that evening, yet I wonder what would have happened had we played 5 in midfield and had just Zamora up front on his own?  Would we have had the same offensive threat?  No, of course not.  Now is the time to take calculated risks and show bravery and I, for one, hope that Zola’s Sardinian reflections have led him to a similar conclusion. 

Many think we are facing ‘mission impossible’  anyway, so just what have we got to lose by playing a balanced 4-4-2 against Everton.  A point may help us, but it could also ultimately prove an inadequate return come 5pm, 9 May 2010.  However, three points might just turn the tide in our favour!   Nothing ventured, nothing gained, that’s my view.  If we are to go down, lets go down fighting and with some pride and hope for a successful rebuild next season.  Who knows, fortuna may just favour the brave at the end of the day?

We need a similar turning point this season and, yes, a big player to emerge and make a difference.  But, we had Tevez then and we do not have anyone of similar quality now, I hear you say.  That’s true on one level, Tevez’s clinical hatrick against Wigan reminds us all of the top draw quality that we are missing.  Yet, we do have players that can come forward and make a positive difference.  Cole is one such player and so is McCarthy.  I make no apology for championing McCarthy’s cause, he is a class player who has operated successfully at both at international level and in the Champions League.  Yes, there are issues around his fitness, but he possesses the technique and striking tools to make a difference in the final third.  If need be, play McCarthy flat out for 45 minutes to an hour and then replace him with fresh legs.   

Both Franco and Mido are also players that can potentially make a difference, Franco with his technique and intelligent play and Mido via his strength and physical presence in the box.  Similarly, Diamanti has the ability to produce match winning moments, whilst the pace of Stanislas and Faubert can trouble the opposition.  We need these players to impose themselves and start to lead by example on the pitch.  If they need instruction on how to do it, look no further than Scott Parker’s titanic endeavours for us this season and use it to benchmark their own efforts so far this season.

At the back, we need Illunga to return at left-back and we have to decide whether Da Costa or Gabbidon should partner Upson.  Like it or not, Upson is vital to our chances of survival.  We need him to dominate at the back and lead the defensive line with assurance and authority.  We also need to find a solution to the problem at right-back.  Faubert could easily stay there, but I think that we should now play him wide right to get the most out of him offensively and provide the team with greater width and balance.  Similarly, I would love to see Collison return to give us the same balance on the left side.

Our fate is still in our own hands.   Pompey are gone and the odds are heavily against Burnley.  Dowie’s Hull City is just as likely to blow up, as pull clear of danger.  While Wigan look vulnerable with their difficult run-in.  In another season, with our results, we may well have been dead and buried by now, but the reality is that it is still all to play for. 

Yes, I am trying to accentuate the positives, but surely that is far better than wallowing in cynicism and defeatism?  Lets hope that Zola and the players adopt the same positive mental attitude and translate it in to their play for the final six matches.  That is the only possible road to redemption, at the 11th hour, in the climax to this most troubled and frustrating of seasons.

SJ. Chandos.

Gianfranco Zola has sent an emailed message to season ticket holders, confirming that he has decided to stay in his job. I thought it was worth reprinting in full here…

I am determined to carry on. Losing on Saturday was emotional for everyone but I know we can turn it around and that we have the ability to achieve our objectives.

It has been a tough week but the owners have backed me and I am very grateful for that. With the backing of the joint-chairmen both myself and the squad are determined to fight for every point possible. My only thought for now is to keep this club in the Premier League and I will give everything I can to make this happen between now and the end of the season.

I have had time to think and reflect, and will have to work harder than ever before. I know we can get the results we need and I will work hard to make it happen. The performance was better against Stoke but it is not the level we should be at. We can, and we will, do better.

The good thing was that at least the team performed better as a team. We just couldn’t get the final touch. The end product was not as good as I expect it to be and that was the difference, really.

We had better team shape and tried really hard. [Stoke scorer Ricardo] Fuller made a difference when he came on with a piece of quality. Sometimes in games, especially in a tight situation like this one, one bit of quality can make the difference and that was definitely the case.

To lose Guille Franco before the game and Kieron Dyer at half-time is typical of our season. But I will not make excuses.

Six defeats with a difficult game coming on Sunday is not great, but the players are committed and we’re going to be working on making that commitment more effective.

I have a great staff and we are working together to find the solutions. We have a responsibility to turn things around and that is what we will do. I am here and I am ready to do what I need to do to get the results. We have seen before that we are capable of playing at a high level.

We will go to Everton on Sunday determined to get a result. People might not expect us to get something from the match but we are positive. No one should write us off. Although we are in a serious position we have time to sort things out and be in control of our destiny at the end of the season.

We said before Stoke that one game would not define the season but we also know that each of the games we have left will be cup finals. They will be massive and I know you will once again get behind us starting with Everton and we will give everything to reward your support. You have been brilliant and we owe you.

Gianfranco Zola

There are media reports this morning that, having considered his position over weekend, GF Zola has decided not to resign from the manager’s post.  He will return, from a short break in Sardinia, in time to take charge of first team training on Wednesday morning to prepare for the Everton away game. 

Whether that is a wise decision for Zola or, more importantly the club, will now be determined by our final position in the PL table at 5pm on 9 May 2010.  Relegation would be an unmitigated disaster of the club and, now Zola has made his decision, he and the playing squad must start to deliver and ensure that they stay ahead of Burnley and Hull City in the PL final standings.  However, having said that, also keep a close eye on Wigan in the run-in.  They have some difficult matches coming up and could very well end up falling into the bottom three.  Who knows, perhaps goal difference may come into the final equation?

In theory, our position is far from lost yet, but it is the absence of any kind of decent form that is the worrying factor.  Can the squad turn things around.  Yes they can, if Zola gets the selection and tactics right and the players show the passion, pride and skill so sadly lacking for the majority of this nightmare season.   They need to go to Everton and battle as if their lives depend upon it.  Can this squad do that?  We shall see?  We really do need a result out of left-field at the moment to boost our chances.

Saturday’s match did see a more cohesive and committeed performance, but the yardstick was set so low, after the Wolves debacle, that it was not exactly difficult to improve.  The defence was far more robast, standing  up to the challenge posed by Delap’s long throw-ins and Stoke City’s more physical style.  Da Costa had a sound game at centre half, but was cruelly punished for his one lapse in allowing Fuller to turn in the box. 

However, going forward we lacked creativity and relied largely upon the driving forward runs of the admirable Scott Parker.   Cole applied himself and went close on a couple of occasions, but Mido was not really at the races.  The best partner for Cole is undoubtedly either Franco or McCarthy.  Benni McCarthy was heavily criticised after the Wolves match and it is clear that he is still not fully match fit.  However, you have only to observe McCarthy in action to see from his touch and technique that he remains a class act.  If McCarthy and Cole can click up front, that might just be the combination necessary to fire a successful survival bid over the next six matches.

I can only assume that Jack Collison is injured, because he should be reinstated to the slot on the left  side of midfield.  In the centre of midfield, we should continue with the Noble-Parker combination and push Faubert forward to play wide right.   At right-back, we can either try Behrami or ask Gabbidon to do a job there.   I remain unconvinced by Spector at left-back and hope that Illunga is back for the finale to the season.   At centre-back it is just a question of whether we stick with Da Costa or draft in Gabbidon to partner Upson?  I would resist the temptation to go 4-5-1 at Goodison, we need two up front to give us some sort of cutting edge. 

My team for Everton would be:

Green, Behrami, Illunga, Da Costa, Upson, Noble, Parker, Faubert, Cole, McCarthy, Collison

Subs:  Kuruz, Spector, Gabbidon, Dyer or Stanislas, Diamanti, Franco, Mido

This has been a really disappointing season on so many fronts.  They have contrived to put themselves in an unnecessarily difficult position, but it is not a totally hopeless one, if we can just hit some timely form.   Yes, I know that it is a very big if, but that is where we are currently, desperately grabbing at straws!

If the PL fates are with us and we survive, this squad must undergo a major restructure to prevent a repetition.  Where is the money for that going to come from, who knows?  But first thing is first, lets secure survival and cross that bridge when we come to it! 

SJ. Chandos.

Click HERE to rate the West Ham players’ performances v Stoke City.

Please use this thread to discuss the game as it progresses.

Well if we thought the Wolves match was crucial. treble it for this one. The performance, if you can call it that, on Wednesday does not inspire confidence, but we just have to hope that the team can bounce back and play to the level we know they are capable of. It is absolutely vital that we start the game all guns blazing and that we score first.

I was appalled by what David Sullivan said in his email after the Wolves game. That is not the role of a chairman. If a manager wants to have a go at his players, that is his decision, but all that Sullivan’s rant will have done is to encourage our best players to leave at the end of the season. And it totally undermined the manager.

So what will Zola’s reaction be? Does he really have that much flexibility in his team selection? Stoke are a big, physical team and there can be no place for fancy Dans. So out goes Diamanti, in my view. It is crucial that we have a strong midfield. Noble should come in for Kovac, with Stanislas coming in for Diamanti. In defence, I’d stick Da Costa in, rather than Gabbidon to replace the injured Tomkins.

Up front, the big question is who should start alongside Cole. McCarthy was worse than useless on Wednesday. Franco did well enough when he came on but he is out with an achilles injury, so expect McCarthy to retain his place. I suppose the more he plays the more weight he might lose…

I’m oddly excited about the Stoke game. I don’t know why, but I really do expect a vintage performance from our boys. But a 1-0 boring victory will do me just fine.

There is nothing to be added to the critique of West Ham’s abysmal non-performance on Tuesday evening, we were terrible in all departments.  Wolves richly deserved their win, as they not only demonstrated an admirable work ethic, but also worryingly outplayed us  for long periods of the match.

The problems at the club appear to be systemic and, in truth, they are probably the result of a number of interrelated factors.   Firstly,  the squad is unbalanced and we have significant deficiencies in key areas, such as right-back, centre- half and on the flanks.  But one of the biggest problems is the lack of genuine pace in the forward line (Stanislas and Hines apart).  Secondly, leadership and team spirit on the pitch have hit an all-time low.  Matt Upson as Captain must take his share of responsibility in that respect, but (as Benni McCarthy has observed) other players are also going missing.  Thirdly, there are increasing question marks being raised over Zola’s tactics, ability to motivate the team and make tactical changes.

A fourth key factor is ownership and control.  Firstly, we had the prolonged stagnation during the period of C&B Holdings ownership.  One could argue that C&B Holdings actually played a positive role in keeping the club out of administration (a la Pompey), but the fact remains that financial restrictions in the summer meant that the management were unable to recruit the players to make their preferred 4-3-3 formation work.  Moreover, they were also forced to sell players such as Collins to stabilize the ship financially and keep the banks quiet. 

Latterly we had the sale to the Gold-Sullivan regime and the shock-horror revelations about the state of the club’s finances.  The openness about the situation within the club was initially refreshing, but there then followed a procession of public statements that have not been exactly conducive to improving morale and galvanizing the squad to improve results.  The best example of that was the ’25% wage cut’ statement prior to the Birmingham City match, that was later unconvincingly portrayed as a psychological and motivational master stroke.  More recently, we have the image rights issue and the alleged decision to suspend payments to players with IR clauses inserted in their contracts.  Although I can understand why the owners may have done this, they must have realised it’s potential to alienate the players and adversely impact upon team morale and motivation.

The best strategy, after initially setting the financial record straight, would have been to have taken a softly-softly approach in public.  It is understandable that the new regime wished to begin tackling the club’s debts and outstanding structural issues, but surely this needed to be balanced with the overriding imperative of PL survival.  And to do this as quickly as possible, confidence and positivity needed to be projected about the future of the club and the ability of the management and the current squad.  Dealing with the difficult and controversial issues needed to be done discreetly, behind the scenes or deferred until the summer, after survival had been secured.

Now we have the Chairman’s open letter on the club website and Matt Upson’s alleged comments in the media.  Whilst I think it admirable for David Sullivan to apologise to the fans for the abject non-performance in mid-week, I can only guess at how some of the content was perceived by the management and players.  Perhaps there is an indication in Upson’s barbed comment that he is only concerned with the views of the manager and coaches?

Similarly, Benni McCarthy’s account in the media of the half-time demoralisation of the West Ham players speaks volumes.   It indicates that team morale is rock bottom and players are hiding.  Zola looked a lost figure  in the technical area on Tuesday night and has the air of a man almost resigned to his fate.  That has to stop!

We need to arrest this 5 match run of defeats with a combative win against a physical Stoke City side.  Zola must rally the troops and instill some organisation and fight in to them.    He needs iron surgery in team selection.  That includes playing Gabbidon as an auxiliary right-back, pairing Upson with Da Costa and bringing Illunga back in at left-back.   In midfield, he needs to partner Noble with Parker in the centre and play Faubert on the right flank and Collison on the left.  Up front, start with Cole at the apex of the attack, with Diamanti tucked in just behind him.  Instruct Diamanti to play through the middle, as a second striker. 

On the bench, have Kuruz, Spence, Dyer (if fit), Stanislas, Kovac, Franco or Dixon, and McCarthy.  I am concerned about the negative effect that this season have had upon Tomkins’ self-confidence.  The youngster needs to be rested for his own good and that of his long-term development, but he will come again.  Hopefully, the greater pace of Stanislas (or even Dyer or Ilan) can be deployed to good effect in the second half, as Stoke City tire.

We need to win, it’s as straightforward as that.  And Zola needs to prepare his players for a war!  If the players admire Zola so much, they must start playing for him with passion and pride!  Cole should start directing his aggression against the opposition centre backs.  Faubert needs to give us width and pace down the right and Collison provide balance on the left.  Parker and Noble must win the midfield battle and get the ball forward faster.  Moreover, we must be much more direct in our play and get the ball wide to Faubert and Collison on the flanks.

In the aftermath of the tame surrender to Wolves, a timely win needs to come from somewhere, anywhere!  There is still ample opportunity to save the club’s PL status but, as I stated before the Wolves match, we must start helping ourselves!  Pompey are gone and Hull City and Burnley are not good enough for the PL.  Relegation can and must be avoided by all means necessary.  We can then try to sort out this mess in the summer to avoid a repeat of this tortuous season in 2010-11!

SJ. Chandos.

Well, it’s the morning after the night before. I’m listening to some very angry and hurt fans talking about the manager’s position on TalkSport. The wounds from last night will take a long time to heal.

I have to be honest and say that I had expected Zola to have been sacked by now. I really thought we would now be discussing who should be brought in for the rest of the season. But David Gold has expressed his full confidence in Zola so the dye seems to have been cast. Perhaps he has been given the Stoke game to retrieve the situation.

So, a simple poll question. Do you think Zola should quit or be sacked now, or be left in position to try to turn it around.

Vote HERE.

UPDATE 3.15pm: You vote by 58-42% that Zola should go now.