I’ve out it off for as long as I can. What can I say that many of you haven’t already said in the comments to the two previous threads? This was an abject performance and quite possibly the worst I have seen from West Ham this season. I can think of no redeeming feature from it. Not a single player put in a performance worthy of the name. Quite simply, there should not have been a man of the match award. Quite how it was given to Diamanti, I really don’t know. It was his lack of courage which led us losing possession just before the first Bolton goal. Yes, his set pieces always looked dangerous, but he did little else to merit a man of the match award. Having said that, it is difficult to think who else to give it to.
Make no mistake, we could have conceded four or five. And most of them to Kevin Davis, who I predicted in my match preview would continue to a thorn in our side. Our central defenders were awful today. Slow, cumbersome and all over the shop. Upson in particular seemed to be on a different wavelength. Tomkins was clearly to blame for the second goal. But if his performance was off beam, then I don’t know how I can describe Spector’s. Woeful. He was given a complete runaround by the Bolton Number 27 from Korea. He looked a very good player down the right. Faubert was largely anonymous and then had to go off injured.
And it wasn’t a lot better in midfield. Parker had a bit of an off game for him. He went on one or two surging runs into the area, but once he gets there you just know he doesn’t know what to do next. And it always comes to nothing. Behrami was all over the pitch again, but not necessarily in a good way. His passing was atrocious today. Kovac had bursts of endeavour, but for most of the game he was in his normal headless chicken mode. Dyer nearly scored with his first touch, and had a few good little mazy runs, but none of them came to anything.
Up front Cole had his quietest game of the season and Franco was simply terrible. Mido hardly got a touch when he came on. The only bright spark was Stanislas, who came on for the last fifteen minutes and nearly resuced a point in injury time with a piledriver which hit the bar.
We didn’t ever look like getting in the game. If we had snatched a draw it would have been completely undeserved. They came to complete a mission to stop us playing our normal game and it worked. I’d hate to have to watch Bolton every week, but today they did what they had to do. And it had to be us who gave them their first away win since September. Bloody typical.
And as if my day couldn’t get any worse, I never even saw the Diamanti goal. The bloke in front of me stood up as if to leave, but stayed standing so I completely missed it. I was less than gruntled, as I told him in no uncertain terms. ******.
Oh well, we’ll get six points from the next two games to make up for today. No sweat. Ahem.
Iain you couldnt of said it better. From the get go, WHU were flatfooted. It wasnt until we were down by two, did they apply pressure. Watching from TV doesnt give you the field, but their was way too many breakdowns. No marking in our third was unexcuseable. How davis was allowed to get unmarked on the first goal, should of given the fans what sort of day it was going to be. Conceeding the next two matches, they must get three from wolves.
I have to agree with you Iain, what a dredfull performance. with the next two games conceeded, we must secure three points from wolves. The team started the game off on their heels, and did not apply pressure until they were down by two. This team is very hard to figure out. with a week off, other than those playing for their nation, most of them should of been rested.
Agree with most of what you said although I think you should've also mentioned the incessant diving. Maybe you couldn't see it from the stands but on TV it was blatantly obvious. Every midfielder spent a large chunk of training this week falling to the ground, I think. Even Parker was guilty of it several times and he never used to strike me as the type to do it.
The fact that Diamanti can be awarded man of the match after faking injury and giving up a goal (when he was barely tapped, mind you) is just mind boggling. Not only that but I think he can no longer be allowed to play on the wing. It just doesn't work as he simply refuses to help Spector, who is already playing out of position. He must be used only as an attacking mid/second striker from now on, in my opinion.
Lastly, you didn't actually mention Davies in the match preview
That Diamanti play acting in the middle of the park that eventually lead to their first goal should have been awarded with a yellow card. I have watched it over and over in slow motion the Bolton player never even touched him. Had he been a man and stood up their first goal…. well never mind it was that type of….. I'm struggling to type the word "game". Have you ever seen a West Ham side lay down and die more convincingly than that?
Well I suppose I should be grateful that I have been out all day and didn't have to suffer what appears to have been an abject performance. Bolton; don't you just hate them. I saw our 3-1 defeat up at the Reebok and that was bad enough, but this sounds even worse.
I must admit I am starting to question the ability of GZ & SC to motivate the team. Player for player we are a top 10 team, but the table doesn't lie and the players are not performing to their abilities on a week by week basis. Someone has already commented that a number of players don't look like they care about West Ham; well they don't. The vast majority of players (not just West Ham) are playing for themselves, not for the club. Let's face it, the club has been badly run in recent times and a number of these players have got into the habit of picking up huge pay packets without justifying it with their performances.
I totally agree.
I so wish we had just one player like Bonds, or Dicks. I'd even be happy to turn the clock back only a couple of years and have the likes of Zamora and Konchesky in our team – at least they, like the 33000+ of us there today 'turned up'.
Personally I would prefer to see 11 Billy Bonds/George Parris type players pulling on the claret and blue, than the likes of Upson and Cole. At least you know that you are going to get 100% every time they turn out. This is not the case with a number of the players in the team at the moment.
Sorry about the negativity, but the glass fills half empty tonight.
I'm sorry people but this wasn't good enough, Zola's on thin ice now wether we think he should be or not.
Conspiracy theory time…………are they all playing for a quick exit at the end of the season!
Hmmm… glad I missed it, by the sound of all these comments. I had the pleasure of watching some paint dry (decorating a house) so it sounds as though I went for the right option.
Brush yourself off, dust yourself down … and start all over again. We're used to it. Not the end of the world, eh?
I'm more disappointed by the performance today than by the result.
Upson and Tomkins both very poor – couldn't tackle, pass, mark or read the game. Cole looked embarassingly idle and didn't seem to care.
Zola is not a manager and does not have the nous to ever be!Honestly the day he was quoted that he never knew he was earning 40 grand a week for his sterling efforts the day you knew we were leaderless, as a manager he should know everything but all his little friends who have been saving his bacon have been shown the door please resign on sunday and follow but like Curbishley you will know what a pound note is worth when you sue us for the remainder of your contract thanks Duxberry more millions down the gutter thanks to the charitable organisation called West Ham United.No trust in Zola for a long while go back to West London!
We have to believe that today was a temporary aberration. If it wasn’t we will be relegated folks because trust me, there are actually not 3 worse teams in the prem than we were today. Likely defeats in the next 2 games will probably leave us in the bottom 3 with 8 games to go so today’s loss is as close to a disaster as you can get at this stage of the season.
Agree with Iain’s analysis entirely. I was one of the poor bastards who stayed til the end and I can’t tell you what I screamed at our captain when he half heartedly turned to the BM stand and gestured his clapping the fans routine.
A gutless performance from a team, barring one or two of the midfielders, who should hang their heads tonight. And if Cole has many more days like that, he may as well book his own summer holiday soon, because he won’t be going to SA for sure.
I feel for you poor sod's who were at UP for this. I got offered a ticket at the last minute and initially was gutted as I had to work today, but after seeing the low lights, I am suffering with all of you. I totally agree with Iains summary, and if I had bee in close proximity to our 'captain' after the game I would have let him know what I thought of it too. When you see performances like that I want to let the likes of Upson and Cole go to Chelsea or wherever they need to go to be over paid prima donnas where they can surround themselves with people who will blow smoke up their over inflated arses. Playing for England must mean you can stroll about for West Ham without a care in the world. I hope it's a blip, but whatever it was today could prove very costly. The less said about Tomkins and Upson the better. Positives today?? Absolutely nothing
I also noticed a committed and determined goalkeeper today trying his best for his team. Take note Rob Green, your opposite number well and truly showed you how to do it!
If Green ,Upson and Cole are England internationals it shows how the national side does not have a lot of better prospects.Kevin Davies gave a true centre forwards display and it just shows how crap the lack of motivation from West Ham just gave Bolton a massive lift,no fight,no plan,no chance.Worse than the great escape side?yes, they dont want it, to many show ponies who get paid well over their true worth.
Just seen the highlights on Football First, and granted I've had a few beers, but here's my synopsis:
Part 1…
1) I said a few weeks ago, I'd like to see Tomkins kick a few lads off the park..and I still would. He's far too concerned with his creased hairstyle to be a proper centre half… I don't care what the laws of the game are right now, please get tougher and start acting like a centre half, kick a few lads and earn yourself a reputation… First ball that came down the middle tonight, he fluffed it, nobody near him and it went for a corner… and no doubt Davies sniffed blood…
2) Can someone give Parker lessons in how to behave around the edge of the oppositions box… he's been our best player by a mile this year, but he could be one of the best midfield players in the country if he didn't get a nosebleed when he gets in the last third of the field… learn how to score a goal man…
3) Upson, sign up, or fcuk off… and if ya keep playing the way ya did today, just fcuk off, don't bother signing up…
Part 2…
4) Cole, wake up and see what it could be like… I think it was Lofty that a few weeks ago called for him to be more like Rooney, run about and give a sh*t, show ya care… couldn't agree more mate…… playing football and scoring goals ain't that hard compared to what the rest of us have to do during the week… you could be a legend, but right now, you're heading for obscurity… so wake the fcuk up..
5) Zola.. please learn to be a cnut… just like Tomkins, nice guys don't win, FACT… we all kinda knew today would be tough, but ya sent them all out before the game thinking more Sound of Music than Dogs of War… NOT GOOD ENOUGH…
Anyway, still don't think we'll go down.. but it really could be so much better than the crap we're subjected to right now… and not sure if Zola and Clarke will be around next year to see how it goes… but I know I will… COYIs……
It is a down to Zola and his poor management you cant defend the indefenceable!
The performance was indefensible.
I know I am a broken record on this, but I can't help feeling that the constant stream of Gold and (especially) Sullivan media verbals must be getting to the team.
Think about it – you are told (through the media) that your pay is going to be cut, or your contract is not gong to be extended, or that your manager won't be there at the end of the season. If this happened to you at your job would it affect how you performed?
This doesn't excuse the performance against Bolton – we should expect highly paid professionals, many of them internationals, to play for their lives in a game like this with so much at stake – but let's also have a period for God's sake when the owners aren't playing for the opposition too.
Agree entirely in a week when the owners supposedly said they are going to sell Diamanti and Behrami as well as Green Upson and not try to keep Collison motivating your players must be hard. I didn't hear any denials from Gold and Sullivan, and they were quick enough to claim credit for our win after they upset the team last time. Agreed the team were crap, but it seems to start at the top.
Thats right, blame Gollivan. Do you realise they only came in in Jan & we've won almost as many games since!!!!!! The management are poor, the team spinless & have been long before Gollivan arrived. We MUST start to blame GFZ, his mate the assistant & the players as they ARE the ONLY reason we're in this mess. (see what\\ I did with the capitals)
Thats right, blame Gollivan. Do you realise they only came in in Jan & we've won almost as many games since!!!!!! The management are poor, the team spinless & have been long before Gollivan arrived. We MUST start to blame GFZ, his mate the assistant & the players as they ARE the ONLY reason we're in this mess. (see what\\ I did with the capitals)
Echo of my thoughts exactly. It seems to me that they are not only preparing for the inevitable relegation with exodus of high earning players, but actively trying to bring it about. They then have the excuse needed for a period of austerity without any blame on them.
My heart sank when they won the hammers as, imo , successful miscreants do not change their ways. We are about to become a higher profile Birmingham yo yo club until they are either reviled out of West Ham or see an opportunity for more of their 1st love, money.
When a team is low on morale the last thing they need is someone undermining them so, either these two are morons, which I doubt, or they have an ulterior motive.
Zola you must go on the Dola, otherwise were in the Cola!
All we had to do was purposely man mark Davies from the start. The big lug had too much freedom and was dangerous every time he touched the ball.
Devastated with this loss!
Agreed Dibers. I stated in a previous post, man-mark Davies, stop him from doing anything and you stop Bolton. We have been undone by him so many times now that you think we would have learned. Not rocket science!!
We learned yet again poor preparation will get piss-poor results!
It didn't help matters that Upson off-loaded the responsiblity of dealing with Davies to Tompkins, who was mugged by the big guy.
Upson took the easy option, and we paid dearly.
Watched the replay, over and over, Upson was marking the goalpost
This was the same team that picked up wins in the last two home games after which, according to some on here, we were going to finish mid-table. So the blame must rest squarely with the players. They never came out of the blocks and, as happened so many times this season, we are dead once we have let in the first goal.
A very poor performance in which nobody played well. If there has to be a MoM – which there shouldn't be – it would have to be Green who could not be blames for either goal and didn't do anything wrong.
In the first half, Faubert and Behrami down the right were woeful. They had nothing up against them down that flank but continually lost the ball with some of the worst passing I've seen this season. At least Spector has the excuse that he had a good player (Lee) up against him and that he had no support from Diamanti.
Tomkins was very poor and Upson not much better. Apart from a couple of things Parker looked out of sorts and Kovac didn't hide but, at times, might as well have done. Cole had probably his least effective game of the season and, although I am a fan of Franco, he really did have one to forget.
Dyer didn't do much at all but at least he lasted for half an hour and Mido may as well not have been there at all. If Stanislas's shot that hit the bar had gone in it would have been a complete injustice.
Very, very poor.
Now i'm worried. That looked terrible. Like most on here I thought this was going to be a tough one but we just rolled over. The chances of getting anything out of the next two matches is slimmer than slim and we needed this one to keep us out of the bottom three and keep abit of morale. Now we are going to be right in it with a team on a downer. The team can do it, we saw against Brum and Hull that they can be up for the fight but they have to get it in their heads it has to be for every match. When you're in this position you can not have an off day. Oh and MOM if one of our lot had the balls of K.Davies we would not be in this position. And let's not forget Stoke/Bolton take your pick for which team works hardest. Going to be another tough day, I hope we find some brave pills at the back of the cupboard.
Here's to two back to back away wins. COYI
I too, could not face commenting last night; in fact I couldn't trust myself not to break the house rules about foul & abusive language. We were a disgrace.
Green was the only one to come out of the match unblemished. As for the rest they were all poor to dreadful, but in particular:-
Tomkins : responsible for both Bolton goals & was completely outplayed. Should have been subed.
Cole : back to the old Cole before Zola. He looked as though he didn't care, was sluggish and even his ball control was poor.
I agree with Headmasters comment that on that performance there are not 3 worse teams in the PL & unless we improve dramatically, we are heading for the fizzy pop league.
I'm now heading for a darkened room to calm down again I'm so angry.
This is not an excuse, but I should also add that the ref was very poor today. He allowed some very bad tackles to go unpunished, yet booked Kovac for almost his first foul (I'm still not sure it was one). They should have been down to 10 men a long time before they were, not that it would have made too much difference.
if zola is on 1.9 mill a year then can someone ask wtf he is doing to earn that?
were at home,we are in deep doggy doo dar,were playing a bunch of chip n runs,and within 16 minutes were out of the game completly ! now i know some have started swearing again on here but %£^*"^"^%£"*£"^^*"^£^&"*" me gently !!!
and good on dyer,he's come out and had a go back at the 2xd's,its not his fault that west ham offered him a contract to sign and he did? how many of us would sit in front of anyone offering a contract and say " no im not signing that its far to much" . i love the 2xd's but they are making mistakes allready with some dappy comments !!!
chip and run works against us because all our defence is to slow on the turn apart from Faubert.
Faubert was just as guilty as Tomkins for the first goal, he got caught ball-watching and let Davies get in front of him with consumate ease. Like Walcott, running ain't any good if you can't play football. They're saying Walcott silenced his critics yesterday, he never for me he was playing against a pub team at the bottom of the Sunday league. C Cole, Upson, Green, Walcott these are going to figure for us in SA this summer, do we stand a chance?
For the first goal, Davies just hung back and created space for himself. Lee put the ball in the right place and thank you very much. You could point the finger at Upson and Tomkins because neither of them picked him up and Faubert for his poor attempt to challenge for the header.
Roy, I can't see Faubert was to blame for the first goal … from where I was, Bolton has sused Spector would always drift inside and Lee just hugged the touchline giving himself acres of room much like the Man u winger last week … both Upson and Spector were played out of the game and Tomkins simply misread the flight of the ball … if anything I thought green might have claimed the cross .. ?
Has anyone been excited by our style of play ?I watch the pass back to Green and the whack upfield and must admit it is predictable.We are crap at set-piece,s taking them and defending them and we have wing backs who at best are midfielders ,man it is worse than Pardew,s style at least we had some flair,we go one down everyone goes into their shell,s,what is going on?
Can't be Assie, haven't you heard, Zola's style of play is like watching Brazil!!!
Once again I am going to go slightly against the grain … we were poor today that I have no bones with … however at half time when changes needed to be made we didn't. Like Fergusson, Coyle did his homework on Spector and kept loads of width on our LHS … however, as poor as Specter was, did he not arrive back late from the USA game … so surely Daprella should have started ? at half time it was obvious to 33 000 fans that Tomkins needed to be taken off … but he wasn't .. he was all at sea for both goals and the cahnges should have been made .. Specter to RB? Kovac to CH to kick Davies off the park and Daprella on to out pace the Bolton winger … these were decisions that weren't made and i am now starting to question GFZ and SC … and when we had the man advantage where was ILan to go 4-3-3 to launch the Alamo at them … on comes Stanislas ?
However, what annoyed me more was where was our Captain today … is it me is it everytime he returns from international duty is strolls around and looks completely dis-interested … Green was ok but you can see why Crouch get the nod ahead of CC in the England team and I am confident he will not make the WC. If someone offers us £20m for CC and £15 for Berahmi in the summer we need to bite there hands off … and start buying round pegs for round holes …
yesterdays defeat lies firmly at GFZ and SC feet, this is the first time I have said this and I hope it is a long time before I say it again … and while were at it … I wonder if Upson and Green turn out to be our best players in the next two games … funny old thing that … shop window thing anyone ?
I know Tomkins had a stinker but we are losing games because we are playing spector at left back,its as simple as that,don't blame diamanti for not tracking back, we are playing 2 holding midfielders one of them should come over and cover,in anycase What ever way you juggle it our defence is completely rubbish,none of them fancy a clash of heads and why is does spector always get sucked in to centerhalf,Maybe we should try zonal marking.
wheres deprela for gods sake!!! hes a specialized left back,just makes no sense.
my team for Chelsea
green
faubert upson Da Costa Deprela
Collison Parker Behrami Diamanti
………..Cole………………Dyer…..
On yesterday's performance Faubert should be the first one left out. But, like Tomkins, he has had decent games recently. A nightmare for both of them yesterday.
Unfortunately, Drogba would have a better time against Da Costa than Tomkins.
Roy, I think Da Costa is suspended for getting sent off in a reserve game ? as for Faubert .. again he got mullered early on and Probert missed it ..he never got into the game after that … I would have hauled Tomkins off, played Spector at RB and dropped Kovac in at CH to duff Davies up ..
Dyer! did i really say that.
If he's fit we have to play him.
Kovac,anyone know what his role is?
headless chicken !
I've only had the opportunity to watch the Football First extended highlights and from this I can conclude that the only moments of quality were offered bt Diamanti & Parker.
Those that feel Upson is irreplaceable need to watch the match again, as well as his embarrassing contribution in the England game. As for Tomkins, my opinion has changed completely. I no longer see him as a outstanding prospect. He repeats the same mistakes week in week out, gets hopelessly out of position and not for the first time this season, jumps under a cross (see first goal). Spector too narrow again – does Zola not watch any of the previous failings? Time to give Daprela a run out.
Carlton Cole appears to be reverting to the old version – hardly trying and going down quicker than Ms Peroncell.
We were back to the old ways – no hunting in packs, no pressing high up the pitch and no passion. The blame for this can only be laid at the feet of the management.
Carry on like this and whatever Mr Sullivan does with the club's personnel will not be met with too much opposition.
Devo, I did watch the game, though on TV. When Diamati gave up on the ball at midfield, He failed to run back and pick up his man Lee. As the ball moved down the center of the field, Spector drifted to the middle, that was the most dangerous spot. The ball was shifted wide right, Which diamati should of been chasing. Lee crossed it right to the penalty spot. Where was Faubet and Upson. Ball watching. Im not saying Spector played well, nobody did. But blame needs to all around. The games that I have seen, this seems to be consistient. Throw some reserves in the mix the next two games, cant see them getting any points
sactown – of course Diamanti gave up the ball, that doesn't disguise the fact that he is the only player in the side with a smidgeon of creativity. My Spector comment (and I've been banging on about this pretty much all season) is that our full backs play far too narrow – certainlt Spector and it is being exploited every week. If I was Zola I would have Spector out wide and on the half way line if necessary. if defensive midfielders can't cover then what is their point?
The dangerous spot is where the cross emanates from, not where it is going. If you cut out the cross, there is no danger. Call it proactive rather than reactive.
spot on
Well said Devo. I couldn't believe Tomkins ducking out of heading it away. What you didn't mention was if he had headed the ball away as it was dropping onto his bonce it might have disturbed his carefully arranged hairstyle, so he had to duck under it didn't he! Performances like that make you so bitter about the wages etc. If I performed so badly at work I would expect to forfeit some of my wages or have to put in extra hours, but what do they have to do???
My best mate was there with his little lad and although they met Sir Trev before the game, he was absolutely gutted with the performance. I've always been defensive of GZ & Clarke, but they need to be accountable for this as it is not acceptable to any of us. So many tactical changes could have been made for this game, and the obvious would have been to man-mark Davies, but nothing appears to have been done and we've paid the price royally.
Devo, i have no problems with Spector as a squad player but as you have said I too feel yesterday was 1005 down to the management. How many times has CC and Upson returned from the England camp and strolled around aimlessly?
Fergusson sussed out Specter 10 days ago and we never learnt anything from it … Franco has looked poor since his return and when we needed a touch of pace up front he went with Mido? Mido and Ilan yes but to leave CC on the pitch was stupid. I also thought Tomkins should have been subbed at halftime and with DaCosta suspended for the next three games we are looking short on options ..
What gripes me most tho, is you know Upson and Green will be our best players in the shop window of the Bridge and the Emmirates ..
Da Costa suspended? Tom, did I miss somehting?
Agreed though its all down to management… players will always be inconsistent, go missing, take the easy options… its up to the management to ensure it doesn't happen too often, and that its prevented at all costs… which they've squarely failed to do so far…
Cahill, I read yesterday that is starts a three match suspension for getting sent off in the reserve game at chelski … so is out for the next three ..
Tom – I think Spector is a useful utility player, the tactics are wrong, unless of course, Zola tells him to stay wide and he doesn't listen? If so, give Daprela a chance, I liked the brief glimpse I saw of him.
Agree with Franco – he hasn't looked the same player. Upson, IMHO, is only a legend in his own mind, whilst Cole has reverted to his lazy former self. I think Green can be absolved of any blame. His form has been good recently and there was little he could do to stop yesterday's defeat.
Go back two or three months, ChrisChris and I both said Zole was crap, we got blasted, everyone said 'give him time' – 'we can't change the manager now' – and worst of all ' in Zola we trust'.
Come on now fellas admit we were right. he is CRAP and if he is manager next year I'll dance naked in the centre circle with the hammerettes at out 1st home game in the fizzy pop league.
That was so poor I won't even comment. None of the them desrve to wear the shirt let alone be paid a King's ransome for doing so. I'd rather have commitment than fancy dan prima donnas rolling over like that.
ABSOLUTE CRAP, rant over.
Hi Paul, I hold my hands up and admit that I thought GZ & SC would come good. I am now starting to have serious doubts. As I said earlier, the team lacks motivation and leadership, both on and off the pitch. I don't think you will have to go through with your threat to dance naked, as I think their days are probably numbered. Shame, as GZ seems like one of the nice guys, but perhaps you need a little more bite to be a football manager.
The sudden change of form makes me start to wonder what has happened over the international/ cup break. Before that we were starting to look better organised, we had more width, Faubert was playing well, even the new signings seemed to be getting into the game.
Now, all that is gone and we are back to how we were in early January, abject.
It strikes me that something has happened behind the scenes. I don't think that all is well between management and ownership, and I wonder whether Nani's leaving has left the manager on notice that he is next whatever the results are? Certainly the team seem to have lost all desire to win now, have they been told that the team will be broken up at the end of the season?
Something is up, and I think it's wider than just the team or the manager not preparing properly.
Hard to disagree Paul… the first few months, we had a patched up team that wouldn't look out of place in Div1, so it was pretty hard to judge the merits of what Zola amd Clarke could bring to us…
I was prepared to give them a chance cos last year, at times, we played some of the best football we played in years..
But… now its back to inconsistencies, languid football, poor motivation, lack of leadership, poor tactical decisions, etc etc… And I'm not sure we can keep blaming off field distractions either, cos this is West Ham after all, we'll ALWAYS have off field distractions…
So, I'm slowly swaying your direction… and if honest, I think Sullivan and Gold would agree with you too..
Yep, we're all starting to have doubts Paul, but one thing you haven't covered is, if Zola goes, who takes his place, realistically???
If you don't have a good answer for this then surely it can't be a good idea to get rid of Zola now?
Welcome your thoughts though…
Ray, I would like to see Sir Trev back for the last few games and then reappoint for next year over the summer
OK Paul. Might be good but a few if's would need to be sorted first. Would he do it, or indeed could he leave his role in the England set-up? He did a good job last time and is a true legend but we'd need to know he could step in before doing anything hasty. I just hope the Hughes rumors turn out to be rubbish.
I'm starting to question everything. Zola is considering his position over the possible sales of some players. For months we have all stomped our collective feet at the very idea of a player being sold. But I ask you; which player on our team is deserving of that kind of support? Maybe Cole and Parker, but other than them I don't think anybody is un-sellable anymore. So the next time I read that DaveX2 is considering letting someone go, or even considering replacing Zola, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Zola's considering his position,bothered.
9 games left we need to get to 37 points not impossible,just not sure zola knows how to get them,how can you say "we need 3 points somewhere else now,dont know where thou."shocking!
I think we have the players to score the goals to keep us up,but the defence are just donkeys,I don't even rate Upson much to be honest,we have been well sussed out at the back, Zola really needs to pull off something big,Ie Davenport comes in and plays some blinders or Carlton cole plays center half!
I really don't know what the answer is maybe Kovac should replace Tomkins or Ilunga when fit,what ever Happens all I know is we need a complete reshuffle at the back right now its a shambles.
Oh yeah and putting Collison infront of Spector is not the answer.
Burnley and Wolves losing yesterday; Hull thrashed today. Oh well, it could have been a lot worse this weekend, but there again it could also have been so much better.
It was as I feared. We have a wonderful squad but we suffer from Reo Corker-itis. This is a desease that affects West Ham particularly. It means that we feel that all we need do is turn up and the play will come naturally to us. This desease also nulifies the senses so much that we forget that there are another 11 players out on the field trying their darndest to stop us playing and give us a walloping.
But never fear, it is not all doom and gloom. This kick up the bakcside will ensure that we gain atleast a point from our two outings coming up. Thenceforth we will begin to see sense and play normal football as it should be played and not just turn up and hope fot the best.
We will beat the drop, reasonably confortably..just. So keep heart every body. This result is not as bad as it appears, horrible as it is to swallow.
Drogba will make mince meat of this defence,radical changes are needed.
No ones mentioned Faubert ducking the first goal.
That's because he didn't.
Davies came in from deep and was not picked up. This wasn't Faubert's responsibility. Take a look at Tomkins or Upson, they're called centre backs and Davies was their centre forward.
Davies was just over Fat Bears shoulder he never came from deep, it would have only taken a slight glance over his right shoulder to see that he was there. Had he done that he could have gotten to the ball much quicker than the Bolton bully boy. Instead he was caught ball-watching and never even noticed KD behind him until it was too late. Then he made the most awfully feeble attempt to jump with Davies and made himself look like a pub team player – pitiful amateurish football
Yes, he was on faubert's shoulder but he ran in from a deep position. Faubert also had one eye on Cohen(?) Tomkins was marking nobody and then managed to jump under lee cross (something he does on a regular basis), Upson was tight on Elmander.
2nd goal: Tomkins at fault. Faubert marking Wilshere, Cohen unmarked, Faubert has to turn and challenge Cohen, Wilshere unmarked . 0-2.
Next open goal: Ball played to Davies right flank, Upson 10 yards away trotting back. Spector in front of Elander, Tomkins marking nobody . Upson allows ball to be crossed unchallenged, Spector & Tomkins ball watching Elmander balloons open goal over bar.
Next open goal: Knight breaks down left, Upson meanders over, Tomkins with Davies, unchallenged cross comes over, Davies beats a half hearted Tomkins to the ball and hits bar.
Yes, faubert may have been outjumped for first goal, but I tend to believe the problems lay elsewhere.
I'm not saying that Tomkins was at fault all over the place because he was but Faubert could have done a lot better for the first goal he was hopelessly ball-watching and got caught out, his speed is no good when he plays like that. Faubert wasn't out jumped he was feeble but then so too was Tomkins and everyone else. Had Diamanti not lost the ball in the middle of the park and then dived and tried to con the ref, the first goal might never have happened that way anyway they are all culpable!!!
Maybe but he could of made a bit more effort.
i think Zola personally needs to go because he is running the team down but we cant afford to get rid of him so for now i would pay him but bring Trevor Brooking in charge until the end of the season, look at what he did for us in 2002-2003 season if bolton hadnt beat boro we would of stayed up and we certainly have the players to stay up so appoint brooking
I am confident we can stay up with this starting 11 every game
Green
Spector Upson Gabbidon Daprela
Stanislas Parker Behrami Diamanti
Cole McCarthy
Bench Stech Dyer Faubert Mido Ilan Franco Collison
if we can keep that we will get results against the lower teams at home
TREVOR BROOKING FOR HAMMERS MANAGER
anyone seen this trash http://thegamesgonecrazy.blogspot.com/ the fella calls himselt a west ham fan