If West Ham were scoring goals, we'd be very dangerous indeed. I was also intrigued by the stat when I watched it back on Setanta that if our games this season finished after 45 minutes, we'd be top of the league. Either way, we've got to stop looking like we're too good to get relegated and start getting the results that ensure we don't.
The simple problem is goal-scoring, or our complete lack of it. A friend of mine said that if Carlton Cole was a top finisher, he wouldn't be at West Ham. Obviously he was doing his big club/little club trick on me, but actually, there is a good point there. Cole does a nubmer of things very well, he holds up the ball, has bit of a pace and great strength. However, he is simply not a clinical finisher, which is why his career has been one of journeyman rather than top Premier League striker. No doubt a number of managers have seen what he can do and have wondered to themselves that if they can add finishing to his game, he'd be awesome. It appears they have failed in that respect. What I can tell, however, is that Cole is a confidence player and if he feels the crowd on his back, he carries that burden heavily. While he is wearing a West Ham shirt, let's get behind him and get him on a run.
As for the game on Saturday evening, Villa were very much there for taking, I did not think they were anything special, certainly not like the side that bulldozed their way past Spurs earlier in the season for example. Their goal was fortuitous and to me it was undeserved, if we weren't going to score, they certainly did not deserve to. The substitutions somewhat surprised me - I would have taken Noble off for Mullins and pushed Parker into a more attacking role, despite Noble playing well. And although he is not my favourite player at the moment, I wouyld have had Faubert on for Behrami. Anyway, player ratings...
Green - 7 - no chacne with the deflection, otherwise flawless as ever
Illunga - 7 - good game from Herita, getting back into form
Upson - 8 - strong and kept Villa at bay
Davenport - 7 - likewise
Neill - 8 - one of his best game for some time, real Captain's performance
Collison -7 - creative, keen and skillful, hope to see more of this promising youngster
Noble - 7 - another good performance from our homegrown boy
Parker - 6 - some wayward passing saw him off at half time
Behrami - 6 - started brightly but injury put paid to his contribution
Cole - 6 - find your shooting boots and you'll be a legend!
Bellamy - 7 - full of running and gave the Villa lads a torrid time
Zola/Clarke - 6 - strange substitutions but overall the display put on by the lads was good
Away to Pompey next followed by home to Stoke, minimum of 4 points please Hammers!
We were lucky - but it was justice for some past robbery by the Hammers!
You won't go down playing like that but you do need another finisher and a some of your passing going forward let you down.
Bellamy did too much work trying to get the ball into the box rather than being the guy who should be waiting for the ball in the box.
Posted by: Luke M | 22/12/2008 at 16:00
Vills for robbery and west ham for assault, young had his head kicked at a height of 5ft, barry was given a judo lesson in the box and celluar was round housed kicked in the ribs, apart from that not a bad game
Posted by: tinker | 22/12/2008 at 16:26