With no Cole, no Behrami and no Collison (not much point in mentioning the absence of Beano), the chances are we will see Luis Boa-Morte in action tomorrow. Some Hammers fans are confused by the "enigma" that is Boa, wondering how a player who looked so good before he joined us, can look so consistently awful in Claret and Blue. Those fans have selective memories of Boa before he was ours.
Let’s examine his record. Just 46 career goals during a playing career stretching to over 300 club games hardly represents "scoring for fun" does it? At full international level, playing in a very good Portugal team, he mustered a grand total of just 2 goals in 25 games. He did score for fun in his first season at Fulham, notching 18 of those 46 career goals in just 39 games - but that was in the Fizzy Pop!
And that, sadly, is where Boa belongs!
How many goals does Mascherano score? How many did Makelele?
ReplyDeleteBoa Morte is an aggessive tackler and decent passer. As Zola says, he does his job.
Boa-Morte is NOT a holding midfielder and never has been. You might as well ask how many goals Green scores!
ReplyDeletespot on mmaisonpierre, as homer simpson once said 'people can use statistics to prove anything, 14% of all people know that'. Zola said it himself earlier in the year that boa-morte is the kind of player that any manager wants in their dressing room, i cannot understand why so called west ham fans boo him. Sure he has missed his fair share of chances but come on its not like he missed them on purpose. All i have ever seen from boa-morte on the pitch is 100% effort and passion, his confidence has never been very high since he joined west ham as he has never gone on a run as it were.Why come out with such a negative article out of the blue? At times like this we need the likes of boa-morte to step in and carry the game to sunderland, why not try and give him some support?
ReplyDeleteAnd in response to your reply last time round, I am Irish, and my reservations about rooney are not to do with jealousy or anything like that, i do think he's an excellent player, but if he wasnt english he would never be mentioned in the same breath as Maradona in my opinion. It seems that english people are so desperate for success in a world cup that they want to make themselves believe that rooney will be the answer to their prayers. And the derision that english people STILL have for maradona for the 'hand of god' goal is laughable, if that goal had been disallowed for example would anyone regard him as a cheat today? Anyone?? Sour grapes!
As much as I hate Boa, I hate YOU more.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't play as a striker, he's a winger, therefore a PROVIDER. He VERY rarely plays as a supporting striker if anything. At Fulham he was a central midfielder, occasionally playing on the wings. How can you even question his goal return (even though it has been poor). And for your information, he played in midfield for a majority of the Portugal games as well.
Once again, you have humoured me with your lack of footballing knowledge.
LOL Claret&, show me where I called him a striker! When Curbishley bought him he said we were getting two players rolled into one, somebody who could do a job wide or as an "auxillary striker". That's what the guy who bought him said he bought him for, that's why he paid all that money and offered that huge salary. If we are talking wide midfield players who play for Portugal, how about Ronaldo? He scores a few although not a striker doesn't he?
ReplyDeleteCreamy, I disagree with booing the guy but I can understand the fans' frustration. You can't help but groan when he shoots - you don't need to wait to see where the ball will end up, the "Oh God no!" feeling wells up as soon as he shapes to shoot! One goal in three seasons! Even Mullins managed more - and he was the midfield anchor! If Zola thinks Boa is the sort of player every manager wants in his dressing room, why did he try to sell him to Hull? And why weren't there other clubs interested in buying him? Surely Ferguson must recognise such irresistable talent when he sees it? Perhaps Zola meant the quote literally - he would prefer he was in the dressing room rather than out on the pitch!
As for Maradonna, wasn't he done for using cocaine? Not just a hand ball cheat, but a drugs cheat into the bargain. And he got Fenwick booked in THAT game inside the first ten minutes by diving. Had Fenwick not been on a yellow, and so facing red, Maradonna would never have got round him for that "great" goal. Fenwick was the last player he passed before getting into the box. Watch it, you will see Fenwick pull out of the challenge, mindful of the red card that would follow any contact, deliberate or otherwise. Maradonna was a genious but he was a cheat too.
No matter what position he was intended for boa-morte is an attacking player and his lack of goals in his time at west ham has been appaling. But I still think he is a valuable member of the squad, a player with his tenacity is an excellent option to spring from the bench. I would take him over the likes of Etherington any day, at his best Etherington showed flashes of brilliance but when you really neede him, he would invariably go missing. U might argue that in this case boa-morte is consistent, but only because he is consistently bad! The likes of Boa-Morte and Spector (and mullins was) are hugely important members of the squad. They will sit on the bench and keep their mouths shut and when they are need they will step in and do their job. Sure ferguson isn't gonna come looking for them, but these guys have never let us down. We are West Ham, not man u, what better players are we going to get to fulfill that role? I don't believe that Zola tried to sell him to Hull, I doubt he would have been heartbroken to lose him but I think there was pressure from above to lose those fringe players or else lose one of the big ones. Why would Zola want to actively get rid of the likes of boa-morte? Do you think that he wanted to sell mullins to portsmouth for example?
ReplyDeleteI must admit the whole cocaine thing did slip my mind. I am a young fan and all this was before my time. But to the best of my knowledge Maradona developed a cocaine addiction after he retired, as I understand it this is common amongst such mercurial talents, they are used to the adoration of the crowd and when they retire, there is a void so they often turn to drugs to give them that euphoria that they so sorely missed. I'm not condoning drug use, especially since so many people look up to Maradona so much. But to label him a drugs cheat kind of implies that he was using it as a performance enhancing drug doesnt it??? Again I am too young and I am obviously not an England supporter so I have never even heard of 'Fenwick' to be honest, but to see that you could analyse 'that' goal so meticulously to try and take away from it in that manner is just more sour grapes my friend. It was a brilliant goal, one of the best ever, to say that it wouldnt have happened if Maradona wasnt a cheat is ludicrous, have you watched over the tape 100 times and used your mind-reading skills on Fenwick to prove your point??!!
got to agree about the boo boys,how the f**k is supposed to play well when his own (so called fans)give him cap?
ReplyDeleteCreamy, I like your attitude! I am an older fan. When Fenwick was booked, I was yelling at the TV, because it was so obvious what Maradonna was up to. Watch the tape once, you will see what I mean. Fenwick was a no nonsense defender - players did not dribble round him on the edge of the box, he took them out if they tried. he definitely pulled out of the challenge!
ReplyDeleteMaradonna was actually done for using cocaine in a World Cup Final tournament if my memory serves me correctly. It is not just a recreational drug, it enhances performance by boosting confidence and pumping adrenalyne. Sorry to disillusion you but the guy was a cheat. A brilliant cheat, but a cheat.
Bonzo, I'm with you on the boo boys!
dantheiron. Youre sounding like a wingey Spurs fan. Anyone who pulls on the claret&blue shirt gets my support. GFZ has my vote over u,if he decides to play him he has his reasons. I'd love to hear what you sang about Cole B4 GFZ came along. COYI!
ReplyDeleteSorry Dag, "dantheiron's comment had to be deleted. Kids look in on the site and his language was unacceptable. If you look in again "dan", try to show a little more maturity. Hurling insults is absurd. I don't get where you were coming from anyway. Can you read? The article is clearly not an endorsement of LBM's ability but that seems to be the way you have understood it.
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