We are making a habit of this, rolling up our sleeves, standing tall and grinding out results away from Upton Park. Yet again we couldn't manage more than one goal, yet again we couldn't score from open play, but yet again, you have to marvel at the determination and resilience of the team, and smile at the quality of some of the passing.
To begin, what a goal! I take it all back, give Diego Tristan a contract, who needs to run when you can strike a ball as cleanly as that? Anybody remember a better free kick from a West Ham player? Solano hit a beauty; against Derby wasn't it? And Dicks and Stewart could smash a dead ball into the back of the net, but Tristan's finish exuded class. A fantastic finish which made you wish we had signed this guy five years ago!
The other real successes were Neill, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga and Kovac. How many throw-ins did Stoke win? Surely they were going to score from one as Delap hurled in the mortars and the cavalry charged. But the back line held firm, time and again clearing the ball as if they hadn't heard that this was Stoke's "secret weapon". Here it comes again lads, head it clear! Clarke must have been drilling them all week! True, we needed a great block by Stanislas and a clearance off the line from Noble, but the Law of Averages dictated that a Stoke player would get his head on the ball eventually. In the circumstances, Stoke had surprisingly few chances, even with Green looking a little twitchy at times (although how brave was he when he went down at the foot of Fuller?).
If I wanted to be critical, I would point to the number of times we needlessly conceded throw-ins, as if, literally, we had not heard of Stoke's long throw tactic, but I suppose Stoke play for them as a form of second phase ball. Some of the triangular passes we played, on the other hand, were an absolute joy to behold and, on occasions, it was like the Liverpool team of the 80s playing in their pomp - to me, to you, to him, back to me, to him, to me, to you, back to him. Sadly we didn't pass our way into the box too often but you can't have everything, particularly with so many first choice players unavailable.
No Dyer today? What happened to him? Injured getting off the bus perhaps?
Some might say, "It was only Stoke" but they would be wrong. Stoke have only lost 4 times at home this season, having turned the Britannia into something of a fortress. Our performance today was highly professional and very un West Ham like. We traditionally roll over and die in games like these so the victory, the performance and the clean sheet mark still further progress. Well done to the boys and to Matty Etherington for having money on a Stoke victory! You lose some and you lose some more Matty!
Ratings: Green 6; Neill 9 (I thought he was immense today!); Tomkins 8; Upson 7 (Yes I thought Tomkins outshone his more senior partner today); Ilunga 7; Boa 6; Noble 7; Kovac 8, Stanislas 6; Di Mihele 7, Tristan 7.
9 comments:
Were you at the game hammers fan???? Are you gonna go to any of the 3 remaining games hammerfan??? Didnt think so. Great win though and yes i did go to the game. Love from Marc the Drac grant
Did you? How are you posting so quickly then?
wow 2 responses to a hammers win?....time for another article on spurs!
LOL A West Ham win isn't that remarkable, thus the low number of responses. Still, I can feel a Tottenham article coming on.
Yet another excellent result, not only ground out with grit and determination, but earned with some style when the opportunity arose. All the papers are talking about the changes to our style and attitude that Zola has brought but I think we really have to thank Steve Clarke for providing the platform for our more creative players to perform with confidence in the belief that the defense will hold out under pressure.
It is perhaps surprising that a team that has garnered only 8 goals from the last 12 matches should be in a position to qualify for europe. But when you look at the defensive stats, you can see why. In the last 23 league games we have conceded 2 goals on only 3 occasions and kept 10 clean sheets. We must have had a settled back four. Well no not really; Tomkins and Collins have both been involved and Neill has on a few occasions had to play out of position. One thing that is becoming clear is that Tomkins is not far off being first choice centre half, he is the natural heir to the armband.
Such a paucity of goals must surely mean a less than entertaining spectacle. No again, such a solid base has allowed us to play with flair that had we had the strikers to capitalise would have seen us return results that would have been worthy of a top four team. All of this has been achieved with a crippling injury list and a bench full of youth team players.
I have supported West Ham since 1962 and I don't think I have ever felt so positive about our potential (with the possible exception of '86 and a brief spell under Harry). Let's just hope that the off field shenanigans don't burst our bubbles.
Spot on Marty. If we can land a striker or two who know how to hit the back of the net, then we will be in great shape. Should Ashton recover and should Dyer find full fitness (worrying he was absent yesterday) then I really do believe we could be doing a Villa next season - but seeing it through to the end of the season! Please God that the finances don't undermine us!
Spot on Bruvs!
do a villa next season? what, have the worst home record in the top half of the league and go without a win for 12 games (until tnight probably). actually yeah, that does sound like west ham
They are in fifth!
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