I was amazed to see Wolves sitting in 12th place in the Prem after their victory over Burnley. That just shows how a "little run" can see you climb the table quickly at the moment. But Wolves will still be relegated. Gravity will suck them back down despite that freak result at Tottenham.
We are on a high today because we picked up a home point after three consecutive defeats. Looked at like that and the shoots of recovery looking decidedly sparse. Yes it was against Chelsea and they are top of the table but they have been playing badly and were without Anelka and Essien - and amazingly chose to play without wide men despite our weaknesses at full back. They talk about these Italian managers but Ancelotti missed a basic trick yesterday. If you have a Faubert at right back, you get the ball wide and run at him. Chelsea failed to do that all game!
How good was our performance? Well defensively we were strong, with the team playing as a defensive unit, but can we play that way at home to Pompey? Obviously not. Franco was isolated far too often and there were times when there appeared to be no out ball whatsoever. So for the next game, 4-1-4- 1 has to become 4-1-2-2-1, with Diamanti and Collison getting much closer to Franco. The trouble then, of course, is that our back four will then be left exposed; and most of us agree that Tomkins, Faubert and Ilunga are vulnerable in those circumstances.
The truth is that, without a victory on Boxing Day, the hope generated yesterday will appear false. We saw that we are not as bad as some thought yesterday but that doesn't mean that we are equipped to escape the drop. With Cole available, I would feel super confident going into the Portsmouth game, but without him, I am still wondering where the goals will come from. Relying on penalties to score is a dangerous strategy! And without Cole, we have managed just one goal from open play in four games. That is a frightening stat and one that we ignore at our folly. Grant will be telling his players that one goal will secure a minimum of a point and two will ensure victory. And remember, we haven't won any of our last four home games against Portsmouth.
So, we have avoided the poison chalice of being bottom at Christmas but nobody should feel complacent. A defeat at home to Chelsea followed by a victory over Pompey would have been preferable to two draws. For there to be genuine green shoots of recovery, we have to put Pompey on the canvas on Boxing Day!
4 comments:
Hammers fan,
You have picked up on a huge thing with the fact Chelski played a narrow game and never took on our full backs until drogba skinned a very poor Illunga towards the end og the game. However at present those available dictating who plays ... we have no Berahmi, Dyer, or Jiminez to beef up the midfield so trying the 4-1-4-1 for me was a far more positive miove than the 4-3-3 we have been playing.
Whatever we choose the priority must be too protect the full backs and yesterday we did that ....
I am still as optomistic about boxing day as the rest of us however a draw will be as bad as a defeat ... then listening to Upson talking of not knowing where his future lies tells it all, if he is sold mark my words we will be relgated. Where is the TV money ? there are no players left to sell that are worth selling so for me a win over Pompey is futile because as I said yesterday ... we are a more viable financila option to Straumar in the Fizzy pop leagues something even the press have picked up on
Franco was imense upfront by himself. yeah Chelski were without two first team players but we were without. Hines, Cole and Behrami, not to mention the perminent loss of ashton and dyer just about as useful, even gabbidon limped off so without half the first team we not only contained chelski but created as much and we got a much deserved point. yeah upson got the ball and that was never a penalty but green and gabbidon were very lucky not to have both gave away a penalty first half. although we shouldn't get carried away, the team spirit was there and we had a bit of fight about us, something i would of gave my left arm for two weeks ago. but this means little if we loose to pompey who are in good form
It's that old problem of balance Tom. We can defend as a unit but how many chances can we then create? Who fancies James to return and have a blinder whilst Green cocks up as we lose 1-0 on Boxing Day? Wouldn't that be typical?
Victory really is essential. If we win, and get Sears and Cole back and fit, we can kick on. If we lose, the grave will be yawning wide open, hungry for our corpse. The last two times we played games as crucial as this against relegation rivals were the Charlton and Shafting United matches: we lost them -0-4 and 0-3. It is vital that the fans get behind the team and roar their heads off. We have to make Upton Park a couldron of hope not a baying pit of frustration!
hammersfan i dusagree completley with the fact the other day u sed tomkins had a gd game by his standards now that is bollocks he alwways plays that well it was onw of his best game so far i don't think he is vulnerable and even with ilungas form he isnt either gabbidon i agree with he needs to be sold
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