That is the question after yesterday's shocking performance. I watched the warm up exercises yesterday and commented to my son that the players seemed to be treating it all as a joke. Lots of smiles, lots of chats, lots of ambling around, a little bit of skill practice, a "Fragile, avoid all contact" sign around Dyer's neck. I have no idea if there was more intensity amongst the Bolton players because I wasn't watching them, but there was nothing in the body language or faces of our team to suggest that they were about to play a relegation cup final. It looked like they were totally relaxed - so is it any wonder that they were two goals behind in the blink of an eye? The dozy sods seemed to think that all they had to do was turn up to collect the points.
So who do we blame for that? The players or the management? Before kick off, Zola was talking about the pleasing things he had seen in training; after the game he was bemoaning the problems of a slow start. But why did the team start slowly? Why did we look utterly disjointed, with the midfield linking neither with the defence nor the attack, nor even with each other for that matter?
I warned after the thumping at Manchester United that opposing managers would be setting up to attack down our left flank after Valencia annihilated Spector, but what did Zola or Clarke do about it? Nothing. Lee was told to hug the right flank and whip in crosses and he did the job superbly but I knew it was coming so why didn't Zola? Where was Daprella and where was the midfield cover? Spector is not a left back and Diamanti offers very little by way of protection for the full back. Put them together, and it is going to be open season down that flank - and so it proved.
Rooney was unmarked on Tuesday when he scored and Davies was allowed the freedom of Upton Park for his goal yesterday. Tomkins, I'm afraid, is not yet ready for the Premiership. But some on here are calling for Da Costa to replace him. He isn't ready either! That's why Collins should never have been sold. THAT was perhaps the single biggest mistake the club made this season. How do you leave yourself with a choice of two raw centre backs and an old crock for the whole season? And how do you leave yourself without experienced cover for the left back position as well? With all the desperation to sign a striker or three in January, everybody forgot about the back four. Because we are so vulnerable at the back, we pack the midfield with ball winners - Parker, Kovac and Behrami - and so have no creativity going forward. IF we survive and Upson goes in the summer, what will the back four look like next season for pity's sake?
We got carried away with two wins over Birmingham and Hull but that's all they were, two wins over two very ordinary teams. I expect us to go into the Wolves six pointer on the back of four straight defeats now. And I expect a new manager to be organising the team on that Tuesday night. My money is on Zola going after a heavy defeat against Arsenal.
Who is waiting in the wings? Some dreamers are calling for Venables! But that brown Volvo is chugging down the A12 as I write, towing the old familiar caravan.
"One point at home to Bolton is better than none" Alan Curbishley is muttering to his wife as she puts her knitting to one side and pours a nice warm cuppa from the thermos flask.
"It's all very well that Italian taking free kicks and scoring spectacular goals," Alan continues, "But can he defend? Wolves at home is a big game. The priority is not to lose. 1-0 would do us nicely but 1-1 would suit. I will take the job before the Chelsea game but leave Keen to pick the team. Introduce myself to the lads, but avoid responsibility for a defeat. But if we win, well the manager will deserve some credit won't he? If we stay up, that will be down to me; if we go down, well they left it too late to reappoint me. Traffic bad today dear. Oh look, the car has just clocked up 250,000 miles. Some people say brown Volvos are boring but they are reliable dear, very reliable; you can trust them."
17 comments:
kevin in manc hester writes..
I agree, No fight , no spite, no sense of urgency that we are still in a relegation battle, no team really. compare our squads to say Fulham and Birmingham. On paper as good or better; the difference; experienced managers who know how to set out a team. Zola aspires to a brand of football we all like and admire but he isn't clever enough; at best a work in progress, at worst yet another great player not up to the job. very worried.
Venables??????????
LOL I know!
We are all disapointed and yes, you are right about lack of fight and Zola not being able to eliminate that asian right winger and Davis, who were their biggest weapons already when we lost in Bolton few months ago.
But hey, you would not sell Collins, striker was the priority, but you would also buy new left back, creative midfielder and I guess also new right back (while we needed one till Fauberts recent improvement). Wtf?
We all know about our limited resources and huge debts. We are able to identify where the improvement is needed, but do not have money to buy these players ffs.
We will most probably loose Green, Upson, Cole, Behrami, Diamanti, or majority of them in summer.........
As to the Zola. I love the man and still support him. But my concerns regarding his managerial abilities are growing. I agree with majority, that being the nice personality is not enough for this job and that the fact, that this bloke is fine should not hide his managerial faults. But if it was up to me, I would give him trust and more time. I believe he can keep us in the PL and next season may be his season.
Da Costa may not be ready HF but is still a better option than Tomkins in my opinion. Given the same opportunities, he'd improve faster. Tomkins really should be near ready by now (~50 starts), but he's not.
IS IT ME OR,WHEN DYER CAME ON TO REPLACE THE INJURED FAUBERT,WERE THERE NO INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE BENCH REGARDING THE LEFT BACK POSITION.IT SEEMED THAT DYER WENT STRAIGHT TO CENTRE MIDFIELD AND IT WAS LEFT TO PARKER TO INSTRUCT BERHAMI THAT MAYBE WE ALSO NEEDED SOME COVER AT FULL BACK!
PATHETIC TACTICS,NON EXISTANT MOTIVATION AND NO PASSION APART FROM PARKER AND DIAMANTE.
DID YOU ALSO NOTICE WHO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DOWN THE TUNNEL WHILST OTHERS WERE CHECKING ON THE INJURED STANISLAS AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE CROWD??
OUR LOYAL CAPTAIN!
IN HIS HEAD, HE'S GONE ALREADY.
JOHN V P
On a seperate issue,why is Davies never brought into the England recogning? Cole and Heskey have had a chance and some people are even talking about Bobby Z but every time I see Davies (which admittedly is usually when Bolton are tonking us)he is head and shoulders above any of them.
Yesterday he made Tomkins look like a schoolboy.
I think he would make a perfect partner for Rooney.
Comments anyone?
John V P
Yes we know it was bad game but the Hammers is my favorit team from Hungry. I once to had a pint of beer with all sing along Hammers inGreen street was a cool day for us all to be good guys with the hammers to call for no fight. I was with a few british friends at game testerday fanno matbe i think i see you there if not next time. blog is good but some others is good as well better than yors maube but i see All the best for losing fanno shame
John,
I think the refs on the international stage wouldn't let Davies get away with anything physical. Take that away from him and there's not much left there to be honest. I don't doubt his effectiveness, but it is only under the circumstances he is currently playing in that he is effective. Take him out of the Bolton team (or the like), out of the Prem, and he will be less effective.
Can't agree with you there Stani.
Although he is undoubtedly a physical presence his movement and football brain create opportunities for others as well as himself.
The way he hooked the ball from in front of Tomkins yesterday to create the goal for Wilshere was brilliant.
Talking of Wilshere, a lifelong Hammers fan, how did we NOT get him on loan?
Too busy looking abroad to see what's on our own doorstep??
John V P
brilliant result for HF this was, he gets to come out all guns blazing with a tirade of abuse about the team and the club.
you couldn't have asked for more, could you?!
"Talking of Wilshere, a lifelong Hammers fan, how did we NOT get him on loan?"
Because we didn't need him did we? We've already got young, inexperienced players available to the first team (such as Stanislas who is no worse than Wilshere). Why would we concentrate our efforts on signing a young midfielder when we were massively short up-front?
Seems pretty obvious why we didn't sign Wilshere... we don't bloody need him!
John,
Fair enough mate but his whole game is dependant on his physical style of play. He may have a good footballing brain (it did seem the whole Bolton team had a better one than us!) but he will be of limited use on the international stage because he won't be allowed, by the refs, to cause the trouble he does in the Prem.
Whilst we should give him credit for hooking the ball around Tomkins, it was a fundamental defensive error from Tomkins that allowed it. Davies is a good option to have for smaller clubs and clubs that are struggling. But if you look at the top teams around the world (international ones included), they do not have use or room for this style of player due to his limitations.
Had we been in a better position in the table, then I think we may have had a look at Wilshere. His inexperience meant that he would not have played in our must win games.
I rarely post these days and have disagreed with Hammersfan many times in the past but it is very difficult to argue with anything that was said in this post.
West Ham very truly awful. Diamanti apart, no one seemed to give a stuff and that includes the manager. I added a late post on this site about Curbishley yesterday and my own view is that he couldn't do any worse.
I didn't want Zola last year and I don't want him now. Nothing against him but he is not an experienced manager and whatever happens this season, I would be staggered if he was here for 2010-11.
We must have the best squad on paper outside the top 8, yet there is a very real chance that we will be relegated. Forget the fact that there are undoubtedly 3 teams worse than us, we have already been relegated in recent years with the most points and almost relegated 3 years ago. On both these occasions arguably we had a stronger squad than we do now.
Our run in is awful, and very soon teams below us will start winning.
If we stay up I would cash in on Upson and Behrani, move a few others along, and replace Zola with a proper, experienced manager and start again. We do have some good youngsters, good enough to survive in the PL with the right manager.
Trevor, I can't argue with that - although I disagree about Curbishley as you know!
Jerald, do you really think I wanted us to lose? Why would I spend good money for that?
Finno, where in Hungary are you from? I have been to Balatin and Budapesh.
Yes Hammersfan, Trevor is right. This is the crux of what we face at the present. I don't know that Curbs could do any better at the moment. Curbs would stabilize us, but only take us so far. He is not a long term proposition in my opinion, if the owners want to compete in Europe. I believe that Zola is simply a quiet man. He is not a motivator of other people to any great degree. Don't get me wrong, great player, knows much about football, but it comes back to personality. Zola looked frustrated on the sideline. He saw what was happening & could do nothing to change it. Too late. Football is 50% ability & 50% what is in your heart in my opinion. The players are both distracted by recent events, uncertain of their future & as a result, lacking in the psychological edge that it takes to perform to your physical best. They are lacking personal motivation & coherence as a team. An experienced coach would recognize & address this. Look at Guus Hiddink, a successful coach. A child psychologist for many years before becoming a football coach. He knows how to get the best from people. In my opinion, only the players can change this now. They need to look in the mirror & ask themselves, am i a footballer or a businessman? Why am i here? What can i do personally to make a difference? Only the players can answer those questions. We can still stay up. The opportunity is still there, but something needs to happen soon. Forget the owners, forget the coach, forget the politics, it can only come from the players. I really do think that it is down to them now. We can't buy anybody right now, & if we go down that may change who will come to us. We have a good squad that is capable of performing against any side in England. We just need a can of harden the f' up. If you are in any doubt why you play football, go down the park, watch the young kids play. That always answers those sort of questions.
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