Half Time West Ham 0 Fulham 1

Well, explain this if you can. Last week, we played Tottenham off the park. This week, Fulham are doing the same to us. They look as if they have an extra man on the pitch and we can't get hold of the ball, never mind create chances. The nearest we have come are from long balls or short back passes, and a Noble corner / Piquionne header that was a carbon copy of last week, except it was headed clear when going wide of the post anyway.

Defensively, we have been pretty good, although Jacobsen could have conceded a penalty when he tugged at Dempsey's shoulder and trode on his heel. It would have been a disputed award, but I have seen them given. Had the claim been from the home team, backed by the crowd, I think it woould have been awarded!

The goal was unlucky. The final "pass" took a deflection and fell perfectly into the path of Dempsey, who then finished beautifully. But for the deflection on the Davies pass, it would never have made it through to the American so to blame anybody in a West Ham shirt would be unfair. Gabbidon was perhaps a little slow to close down the left flank, and that's where it started from.

Gabbidon and Parker are both on yellows which is worrying. Parker again collected his for a needless foul on the half way line. He complained bitterly but he scissored the Fulham player's standing leg and that can do terrible damage to an ankle. I think Marriner was justified in showing yellow, as he was when Gabbidon slid in from behind, again near the half way line, inside the first two minutes.

Up front, Piquionne is looking lively but Obinna has been disappointing. The chief problem is one of supply, however. Fulham are pressing us back into our own half so the front guys are feeding off long ball scraps. Somehow, we have to get hold of the ball and play the game inside Fulham's half.

Barerra has looked a bit pedestrian to me and Boa has had a poor game so far. Everything he has tried to do has gone wrong. Maybe we should go 4-3-3, with Obinna pulled wide and Cole on, but that would leave us exposed at the back and maybe over run in midfield. It's a problem that I'm struggling to find a solution to at the moment!

Fingers crossed for the second half!