First half, da Costa dawdled, was closed and put the ball into touch stupidly. Stoke duly scored from the Delap throw, courtesy of a foul by Walters on Upson. I don't think you can blame the officials for missing that one because I didn't see it in real time. However, the failure to give the penalty when Walters pulled Tomkins to the ground in the second half is a completely different matter.
Second half, da Costa conceded the freekick needlessly that set up the second Stoke goal. True, it needed a further contribution from the referee, giving handball against Cole when the initial free kick was blocked, but Cole did jump and the ball did hit his arm. Parker was right, Cole was protecting his pretty boy looks, but we would have been shouting for a free kick at the other end so again, I don't think we can point the finger at the referee for that one.
Much more of an issue is the fact that we allowed Stoke players into the wall and let them break out and leave a hole. It was a well executed free kick and further tribute to the work done on the Stoke training field on set pieces. Green was very unlucky. He got down, got a strong hand on the ball and so nearly pushed it wide. It was cruel fate for it to his the post and roll agonisingly behind the line.
Green deserved better. It is beyond me how Parker was made man of the match. That honour surely had to go to one of the two keepers. Green's penalty save was fabulous, his save from Etherington's header in the first half excellent and he coped admirably with the barrage of crosses into his box all afternoon. At the other end, Sorensen made a fantastic stop from Obinna and a brilliant reflex save from Keane. Yes Parker played well, but in the last 10 minutes he went back into headless chicken mode, charging around all over the pitch and forgetting that there were colleagues out there to pass to. We lost our shape as a result and it became like kids football, which suited Stoke better in the circumstances. That said, we were so unlucky when that Upson header crashed against the bar!
The penalty decision in favour of Stoke was disgraceful but I warned before kick off that Etherington would skin Tomkins and so it proved. Matty was a danger all afternoon and whilst he dived for the penalty, he turned Tomkins inside out to get into the box in the first place. It was a mistake not to play Jacobsen and a mistake to play da Costa, just as I called before the start of the game. I praised Grant last week for his flexibility; Pulis out thought him today by pushing his wide men high and pressing us back.
Let's hope the Piquionne injury isn't serious. I saw enough of Obinna today to know he is not the man to keep us up. Hopefully Parker and Hiztlsperger have come through the game unscathed and Ba was rested and not injured. The dream of the Cup is gone but if Stoke's focus is on Wembley, they may yet get sucked into the relegation scrap, although playing like they did today, I'd be amazed if they didn't bully their way to safety. It's ugly stuff but it can be effective, especially in end of season matches against opposition with nothing to play for.
Player Ratings: Green 9; Tomkins 6, da Costa 4, Upson 5, Bridge 6; Noble 6, Parker 7, Hitzlsperger 6; Piquionne 6, Cole 4, Obinna 3. Subs: Spector 5, Keane 6, Hines 4 (what was that push all about in injury time?)
It hit Piquionne's shoulder HF, it wasn't a handball.
ReplyDeletePlease God let that be Noble's last start. Awful, awful, awful. Rubbish corners again (compare them to Pennants. Corners are important!!!) and failed to pass when in key positions in the last third and plays stupid balls to team mates when they're stuck with nowhere to go.
Only you could isolate Noble as the player responsible for that defeat!
ReplyDeleteWhere did I say he was responsible for the defeat? Only you could accuse me of that! You read what I write like you watch him play, that is with your mind made up!
ReplyDeleteErm, who else did you blame?
ReplyDeleteWhere did I say he was responsible for our defeat? Simple question HF. Where? Or have you falsely accused me?
ReplyDeleteIf you would like to know who I felt was responsible, ask me and I will tell you. Don't put words into people's mouths.
well how many passes did parker make what about upson oh and how is noble meant to pass to anybody when nobody makes the runs for him you stani all you ever do is focus on nobles bad games and never his good games like west brom to be honest you can be quite pathetic sometimes
ReplyDeleteSo explain why you singled him out? I await with bated breath!
ReplyDeleteBecause he is poor, like I'm always trying to tell you. So, here was some evidence which I wanted to highlight. It has been an ongoing debate.
ReplyDeleteDid I say he was "responsible for our defeat"? I answer your questions, answer mine. If I say it's not sunny today, does that mean I have said it is raining?
Come on HF, you're always telling me how you admit when you're wrong and my egotism doesn't allow me to. Are you wrong?
Don't get emotional Fred. I didn't call you pathetic. You defend him like I dissed a member of your family.
ReplyDeleteLet's not compare Noble and Parker now.
ReplyDeleteParker was man of the match by the way.
I will correct myself, only you could be spiteful and blinkered enough to single out Noble's performance for negative comment, above all others, today. Better? What did you think of Cole today? or da Costa? Or Obinna? Noble was better than that lot by a country mile!
ReplyDeleteBeaten by the school yard bullies...we had our dinner money well and truly ripped from our hands. The first goal was silly because if WD had done his job and it had sunk in then the boys have themselves to blame...Delap/Huth/Goal is so predictable and we failed miserably to deal with it...as for the second the fracas between Parker and Walters put paid to concentration and Green was visibly still preparing the wall when the whistle went
ReplyDeleteOur goal 'was' handball so all in all the ref had a bit of a 'mare. We will bounce back as I can see some real gelling together and footballing accumen starting to appear..Stoke v Bolton will be more akin to a boxing bout with the 'Dambusters' type aerial assault..lets hope the casualty list is high and it ricks the run in for them (especially Stoke).
For what its worth I would've picked Green for MOM...penalty save some commanding punches some excellent reaction saves and even a good old goal mouth scramble...Onwards and hopefully upwards.
Can't think why a West Ham player didn't stand in front or behind the Stoke player who stood in the line when they go their second goal the intention was obvious, why didn't they see it?
ReplyDeleteStoke appeared more up for it than us, and perhaps just about deserved the win on the day, but what an awful side. Couldn't believe the way we kept getting yellows when they were getting away without being penalised. I would give the ref a mark of 2.
If I had time HF, I would have done a review like I usually do. I made the comment I wanted to make in the time I had to make it. I have given you perfectly good reasons for my comment, not that I have to justify it. Add to this my reaction to your accusation and it is obvious to any neutral observer that you were wrong to accuse me. So go on, take it away...
ReplyDeleteThe other guys aren't consistently poor, that's the difference.
You're over-critical of Da Costa in my opinion. He did a lot of good like that break-away tackle near the end. Obinna was anonymous, as was Piqu until the goal (which was not hand-ball). Cole had lack of service in fairness. Green and Tomkins were our best players.
We lost because of the ref. I'm astonished how so many people think Stoke deserved it.
Not bitter though. I've always said we should concentrate on the league.
Noble had a terrible game. Bad going forward and as usual bad in defending. I totally agree with Stani; he was probably our worst player today and it was right to have him replaced although a little too late.
ReplyDeleteAG made a mess of the selection but particularly his changes of Spector, Keane and Hines. These three changes made the team a lot worse. Spector can't control the ball and as everyone knows is so likely to make costly mistakes when defending. Keane was clearly not ready and Hines is still too naive to be playing these crucial games.
But overall, we lost thanks to the referee making all the critical decisions leading to the goals wrong and in addition not giving us a clear penalty when Tomkins was wrestled down to the groung in the Stoke penalty area. So, I reckon, West Ham should have won 0-1 (assuming that we would have scored from the penalty that was not given to us).
Last but not least, I think AG was wrong not to play Jacobsen or at least bring him in as one of the substitutes.
Let's hope we can now win our home games and stay in the Premiership.
It is a vendetta Stani.
ReplyDeleteWeren't you calling for Keane to replace Piquionne Sav? Talk about being wise after the event! Keane very nearly scored, as it happens. Sorensen made a top class save. Like Stani, you seem almost pleased of the opportunity to score points in a personal vendetta. In your case, of course, the target is Grant.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is, we were out muscled by a team who wanted it more. Pulis no doubt told his charges to go in hard because we were anxious not to pick up injuries. The midfield were pressed to oblivion by Stoke - Parker's best work was done very deep. What did he offer going forward? His one corner was dreadful and Hitz didn't look like a world beater either. Steamrollered might be an appropriate way to describe it.
Bloody hell HF. We're the ones with vendettas!
ReplyDeleteI care about my club HF, not individuals. If they are good I will say it, if they are bad I will say it.
When have I ever called for Keane to replace Piquione?!!! How do you come up with these imaginary things HF? Do you just say anything that comes in your mind when you have nothing else to cling on?
ReplyDeleteAnd just to clarify, my opinion on Noble has nothing to do with my reservations about Grant. Noble is not the real deal. He has some virtues but his flaws are too many. As a result, he often often does more harm than good.
"And last but not least, having Spector replacing Piquione! I hope I am wrong, but if we don't get through, is probably because of the latter." OK, you didn't mention Keane but who did you want to come on? Hines? Against Stoke?
ReplyDeleteHahaha, you're a funny man HF. You've just done the same thing to Sav. Guilty!
ReplyDeletemmm stani you are a hypocrite you bang on to HF about blaming noble for the performance yet you just accused me of calling you pathetic
ReplyDeleteI think your response proved my point. I rest my case.
ReplyDeleteDon't rest your case, identify who you wanted sent on when Piquionne was forced off. According to you, Spector was the wrong man, so who on the bench would offer us the inches to defend set plays exactly? And with Obinna looking useless, who would you have turned to for a goal? You can't criticise Grant's decisions without offering alternatives. Before kick off, I called for Jacobsen to return with Tomkins moved inside. I think events proved me right. At half time I called for Keane to replace Obinna and I think Grant got that right. You moan after the event Sav and even then don't identify what you would have done in Grant's shoes.
ReplyDeleteFred,
ReplyDeleteYou called me pathetic in your previous comment. Ask HF, he'll be itching to back me up. Do you not even know what you are writing now?
This is a quote from my post at half time: "One, is not picking Jacobsen to match the speed of Etherington." I think that should give a clear clue who is the one I wanted to come in as a substitute, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteGrant insists, rather stupidly, to make some players into something they can never be: ie. turning Spector into an attacking midfielder (since we all accept now he is totally useless in defending) and also making Tomkins, whose acceleration is less than a turtle's, an attacking full back. He got away with it last week because Etherington was not playing but how naive of him to think he could match Ethereington's speed and agility. Whatever happenned to Ba by the way? Was he injured or did AG decided to give him a rest?
Ok, we lost. But we battled hard, never gave up, and if we continue to show those battling qualities for what's left of the season, we are in with every chance of escaping the drop.
ReplyDeleteThe ref was awful, and Green did brilliant to ensure justice was done with the blatant cheating dive by, our supposed friend, Ethers. But the ref seemed determined to make up for the Piquionne goal and gave a handball against Cole in the wall, when the ball would have hit him in the face anyway..... is that handball? Contentious, and of course they scored from that.... possibly down to Scotty Parker being distracted by a spat with the very annoying Walters; it was a gap that Parker should have filled that Higginbotham found to score the goal.... and I think you're being very harsh to blame Da Costa for that goal!!!... Then the ref waves away our calls for a penalty when, Walters wresteld Tomkins to the ground.... certain pen, but the ref was well against us at that point.
We battled hard to get back into the game, and I was filled with optomism for the future after that guttsy performance. Let's hope it continues in the League.
Disappointed not to get our day in Wembley, especially since this was the second crack of Gollivans whip this season after coming so close in the league cup. Probably for the best though if it means we have a better chance of survival this season. With the recent additions we now have a decent spine to build around. If we go down we lose these players and its back to square one again.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the positives, its more important that we didnt come away with any serious injuries. Lets just hope the defeat doesnt knock the teams new found confidence. After all, Stoke didnt really beat us at football. They dont really play football do they?
Just an addition.... I hope nobody welcomes Etherington back to our place again... he cheated to get that penalty, and cheats like him don't deserve a welcome no matter how popular he was when he was with us.
ReplyDeleteBooooooooooo!!!!! Hisssssssss!!!! , you fu*kin cheatin ba$tard
Be fair, he missed the bloody penalty! I bet he's in Ladbrokes as we speak, picking up his winnings on Green saving a penalty!
ReplyDelete