Today the imposter that has been Julien Faubert was found out. God knows who has been playing on the right over the past month, but whoever the doppelganger was, he was replaced by the real McFaubert today. Yep, the can't be arsed sulky Frenchman was there for all to see until Allardyce belatedly pulled him off a half time. Within five minutes it was obvious to everybody who has watched this guy in a West Ham shirt that he didn't fancy it. He didn't want the ball. He couldn't pass the ball. He couldn't cross the ball. And he couldn't beat a man in a clamped wheelchair. There was one shocking cross that summed him up and one "trap" from a throw in that threatened to decapitate somebody in the Bobby Moore Lower. Hopeless would take out an injunction if used to describe Faubert today - because hopeless aint ever been THAT bad!
Mind you, Vaz Te was as bad! Or worse! His defining moment came when put through in the box early in the second half. Did he shoot? No. Did he knock the ball ahead and attempt a cross? No. What did he do? Served the ball up on a plate to the covering defender - on whom he had a yard start - and crumpled into a heap onto the floor. He was absolutely bloody hopeless all afternoon!
But at least you could spot him because of the bloody silly haircut! There was a player who, without reading the programme, you would have had no idea he was on the pitch. I would say step forward Nicky Maynard but that would imply some sort of ability to move! Remember the bollard that was Tristan? Well Maynard was apparently after the Spaniard's title! He stayed on the pitch until the 70th minute, but only because Allardyce forgot he was there!
What could Doctor Evil do at half time? Replace three men and risk going up to 9 if we collected the now customary red card? He took off Faubert and sent on Cole, and instantly we improved, but he wasn't brave enough to make the other two changes needed to transform our performance until it was too late. Mind you, O'Neil was no better than Vaz Te after he replaced him!
Were there any plus points? Faye was a giant at the back, covering for the leaden footed Reid on at least three occasions. Premiership strikers would have had a field day courtesy of the Kiwi who was as good in the air as the antipodean bird and even worse on the ground! In fact, thinking about it, we played most of the game with seven!
Noble was everywhere. The chances we had were down to him. He hunted the ball again and did his best to probe - but when nobody was moving ahead of him, that wasn't easy. His covering was again superb and his attempts to spread the play really impressive. Tomkins should have scored from a Noble cross and Baldock was also played in superbly.
And Green did what he was asked to do. He wasn't brilliant and had he let in any of the shots he saved, he would have been crucified, but he did his job efficiently and, impressively, ripped into his team mates when, time and time again in the first half, Palace over ran us.
And Baldock looked so much more lively after he came on than Maynard. Mind you, Doctor Evil's Mum would have been an improvement on Maynard!
As for the rest, they were ordinary with a capital O. At last, somebody realised that Collison can't take corners after three pathetic efforts and he was replaced by Noble - but I said that after the Forest game so why has it taken so long for the penny to drop? O'Brien was caught the wrong side again, exactly as with the Blackpool goal on Tuesday, and Easter should have scored. Opposition managers will be exploiting that weakness now. McCartney was up and down the left flank but the final ball was rank poor all afternoon. And Cole got stuck in and created an opening for Baldock with a superb flick, but otherwise look subdued. Tomkins tried hard but too often his passes forward were telegraphed and easily dealt with - and as for the foul throw...
Today's result wasn't a disaster, even if Southampton win because I suspect this team are better at chasing than they are at leading the field. If the buffer between us and third is down to four points, as seems likely, that's ok. Today fatigue caught up with us, Palace played well, Allardyce got his selection wrong in starting with Maynard ahead of Cole, and three or four players left their appetite and brains in the dressing room. Disappointing but we move on.
Player Ratings: Green 6, O'Brien 5, Faye 9, Reid 3, McCartney 5, Tomkins 6, Faubert 1, Noble 8, Collison 4, Vaz Te 1, Maynard 1 Subs Cole 5, Baldock 6, O'Neil 1
14 comments:
T
A pretty good assessment fanno but I think you're being a tad unfair on maynard. The team set up to play long ball from the start as if cole was playing. This was poor tactics and poor management. Maynard isn't a target man yet he was used as one and that is not the lads fault. It was clear from the off that cole and Maynard was needed up top with Faubert and vaz te wide with noble and Nolan in the middle. Palace were far the better team in the first half and listening to allardyce's post match interview was a disgrace. His comments along the line of Palace came here to defend so it was never going to be a pretty game. Well he ought to watch it back as palace could easily have gone into the break 3 goals to the good and it wouldn't have been undeserved. All in all a disappointing day but you were quite right that this match had the potential to be a tricky one. Palace are one of the better teams I have seen down here this season but we should still be winning these games at a canter. One things for sure if we get promoted this year there are a lot of players who will be embarrassed week in week out in the prem and that is a real worry. Another certainty is nolan will walk straight back in to this team and you know what, I think we need it.
I agree about the tactics in the first half Bas, but how do you explain Maynard's anonymity in the second half, after Cole came on, and the immediate impact of Baldock after he replaced him?
Haven't got too many arguments with what you say but I think if Maynard is clean through on the 2 occasions that baldock was through then one of those hits the back of the net, that's the difference for me of a clinical finisher and Sam baldock
Bit unfair mate, watch again on TV, the angle was very tight for both.
I have just spent the last five minutes reading about how exhausted the "Ammers" were.
Excuse me - i must pause for a rest.
Thats better!!!
Get yourselves a job as a miner - you wimps.
We really need to sort out who makes up our best striking pairing for the last 15 games or so. There's still a load of footie to be played in this leaue before the season is out. Big Sam seems to be chopping and changing up front - in my view Baldock needs a consistent run in the starting line up.
Collison is a big problem too. The guy just hasn't got a first touch. And you can't buy that. No team can afford to have a midfielder who cannot control the ball.
Look at Silva for example, the ball gets stuck on his feet no matter how it arrives. I think we need Morrison sooner rather than later (and hopefully he is as good as they say) because today the most disappointing thing was that we allowed Palace to dominate and control the midfield. Once again, we couldn't put more than three meaningful passes together.
Anony-mouse said,
I really want it to work for Collison but today he was very poor.
I like Maynard- he did a great job at Blackpool- but today he did not show and lacked movement and mobility, although the service to him was dire. I rate Baldock- his movement is great, but his finishing is'nt. That could be due to his stop start career here so far. Today I think he did as much as he could with the first chance, but the second opportunity was one an instinctive scorer would have put a yard either side of the keeper's reach, even if he had only been on the pitch for a few minutes.
Maynard would have put that second chance away, but would he have got into the position to take it? Not judging by his previous movement. And herein lies a problem. I like our squad but we have positions where it is not obvious that one player is head and shoulders above another. So whilst Baldock is more mobile, Maynard is the more natural finisher. Whilst Collison is more level headed (Reading excepted), Morrison offers more ability, but may be a potential loose cannon.
I don't envy Allardyce. It is not easy to pick our best team.
baldock needs time on the pitch he got into two good positions but is not match fit bfs should get a few friendly games arranged for his misfiring forwards where they can score a few goals even carew wants to go to the euros should have somthing to prove and needs game time or no euros its far too early to judge maynard i agree with someone else who says bfs does like to chop and change to much
re baldock i remember in paul goddards second or third season with us he lost form and asked john lyall to play him in the reserves to get a bit of confidence maybe that would suit baldock or even send him out on loan for a few games
I've watched again and still stand by my words, the first chance yes was tight but there's no way the second wasn't a clear goal scoring opportunity and he hit straight at the goalkeeper. He had the chance to open his body up and get his foot around it he didn't and it was poor finishing pure and simple, I still say it if Maynard is on the end of those 2 chances one of them ends up in the net. It's a squad game and if baldock is on the bench and is required to come on he needs to step up and yesterday he didn't. Unfortunately I think Sam baldock is potentially another Freddie sears in the making. A lot of hype but ultimately not good enough.
Basildon-Iron, although I agree with you that he should have scored yesterday, we should bear in mind that what he does by running into spaces, currently at least, no one else can do at West Ham. He can improve his scoring with time but we could do with his sixth sense on positioning. I think we should partner him with Maynard and a few others and see how it works out.
Agreed Sav to an extent but going into the money end of the season can we afford to try him out with a few others to see what happens? We need results and getting into the positions is only half the job finishing it is the other and the second chance especially on sat should've been bread and butter for Baldock and that opportunity relies on goal scoring instinct, I just don't feel he has that killer touch yet (although I do believe he has the potential in time) and maynard and cole has to be the preferred attacking choice in my eyes.
I see what you are saying. You make a good point.
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