Saturday 27 October 2012

Wigan 2 West Ham 1 - Too litte, too late, no genuine number 2!



Well it was always going to happen. Play Tomkins at right back in the Prem and you are going to struggle. Stoke tried Huth there and paid the price. Centre backs are centre backs for a reason. They lack the acceleration to play on the flank of a defence. So it was open season for Wigan today every time they came down our right and we were all over the shop every time they did so.

Going forward we were little better mind you. Once again Benayoun failed to gamble and missed a goal scoring opportunity as a result, a Jarvis cross bypassing him for the sake of a full committed stretch. Carroll headed one wide and made a hash when trying to get on the end of a cross, missing the ball completely. He did set up Nolan well twice, but Captain Kev's shot was tame in the first half and comfortably blocked in the second.

So it came down to the last five minutes and the James Tomkins show. With Allardyce switching to 3-5 -2, Tomkins suddenly ended up in the opposition box when he should have been part of the back three and had a shot deflected onto the bar before meeting a McCartney cross, after a clever back heel by Nolan, and planting a header beautifully into the corner. But 93 minutes into the game, it was something a futile riposte after a mediocre team performance for much of the match.

Mind you, Allardyce's substitutions did not help. Withdrawing both Noble and Diame seemed perverse and left us with nobody in centre midfield. And when you need a goal to get back in the game, who is the last man you should turn to? Cole has now gone 16 Premiership games without a goal but Allardyce still told him to get stripped off. Even Carlton looked surprised!

Maiga came on at half time and was poor. Too often he looked to run at men rather than pass and two reasonable breaks were wasted as a result. And O'Neil is not going to instill fear into the hearts of opponents either is he?

All in all, a disappointing day at the office. But thankfully, most of the teams at the foot of the table drew or lost so, as we move into a nightmare run of games, we still have a buffer - and with Demel out for three weeks and only McCartney or O'Brien to play at left back, we are going to need it!

Player ratings: Jussi 7; Tomkins 5, Collins 6, Reid 6, McCartney 5; Noble 5, Diame 5; Nolan 6, Benayoun 4, Jarvis 6; Carroll 5 Subs Maiga 5, Cole 5, O'Brien 5

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha you shit West Ham twats. MOT.

Anonymous said...

Where's all the West Ham fans commentating ? Its almost like no one gives a crap about this rather pathetic blog.

Anonymous said...

You write up your boring reports so quickly, its almost like your not really at the match but just a fat, scruffy meth with a cheap laptop.

Hammersfan said...

Difficult to get to Wigan from Bucharest. But watched the game live out here. And out for a meal and few beers shortly.

fred149 said...

Collins should be a four, lost ramis fr the first and caught out position over and over again all game. Need to go back to reid and tomkins at center back and give spence a game at right back and play maiga over benayoun next game.

Hammersfan said...

I may be wrong Fred, but I think it was Reid who lost Ramis. Bobby Moore couldn't have covered Tomkins at right back. Collins was trying to fill two positions simultaneously IMO.

fred149 said...

I disagree with you there why i dont think tomkins had a good game he was in position most of the time but was continuously doubled up on, and your right reid did lose him but collins was caught ball watching for the same goal.

Anonymous said...

c'mon the mighty Wigan...hahaha

Anonymous said...

Still crapping on about the Bogota Bracelet Bandit and wallowing in the past eh? Off to a neo nazi meeting tonight are you?

Anonymous said...

Collins is shit

Anonymous said...

Booby moore,trever brooking,clyde best,druggie Mcavennie,fatty jupitus,ray winstone,tony cottee,russell brand and hf. Are you watching? Your boys took one hell of a beating today. Theres only one andy caroll(thank god).

Anonymous said...

The debate is on,are west ham shite?

Anonymous said...

If it weren't for the keeper the score could have been rather embarrassing for the spam.

Appyammer said...

I agree with Fred only in the fact it should be tomkins and Reid at centre back and Spence at right back. Won't happen with allardyce though, Spence is too young and big Sam is scared of playing youths.

Anonymous said...

Bring on Man City. Hope mccartney and collins are playing. Start composing your excuses hf,your boys are going to take one hell of a beating.

Anonymous said...

5 days to go,are you all bracing yourselves for Hurrican Man City?

Anonymous said...

I remember when this blog used to invite debate rather than abuse [sigh]

You have been an instrament to your own demise HF with your constant baiting of other teams fans. Hardly any WHU fans ever comment here anymore. In fact, the few WHU threads that you do write are hijacked by northerners looking to abuse you.

It really is a shame

Anonymous said...

20:12 Neo Nazis? of course - now his move makes perfect sense.

Anonymous said...

4 days to go until City come to town. Will w,ham keep it down to 0-3 or will they open the floodgate and give collins,o brien and mccartney a game?

Anonymous said...

That was it mate, you spent all your pennies in the same shop and now your season is over. R.I.P.