Saturday 28 December 2013

Allardyce Offers Still More Lame Excuses

Well, come the end of the day, the result wasn't as disastrous as it could have been, thanks to every other result going in our favour, including the draws. Hull Tigers are showing what we could be achieving with a half decent squad but, of course, we haven't got one.

So Allardyce has hit the excuse button yet again. Now there's a surprise! This time it's the injuries, the lack of recovery time and the fans that are to blame. The injuries that have deprived him of his "All the eggs in one basket" investment in Andy Carroll and that has left him without a single centre back.

Fair enough, some may argue, but others might question why we only have three centre backs at the club, meaning that one injury or suspension takes us down to the bare bones. Is that clever planning? Is that good management? It aint in my book!

And then there is the problem at the other end of the pitch, with no cover for Carroll until Carlton was reclaimed from the junk yard. So, I've asked it before and I will ask it again, why did Allardyce spend money on Downing when we obviously needed cover for other positions? Why aren't any of the journalists brave enough to ask that question on camera?

Once again we had three midfielders on the bench with two out injured and five on the pitch. But three centre back injuries cripple us, and one striker injury leaves us limp up front. And remember, if pushed, Tomkins and O'Brien can play in midfield as well! And personally I would rather see Rat on the left wing to Jarvis. So why, why, why was Downing bought?

So, to today's fiasco. West Brom must be pretty poor because we scored three goals, but if we are honest, they were the better team on the day and deserved to win. Our opening goal was polished route one, with Jussi's long kick headed on by Carlton and then played through deftly by Nolan to Joe Cole, whose shot beat Foster at the near post. It was well taken, but it was a keeper error.

Then came Tomkins' injury and it was only a matter of time before West Brom equalised. When Anelka did score, it was all so easy, with a pass between our make shift centre backs and a simple finish for the anti Semitic saluting Muslim. One was always likely to bring two, and so it was no surprise when a dozy Demel allowed a header to rebound off his body tamely, allowing Fatwa Anelka to bury another easy opportunity.

The second half then didn't go to script. Allardyce declined to go 4-4-2 and sent on Mogadon Maiga to win this must win game. Desperate times call for desperate measures! But Maiga nearly obliged, courtesy of a dozy linesman and an even dozier Foster. Mogadon was offside by half a yard and his shot deflected off of Nolan's hand before beating the former England keeper's Adrian like attempt to save.

And no sooner was it 2-2 than it was 3-2! A deep cross found Maiga leaping salmon like and heading back across goal to Nolan, who scissor kicked into the inviting net from 5 yards. A typical Nolan finish illustrating why, even now, Allardyce dare not drop him.

Could we hold on for 20 minutes? We couldn't even hold on for one minute! Demel stood off of Berahino who said thanks very much and buried the chance beautifully. 3-3 and with West Ham players looking shattered, it was time to pray that West Brom would not take their chances. And fortunately Berahino struck the post with a free kick stupidly and brutally conceded by Diame, who had been running on empty throughout the second half.

So the must win game was drawn and Allardyce blamed the fans, the injuries and tiredness. We are still alive but we are in deep deep trouble courtesy of the stupid decisions made in the summer.

Player ratings: Jussi 5; Demel 1, Tomkins 5, McCarthorse 5, Rat 6; Diame 4, Noble 5, Nolan 7, Joe Cole 6, Jarvis 1; Carlton 5 Subs O'Brien 4, Miaga 7, Collison 4

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Spend Sam Defo

Anonymous said...

Let me guess. You watched it on telly and didn't go. Jarvis played fairly well so to give 1/10 is ridiculous but not a surprise on this site.

Anonymous said...

fully agree. the decisions of the summer created this mess

Anonymous said...

agree. this summer's decisions created this messs

Hammersfan said...

Jarvis played well? Tell me, when did he find a West Ham head with a cross? He had so many chances to cross the ball and found a West Brom player every time, except when he pulled it back ten yards outside the box! He was bloody hopeless! I presume you were not at the game!

Anonymous said...

You truly are a prick. He beat his full back at will. Not my favourite player but 1/10? Grow up.

Paul g said...

Jarvis was his normal headless chicken, no bottle in the box. The truth is, only noble and Reid have been picked game in game out when fit, every other position he has tinkered with almost every match, BFS doesn't know what team to pick, Get him out and I hate to say it but get hoddle in with a west ham man alongside him and get us playing better football then hopefully stay up by the skin of our teeth

Anonymous said...

I'm right though you didn't go to the game did you?

Anonymous said...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha I fucking hate west ham

Anonymous said...

I agree that our money should have been spent on our obvious weaknesses, but at the end of the day it wasn't. What is the point in complaining about it and being super critical of your own team. It's going to achieve nothing. As for Jarvis's rating, are you being serious? Crossing is not the only thing that is important in his game. It how he contributes to the team that should be taken into account and I personally felt he had a decent game.

Anonymous said...

You're bang on about Jarvis. He's got a wicked lashing cross but it's never to one of ours and if it is, it's a serendipity. He never looks up so it anyone's guess where it lands.

Hammersfan said...

arvis beat his man at will? What bloody game were you watching 2132? He got to the byline once and put his cross behind for a goal kick! I don't remember him getting past his full back once. And West Brom's first goal? Break away from a dreadfully delivered Jarvis corner which was hung up above the bloody penalty spot! He was hopeless all afternoon!

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately not many players want to come to West Ham because we are a yo yo club. Now we are in the bottom three no-one of any quality will want to sign.

That's not Allardyces fault. He got downing, probably, because he was the only quality player willing to join. Our only hope is injuries clear up or a gamble on an unknown player comes off.

Unfortunately I've followed West Ham for too long to know unless we get a fit Reid, Collins, Tomkins AND a firing Carrol back then it will be relegation.

Our only other hope is just how hopeless the other clubs are.

jim the tim said...

We need a penalty box striker or we are down who knows when carrol will be back I watched the game on tv only because I live in scotland we are going to struggle the rest of the season if big sam doesnt get his finger out and buy someone quick

Anonymous said...

Definitely a point gained. West Brom dominated for large parts of the game and were clearly the better side. The sooner we get Warnock in to sort this mess the better as we are running out of games.

Anonymous said...

I think w,ham should stick with carlton cole at the minute but get warnock in to keep them up. I also think they should take a leaf out of cardiff and hull tigers book and rebrand. A new name is certainly in order,something that combines w,hams style of football and the owners business sidelines. Ladies and gentleman and cockneys i give you TIT WANK UNITED. TIT WANK,TIT WANK,RA RA RA.

Anonymous said...

Jarvis is consistently ineffective. Time and again he gets into a position to cross and time and again nothing comes of it. I'm not sure if it's all his fault or whether he is just under instruction to get to get the ball over and to leave the rest to the law of averages.

He can clearly run with the ball and beat the odd defender so my instruction to him would be to forget about crossing and to cut inside and just shoot or pass. It can't be anymore ineffective than his current contribution.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahahaha

Anonymous said...

I would honestly piss myself if u got Warnock in!! How much did u spend on Jarvis again?

Anonymous said...

So would i 16.48,they paid 10m for jarvis i think and 15 for caroll although they DID get a bargain when they re-signed goal king cole from under the noses of Europes elite. They are also after another former striker who they hope will solve their goal consipation and hope to make a move once sky sports find a replacement for mr cottee.

Anonymous said...

Crap owners, dinosaur manger, clapped out players, lack of investment, and one of the owners is actually charging his 'beloved' club interest on a loan. Meantime, PR andf transfer news is 'handled' by the 13 year old son of the other porn seller. What a shower. Two reasonable quality players - carroll & downing - both injured. Reid - injured. The rest are mostly clapped out has beens - Joe Cole, Diarra, for example or mediocre never was-es, like Collison and Noble. 11 squad players over 30 ffs. Nolan, Noble - too old or too slow.And Fat Man has his support team of how many ? What do they tell the 'boss' ???

And Morrison & Diame will be off.
Just look at the top teams [not managed by Anglo dinosaurs] and see how football should be played. Fast and accurate.....

TWhat we are looking at is the end result of 30 years of no ambitionb by cheap-ass owners....still, we can look forward to playing Brentford in the Sunday Sport Stadium eh?

Anonymous said...

Burberry fc

whamga.com. said...

westhamutdonceproudclub viewer offers up more deaths in the family as another lame excuse for not leaving his lazyboy.