Zola Off To Shaky Start At Watford Against Wycombe

The Hornets won in the end but there wasn't much of a sting in the performance. According to GianFredo,  speaking after a narrow extra time one nil victory over League Two Wycombe Wanderers, the whole team need to "move the ball faster" but this is a familiar gripe to West Ham fans.

Lovely guy and all that, but Zola doesn't seem to grasp that ordinary players are incapable of controlling a football in the way that came so naturally to him. Time and again we witnessed West Ham striving for Zola's dream of ticky tap football but with the likes of Kovac, Spector, Behrami and Parker in the team, there wasn't a hope in hell of ever achieving it. The opposition simply pressurised us deep in our own half and attempts to pass our way out simply resulted in us rarely crossing the half way line!

Now, with respect to Watford, our players were a cut above the crop currently at Vicarage Road so what our shower found impossible is likely to prove even more so for Watford's rag bag mob of rejects and loanees. It was Zola's refusal to shift on his principles that was his undoing at Upton Park and if he hasn't learnt his lesson, this is going to be a long hard season for Watford.

Sullivan & Gold recognised that the pragmatic approach is what the Championship demands - thus the appointment of Allardyce - and, whilst Southampton demonstrated a degree of flair last season, a lot of their success was built around playing the percentages, with long balls and hit and hope crosses seeking out the prolific Lambert.

Zola needs to wise up fast. When you have a tin of beans, some mild cheddar and a Mother's Pride loaf, there's no point in trying to serve up a cordon bleu meal. Beans on toast with grated cheese suits the ingrediants so that's what you knock up and serve to the punters. Good beans on toast can be a delight and is better than some fancy arse dish that sticks in the throat when you try to eat it!