West Ham 0 Stoke 1 - Who needs POSSIBLE points deductions when we deduct them ourselves?

Well that served the club right. All that bollocks about potential points deductions if we buy somebody to play up front, and in the meantime we surrender five points anyway with goal less displays against Newcastle and Stoke.

We were dreadful today, and it all comes from having nobody to lead the line, with Maiga showing all the movement of a concrete pillar and all the physical strength of a cobweb. It comes to something when, in an effort to produce something in the box, Allardyce sends on an eighteen year old kid for the last few minutes!

With Spurs spending as if money has gone out of fashion, Sullivan has bullshitted the West Ham fans claiming we are tied by financial rules that don't really cut in for 18 months and which, anyway, only carry a vague threat of penalties. Instead of buying a striker, meanwhile, good money was spent on Downing who, thus far, has lived down to everything I have always thought about him.

So, instead of sitting securely near the top of the table after a kind opening round of fixtures, we already find ourselves looking over our shoulder wondering what is in store if Carroll doesn't come back firing. Today was depressing with a capital D!

Downing was awful. It was 16 minutes before he passed to a player in claret and blue and with Jarvis switching wings in an effort to get him into the game, our overall effectiveness was reduced as we strove to accommodate the Liverpool reject. Jarvis, meanwhile, was at his frustrating worst, standing up crosses all afternoon that even Rob Green could come and collect with impunity.

In central midfield, Nolan was absolutely anonymous and Noble was a bloody liability. And Diame was little better! There was no spark, no guile, no fluency - but then nothing was happening ahead of them with Maiga occupying a shirt but barely participating in the game. The failure to withdraw him says everything about the stupid composition of our squad - there just wasn't anybody else to play in the bloody position! God, I even found myself wishing we had Crouch or Jerome on the bench, it was that bad!

The Stoke goal was well taken but was our own fault with either Noble or Nolan giving the ball away in our own half and a clumsy foul on the edge of the box conceding the free kick. And sickeningly, one pathetic Maiga header apart, we didn't have a single chance all afternoon!

Get the cheque book out Sullivan and stop making excuses!

Player ratings: Jussi 6; Demel 5 (crossing awful!) Collins 8 Reid 8, O'Brien 6; Noble 2, Nolan 2, Diame 5; Jarvis 4, Downing 1, Maiga 0  Subs Morrison 5 Collison and Lee not on long enough to grade.