It was good to hear Hansen singing a West Ham players praises on MOTD for a change. Usually it's all about how our centre halves are too far apart, how we can't defend set pieces, how the position of our keeper is all wrong at a free kick and how detached our lone striker is. So for Hansen to say that he would be surprised if ANY player performed better this weekend than Noble at Cardiff, then we should sit up and take notice.
Noble is, of course, a controversial figure. Some fans recognise his worth, others sit on the fence, and there's a significant faction who blame him for every defeat: too slow, can't tackle, no vision, can't score, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
What these critics can't explain, however, are the stats, which prove that Noble is a comparable player to Gerrard in his prime in every respect other than goal scoring. The miles covered in a game are awesome, his circulation of the ball is phenomenal, his pass completion rate is consistently around 82% (and he does not confine himself to short five yard passes), his number of tackles per game is praiseworthy, and given he won't have a forward line, his assist rate aint bad either!
Indeed, Noble is for me, the perfect captain. Yes he gets booked, but when booked, it is for a full blooded challenge in pursuit of the ball, or he is taking one for the team to prevent the opposition breaking; unlike Nolan who churlishly rakes opponents from behind for the hell of it or kicks an opponent when he knows he is too slow to get to the ball. And Noble has only picked up three reds in his entire career - which compares favourably with Nolan's two in a month - and suggests that he exercises sensible restraint after receiving the first yellow. When Noble exchanged shirts with Bellamy yesterday, he proudly retained that captain's armband around his biceps, and I reckon you would have had to cut his arm off to remove it.
And yesterday's game exemplified Noble: he was always available to receive the ball, always linking the play, always running to support others, always looking to close out danger and always battling for the shirt and the cause. To be fair, in Taylor and Collison, he had two willing deputies, two others who were prepared to punch their weight alongside him - and that's not the case with Morrison, Cole and Nolan, for example.
Now we shouldn't get carried away because we were only playing Cardiff, but the balance of yesterday's team looked better because of the committed engine at the heart of the team and Jarvis perhaps looked a better player because he was allowed to play slightly higher up the pitch.
I don't expect Noble's critics to suddenly hail him a genius, but it would be good if those who hurry to criticise when he makes a mistake, were to admit that yesterday he was superb. And maybe, just maybe, if we were ALL to unite behind Noble as Captain Fantastic, we might kick on from here and move up the table.
17 comments:
Excellent piece. I have never understood the anti-Noble brigade from so many angles. Brilliant on the ball, always making himself available and never hides (Nolan and Diame are you reading this ??)superb pass completion rate,throws himself in where it hurts and is totally committed, runs all day, and has Claret & Blue blood coursing through his veins. The lack of pace issue is a non-starter and so is his lack of goals record. He plays deep and keeps the ball moving looking for openings. His game starts at 25 yards from our goal when he picks up possession and starts things happening. He is the Hammers true heartbeat and that skippers band should be tattooed to his arm from here on in.
Excellent piece on the true hearbeat of our club.
The anti-Noble brigade are the ones who were the 2000-5000 or so missing from the Boleyn when we were in the champo. I'm aware of Noble's shortcomings but his merits far outweigh the fact that he's slow. Those anti Noble's don't see goals and assume he's below the cut without knowing anything about football-they are the glory hunters in our club who would sell our soul for success and to not be a fan of arguably the best role model in English football is laughable. Noble i hope goes onto play 500 games for us.
Noble has been the most consistently high performer at the club for years. The fact that is not our regular captain is a disgrace and due to the 'special' relationship between Nolan and Fatso, which is also a disgrace!
Kevin in manchester writes...Agree, it would be a disaster if he picked up an injury in the next couple of months.
Noble had a good game. He even scored a goal from open play. That doesn't happen very often so we can't complain. I hope you are happy now.
But you are over-looking some very important facts:
1. Gerrard he is not (and he will never be).
2. He is so slow and off pace. This will never change I am afraid (he is too old for that to happen now).
3. Although he managed himself reasonably well yesterday as you point out he was not defending against Aquero or Suarez (thank God for Cardiff and Spurs by the way because God knows where we would be without them this year).
4. Trying to make hero from a mediocre player is not going to help the club progress. Noble had a good game yesterday. He may have been man of the match too. But it is a huge mistake to rush to make him a hero and future captain of the team.
Hasn't scored a goal from open play for 4 and a half years and here he is being compared to Gerrard.
With fans like this, no wonder our owners think they can take us for a ride.
Anony-mouse says,
Hi HF. Long time :)
Noble was superb yesterday. A good player not a great one but one who always seems to perform when we really need it- the two end of season run ins when he got a run in the promotion season of 2004-5 and the 'Great Escape' year of 2006-7 spring to mind.
I wouldn't be surprised if he again stepped up to the plate in the remainder of this difficult season. I hope so.
Apparently you have agreed a deal to sign lescott on loan with a view to permanent deal if you avoid relegation, 90k a week is a drop in the ocean for west ham! What is your views on this hf?
Just a question for you, do you think Noble will stay if you get relegated or do you think he will move on? Please reply hf
Of course nolan and diame are reading this. It's the first place the Titwank players go for news and reviews. Anyway i've just popped over for a laugh and to tell you Titwank fans who might be joining you soon. Such a shame,you were within spitting distance of staying up too. He's even fatter than sam and even less mobile.
The majority of those 500 games look likely to be played in the "champo".
If that's all true mate, it's no wonder you're in the shit.
It would be funny though.
Ooh,big fat sams, going to raid the piggy bank for big fat diouf. You couldn't make it up. Enjoy!
The sewer rat going to you spank mag merchants. Priceless
Big Sam wants to sign Diouf! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhhhhaaaaahhhhhaaaa!
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