Credit where it’s due and no finger pointing please

By CaadH’s top blogger Allen Cummings

I’m a West Ham fan first and foremost. What they do and how they fare is always my first priority – even if sometimes it means seeing things through claret and blue tinted glasses – to which I can only plead guilty.

But I can also appreciate and applaud the finer points of the game – acknowledge an outstanding performance when I see one and at the weekend Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope put in such a performance – it’s just annoying he chose to do it against us.

Single-handedly almost he frustrated our efforts to climb into the top six while at the same time breathed life into the hope of his beleaguered club that they could still perhaps avoid relegation from the Premier League.

In particular Pope made three superb saves – the one from Issa Diop described on Match of the Day 2 as “phenomenal” – aided by two goal-line clearances from his team mates – which ultimately culminated in denying us the three points we craved – and probably deserved.

The stats don’t lie – 61% possession, 21 shots in total, 8 on target, 13 corners and 2.78 expected goals – it was a game we should have won.

Had we done so we wouldn’t have to listen to the same old tired moans about lack of activity in the January transfer market or the finger-pointing at lack of rotation and squad depth.

None of that would have got a mention if we’d banked the three points. Just as no mention was anywhere to be found after that magnificent 3-0 victory in Lyon. I wonder why?

The team were exhausted at the final whistle yesterday we’re told. Exhausted or just simply ‘gutted’ like we all were at what could have been. I don’t think David Moyes made a beeline for the prostrate Michail Antonio to administer CPR.

He could see Micky was distraught at how the chances had eluded him yet again, and as any decent manager would do he wanted to put an arm around him, console him and maybe tell him that elusive goal will come eventually.

Besides I don’t know about anyone else but I want to see my team ‘spent’ at the end of every game. I want to know they have given everything. I don’t want them sauntering off the pitch knowing they still had gas to burn.

Last season at this stage we only had the Premier League to concentrate on. This season it’s not only a top six spot that’s still within our grasp, we have a certain Europa League semi final and possible final clearly in our sights.

Whatever happens between now and the end of the campaign – in either competition – we have all enjoyed (or should have) the kind of season most clubs outside the so-called elite can only dream about.

Let’s appreciate what this group have given us so far, the effort they have put in to get where they are today.

Let’s stick together, forget the unnecessary finger pointing as it serves no positive purpose at this point in time. Instead let’s relish the fact that right now we’re enjoying the time of our life!