Harry Sherlock of Goal.com is becoming a Boleyn regular this season and following yesterday’s game against Leicester City takes a look at the growing problem he believes West Ham are struggling with – the all too regular appearances of Kevin Nolan.
He writes that everything we are achieving is being managed with 10 men and reckons pour Euro chances will be handicapped by the player’s constant involvement.
In amongst the superb results, amazing league position and often outstanding football , there has been something quite remarkable about West Ham’s season to date.
They have beaten the champions, strung together a five-match unbeaten run and are firmly entrenched in the top four ahead of the busy festive period.
And all this has been achieved while playing with 10 men.
Kevin Nolan, while not quite the ‘captain, leader, legend’ figure that many may have expected him to become, appears to be indispensable under Sam Allardyce.
Yet on Saturday and in several other games this season he turns in performances bereft of inspiration. Against Leicester City on Saturday he was a passenger as the Hammers picked up a comfortable three points against the Foxes relegation fodder.
Where Stewart Downing zipped from side-to-side, occasionally dropping deep, and scored a brilliant goal, Nolan appeared dazed and somewhat confused.
It is not like Allardyce doesn’t have other options; Mauro Zarate continues to sit on the bench following his summer arrival, while Morgan Amalfitano has also seen his role diminish after a fluid start. And yet one can’t help but feel the Argentine would be a better option.
It is clear that Nolan prefers to play as an attacking midfielder, off the striker, even if that means disrupting Downing’s rhythm, yet Zarate is a specialist in that position, as evidenced by his superb performance against QPR earlier this season.
But it is Nolan who has appeared 13 times this season accumulating 616 minutes on the pitch whilst Zarate has 415 minutes to his name, from seven appearances.
That Nolan is a manager’s favourite should come as no surprise; he appears almost to be the son Allardyce wished he’d had, and the relationship between the two was the fulcrum of the Hammers’ title charge when they dropped into the Championship. Nolan was inspirational as the Hammers recovered.
But, much like a similar player of his ilk, Scott Parker, Nolan’s legs have begun to go. He is an impact player but that is nullified when he starts..
He thrives on arriving late into the box and smashing a shot at goal as defences fail to track him when they begin to tire. This then is the dilemma.
While Nolan is still a good player – he remains the captain of a Premier League club, after all – he cannot be allowed to dictate the destiny of the Hammers’ European tilt.
At 32 he is no longer the match-changing No.10 he once was; he has created just six chances this term and, despite scoring once, has provided only one assist.
Even if he were to drop deep – as Steven Gerrard did so successfully as Liverpool chased an unlikely Premier League victory in 2013-14 – the statistics suggest he would still struggle. He wins just 36% of his duels and his immobility would leave Winston Reid and James Tomkins stranded were he to be bypassed in midfield.
In 200 less minutes, Zarate has provided the same number of assists as Nolan, but has scored twice, whilst creating one more chance. Where Nolan’s goal came with his head, Zarate’s two have come with both feet.
A dynamic, explosive presence, Zarate, at 27, has a point to prove in the Premier League and has impressed when appearing this season.
Not an out-and-out striker, he supplements the significant, pacey threats of Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia and also provides a willing runner for Andy Carroll. Though not perfect – he has conceded 10 fouls to Nolan’s six – Zarate is the kind of player West Ham fans crave.
Truly two-footed, his dribbling ability is remarkable and to see him play is to be reminded of Carlos Tevez – his low centre of gravity offers defenders an option to either scythe him down or be fooled by his trickery.
Nolan offers none of that. While previously a fan favourite, the Upton Park crowd is turning. Throughout the 2-0 win over Leicester yesterday there were vociferous cries for Nolan to be replaced.
For West Ham’s sake, those supporters must hope that Allardyce swiftly rescinds his head boy’s starting spot. Zarate is the better option and, if the Hammers are to continue their top-four tilt, a change must be made sooner rather than later.
The views expressed here are those of the blogger and are not necessarily shared by ClaretandHugh
Spot on about Nolan I said exactly the same thing yesterday at the game and previous games zarate must start, unfortunately for Nolan his legs have gone, but he has been a great captain in my opinion, but it’s time for Sam to make that change.
Hugh as you know when you read my replays to your blogs I just do not know what Big Sam owes Nolan, it’s not the fact that the rest of the team are carrying him, if we rant careful Zarate is going to leave us,we paid a lot of money for Valencia and with Song and Kouyte in mid field we can afford to play him with the top 2 as well as leaving Downing with his free roll,I say Sam your loyalty could cost you your job your best mate can still do a good job for us on the bench for the next 2 years and he still collects a full wage packet ,
Move on for all our benefits.
If you think it’s a case of nolan versus zarate you may be dazed and confused yourself. It’s more a case of nolan versus noble at the minute. Zarate is a striker not a holding midfielder in the noble mild. Zarate could be used at the tip of the diamond maybe but that space is currently occupied by stuart Downing and since we are winning games with Nolan as captain the manager is probably not wanting to change a winning team.
Well said Conkerpot. Such a lazy article.
We play with 11 men when Nolan plays! No we don’t we play with 11. Try playing with 10 men and see if we pick up 13 points from 15.
Nolan is Sams son! Boring.
Nolan was dazed and confused. What a ridiculous statement. This was a football match not a car crash.
Nolan is one of 3 options for the role he plays, Noble is injured and Poyet a little too inexperienced. Nolan is playing now and rightly so.
Did you not read the blog conkerpot since when has Nolan been a holding midfielder and we could play anyone to make the 11th player and how many holding players do you want,Song and Kouyte already cover that role we no longer have to play at home with 7 defenders, think how Zarate could help Downing or the speed of Valencia to add to the strength of Carroll and Sakho, but maybe I am dazed and confused we will see when the 26th comes and Noble gets to warm his backside and watch Nolan running around like a headless chicken ( I think Nolan has done a great job for us over the years but we need to move on ) maybe you should to and start to believe ?
Sorry WhuG I did not know they were related, that resolves the problem of why he is on the pitch and if Poyet is going to become experienced he could do with the playing time on the pitch and we were winning more game when Nolan was injured,it’s not a matter of knocking Nolan which this seems to be what I’m doing its a matter of listening to people who aren’t looking through frosted glasses, can you see Nolan covering Song or Kouyte ? But then things start going wrong we can all start calling for Big Sam to go again and where will that get us, give Nolan a role working along side BS if need be but let’s move on.
The author made reference to Sams son which is such a boring reference now. I personally think Song plays much further forward and thus Nolan does hold. All that besides I do agree Nolan is no longer a first pick and I also think he should look at a player/ coach role under Sam.
I don’t have a problem with the article.Nolan shouldn’t be in the starting 11.Sam’s loyalty to Nolan has always been questionable.
Absolute rubbish. Firstly you cannot compare with zarate. As downing is playing zarates role which isnt even the role zarate wants to play. And zarate isnt going to knock downing off when he is in this kind of form. Nolan is playing as a more defensive midfielder while noble is out which is quite clear if you are actually watching the games. There were few times nolan actually got far enough forward to do what you seem to think he is supposed to be doing. Also nolans fitness and legs are fine. He has never been the quickest player around but he is definitely fit. The swansea game where he covered more ground than any other west ham player is proof of that. Once noble is back I cant see him starting anyway until we lose players to the african cup. Where he will be very valuable for our team. Amazes me that even with us winning people are still on his back. There is no way we would have won or even drawn any of the last few games if we had ten men on the field for the whole match. Get ya bloody hand off it and stop trying to find things to be negative about when we are on a run like this which hasnt been seen for many a year. Enjoy it while it lasts. COYI
My word. Well said. Nolan’s pass completion alone is substandard for the Championship, let alone the Premiership.
Such a wealth of ignorance displayed in some of these replies. Perhaps we should have a branch of SpecSavers set up at the ground … 😉
Maybe there are more relatives out there than SAMs son ? When did Nolan become a defensive midfielder aussihammer? No one is actually having ago at Nolan they aren’t being negative there’s going to be a different game on the 26th and if you think Nolan is going to cope in midfield with Hazard ,Oscar or William you must be dreaming,just look who your hero has been playing against in the last 4 weeks? The only good opposition was Newcastle and that is a big game for Nolan .
I think the dazed and confused reference is misleading, I agree with the basic concept that Nolan should be used as an impact sub, the position Nolan has been asked to play is not his position, the only defence for this I would think is that he is the captain and perhaps Sam doesn’t feel there is enough leadership on the field in his absence, which could be correct as there are a lot of new players in the team and some young ones in Jenkinson and Cresswell. I guess when Noble is fit we will see.
Not sure whos hero you refer to but nolan does a decent job being okayed where he has been. Kouyate hasnt been all that either tbh. And as I said nolan is filling in that role. Cant see zarate playing that deep or jarvis that narrow. Poyet could be worth a shot but nolan is much more experienced. Its just player bashing for the sake of it when the teams doing well. Some people are never happy.
What a s**t article.Talk about OTT,’dazed & confused’,get a life geezer.Once Nobes is back he will be back on the bench where he belongs,no big deal.He is just playing until Noble returns.As for this Sams Fav,he generally sat on the bench until Noble got injured & i read a quote from Sam saying he wasnt happy about it but wasnt guaranteed a starting place anymore with the squad we have.I like Zarate,but in a battle i would rather have old legs have gone Nolan than Zarate who gets pushed & bullied outta games too easily.He easily becomes anonymous in matches when a few boots fly about,it happend at Hull,he got banged about a lil & he was nowhere to be seen after thatDiffernt matches call for differnt personnel.Thats what a big,good,flexible squad is for isnt it.Or am i just dazed & confused 😉