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Horrible to watch but Irons snatch precious point

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Britain West Ham ValenciaYes, ok it was pretty wretched to watch and we were dominated for most of the match.

But dominance means absolutely nothing if you don’t have a cutting edge and Swansea haven’t which is why they are bang in relegation trouble.

We showed very little attacking enterprise until Enner Valencia made his entry after an hour but the table says we’re eighth at Christmas and that will do for me.

With six absolutely essential players sidelined and away draws at Old Trafford and the Liberty sandwiched between another against Stoke City why should we complain?

The stats will show that Swansea dominated the game – the stats also show that Leicester City have only enjoyed more possession than an opposition in one game of the season and they are top of the league.

J CollinsSwansea never ever hurt us. By my count they had two real chances to our two when Adrian saved with his feet in the 25th minute and a 61st minute volley which our keeper pushed round the post.

Our two best chances came when Noble drove just wide after Jelavic had set him free a minute after Swansea’s first chance and Valencia’s fine 76th minute volley was turned over the top.

James Collins had a chance to win it in the 85th minute when he headed wide from Valencia’s corner but watched the ball float wide in one of those ‘time stood still’ moments.

This was never going to be easy and if we are all absolutely honest we would surely have settled for a point and with at least Manu Lanzini and Andy Carroll on their way back for Boxing Day we can look forward with more hope of a result at Villa.

The plusses for me were the slow emergence of Alex Song, who made one of those trademark killer passes just before leaving the action, and the great form of James Collins at the back.

Mind you, he was lucky because TV replays showed clearly that he had handled a shot on goal in the 61st minute which went unnoticed by ref Lee Mason but by none of the Swansea fans.

To be honest he deserved his bit of luck as we collected our third clean sheet and remained unbeaten in three games despite all the treatment table problems.

Carl Jenkinson came on for five minutes at the end and produced a great run and pass for Jelavic who should have done better but we leave Wales relatively content.

Things could be an awful awful lot worse given everything.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

13 comments

  • IronHammer says:

    big sams way ) respect the point all day long, but to be honest: Payet, Sakho, Lanzini, Moses, Carroll, Reid.. I’d take 3 draws from last 3 games all day long. COYI.

  • There are people here who seem to believe that with six utterly essential players out of the team it is going to be straightforward against teams under pressure in front of their own fans while in the relegation zone. Yes we surrendered too much ground but did we lose NO, did we against Stoke No or at OT – NO. There’s a collective lunacy taking over because we don’t beat a team that gave Man City a cracking game and whose entire game is about possession WHICH DIDN’T HURT US ONCE. Both team had two shots on targe. We had nine corners – they had eight.. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD GET A GRIP.

  • PennsylvaniaHammer says:

    I find some of the comments here far more depressing than the game today. Yes it was ugly. But let’s not forget a few things.

    1. We now have a manager that respects us
    2. A few weeks ago we were saying what a genius he is. Now we string a few mediocre results together people are second guessing him. Which way do you want it?
    3. We’ve kept three clean sheets in row. That was a problem for us earlier this season. Ok, we’re not scoring but just look at the players who are out. If we can keep defensively strong when they return the second half of the season could be special.

    To start doing your nut over the recent results without a bit of context is pointless. This is the best manager, team and ownership combination we’ve had in a very long time. I feel pretty good about the club right now and although I was thoroughly disappointed by the entertainment value of the game today I refuse to get any more annoyed than that.

  • Roman says:

    What did Allardyce say about the “point”? Have to agree with John .Time to give Oxford a go.If we don’t beat Villa convincingly things will get ugly over Christmas for us.

  • PennsylvaniaHammer says:

    In case anyone was wondering there are 58 exclamation marks in the last post.

    • johnboy says:

      Wow a punter can count !!
      The most positive thing today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      Genius !!!!

  • johnboy says:

    How can we be happy with this performance !!!
    I just watched the worst midfield performance of the season ?
    Noble was looking like the six million dollar man in double slow motion !! Zarate has proved
    Yet again that he isn’t prepared to defend or pass a ball to anyone but the opposition !!
    Jellyfish wouldn’t get into any side over hackney marshes !!
    Kouyati should leave his new girlfriend alone as he looked drained of energy , especially the first half !! Noble again was doing an impression of lampard pointing at players and telling them to mark them when he was the nearest player !! Disgrace full captains performance !!
    Shocking!! Song brought off when he looked like he was going to produce the play to unlock the Swansea defence ??
    The midfield looked like it was a bunch of headless chickens or maybe a better description would be a bunch of 8 year olds without a clue !!
    The point missed Hugh was that Swansea are a **** poor side who we made look like Barcelona !!! Absolutely abismal !!!
    I have been patient and telling others to be patient but today’s performance was unexceptable !!!!
    Jenkinson should be sent back to the gooners immediately regardless of the contract ? Whybecause the man is completely brain dead !! The booking was a complete joke !!
    The only players to come out with any credit were ogbonna , ginge , tompkins and cresswell , ish .with Antonio putting in a good shift but is still finding his way !!
    17 games in and Bilic must surely know now who he must move on or bench !!!
    Noble , jelly , zarate , are surplus to requirements , and the problem is with noble is that Bilic is being to loyal to him ! Which is a mistake !!!
    Cullen or oxford need to replace him as believe you me they would put in a shift that would make him look mediocre at best !! Enough is enough !!!
    Its because of a crazy season with results that see us still in eigth otherwise we would be in the lower half of the division !!!
    Boy are we missing the inner core of this squad or what !!
    Must do better seems like a long playing record with a loop !,
    Peed off is a understatement !!! TTotally unacceptable today, a good side would have beat us 7 – 0 today ? Embarrassing !!!!

    • So who would you have playd – the most unbalanced and whinging complaint of this or any other year

      • oldgit says:

        It is the rantings of a very disappointed fan and I agree with everything he said. Bilic is flattering to deceive – we do not dictate any games home or away. Some of the football is as boring at Fat Sams teams served up last season. Bilic treats Noble like Fatty treated Nolan – in the team for no reason.

  • kevin says:

    We were’nt pretty , but we were tough . A hard earnt point that others may not get .
    Collins was fantastic and Tompkins did his job to perfection . We can’t grumble at this result . Away to Villa will be even harder because it is Christmas and they are at home fighting relegation . Another point with half a team . Makes you wonder how hard we would be to beat with a full team . The prospects are good because today was rather a crunch day.
    Come On You Hammers .

  • johnham1 says:

    Ogbanna was outstanding, my man of the match too, back 4 and Adrian did very well. Song looked still short of fitness, Kouyate and Noble solid games. I agree Jelavic was way off the pace. I was amazed they did not push Antonio up top when they brought Jenks on and taken Jelavic off. Antonio did well but I was very disappointed in Zarate, he is not a team player and I fear for him when Lanzini, Payet, Moses and Sakho return. If he became a team player then I can see him playing a part. Bilic was right to take him off though you could argue Jelavic should have been subbed first.

  • PennsylvaniaHammer says:

    A truly torrid game. We struggled for possession and Swansea always seemed to be first to lose balls. I think you were spot on with your ratings other than Ogbona who I thought was just as good as Ginge.

    It’s clear Jelavic is not up to the job. He shouldn’t even be on the bench. Slow and clumsy. Championship striker at best.

    The real positive is that we can have half of our first team out injured (all star performers as well) yet get a third clean sheet in a row. To go away twice in three games and remain unbeaten says a lot about our ability to ride through the lowest points of the season. As awful as the game was to watch, we have nothing to worry or panic about.

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