Leading ClaretandHugh blogger Rich Sprent has watched all the discussions unfold on the forums and has come to some big conclusions on the present state of play at Upton Park.
Normally we would add a ‘rider’ saying that the article reflects only the views of the blogger and not necessarily ClaretandHugh but there’s no need this time – we agree with every word.
So where can this team finish? Top 10? Top 8? Top 6? Top 4? Fans’ expectations vary but certainly this team ‘can beat anyone on our day’.
Some are finding that quite hard to swallow with the heart ripped from the team over the past month or so. No wins in the last six games, no goals in the last three. The creativity is missing. The team is cobbled together to be ‘hard to beat’ and despite the really poor Villa being next up anything other than a point looks to rely on some luck from somewhere.
So where are the positives? Three 0-0 draws on the bounce in a run that’s seen five draws and a humiliating loss at the hands of those preening cocks of N17. Hard to see much to smile about?
I disagree. I am seeing the makings of a credible force. Yes, it’s always nice to see rip- roaring football, sublime skill and goals goals goals. They say that you find more out about yourself during times of adversity than at any other time. And this team are reminding me of the team that are gatekeepers to being a consistent force in the Premier League top half – Everton.
Whenever a West Ham side are beginning to purr it’s usually the Toffess that bring us down to earth. Despite being under-invested and having a relativity small squad they show resilience in their spirit and continue to be a threat on the European places year on year.
Slav has had to adapt his desire for having two flying fullbacks and a swarm of attacking midfielders supporting a tirelessly running front man. Tomkins has come in to good effect to shore things up, Collins throws himself in front of everything. Antonio looks tireless in his work rate. They’re doing ok, even if not giving us what we all want.
The squad has been sorely tested and whilst the replacements lack all the attributes of Sakho, Payet, Lanzini, Moses, Reid and big Andy they have shown that they can stand up to teams and hang on in there.
Uninspiring as that may sound, that we have SIX players to come back in contention for a starting spot and Valencia just back and getting minutes under his belt, shows plenty.
It’s not the exciting rip roaring free scoring Hammers that we know we are when everyone’s there. The cloth is being cut accordingly in a time of need.
We are six goals-for less than Everton and three less conceded. If we had scored one more goal in each of the last six games we’d have converted five draws to five wins. Another 10 points. We’d be 3 points behind the leaders sitting in second spot.
IF, If, If… I know, I know, but… that we have hung in there and are still sat in eighth spot is to be admired if not overly celebrated on the pitch in front of the Bobby Moore Lower by manager and team.
The other unseen bonus is that the manager will have had ample opportunity to see where the team’s deficiencies lie.
The fullbacks have been a revelation, in how poor they’ve been. Tomkins is doing a fantastic job standing in, but what we gain defensively from him, we lose offensively. Alas, Jenkinson cannot be trusted without all the flair players to link with when going forward.
And he doesn’t seem to have the concentration in defending first that he had last season. Cresswell is knuckling down and much more is expected from him for the rest of the season. He has his moments both good and bad. He needs to improve. Having to buy two fullbacks in the Summer could prove pricey.
Make no bones about it. We are in Plan B mode. Hunker down, try to nick a win. It starts at the back. Having two fully operating fullbacks is essential to fulfil the potential that the team can show. It provides width when in possession and allows the creative swarm up front to do their thing.
Everton of the South? Not inspiring is it? It is a compliment however. That we are top eight heading into the last two games of the calendar year is a solid and good start for Slaven Bilic. We have seven draws. Only Sp*rs and Everton have more.
Not getting beat when the chips are down is the way forward. The wagons are circled and the Dimitri- Payet led cavalry are coming. Those reinforcements will begin to make the difference as they each return over the last 21 games of the season.
We sit above both Merseyside clubs. And I don’t think it’s a stretch to estimate that three of the clubs above us, Watford, Palace and high flying Leicester, wouldn’t be above us if it was they who had six from their preferred starting XI missing for over a month. I’d argue they’d be battling the bottom 3.
Bring on the Villa and the Saints!
A huge ‘ Come on you Irons’ and a ‘Happy Holidays’ to every Hammer everywhere.
‘If we had scored one more goal in each of the last six games we’d have converted five draws to five wins. Another 10 points. We’d be 3 points behind the leaders sitting in second spot.’…. coulda woulda shoulda…. the fact is that we’re 13 points behind the leader and 10 points from a relegation place. Its far easier to get involved in a relegation fight than obtain a european placing. We need a couple of wins to build our confidence otherwise it could be a long winter. I know some will say that I’m a negative oldgit but I haven’t got carried away like many others. I am not convinced by our performances and our home record is terrible when you consider the teams that we have not beaten and who who should expect to be beating.
It’s great that, not only are there positives, but we are all thinking of different ones!
For me the silver lining is that all of our creative players have had a winter break and hopefully will all be back firing in the next 6 weeks or so. In the meantime we are hanging in there, it could be a special second half of the season
Couldn’t agree more. This article is spot on… with one ommision: I think that some of our draws have been entertaining and where possible, Bilic has tried to go for the win… the Everton game in particular. Now, the so called experts, pundits like Martin Keown, Mark Lawrenceson, Paul (‘The West Ham way? I didn’t think there was one. I don’t know what it is) Merson would a) have you believe that we are in free-fall & b) peddle the lie that ‘you should be careful what you wish for’. We’ll, who thinks Alardyce would have gone for the win against Everton and how many of those draws would have been lost because he would have invited pressure on us by making negative substitutions? Bollocks to them! There is no problem… no free-fall… and its Sunderland that need to be careful (Taxi for Alardyce anyone?) not West Ham COYI & Merry Christmas… remember ” We’ve got Dimitri Payet… I just dont think Paul Merson understands…”
Good read and is spot on
The problem is the expectation in the fans is coming from the club, They say this is the best ever, they say we are on our way for greater things. Many of the fans will be excited by this and believe it to be so, problem comes when we it a sticky patch as all clubs do, then those fans are looking around and asking if this is the best then why is it happening.
If the club didnt whip up the hype and managed their expectations then disappointment wouldn’t be as apparent when reality kicks in.
I take each game as it comes, judge each performance on its own merit and dont listen/ believe the hype from the clubs media department.
as such i feel no disappointment after yesterdays result.
I agree with everything said here today. What a pleasant Monday morning to not have to make a post ( wooops I just did )
Very well written article, Richard. Thank you.
Of those missing, Payet, Lanzini, Sakho and Reid would be definite starters – Carroll and Moses would always be at least in the match day squad.
That’s 4/11 of the first XI missing (6/18 of the match day squad). Even City would struggle with that; Leicester would sink like a stone and the current Chelski rabble would be heading for Division One.
I think he’s counting Valencia and Song in that mate who haven’t featured 90mins in a while, I’m guessing
The big positive for me has been that our best defender, Winston Reid, has gone missing but the other defenders, Ogbonna, Tomkins and in particularly Collins have all stepped up and his absence has not been noticed.
It’s becoming a bit of a broken record but Jenkinson has been a real miss. Yesterday Antonio worked tirelessly in support of Tomkins deficiencies, it was the type of support that has been missing to Jenkinson. Last year Jenkinson had Downing to work with, Downing worked well with him, covering when Jenkinson pushed on, playing off each other both being on the same wavelength. This year Jenkinson has been expected to do things without a reliable partner, he’s been exposed, things have gone wrong and the crowd turns on him, he loses confidence, is frightened of making further mistakes, gets negative and hesitant in his approach to the game – it’s a vicious circle!
Another bonus is that Antonio has been given his chance and taken it. Moses has been inconsistent and unreliable but, because of the finances involved, Bilic has been forced to go with Moses and he doesn’t give the support to his full back – on whatever side of the pitch he is playing.
I could go on but I’m losing the will to live and the Christmas shops are calling – a positive last thing is that the strength of the Squad has been severely tested but we’re treading water in the League rather than slipping down the table as has happened in the past.
There’s good players to come back, we need more strength in depth, but it could have been a lot worse!
Merry Christmas!
The amount of negativity coming through from some fans is really surprising and disappointing IMO.
We did not play well last night, there is no debating that, maybe 1 or 2 good individual performances, but the team fought hard and we could have knicked it towards the end.
i believe, this month will be the low point of our season, and considering we have our most creative players out, 1 defeat is a bloody good return, even if it was the spuds we lost to.
i also would like remind those fans who say we were better off last season, that our previous manager had nearly four years to get to there and Slaven has had 5 months.
100% right