By Rich Sprent
Watching Alex Song’s impact when introduced from the bench this afternoon against Chelsea showed everybody the true reality of West Ham 2014/15!
Forget the dreamlike belief that this is a Champions League squad. Song is head and shoulders above anyone else in the team and without him and his ability to make the team tick we would be half a dozen places further down the league.
Yes, we have signed some very good players which has helped enormously but it’s Song who elevates them as a group.
It is Song who bonds them into a unit that can compete with top sides. It is Song for whom we have no adequate replacement…and that is more than a little scary.
Reading some of the knee jerk post-game comments after losing 2-0 to the probable champions shows how far we have come; and how so many fans still do not get it.
Without Song the diamond formation is simply not sustainable with this squad against top sides.. He is the only player on the staff who lets the ball do the work; who is comfortable on the ball when facing Champions League winners.
He alone can bring a smooth transition from defence to attack and force the Premier League contenders to sit back.
He ain’t perfect. Arguably there are better passers about. But there is no denying his class. He enables the very good players alongside him to play their game. He makes us dangerous as a unit. He helps the team play upto the standards that our league position requires and demands.
The real scary thing is twofold:
O Without him, West Ham we are an improved team on previous years but with a need to fall back on reactive football.
O With him, we are real contenders for a European place. A difference of 4th-6th to our pre-season target of 10th.
To sustain the heady heights however, Alex Song needs an understudy or one of those vey good players in the squad needs to upgrading to his level.
The second scary part is that we actually achieve a coveted European placing and then fail to keep or replace Song.
That would be like invading Russia with winter coming.
I agree with every single word of that.
Whoops – wrong by line LOL
Thought I was going mad then! Rich, agree with what you are saying, it was scary agreeing with Nigel K, phew that’s better 🙂
lol – my fault. Don’t drink either!!!!
No truer word ever spoken .
We have big problems keeping these heady heights if song leaves .
I assume he was benched today to save for sunday.
If so hope we can produce the goods on sunday .
Chelsea great passing , sadly we gifted 2 goals
Sunday’sresult would determine if we deserve to be a
Top 5 team .
Bang on article.The difference was so noticable when he came on,a cool head,calming passing the ball about & bringing us out of defence or pushing us further up field.Also agree wholeheartedly about the knee-jerk reactions.We lost to a team who pased the ball beautifully,with great movement & one touch football round & in our box.Though it pains me to say that.Damn,the team has won all 9 home games,scored atleast 2 in all these matches & sit top of the league.We aint just lost to Accrington Stanley.Its great to enjoy these heady days atm but we still must remain a little bit realistic.We lost at Stamford Bridge,its out of the way now.Time to move on,still feeling hopeful & optimistic.I certainly am & one defeat at the top of the table team isnt going to make me lose my belief in this team & management.I just think of this time last year,where we were then & where we are now.Plenty to smile about as far as im concerned & if people cant find our position in the league atm worth smiling about then i guess you are the Son or Daughter of The Grinch 😉
Song is a great player class. West ham play with 10 men 24 legs which Nolan has four what a donkey . donkey keV give up your a waste of space .west ham don’t need you .