By Allen Cummings
Saturday produced neither the result we were looking for or the team performance we were expecting!
And being entirely honest it was very difficult to pick out any individual performance that deserved special praise.
However, there was a point at the end of it against a team fired up and spurred on by possibly the most partisan and supportive crowd in the Premier League plus their first victory of the season a game earlier against Fulham.
On many another days the West Ham I have known and loved for over 60 years might well have capitulated at the John Smith Stadium – and come away without one and their tails between their legs.
The fact we did battle back after a particularly disappointing and uninspiring first half was down in no little part to the strength and belief of Manuel Pellegrini.
He took the bull by the horns and made typically bold changes in the second half. Chicharito at half time. Antonio on 64 minutes and then Fredericks on 73 minutes. Eventually the pressure and the intention paid dividends.
You might say other managers would have done the same but I could mention a few who wouldn’t have been as bold.
He has never disguised his football philosophy which is entirely about attractive, adventurous and attacking football, something most of my West Ham pals – and fans in general – will buy into. So the fact he really went for it on Saturday deserves praise in my opinion.
It’s been a stuttering season so far for us, disappointment mixed with delight. But then we’re hardly strangers to that particular mix of sentiment and fortunes.
The manager ultimately carries the can for his team’s performances and results but is he responsible for the individual errors that have proved so costly or for injuries to influential players that have clearly disrupted his team building? Hardly.
Did we really expect and believe because of his record he would arrive waving a magic wand and suddenly the team would be transformed overnight. I certainly didn’t and I suspect many others didn’t either. Do we believe in him, his ideas and methods and that he is the right man to take us forward?
In my opinion it’s far too early to seriously start questioning him. One transfer window, and a dozen Premier League games is not enough to craft the team he wants. We have to give him the time he deserves.
I totally agree with Allen Cummings & Mr Buddy Lurve as Pellegrini’s aim is for us to be playing attacking & attractive football which makes a change from the last few managers whose main aim has been to try & save us from being relegated & when everything finally falls into place, relegation will be the last thing on our mind & we will be enjoying our rise to the top of the EPL!!
Spot on. He needs the season to instil his mantra and methodology into the squad. He needs January to patch us up, and another full Summer to replace players who aren’t buying into it, don’t have the right attitude or lack the required ability. This is a rebuilding season, and anything around our current position or above will be fine with me.