By Rich Sprent
That the lines are well drawn over the manager is a given. That those wanting change have pointed all that was wrong on Saturday at Allardyce has been well voiced.
On balance both sides have legitimate concerns following the Palace debacle. The best XI was on show but the the front six couldn’t control their own bladders let alone the football.
Instead of keeping the ball they tried to force things.
Amazingly, Palace had been set up by Alan Pardew in precisely the same way as Allardyce had done in his Bolton era!
Yet here was Song trying Hollywood passes when an easy square ball was on, Downing, choked of space became more and more marginalised. He looked bereft of ideas. His game is running at a player, not a whole team.
Kouyate and Noble toiled well but continually ran into the South Londoner’s cloying midfield led ably by Jedinek. That he and Jason Puncheon looked so much more effective against our best four in the midfield is testament to a mid market squad competing up with the big boys.
When you begin to do well, teams like Palace will shut up shop on you. The game was crying out for one of two plans: either be patient and creative and work the opportunity or out-bully the opposition to earn the right to play.
West Ham did neither and pigheadedly tried to impose the plan that worked so often this season- get the ball for the front two to create all the space behind the back four. But there wasn’t any space.
Trying to force passes through Pard’s well marshalled team didn’t work. Neither Sakho or Valencia dropped off to create space or allow the midfield to get in front of them. The full backs were frustrated but still looked the best bet.
However with a Palace back four made up from the Land of Giants it was unlikely that anything but a perfect cross would do. It didn’t materialise.
The three set piece goals conceded were dreadful. Yes, that Murray was on FIVE fouls before being booked can be complained about. Yes, Jedinek assaulted Sakho. But collectively the team simply did not have the patience or guile to unlock the Eagles.
And with no adequate option to challenge their strength by battering them, it was patience and guile that was required.
This is where both sides of the manager fence can throw their stones: the only options on the books with twinkle toes are Amalfitano and Zarate. The Frenchman was obviously suspended. That the South American is unavailable for selection can be looked at two ways: a/ he’s not good enough and we should have got someone better or b/ the manager failed to integrate him into the squad and use him effectively.
Either way, we have a mid market squad size and the options off the bench are sparse. Our best starters flopped to a determined Palace side. That the manager could not get get the team to slow it down and work an opening is damning.
It however makes little difference if he is seen to be jumping up and down like a moronic monkey on jungle juice or not. There are ways to convey messages onto the field without being a Martin O’Neill or Paolo Di Canio.
The team now has two of the best sides up next to prove that they are worthy of the fight to reach Europe. Both sides will allow West Ham to try to play their best.
After that, the run-in will be full of teams wanting to stop the Hammers first. The team will need to shoe some patience and show some guile to make their mark on the remaining games.
Fat man out
No leader off the pitch,no control of men on the pitch, no tactics to beat solid defencive sides Ie Palace and WBA, or not interested in WBA,which ever it is he has to go,
BFS OUT
When we are winning the dinosaur is always out on the touchline shouting orders,making himself visable.To show it is him who orchastrared the victory.When we are losing he disappears into the seat as far down as he can get & does nothing but curse & chew gum.He is totally clueless sometimes.What an elohesra (beat that filter),lol 😀
The irony with Zarate reference is that he had his best game against Palace away. Creative and scored a decent goal. Probably fell foul of the ‘I didnt sign you’ mentality so off he went when we could have clearly done with him in the last few matches. We were so poor on Saturday that we missed Nolan and I never thought we would be THAT bad. The rift between board and manager is becoming a real issue is damaging and needs sorting. Nene did ok but may well go the same way
Being clever now Tyson but it works for me,yes every word you have written is true,
But BFS is a penjedo that’s for sure,
Haha,yeah i know it aint an anagram.But i agree he is 😀
Tyson no good a anagram,s but my good wife is I agree,
Mine not so easy not anagram,
That was the team people were shouting at Sam to use,one or two bad games does not equal bad season.As long as we improve year on year until the big move,get in their as a top ten team then we can start going through the gears. C.O.Y.I.
Yeah but everything is always rosie in the West Ham garden for you.You are the one who was agreeing with everything conker always said.Hardly a glowing reference.I dont know how you can call it only two bad games.We have one once in two months.Hardly stunning form 😉
baddow it’s not the team for the hundredth time it’s the way they were told to play,
If you really like paying to watch that rubbish your off your head or you are so rich you don’t care,when did you in the last 10 games did you get value for money,Spurs Man U, nope can’t think of ant other,
Btw,there is a big difference Hugh between calming sitting in your seat conveying instructions & sitting there slumped chewing gum cursing & looking totally disinterested.I saw it when at the ground & it was even more damning when i watched a re run at home.He was not proactive that much.Just looked like the hungry hippo he is with a gob full of gum 😀
I aint Zarates biggest fan.I think he is a bit of a show pony.But on saturday we were crying out for a little extra flair to produce something.To think that BFS allowed him out on loan is criminal.Even if he gave us 20mins sometimes it could be enough to deliver something.But what chance do flair players have with Samasauras these days.He just wants a team of 11 workman,not any artists.He does my head in sometimes.Stubborn fool.