Some highly interesting points were made about the current state of the West Ham team by one of London 24.com’s Irons correspondents, Brad Pinard, this morning.
Discussing the 1-0 victory over a “very poor Sunderland side” he said: “The lack of intensity and quality has been a week-by-week issue since before the new year.
“Whether it is the fact the Hammers are set to finish in mid-table no matter how they play from now until the summer or Allardyce’s future being doubted, something has affected the players and their performances and Saturday’s late goal will only mask that.
“The warm weather ‘break’ to Dubai certainly hasn’t freshened up the players and responsibility needs to be taken, especially if the Hammers fall out of the top half.”
One problem that is the leadership off and on the pitch BFS and NOLAN,
The moral is low because some players Alfitano,Poyet,Oxford,Demel and Nene must wonder why they are sitting games out why NOLAN,Jarvis and O,Brien play and are underachieving every week,
Ginge and Cole know even if they play well if Valencia and Reid are fit they will be dropped again,
There is no reason apart from personal pride to perform if you aren’t given a chance.
BFS OUT
Valencia is the perfect example of why players are effected.Him & Sakho were terrific together.Even Tony Cotte was raving about them as being the best strike partnership we have had since himself & Frank.Then what happens,Carrolls fit & Valencia is dumped on the bench & has since been a bit part player when Carroll is sometimes fit.No matter what Sam Lovers say his preferential treatment towards his pets stinks & has bought on a down turn in Valencia & Downings performances,being messed about by the genius.8 games & counting!
All the manager speculation cant help. You expect it at a club fighting relegation but not in a team practically safe by christmas. You have to look at the disruption caused by factors like the african cup of nations and susequent injuries as well though. the squad though vastly improved over the last view years still cant seem to cope with the busy winter period onwards. The difference now to years gone by is that years ago the injury crisis would have sent us into a relegation battle if not actually got us relegated.
We all agree about the treatment of Valencia and Downing in favour of Nolan and Carrol but do the David’s see.
If not they must be watching a different game to everyone else.
I would be interested to see a comparison of games with carroll sakho compared to valencia sakho.
alladyce has got far more out of downing than rogers ever did at liverpool. You have to give that to him.
Oh yeah,he has such insight that he gave him a new lease of life playing him at the tip of the diamond were he flourished & as soon as Nolan was fit he shunted him back onto the wing.That deserves real credit 😉
I dont need a comparision between valencia/sakho & carroll/sakho.I saw with my own eyes what i prefered watching & it was definately the former two.They were running defences ragged & Sakjo benifitted from Valencias movement,which gave him more space.Not the ball launched to Carroll for him to hopefully be on the end of his flick ons.The table seemed to show they were doing a good job as well at the time 🙂
I don’t really think that it takes a genius to figure out what has affected the players… a deadly virus with name and surname: Sam Allardyce. He forced players like Sakho, Valencia, Downing, to play out of their natural position. BFS, thanks to his cunning brain, didn’t adapted the game system to the players, but he did exactly the opposite. He used his pets at any costs, putting away players were playing really well (Amalfitano for example). After a promising start the Genius decided to restore his old spectacular play style which is very appealing to Carroll and Nolan. Maybe I am wrong, maybe it’s just a curse and Davids should ask for a good shaman.
Lifeissobutiful in Biggin Hill and the drugs are good to,
I must have been watching different games to some people,
Does it not go without saying we play a totally different game when Sakho plays with valencia then with Carroll and the statistics are only for accountants,
Tippy Tappy football or put it in orbit and chase,
Can we get back to common sense,football is called the bautiful game not kick and chase.
BFS OUT
The valencia sackho partnership worked brilliantly earlier in the season its true. Not so well of late to be honest though has it. Not sure what you mean by forcing sakho, valencia, downing to play out of their natural position? i know downings natural position is a winger but i prefer him in a free role. Sakho and valencia both naturally like to drift wide which is very effective at stretching defences and works well wth the diamond when you have no winger. Do you mean you would prefer jarvis and downing as out and out wingers and valencia and sakho in the middle of a more traditional style 442?
It hasnt worked so well of late because they have had Nolan behind them not Downing for the vast majorities of the games.The partnership cannot even be compared between earlier in the season & now when you have Nolan sat behind them not Downing most the time.It doesnt take talking like a coach to work that one out 😉