Now this is a difficult question to answer as there isn’t a side in professional football that wouldn’t miss the leadership, tenacity and quality of Scotty Parker. It goes without saying we’re a weaker side without our best player but if you ask me that isn’t the reason we’re struggling to look like genuine automatic promotion contenders.
The form of one Kevin Nolan; brought into replace our Scotty has simply been poor. Three goals from midfield from the opening ten games seems upon superficial glances as a decent return on the fee and wages that were spent acquiring his services. But a closer look at Kevin’s performances show a lethargic and bungling midfielder who is looking distinctly average at this level, not putting in the kind of industrial displays that Parker used to provide on a regular and consistent basis. He simply isn’t dictating games in a manner that we would expect of man who excelled in last season Premier League.
I think it’s all too easy to blame our recent poor performances simply on the loss of Scott Parker. West Ham United have lost better players in the past and just got on with it in a noble and stoic fashion. For example the season after we lost the inspirational and lovable rogue known as Carlos Tevez I believe we went on to finish 10th after our tumultuous and controversial great escape.
Looking at the subject of our form more deeply and I’d say Big Sam still isn’t quite sure of his finest eleven; with each game that passes he seems to be fine tuning. With so much quality at his disposal (especially within midfield) it will take some time for Sam to find or even stumble across the right formula and personnel to fit in it. As a consequence of all this chopping and changing the team’s performances maybe a tad staccato and frustrating.
Losing Parker was undoubtedly a huge blow, but since the that fateful day at the DW last season when crushing realisation set in that we’d be trading in our seasonal visits to The Emirates, Anfield and Old Trafford for trips to Donny, Barnsley and Peterborough it was obvious he was going to be off…though seeing him in that lilywhite shirt does bruise our collective souls it was inevitable.
Big Sam and the David’s realised the departure couldn’t be stopped and to their credit they’ve looked to replace him with several players in Nolan to replace his leadership qualities, Bentley to replace his vision and range of passing and Bouba Diop to replace his presence, tackling and all round ability to graft.
It will take time and it will not be pretty but eventually Big Sam should guide this squad of players to the summit of the football league. Parker’s various replacements will (hopefully) in time be the driving force behind the thrust for glory.
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Parker’s the modern day Ince, a judas, he was part of the side who got us relegated, then couldn’t wait to go to the Flids, so as far as l’m concerned, it’s good riddance to bad s**t !………………COYI ‘><'
No. He was no Hammers legend like Billy Bonds.
We might be missing Kevin Nolan at the moment though.
A lot of our fans are getting fed up with his lackluster showings.
How does second in the league add up to bad form?? Some people seem to think we should be picking up points for fun in this league forgetting the reason we are here in the first place is because we simply weren’t good enough for the Premiership! Most importantly…f@@k Scott Parker, he couldn’t wait to sign for the Yids so I can’t believe we’re still banging on about him! He owed his career to West Ham, more so Curbs who took a gamble on a mediocre, injury prone player from Newcastle. The right thing to do would of been to commit to the club and seen us back to the top flight…he would of got more recognition for that! Bentley to replace his vision and range of vision??? Come on get real…more often his passes failed to reach their target or went out of play…often caught in poccession! The only good thing about him was his effort and determination…apart from that he can do one! Pull your tongue out of his a@se and move on! Big Kev will come good!!!