O
n the day after the 20th anniversary of the passing of the West Ham, England and football legend Bobby Moore and Sam Allardyce’s 350th game as a Premier League manager, in a game against one of our biggest rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, the Hammers had a very big game on their hands. It was a very emotional and exciting game, in which some very questionable decisions were made by our manager; with one that many Hammers around me in the ground were questioning was the selection of Gary O’Neil to start a game for the first time in 2013.
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While others around me were asking why O’Neil was starting in such a big match, I wasn’t too upset that he had got a starting spot in the team, This was because I knew that he was a man who would constantly run round the pitch, helping out the team and in particular the defence, and I think that with a performance, that in my opinion was pretty good overall, he could be featuring a bit more in the claret and blue this season.
He may not have given the cleanest and most technically brilliant performance that the crowd of the Boleyn Ground have seen down the years, but it was a determined one. While some of the West Ham supporters, rightly so, saw a man who was a bit wasteful with the ball and at times a little frantic throughout the match, I saw a man determined; I think that he was determined to honour Sir Bobby Moore on the night, get the win for West Ham and to impress the manager and supporters to try to earn a place in the team, and at a time where the manager and his players are under such scrutiny and only six points away from the dreaded relegation zone, desire and determination is something that our players are going to need if things start to get tough.
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Part of what shows his determination is how much he runs for the team and his willingness to put in tackles and just helping out his defence and any other team mates. Mark Noble is another who does this, however if his arm injury proves to keep him out for a while, then O’Neil’s willingness to work for the team, may be something that is needed, as every team needs somebody who can do that kind of role and I’m not sure if there are any other midfielders who would be as ready to take on that sort of role than O’Neil (other than Noble).
He may not be as skilled, or technically gifted as Diame, Joe Cole or some of the other West Ham midfielders, but he is a player who can do a job, and with the way that Sam Allardyce likes to play somebody like Gary O’Neil could quickly become an important player for West Ham, especially so if Noble is kept out of the team for a long time with injury.
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Hard worker but i would rather play joe cole in the center while nolan + noble are out along side diame ,stick collinson on the wing ( a player sam has drasticly underused and then stick 2 upfront preferably maiga and wellington as they seem to be the only ones who can score!
Largely agree with the piece but any qualities shown in his or anybody else’s performance was totally overshadowed by big sams disastrous and mystifying substitutions which gifted spuds the game! It is particularly ironic when considering Demel was having an outstanding game! One of his best ever! Joe cole for 2-1 should have been game over! At the time they never looked like scoring and we were controlling the game! Just like mickey-mousers all over again! Finally, why wasn’t dembelle sent off? Firstly for unprovoked off the ball lunge at Nolan, which broke his toe! Then the hauling back of player then kicking the ball,away in the second half! Take your pick of offences! At ten men there certainly would have been no thirty yard screamer!
I am sorry but Gary O’Neill is a good squad player but nothing more. We have far better centre mids in Noble, Diame, J.Cole and Collison. Good squad player but if he ever becomes a key player for us it will be a travesty.
Great news that Nolan is injured , oNeil is a championship player at most , big Sam chucked away the game again with bad subs he takes players off to rest them but we then lose the game.We are bang in trouble. Sack him now teams have worked out the flawed 4.5.1 formation.Football is also entertainment why pay £800 for a season ticket to watch stoke in claret and blue.Sam is so limited his uses pro zone to tell him we pass backwards and Reid has kicked the most long balls all season.Where is wellington and maiga? Carroll has terrible feet with cole a weaker carbon copy .We cannot waste money on SAMs type of players anymore before we are left witness another terrible team.Hold and sully sort it out?
Exactly mate. Its an absolute joke at the moment.
Have you been on the Sherry? Gary is no more than a championship player, along with several other members of our squad such as Taylor. we cannot put O’neill, Taylor, Jarvis et al up against bona fide premier league class players, as shown against Gareth Bale, as its like racing a Ford Fiesta against a Mercedes SLK and hoping for a shock win. If we stay in this league we need to bring in some show piece talent if we are serious about competing, as nobody is too big to go down anymore.
Don’t think that Gary O’Neil would get a game for any other premiership team, only BFS sees qualities in such limited players!
If Gary O’Neill is KEY to West Hams survival then we’re F***ed……
Gary oneill simply isn’t good enough.jack collison should’ve started but as big fat Sam hates playing anyone under 25 jack gets hardly any play time.oneill just treads water never looks up when on the ball.if whoever has written this thread is serious then he is either a spurs fan or had to much acid.if we’re not to get right sucked into a relegation fight playing oniell isn’t the answer and the fact Nolan is out might force sams arm and actually play 2 proper forwards.we need goals and one up top isn’t the answer.
He played well against Spurs but that doesn’t hide the fact that he’s been an average-at-best midgfielder for us in every other game.
He is not a key player and shouldn’t be in our starting line-up bar any injuries.
If we go down it will be because we have too many average players like O’Neil.