Here is a summary of my positives and negatives from Saturday’s game between West Ham United and Aston Villa.
The Positives
+ West Ham United without James Tomkins Saturday was a defensive master class, not just from the back four but the whole West Ham team. West Ham defended as a unit and stopped Aston Villa creating a meaningful chance. James Collins was really commanding at the back, young Winston Reid alongside him also went about his business well. It is reassuring to know West Ham can cope without Tomka.
+ Mark Noble’s performance
Mark Noble has the ability to control possession and hurt the opposition with his passing. Noble has been around long enough and has enough ability to really be on the fringes of the England team. If Mark Noble can perform on a regular basis like he did against Aston Villa then Roy Hodgson may well want to take a closer look at him in the near future.
The fastest growing Hammers website is now on Facebook, click the link to be entered into our up and coming competitions http://www.facebook.com/pages/ForeverWestHamcom/200938616608282
+ Fullbacks
This pre-season I have been questioning whether West Ham’s fullback options are good enough. A lack of pace at fullback is of particular concern to me. West Ham’s style of play does not see the fullbacks overlapping wingers so perhaps my traditional view of the fullback is redundant. Both Guy Demel and George ‘Linda’ McCartney played their part in an excellent defensive performance and never really looked troubled. I have to admit a realisation of my fears for the quality of West Hams fullbacks was not evident against Villa.
+ West Hams Tactics
On Saturday we saw the Villa midfield pass the ball around in front of our team without ever really hurting West Ham or penetrating our defence. Every ball that Aston Villa sent up to Darren Bent was dealt with. In contrast West Ham mixed it up tactically, sometimes The Hammers would play direct passes to Carlton Cole who contested every ball superbly and won a few free kicks in dangerous areas, at other times West Ham kept the ball and controlled the game. Under Avram Grant West Ham never really looked like we had a plan. Under Sam Allardyce the team looks like they know what they have to do to hurt the opposition and win football matches. The Team executed the tactical game plan perfectly.
+ Mohamed Diame
WOW. I really think Momo Diame is going to be a very special player for West Ham. Diame has the heart of a lion and great technical ability to boot. I am certain he will prove to be a bigger hero than Scott Parker. On Saturday we saw an all action performance which I believe will be the first of many in a West Ham shirt from Mohamed Diame.
Looking for experience? Just want to be heard outside of the Boleyn? We are currently looking for writers, drop us an email at foreverwestham@snack-media.com for more details
The Negatives
– Style of play
West Ham certainly unsettled Aston Villa’s defence but we didn’t do this by carving Villa open with slick, swift counter attacking, football. Swansea have earned many plaudits for their buccaneering playing style. West Ham’s style of play was efficient and effective. I am happy with efficient and effective however I know a fair portion of West Ham fans who will not appreciate some of the direct balls being played into Carlton Cole.
– Modibo Maiga’s miss
As Aston Villa pressed forward looking for a late equaliser a West Ham counter attack culminated in Modibo Maiga rounding the keeper only to see a Villa Defender block his goal bound effort. Opportunities like this do not present themselves too often in the Premier League. If Maiga was slightly more composed a debut goal would have been the icing on the cake. So often we have seen taking chances like the one Maiga had can be the difference between bringing home the bacon and walking away from a game empty handed. Fortunately today’s miss didn’t cost West Ham either way. At Premier League level you have got to be clinical.
Overall
It’s great to be back in the Premier League, West Ham’s performance in our first fixture fills me with optimism for the rest of the season.
Thanks for reading
Follow me on Twitter @JayHannen
COME ON YOU IRONS.
Ever dreamt about getting paid for reading about West Ham? Well now you can make dreams a reality http://bit.ly/ffc-foreverwestham-lp
I think that last one deserves to be a positive, not a negative.
It was the guy’s first appearance in England (let alone the PL) and he almost scored after breaking away from the defense and rounding the keeper.
Not bad for a first try!
Nice to see the Hammers back in the Prem where they belong, nice to get down to Upton park again, they will easily stay in the league as they are as you say efficient and organised …… but I’m afraid they will be a carbon copy of Bolton, tough, strong and very direct …. not in the running with the West Ham tradition of beautiful footballing sides I’m afraid.
Positives was without doubt Collins … Negatives were chances created and a main striker, Dont get me wrong Carlton Cole worked his socks off but in the premiership you only get one or two chances and they need to be converted, Maybe Berbatov would be a good signing but Carrol would be the icing on the cake.
Gaz50
I think that fans rate Noble just because he has come up through the ranks and is our longest serving player. I really cannot see what he offers the team whatsoever. He is a complete liability anywhere near his own area and he keeps trying to do the Parker turn and either loses the ball or just goes around in circles gaining no advantage whatsover. He goes forward then lobs the ball to the other side of the pitch, once again gaining no advantage – this time due to the type of pass he plays. He is slow, cumbersome and I wouldn’t miss him at all if he was injured or left. I just don’t understand the hero worship that he receives. Chac corner sing to him and he waves back. Is that why he is loved?
[typo] Chav corner
Hi Bertie. Mark Nobles dad among a few others has a seat in a corporate box just above that part of the ground. His mum,wife & baby are often there, so it’s probably them whom he is waving to.
However, I incline to agree with some of what you say. Due to his lack of pace & failure to read the game at times, he gives away far too many free kicks around our penalty box for my liking.
By the way, my wife & I are not Chavs as you put it. A great deal of them are though.
Mark Noble’s dad. ( Sorry ).
I’ve said this before as well. He’s not a bad player by any means, but aside from taking a very good penalty he doesn’t offer anything that is really that special…..and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a slower midfielder! I told friends before Saturday that once everyone was fit I didn’t see him playing much behind Nolan, Diarra and Diame, and I was told in no uncertain terms that Noble was a far superior player to Diame and would easily play ahead of him…….I haven’t had a chance to remind my friends of this statement since the match, but I’m guessing they don’t still believe that!