First of all, I respect the opinion of all of my fellow West Ham United supporters. None of us are right or wrong, we all want what is best for our football club, we all want success, but then there’s wanting success, and then there is being realistic. After what I would call a successful season back in the Premier League, I still hear some unrest amongst the supporters over the manager, Sam Allardyce.
We have all read so many articles about Big Sam. Most have been edging to either loving him or hating him. So I want to write one which highlights the good and bad bits of Allardyce, why I want him to stay at the club, and why I think he is the man to lead us into a new dawn at the Olympic Stadium.
The first thing I want to get off my chest is the fact that Big Sam seems to be ignoring our Academy players. Rob Hall has been on loan all season, as has Ravel Morrison. I thought when Hall returned from Birmingham City, he might stay with the first team and get on the bench, knowing that when we are safe, we can blood him in the starting 11, and get him some Premier League experience. Instead, we loan him out again, and I understand his contract is up at the end of the season, yet have we done anything to keep him? Morrison has been a shining light in the Birmingham team in the second half of the season, yet we recently read that it is likely that he will be loaned out again next season. I was hoping that Morrison would be used in the first team next season, as an eventual replacement for the club captain, Kevin Nolan. Jordan Spence is another – I thought he performed well in the FA Cup against Man Utd at Old Trafford, yet Allardyce doesn’t seem to trust him to slot in and replace the ageing Guy Demel. So that is my biggest complaint against Allardyce.
However, he has also been a massive plus for us too. Look at the way he has changed this club around. Most clubs who go down lose 3 or 4 top players, but keep the core of their squad. But Allardyce had to get rid of 19 players and had to replace them. He made shrewd signings, Nolan, Faye, Vaz Te are just 3. The club was on its knees under Avram Grant – the future looked bleak. Look at the likes of Coventry, Leicester, Leeds, Wolves and Blackburn since they got relegated. Yet Big Sam kept us in the top 3 all season. Some say he should have won the league, but who knew Reading were going to put such a run together? Fact is, he was tasked with getting us promotion, and he achieved it. Not only did he change the playing staff, he changed the negative mentality into a winning mentality. All of a sudden, we can defend. We can hold onto games and not self destruct and fall apart. Big Sam has brought this over to this season, whereby we have kept 10 clean sheets.
Allardyce did well in the transfer market. The Chairmen backed him, and it saw the likes of Andy Carroll, Momo Diame, and Matt Jarvis all sign on. However, this leads me on to something else that baffles me about Allardyce, We sign a striker, Modibo Maiga, and he doesn’t play him. The same goes for Wellington, Sam Baldock, Nicky Maynard, Diarra and Chamakh. Is it a personality problem? Have we signed these players based on ability, but when they get in the dressing room, there attitude stinks? Who knows, but it’s something Allardyce needs to rectify.
So how has Big Sam done tactically? Well, our home form has been excellent all season, and even in the defeats we suffered, we still played well, and were either undone by bad luck or belting goals! Our away form has been poor for the majority of the season, but has picked up of late, picking up points here and there, and getting a good win at Stoke. Some fans are unhappy about some of the negative tactics shown by Allardyce away from Upton Park. But I try to point out that things don’t happen overnight. Away games in the Premier League are hard. We have to take small steps in order to build our team. Allardyce will hopefully replace some of the squad with better players in the summer. Getting players like Maiga and Diarra off the wage bill will be key and we lack wide players, meaning that if Jarvis or Vaz Te don’t perform, we don’t really have a player to change things.
Away from home is about playing quick counter attacking football, unless of course you have the quality of one of the top 4 or 5. Counter attacking play requires pacey players, who have a good touch, a good final ball or a finish. Jarvis is already in place, but he is so quick that the likes of Carroll, Nolan and Vaz Te don’t keep up. But I think this is where a quick front man would benefit us – someone along the likes of Remy (he is just an example although I wouldn’t say no!). We also need someone through the middle to replace Nolan – my choice above was obviously Ravel Morrison. And finally, someone down the right who is just as quick as Jarvis, but has a better touch and a more consistent performance than Vaz Te (Shaun Maloney anyone?!).
Another thing that needs to be addressed by Allardyce is the lack lustre first half performances. Man City and Newcastle on Saturday were terrible first halves, but second half, we managed to raise it and trouble the opposition. Have the team got one eye on their summer holidays? Maybe, but it is up to Allardyce to motivate them to finish the season strongly. With Everton away and Reading at home, I could see us taking 4 points if we play at potential.
Finally, I’m fully behind Big Sam, the points I raise above are simply things that I think Allardyce needs to improve in the coming season. I feel that patience is needed. We have played some excellent football this season, and the stats show that we are not a long ball team. The likes of Arsenal, Swansea and Liverpool have all played more long balls than we have – so much for ‘tika-taka’ football. I ask my fellow supporters to get behind Big Sam, look at the incredible work he has done within our football club, and with new horizons approaching, Allardyce has got us back to being a solid Premier League team again, rather than languishing at the bottom of the Championship. He will lead us to better things, he will sign better players, and we will be top ten again next season!
COME ON YOU IRONS!!
Great article, completely agree, some fans fail to understand that its a building process at West Ham. We’re not going to start playing like Barca overnight! Sam needs time to build a squad with more quality and then I’m fully confident we will see progression overtime.
Trouble is though some fans want champagne footy and top players immediately; it simply doesn’t work that way.
The trouble is Kwame, Sam’s teams have never ever played like Barca or anything that resembles Barca.
Really good article. Shaun Maloney looks a good player, what I have seen of him. Kone has done pretty well up front for a struggling side as well. He may be worth a bid if Wigan go down.
We are so far from the style of Barcelona as the ground is far from the moon. Watch a little football from Spain Netherlands Belgium Italy did not find a team to play so obnoxious and ugly football. He definitely does not want to work with young players, it is noticeable not give 5 minutes of some of the reserve stock and buys waste from other clubs where no other team and the manager did not want them. Exception DIAМЕ and Jarvis.
Very good article,outlines all thats good about Big Sam and with 2 games to go i think all of us must be over the moon with west ham in 10th place,but on the other side of the coin the constant negative tatics in his team selections and set up drive me insane. He must improve on the tactic of playing one striker up front if not Kevin Nolan is not the answer to support the lone man he lacks pace and ends up in no mans land so we end up short in the midfield and attack which leaves us badly exposed especially away from home.
I am not a fan of BFS. That said he has fulfilled his job remit to first of all get us promoted and secondly keep us in the Premiership. However it has not been pretty to watch and his continued use of players like Taylor,Vaz Te,O’Neil,O’Brien and the weekly passenger Nolan,has been disappointing to say the least.
I hope the 2 Daves throw some money his way in the summer, as it appears we are going to be stuck with BFS for the foreseeable future, and next season get some entertainment back at the Boleyn.
To remain a Premiership club we are in desperate need of some quality players and send those mentioned above back to the Championship where they belong.
Not having a go but Noble got injured so he had to play O’Neil; who has done very well since being back in the side! O’Brien has be class at leftback, remember he is a natural rightback! Who would yoh prefer to play a young inexperienced potts or a out of form Taylor? Vaz Te may be hot and cold but who else can play out on the wing thats just as good, is a natural right winger and isn’t injured?
Yout post makes no sense, we’ve ha injuries, he has patched the side up with BACK UP players and they’ve come indone the job and helped get points on te board.
Personally, I hateed it that we got him but he ha proved me wrong, he’s made the Boleyn a fortruss again have only not scored there in 2 matches in the prem. Give him a contract til the year before we move in the Olympic stadium, some money and lets see where he can take us!
Very good article and agree that stability before going to the os is of vital importance. Fat Sam is no doubt the best man for what we need over the next 3 years. Slight disagree with you And other fans about the youth players. Is it realy better for Morrison and hall to play 10 mins here and there and play in the dev squad or have a full season in a very competitive league playing with and against good professionals. They have potential but they are not prem standard at the moment. There are only 8 points between us and 3rd bottom (possibly 5 come Tuesday). Playing Potts, spence, hall and Morrison every week could realistically see us relegated this season, then we’d be complaining that they shouldnt have been played regulaly? If they are good enough they will eventually make the team
A mostly good article I agree with much of what has been written as well as the comments posted.I watched MOTD and the standard of play by most clubs was far superior to our mostly dreary lump it forward style.Whilst there is always a place in football for route 1 it should be just one option to be used,mix it up a bit,watch & learn from Bayern & Dortmund.Also one of the Sundays linked us with a move for Peter Crouch ? Oh dear a cheaper,older alternative to Andy Carroll ? AC has come on bundles lately his ground play has vastly improved I hope we can agree a deal to keep him.
Great article! Well thought out. I think you have hit the nail on the head to what the vast majority of West Ham fans are thinking. The only thing I would add is that next year will be incredibley hard if we are to avoid 2nd season syndrome! And continue to build a team fit for the OS! Big Sam has some very difficult choices/decisions to make! It is going to be one interesting summer! COYI!
you can forget our youngsres staying fat sam at the helm doesnt bode well for west ham,he only looks for journey men who have had their day and looking for another pay day, goodbye to our youth players they will soon be leaving because of blinkered sam
Yep he’s ruined our club, we were clearly in a far better position 2 years ago??????
I can see where you are coming from and I have largely been a supporter of SA as the right person to achieve stability in the PL. I believe he plays practical football, setting us up to be solid as a defensive unit first and foremost, to negate the opposition’s threats and only thereafter to look to what we can do offensively. That will make for the type of football we have seen this season, ie one match free-flowing, passing, creative football and the next dreary, very direct long ball stuff. I do think he has backed himself in to a corner with his dement about needing better players because I do expect the D’s to back him in the transfer market this summer but then set top 10 expectations as a must. He wants better players then he will need to deliver better performances and results and then we will be able to see his real mettle as a manager. I do not see him managing us in the OS, he is here to stabilise us ahead of that move; thereafter the expectations will be higher than I think he will be able to deliver.
Sam yesterday did not seem himself? also he did not do press conferences this week, the most I would offer is 2 seasons contract, perhaps he wants more and more £££
We have got to be playing much better than we are now to fill extra seats in the Olympic Stadium, we really need a good striker! the crosses again yesterday Jarvis put in and no one can put them in! Sam’s problem at time is his vision with players such as Taylor, but he has let young players go and ignores our own!
Ravel Morison Fergerson couldn’t manage him?? Robert Hall needs expiernce needs to be first choice all season and take responsibility
Potts has featured this season Sam knows premier league and deals with all pressure.
We are not in relegation battle achieved more than reading and Southampton teams do not like playing us upton park become a fortress hopefully we will move forward it will not happen overnight QPR that way I bet Rob Green wished he still played for big Sam
Stick with him we need stability
For many years we have loaned young players out to assist their development – including Rio , Lampard and Carrick. So nothing new there. And could it be that the current crop of youngsters from the academy are not as good as their predecessors sad though that is ? We haven’t seen the likes of Hines tearing up trees elsewhere.
Can’t help but think that if our academy players were good enough they’d be playing.
You mention that Hall’s contract is ending at the end of the season, but haven’t we been here before?
Seem to remember Stanislas and Hines walking away after their contracts expired, and who can honestly say they miss them?
Don’t get me wrong, I desperately want the youngsters to get their chance. When we saw Morrison arrive at Upton Park I saw him as a possible cult figure in future seasons. There is no doubt that he has some ability, but he just doesn’t look to have the right mental stability to go far.
I noticed a few people also mentioned Jordan Spence. I’m guessing that’s the same Jordan Spence that couldn’t even get on the bench at Bristol City last season, right?
I miss Stanislas a lot. He is fantastic for Burnley, scored a cracker this weekend. 5 goals and 8 assists, absolutely I miss him. Your comments about Spence and Morrison are very, very misguided. In the few times he has played this season Spence has been class, you were probably at home on your armchair watching something else whilst he was playing. Ravel Morrison has won 13 MOTM awards at Birmingham, who are you to talk about his mental state? Oh of course, you read some stuff in the tabloids.
Ravel Morrison has not won 13 mom awards and has been a good player for blues but not head and shoulders above the rest. My family are blue noses and they can’t understand where us hammers fans are getting this idea from . If he had been given motm in almost half his games last season why is he not in the chmpionship team of the year? Think you’re the one reading rubbish out of the tabloids desperate to believe our young players are as good as 20 years ago
That armchair fan comment is almost as naive as you. Almost as naive as the people that claim we play long ball week in week out. Just for the record, I’ve missed two home games in seven years and the two I couldn’t attend we’re because I was in San Francisco and Jordan.
Good article Chelmo agree whole heartedly with it all ,but can’t believe you didn’t mention the lack of 2 up top.
I feel that at home we do fine and the results have proved that, but away our style of doesn’t cut it at this level .
I just feel that another player to play along side Carrol would just cause all types of problems 4 the opposition. which sam only b a good thing
I am 40 years old and I have had a season ticket for around 20 of those years. I refuse to pay money to watch a SA team. SA is not a West Ham manager in my opinion. Only playing one up front, and not giving youth a chance are two reasons I do not want him at our club. Most of all are my main complaint is the style of football. I have seen a few games and I am sorry there was very little football played. The board need to know there are thousands of West Ham fans around my age, maybe a bit younger, and certainly older than me who have given up going to games due to the style of the football. We will not fill OS if SA is still our manager, unless we let in thousands of away supporters, which is a great concern of mine>
We are to predictable teams know how we play scott Sinclair would be a very good signing to play on the other flank to Jarvis . Zamora to come home would be great and we need to keep Carroll and diame forget ten million on Redmond and crouch please
At £800,000 per position we cannot afford to take it easy. Danny Potts has stepped in when necessary and done well, however O’Brien is a far better player with a lot more experience. Remember Sam sees these players in training every day. We see limited highlights. Also Rob Hall had very mixed reviews at his time with the Brummies, as have most of our youth on loan.
O’Brien is not a far better player. He is a very safe left back who rarely does anything in attack. I don’t know what reviews you were looking at but I have only heard good things about Rob Hall and Ravel Morrison have had fantastic reviews actually and the stats back me up. Hall playing as a winger got 7 assists in 15 games whilst Ravel Morrison has 13 man of the match awards, 3 goals and 3 assists. Wishy washy statements like your last one will always be undone by facts.
Hugh the only team in the prem that play like Barca are Swansea and it took years and years of planning and preparation by Martinez and latterly Rodgers to perfect. It didn’t happen over night, they needed time to bring in the right players and perfect and hone their system.
Sam needs time to build a better footballing team.
He never strayed from bad football whilst in charge at all his other clubs. His reputation precedes him, you may have faith that we will start to play good football but history tells me it won’t happen.
I would be happy with us just trying to play good football as most teams in the league try to do. The Barca comparison was made by you, I just responded to it.
I wholeheartedly agree with Chris, I went yesterday for the first time this season, as I live over 100 miles away now. The day cost me well over 150 quid and I was shocked at how bad the football was and how bad the atmosphere at Upton Park these days. It seems people just blindly accept this is the price of survival, but its not why I have supported West Ham for the past 45 years
You can’t judge a team and its atmosphere in the last few games of the season, there’s hardly anything to play for. You should’ve been at Man City last week, that was even worse!
A good article and good summary. I feel like i could write a book about the pros and cons of this season, and sometimes the argument needs to go into the most extreme depths of detail to find the truth. .. My conclusion, in sneak preview, is that I also want to see BS have another season to see what he can do.
But i have a long list of gripes with him about this one! … The youth card, he rarely plays it unless his wants his chairmen to put their hands in their pockets. I think Stanislas would have done better than both Jarvis and Vaz Te for instance.. I think Spence deserved more game time. And i also think Hall could have made a few sub appearances, kept the player happy and perhaps increased his book value this season.
The signings he’s made are often baffling. I can’t get my head around the Chamakh signing, or Maiga, or selling Maynard. …He also spent way too much on Jarvis (I’d probably like Jarvis if he cost half as much as he did.) .. But on the flip side, he had a low budget, and he did manage to bring in some great successes – Collins, Vaz Te (at least last year), O’Brien, Nolan, Diame (a fantastic player). .. Even Carroll is turning in some great performances now.
Before i go off on one, just a final grumble about his “managing the expectations of the fans” in line with his own career targets. He’s a master of it. BUT when you build-down everybody’s expectations, you simultaneously build-down any ambition to do better than expectations. Remember we had a fantastic start to the season!! The way i remember it was that if (back in Oct/Nov) BS allowed the club to dream a little bit -instead of immediately talking just about PL safety- the players may have kept up performances instead of taking their foot off the throttle. We could have been top 6/7 this season. .. The middle part of the season was poor, even taking into consideration the injuries. Below the team’s capabilities.
…And don’t get me started on some of his negative line ups or substitutions…
But anyway, let’s see what you’ve got next year Sam.