Last summer, West Ham United and Sam Allardyce splashed out £5m to bring Modibo Maiga to the club from French club, Sochaux. Maiga come with a good reputation, had previously been scouted by Newcastle United and, at 25 years old, looked to be a good signing with his best years ahead of him.
However, this season has not really worked out for Maiga for one reason or another. I have a couple of thoughts on this and, I’m sure, it’s probably stating the obvious.
The first reason is that Big Sam plays with one striker. Maiga looks to be a ‘second’ striker, someone who should be played with the big striker to get onto the knock downs, or tap in the rebounds. The fact that Allardyce does only play one tactic, means it was surprising that he signed him in the first place.
The second reason is not something we can discuss without inside knowledge really. Rumours are that Allardyce didn’t like Maiga’s attitude around the training ground. If this is true, then maybe that’s something a manager can’t control when signing them. We haven’t really heard anything other than it is a ‘falling out’.
Maiga started off by starting on the bench, making cameo appearances, and I imagine we all thought it was to gradually work him into the speed of the Premier League. However, the African Cup of Nations came and went, and after that, barring the last couple of games, Maiga was nowhere to be seen.
Maiga for me looks a very promising player. He scored more goals than Carlton Cole and looks to be the goalscorer we need to finish off the chances created by Andy Carroll, and he’s got time on his side. We just need to convince Sam Allardyce to stop using him as a winger, and to play two up top…… That’s the biggest task of them all this summer!
COME ON YOU IRONS!!
By Chelmo Hammer
I’m Not going to pretend I know more about football than Big Sam, and I remember most people were writing off Didier Drogba in his first season in British Football, so it would make sense that Modibo Maiga could do with another season and will probably be much better this time around as he now knows what it takes to play at the top level over here.
Rumours of disagreements when players don’t feature are common at most clubs as well as some things getting lost in translation. I have a feeling it may be something to do with work ethic and the fact that strikers need to defend (or at least work) from the front. Hopefully Maiga now understands and a good pre-season under his belt will make all the difference.
I’m guessing Big Sam knows this too as I doubt he would’ve included him in our last game (where he made a goal).
COYI
Chelmo – a lot of fans seem obsessed with this idea of 2 up top. Tell me, how many teams in the top 6-10 of Europe play 2 up top?? … perhaps it has something to do with teams crowding midfield which requires 5 in there so that you arent constantly outnumbered and outplayed? … in modern day footy the only viable option for 2 up top would be 3-5-2 imho which a few teams do try (Juve being one of them i believe) but you need top-quality wing-back that are fast and equally adept at offensive as well as defensive play which we dont really have. Unless we are chasing games, you will rarely see us playing 2 up top imho because its inherently rigid and antiquated whereas 4-2-3-1 has the flexibility of becoming 4-4-1-1 while defending and 4-1-3-2 (or variation) while attacking. For us, its obviously Nolan (the CAM) who pushes further up partnering Carroll as Diame builds it up from midfield and Noble remains in his holding role. Anyways…just my 2 cents on the 4-2-3-1.
4-4-2 is rigid and antiquated i mean.
Nolan rarely drops into midfield to help anyway he plays more as a cf than a cam
I write my articles so you guys can debate. I’m a fan of the one up front, and with the right players around the main striker, it works a treat. Trust me, I’m not with ancient formations like 4-4-2…..
Well said & fair point Ro!
We already have Maiga so lets keep him. He is a good player so let’s get someone to play alongside because I am sick and tired of reading about Andy Carroll, one minute he’s going to sign then he wants £100,000 a week, West Ham say no, so it starts all over again. For goodness sake let’s move on from Carroll. I have just read that he returns from holiday on Thursday, so Mr Sullivan & Alladyce get an answer from him. YES or NO
Agreed we should give him another year. Although watching him can be frustrating we saw with his goal at home at the beginning of the season he has quality and again on the last day of the season with the cross. Ro most of the top sides play with two recognised strikers REAL CR & benzema Barca villa and messi city tevs and ageuro united Rooney and rvp. You could argue they are wingers but they are all goalscorers / strikers asked to do a job for there team to A keep the side compact and B so the best finisher in the side can play down the middle EG Walcott playing on the right at arsenal. It’s stupid to say maiga cannot play as we don’t have two up top as as you’ve pointed out all the best teams in Europe don’t play 442 or 352 but still have multiple strikers in the starting 11. The problem we have is while we keep starting Nolan behind the striker Sam knows this will leave us short in the middle at times hence his decision to thro mat Taylor / Gary Oneill on the wings rather than a hall / ravel if they’d of been about or maiga
4-4-2 will see us relegated unless we play 2 holders and have 4 attackers which we pretty much do now
I’m sure Maiga will get his minutes if he does what he’s supposed to do; work hard, stay fit, play football the way the manager has the team set up and plays where he’s asked to and don’t F*** off to the African Nations Cup when he’d agreed not to…..