So far this season, there have been some concerns – but, really, we’re not doing that badly. Yes, we would have loved to leave St. Mary’s with three points, but given the injuries (normally I wait till December to say that!) I’m okay with the point. The thing that’s worrying me though, is that while our defence are actually doing rather well (bar a few nervy bits against Southampton), up front we are just not delivering. I appreciate we may be lining up with a “don’t lose” strategy, but without goals being scored, the best we can hope for is a point from these games- games we could and should be taking 3 points from.
So while Andy Carroll is recovering, Carlton Cole is working out, and Mladen Petric is… doing something- I have an idea. I’m not Big Sam, and other than my fantasy football team I have no managerial experience- but- I do have an idea!!
I think we should give James Tomkins a go up front.
Madness? Maybe.
Tomkins actually starred his professional career as a striker, and then a winger, before switching to defence during his career in the West Ham Academy- making him a very versatile player. He’s actually scored 7 goals for West Ham whilst playing at the back – 4 in the 2011-2012 season.
He’s a decent defender of course, but it seems unfortunate for Tomkins that he is being kept out of the side by the two most consistent performers- James Collins and Winston Reid. Even Big Sam has said the back four were the only good things about the Stoke City game- which, barring one of them getting injured, doesn’t bode well for Tomkins’s playing time. It’s tough to see a strong player on the bench, simply because he plays one of the few positions that is being filled by players getting it right.
At the same time, we know we are not currently at our strongest up front. Against Southampton, Modibo Maiga showed some meek promise- particularly in some crafty flick ons- but neither he nor Ricardo Vaz Te looks at their best with the lone striker system.
We’ve got a decent player on the bench, who has previously scored goals for us, and a choice of two strikers who are not delivering up front. The strong player used to be a striker. Crazier things have happened- could we (should we) give him a go up front? Maybe in the Capital One Cup game, just to see what happens? Or shall I keep hoping and praying for a miracle recovery for Andy Carroll?
Let me know below, or tweet me @makingthemarrow
I tweeted this a few days ago, I think we should definitely play him up front, everyone knows we need a player who is great in the air to suit our style, which he is and only Carroll and Collins are better than him so it’s got to be worth a try.
you guys have short memories, not that long ago we didnt buy a striker an ended up playing a centreback up front for most of that season a centreback who started as a stiker, the one and only ian pearce, we went down, elliot lee should be playing as with ian pearce an the same thing would happen with tomkins when a chance does fall to them on the odd occasion we actually create something with sams tactics this season they will struggle to put it away, elliot lee has a much greater chance of scoring these even tho he is no a player we can hoof the ball up to so play tomkins ut at centreback and leave johnny wilkinson, sorry i mean collins who doesnt know how to play the ball along the ground to one of our players on the bench
I know what you’re saying Brian. I too would prefer another style of play – ball on the deck, pass and move, trying to unlock the door through skill and wit.
… But that’s a long term project and would require a different regime to implement.
Hi Emily,
You’re definitely thinking ouside the box. And maybe desperate times need desperate measures. And I don’t think Tomkins could do a worse job than Maiga. But by doing this we would alienate Maiga and Vaz Te and possibly this could damage morale should we need to rely on them later.
Sam’s not going to change his tactics, so l say he should stick Diame up front, he knows where the back of the net is and he’s a lump, plus, there’s enough cover in the midfield to cover for Mo…..In my opinion, Tomkins should be alongside Winstone Reid instead of that ginger wanker Collins…..COYI ‘><'
We done it with Ian Pearce, why not try it with tomka?
Gotta be worth a punt…….,,
it’s a bloody good point you make! Tomkins is superb in the air! … We all know Sam’s style and formation and that he wants target man for flicks and wrestling centre backs. Tomkins would do that much better than Maiga and Vaz Te.
I still haven’t worked out where Maiga’s best position is, but it’s not through the middle. He’s not a good header of the ball. He looks lost.
Vaz Te looked a step up over Maiga against Southamption, I felt the team had a lift with his presence on the pitch. He won more headers. BUT, I think his strongest position is down the left, so he can cut in and unleash his right foot shots.
So how about this for a formation tomorrow? Jussi, OBrien, Collins, Reid, Rat, Noble, Diame, Nolan, Morrison, Tomkins, Vaz Te ?
I think both Jarvis and Maiga deserve to be benched.
Geoff Hurst started that way not a bad result was he?
Why not just do the thing most people would do except allardyce and give a youngster a chance or even okay Nolan up top we have enough strength in the middle and he’s a fox in the box sort of player got to be worth a go surely
Why not. Big Sam was fond of playing Tomkins in midfield before now. And when were holding onto one nil lead with ten to go Tomkins can play as third central defender
Also tweeted this last week, definitely worth a pop, why not?! Maiga doesn’t seem fussed.
whufcforum.com
FFS, Tomkins is a DEFENDER.
There’s far more to playing up front than having the ability to jump.
It had crossed my mind too but then I seem to remember in the 80s John Lyall had a similar problem one season and tried a centre back up front, I think it might have been Hilton? Whilst it gave us a big lad to create knock downs the team play fell apart as we’re not a long ball team then and didn’t know how to be, in fact I do remember it being a bit of a joke and it was unsuccessful. Maybe now if we need something for the last 20 mins we could do this to provide Vaz with something to feed off as JT is a class player and can direct the ball. Against it is it will attract desperate media comment. Surely Cole can do 20 mins of that as we now have 5 subs.
BG Why don´t we play to the strengths of our current available players, if you had a plumbing job at home you wouldn´t ask a bricklayer to do it, then castigate him afterwards because he didn´t do a good job.
For those too young to remember Geoff Hurst started as an old fashioned wing half before scoring in a Wembley FA cup final and as we all know the World cup hat trick
Billy Bonds came to West Ham as a right Full back and was moved into midfield
“Who Knows”
David McIntosh
I can remember Ian Pearce playing up front for us in a similar crisis in the late 90s. Don’t remember it being a roaring success.
The obvious solution is to play Nolan at centre forward and move Morrison, Collison or Joe Cole (when fit) into an attacking position just behind.
Agree with Tonka….but the only problem there is fat sam.
Meaning if nolan did good up top and the players behind him Ravel ..collison played good and set up goals etc it would mean that wen carroll comes back he would have to drop Nolan …even at the better-ment for our team and Fat sam would rather us lose then have this type of squad selection problem
No thanks!!
No No NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
It now seems Carlton Cole may be signing for QPR.That won’t help us,will it.
He can sign for anyone as long as it is not the Irons !!
Given the paucity of our forward strength, this is an excellent idea. Let’s put it another way, he can do a lot less damage to us playing at the other end of the pitch.