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Come on Big Sam, enough is enough

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Modibo Maiga against Newcastle UnitedI’m still angry about football.

It’s not just the Chelsea game. After all, we don’t always take three points from games against Chelsea, and while that defeat was so painful to swallow because of how easily we handed it to them, they will finish top four this year and they won the Champions League in 2012. So on paper, we shouldn’t be so disheartened.

The problem is, I didn’t see a game on paper. I didn’t see a game where we lost to champions. I saw a game where we didn’t try. A game where we showed up without strikers and then finally put a striker on, only to play him hopelessly out of position.

I saw a game where yet again we did not look likely to score, and for that reason I saw a game that showed why we are worrying about relegation.

We are not playing any strikers and as a result we are not scoring goals. Big Sam, I want to back you, but surely it’s gotten to the point now where even you must be able to see that this striker-less formation isn’t working?

We must try returning to a game plan with strikers. We have some, you know—Carlton Cole and Modibo Maiga. The same strikers who scored against Chelsea last year. The same strikers we played while Andy Carroll was injured last year. You remember that year, right? The year we finished tenth?

Maiga has turned into a scapegoat of our frustrations, but when he is played, he is played in a role that does not suit him. He is not a lone striker, and everyone is angry at him for that. It was a shame to hear him booed onto the pitch against Chelsea when less than 12 months ago he came onto that same pitch and scored against them. How quickly we forget.

Regarding Cole, even if he is not match fit for a full game, he’s great at latching onto crosses and sending them towards the goal. Wouldn’t you rather have him for however long he’s able to give us, instead of no one for 90 minutes?

Irrespective of your feelings about the abilities of Cole and Maiga, isn’t it now worth just having someone, anyone, up there to try to score?

However, even if they do come on individually, neither striker is suited for the lone striker role that Carroll would occupy. With that in mind while we currently have no lone strikers, why are we not trying a 4-4-2 formation? What is the point in having some of the best wingers/crossers in the league just to have them cross into empty space?

Right now the only four-four-two we have is that if you add that those numbers together you get 10—the same number of points we have. It’s just not good enough.

We need to try playing with strikers again. Our defending is not good enough to keep enough clean sheets to keep us in the league. We need to try to score goals. So put Maiga out there, put Cole out there, put James Tomkins up there – just please, please, try something to give us a fighting chance of survival.

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12 comments

  • Chris Ed says:

    Just sack big Sam and bring in di can

    • FarehamHammer says:

      Behave !Di Canio just becausr he played for us ?He was WAY out of his depth at Sunderland !That spell finished him off as far as top class management is concerned.

  • Legends says:

    like your comments about the lone striker role, especially in defence of maiga and cole. both have played there with no success. … its not their fault entirely but the supporting system behind.
    Why do we play 3 in the centre? Because we dont have 2 players good enough to command the centre on their own.
    Why do we play 1 up front? because we need 5 in the middle.
    But why do we play 4 at the back?? We have 3 dominant centre backs – collins, tomkins and reid.
    i say, let’s play the 3 at the back, 5 across the middle, and allow for 2 strikers.

    • danlel says:

      Completely agree that 3-5-2 is our best formation and managers need to mix it up. 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 is needed now.

  • John young says:

    3 -5-2 I agree just need some luck to come our way

  • realist says:

    The hammers are playing a very poor level of football, no idea no confidence. We have a high wage bill, no good forwards, no cover in Central defence. What a mess. Who will hold their hand up. Reminds me of grant times. Oh dear.

  • garysteer.co.uk says:

    Wat a pathetic comment regarding bringing in di canio. He was gr8 player but a ridiculous option and proved that he cant do it at top level!!!! Agree with the guy who wrote the article. Why not just try anyone up front? As wat we have at the mo is just s##t!!!!!

  • Dan says:

    Big Sam I think it’s time to get real. It’s not difficult , if you want to win matches you have to have shots on target and forwards on the pitch. Without Reid at the back we will not keep a clean sheet unless the opposition are as bad as us going forward. If your going to play downing play him on the left not the right and if your going to play Jarvis play him on the right not the left. No forwards worked once but the opposition wasn’t expecting it now everyone knows how to play us. You’ve got 3 matches to turn things around the natives are becoming very restless and we won’t just wait for a grant relegation repeat. Spit out your gum and have a go !!!!!

  • Brian says:

    The proof of the pudding is in the eating and that is in our next three or four games we need twelve points any less and I think Sam will have to go, he has done what he said he would do, bring us up and keep us there in he’s first contract this he did and that is where our dreams began to fade and die, like a lot of supporters of Sam you cant help feeling his time is running out, but with the players we have I am wondering who can do better.

  • unhappy hammer says:

    Teams must be looking foward to playing westham at the moment, they no there going to get 3 points. sam is dragging this club down,its going to be to late soon. why will he not put two up front try it what have we got to loose, when we loose anyway. Sam out and get a good manager for a change. The club is a joke thanks to sam, this is what you get when you put all your money into one player.

  • dave e from oz says:

    How quick we r to judge!. All comments about sacking big Sam should have been made prior to the start of the season and as for replacing him with Di well I have not laughed so much in years and comparing him to grant, is so disappointing. One thing you can be sure of big Sam, is that he is a fighter, and has kept worse teams in ‘the premier league, teams that some of these players at west ham used to play for. I agree the football West ham are playing is some of the worst I have seen West Ham play ever, very pain full to watch and Ron Greenwood I am sure would be turning in his grave. At this time in the season the players we have need to be held accountable for this position we are in. If Sam was to go then there is only one option to replace him with would have to be Harry like Sam he is a master of his trade, he will never win a premier league title with a West Ham squad but is a master of keeping and leading teams out of the relegation zone, had he had a few more matches at Queens Park Wankers last season. I recon he might have pulled that off. COYI

  • wjo1974 says:

    We are not good enough and we are not playing the right system that much is obvious. But go back to last year and we were jubilant. So what has changed? Carroll is out, Reid is out and we didn’t strengthen more up top (C Cole is not the answer). I think that we have a large enough squad but not strength in the squad. McCartney, Taylor, Collison, Vaz Te, Possibly Diarra all should have gone and freed up wages for a couple of players that are actually realistic back up material. We should have realised Nolan’s last year was going to be his last at this level and got something back for him from say a Palace or Hull. We have good kids coming through that should be there or there about’s and people actually pushing for a starting place. We have an abundance of midfielders, not enough cover at the back with J O’Brien being preferred in all positions and again despite being a great stand in last year is quite frankly not what we need to improve. The system of not getting beaten and hopefully nick a 1 – 0 is not working with Reidy out and what Collins was doing for Chelski’s 2nd I have no idea. We need 4 – 4 – 2 stability for a while with tight at the back and solid in midfield and anyone as an outlet up top. (Bring back Ian Pearce).
    Jussi
    Demel Tomkins Diara Rat / Potts

    Jarvis Noble Diame Downing

    Ravel Cole

    A few will disagree but I think this is solid and attacking at the same time, Collins I personally think is worth a goal a game to the opposition, he puts his body on the line and I cant fault his commitment but has a blunder every week.

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