FIVE things we learnt about the Hammers against West Brom

So, after what turned out to be a pulsating game against West Bromwich Albion, West Ham earnt just a point when they desperately needed all three.

These are the five things I learnt about West Ham from this match.

1. We have two strikers in some kind of form now – why not use them both?

Both Carlton Cole and Modibo Maiga have been playing well in the last few games. Cole scored in his last two games and his all round game has been decent. Likewise Maiga has been doing well when he has played recently, causing defences all kinds of problems with his aerial prowess and hold up play, as well as of course notching the winner in the Capital One Cup game against Spurs. Furthermore, he scored one and set one up against West Brom. So why not try them both together in a match we desperately need to win?

I can understand why Sam Allardyce wouldn’t want to do that against teams like Manchester United and Arsenal, but against, what looked like a fairly shaky defence in West Brom, two big strikers in form could have really created panic in the Baggies back line. Especially so at half-time when we were 2-1 down and Cole was taken off for Maiga. I don’t know whether Cole had an injury or not, but we got plenty of balls in the box in the second half that both could have fed off.

2. Kevin Nolan looked much improved today

Where I was sitting in the crowd, there was still quite a few supporters getting on Nolan’s back today, but I couldn’t understand it. I have been very critical of the club captain in recent weeks, but I actually thought this was probably Nolan’s best performance of the season.

Throughout the game he worked very hard off the ball closing down spaces, and he also contributed heavily to two of our goals. He played a delightful through ball for Joe Cole for our opener, and finished well from close range after Maiga’s knock-down to give us a 3-2 lead. This was more like the Nolan we saw last season, and I’m hoping he can carry this form into the next few games, as this could make a huge difference to our season.

3. Keep taking shots!

Modibo Maiga showed the value in taking shots from outside the box, which we haven’t been doing enough this season. Just before his long-range goal, which skipped through the hands of the West Brom keeper Ben Foster, he took a shot from a similar range, which was saved well by the Baggies stopper.

It was pretty much the first time we looked like scoring in the second half, and I felt it gave the fans and the team the lift that we needed and which led to us scoring two in quick succession.

In the Boxing Day clash against Arsenal, Nolan took an effort from outside the box which was spilt by the keeper before Carlton Cole put in the rebound. My message to the players: keep taking shots when you have a good sight on goal. Things happen from such efforts more often than you would think.

4. We need to sign a defender in January!

All the talk has been about signing a new striker in the upcoming January window, but on the evidence of the last couple of matches, we desperately require a new central defender.

Winston Reid has been out for a while, whilst both James Collins and James Tomkins have had to go off injured in the last two matches. It meant that against West Brom we had to use a makeshift pair of George McCartney and Joey O’Brien. While they did quite well and tried very hard, they clearly struggled at times against the pace and guile of Nicolas Anelka and Saido Berahino, and consequently, we have conceded six goals in our last two home games, where previously we had a good defensive record this season.

It was all the more frustrating considering we finally scored some goals in this game! I don’t know how long our three main centre backs are going to be injured for, but it would seem we need extra cover in that position. I’m not asking for a lot of money to be spent, but bring in someone who can be relied upon to come in and cover for a few games.
5. Allardyce under pressure.

I have been defending Sam Allardyce this season as opposed to many fans that have been calling for his head especially during the last month or so. He is clearly under pressure now and desperately needs some wins, even though I do think our owners would be reluctant to call time on his tenure.

I still want him to stay and be given the benefit of January funds and the return from injury of some of our key players like Andy Carroll, Winston Reid and Stewart Downing.

When the squad is fully fit, we have a good team to put out, and it is a team Allardyce has assembled. After his successful two previous years at the club he should be given the time to get things right and I’m hoping he can do so. To be honest I can’t think of an available manager who is going to make better use of such players. But he does need some results very quickly to sure up his position.