Relegation battles require a bit of fight on the part of the players.
Nobody associated with West Ham can be under any illusions – at the halfway point in the season, the club is already embroiled in a desperate scrap for survival.
So those on and off the pitch need to stop playing any sort of blame game, and knuckle down to the hard task at hand.
There should be a willingness on the part of everyone to put their all in every week, and raise their game to ensure they collect the required points.
But amidst such apparent apathy to our plight from some in the claret and blue, fans are pointing to Ravel Morrison as a staring light in the otherwise bleak season.
Without doubt, the 20-year-old midfielder is a prodigious talent, and the glimpses of brilliance indicate there is plenty of promise to be fulfilled.
However, he has been unable to deliver on a regular basis, often going missing in games and not providing a vital injection when our backs are against the wall.
Yes, he looked a class above the other youth talent put on show at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, but this was to little avail as he failed to be the catalyst behind anything with an actual outcome.
Five goals in 18 appearances this season proves little, and there is a suggestion he is coasting through in the glory of the hype that surrounds him.
When we were relegated in 2003, a 21-year-old Joe Cole captained the side with passion and motivation. He used his flare to try and pull the side through a perilous situation week-in-week-out. He got stuck in every game, and played in a way that demonstrated a sense of pride for the club, as well as his own professional reputation.
Morrison has yet to be a consistent performer. It’s well past the time of the squad bemoaning the loss of a key striker. Now, players like Morrison need to be stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for putting the ball in the net.
The transfer window brings rumours other clubs are circling to sign him. I’ve argued we should cash in on a player who hasn’t proven himself, while others stick to the hope that he can be the chief architect behind our survival mission.
The fact is, if he isn’t prepared to regularly turn in a shift for the cause, then he is clearly a disposable luxury. The funds he raises could go towards a player more battle ready, and someone who could see us turn our fortunes around with good old grit and determination.
Not his fault he gets played out of position at a club that refuses to play football. I know you are in Sydney but suggesting that he is the only player at the club who hasn’t performed on a regular basis is ludicrous.
No one looks up for it to be perfectly honest and when a whole squad feels that way, the buck stops at the manager. Fed up of people desperately trying to find other people to blame.
He is the only player we have with any real creativity. There are plenty of other players I’d label as disposable before him.
Diamante was a disposable luxury, Morison is not. How do you expect us to put any points on the board without our most creative player. We have been crying out for him since we let Yossi go, now all of a sudden you want to get rid???
How the hell can you say Diamante was a disposable luxury.. Did you see his performances for Italy after he left us.. Morrison will never be in that class because he doesnt want to work for the team. Diamante did !
Nolan is a disposable luxury get rid of him give the arm band to Noble and play Morrison behind Caroll
l agree with Larry, get rid off Nolan. He has become a liabity. We definitely need another forward, Carroll will need a lot of “bedding in” time. Play Morrison just behind a front 2, in a roaming role. Give him some responsibility, ie with free kicks Noble is not too clever
with them as it is. In fact make Morrison captain, he would be better than Nolan. Nolan
has not played with any pride whatsoever this season, so bye bye Nolan.
With Maiga going for £M3, and 2 for Nolan, some money for fringe players we would have about 10 million for new players…………….!!!!
we need to keep young players like Morrison at this club. bfs doesn’t get anything out of his players, and just Nolan need to go even on a free will free up his wages, but the concern is sams lack of ideas. I mean taking of maiga and lust replacing him with cole seems all were paying him for.
agree with the article 100% Ravel wants to be elswhere and it shows
Young Morrison has got no intention off stepping up to the plate for west ham .
Give him time. He will gel, but just going back to Wednesday night’s game in regards Man City. Manchester City – Ruining football since 2008 pre-season signings so far have cost over £90+m. This isn’t sport. This is money ruling the day!!!
They are trying to buy major honours again. Is this legal? This is what really pisses me off about this sport, while people around the world are starving. How can this be financial fair play???
They’ve even got Jesus playing for them. How can they lose? The clubs funding increase started when the former Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra fled Thailand after being ousted from power in a military coup in 2006. Reports claim he money laundered and embezzled over $2,000,000,000 KNOWN FUNDS? From Thailand when he fled, and is in exile from Thailand of where he faces a jail term if he returns for being convicted of corruption. A large part of this money was invested in Manchester City football club. On 21 June 2007, now out of office, he bought Premier League club Manchester City for £81.6 million. He became briefly popular with fans, especially after appointing Sven-Göran Eriksson manager of the club and bringing in prominent players. Eriksson was later critical of Thaksin’s running of the club, saying “he [Thaksin] didn’t understand football – he hadn’t a clue. He sold the club to investors from Abu Dhabi United Group in September 2008 for a reported £200 million.
After selling Manchester City football club, Thaksin was nominated as “honorary president” but does not have any administrative responsibilities. However, he was later dismissed from ¬honorary club president after the club decided to take a position against him following his conviction and his currently “on the run” from Thai Authorities. Manchester City football club started their run of success from money taken from one of the poorest 3rd world countries in the world, so do not be ashamed West Ham FC at being humbled by the money of a club. This being money that was taken from some of the poorest people in the world & from a people, some of whom do not know where their next meal is coming from. As I watched Negredo, Dzeko & Touré smash in their goals against us, my mind flashed back to where the money had originated from to buy a club & players like this. It feels ironic. I do not glorify them. In fact I despise them for what they stand for. Yes, Manchester City FC, ruining football since 2007, not 2008 as one Man City fan states, who kindly put in a comment on this website before Wednesday night’s game.
Give him time. He will gel, but just going back to Wednesday night’s game in regards Man City. Manchester City – Ruining football since 2008 pre-season signings so far have cost over £90+m. This isn’t sport. This is money ruling the day!!!
They are trying to buy major honours again. Is this legal? This is what really angers me about this sport, while people around the world are starving. How can this be financial fair play???
They’ve even got Jesus playing for them. How can they lose? The clubs funding increase started when the former Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra fled Thailand after being ousted from power in a military coup in 2006. Reports claim he money laundered and embezzled over $2,000,000,000 KNOWN FUNDS? From Thailand when he fled, and is in exile from Thailand of where he faces a jail term if he returns for being convicted of corruption. A large part of this money was invested in Manchester City football club. On 21 June 2007, now out of office, he bought Premier League club Manchester City for £81.6 million. He became briefly popular with fans, especially after appointing Sven-Göran Eriksson manager of the club and bringing in prominent players. Eriksson was later critical of Thaksin’s running of the club, saying “he [Thaksin] didn’t understand football – he hadn’t a clue. He sold the club to investors from Abu Dhabi United Group in September 2008 for a reported £200 million.
After selling Manchester City football club, Thaksin was nominated as “honorary president” but does not have any administrative responsibilities. However, he was later dismissed from ¬honorary club president after the club decided to take a position against him following his conviction and his currently “on the run” from Thai Authorities. Manchester City football club started their run of success from money taken from one of the poorest 3rd world countries in the world, so do not be ashamed West Ham FC at being humbled by the money of a club. This being money that was taken from some of the poorest people in the world & from a people, some of whom do not know where their next meal is coming from. As I watched Negredo, Dzeko & Touré smash in their goals against us, my mind flashed back to where the money had originated from to buy a club & players like this. It feels ironic. I do not glorify them. In fact I despise them for what they stand for. Yes, Manchester City FC, ruining football since 2007, not 2008 as one Man City fan states, who kindly put in a comment on this website before Wednesday night’s game.
we even get re-runs on here!!!!!!