The curious case of West Ham’s Modibo Maiga

So, where do we all stand on the worth of one Modibo Maiga?  I’ve changed opinion on this guy from one week to another as he has lurched, almost on a game by game basis,  from total invisibility to ball winning giant….then back to being about as useful as an inflatable dart board.

I think we need to be careful here given the role he has been asked to play, in a set up that has puzzled just about everyone including, in my opinion, the players themselves, so I will attempt to provide a fair critique on this oddity who has probably received more impolite requests from apoplectic fans to return from whence he came, than any other player in the current squad.

Lets start with the good point; the guy can win his fair share of high balls (that’s a good start because he gets plenty of them!!). He springs well, and early and isn’t afraid to get his head in where it hurts. However, apart from a couple of tidy little finishes on the deck, that’s where I start to struggle.

His performance in the Capital One Cup against Tottenham Hotspur could only be described as pivotal to the Hammers performance, terrorising the Spurs defence and nodding in the winner with some style and quality. Like me, you probably looked on in bewilderment and asked out aloud why the hell couldn’t he do that every time he took to the field?

The partial answer for me is that on that night, and during other games where his contribution has been above average, we have managed, by luck or design, to get some supporting bodies in forward positions, thus giving him something to hit, and some tangible link play to get involved with.

We can all recall games where Maiga, and for that matter Carlton Cole and Andy Carroll have been left isolated, 30 yards from the midfield and have had to close down an opposition backline when not in possession, then find space to receive, invariably a long ball, which needs to be controlled under severe pressure, and laid off or finished; not really much to ask is it?!

I have always contended that a lone strikers role is a thankless task, particularly when a midfield fails to link quickly or effectively with the forward, and West Ham have been found wanting in that department for some time, with lazy or unintelligent contributions from Mohamed Diame, Kevin Nolan, Matt Taylor or young Ravel Morrison on numerous occasions.

When you contrast the twin pairings setting the league alight, Luis Suarez & Daniel Sturridge, Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo, these guys thrive on close interplay and service in and around the box. Given a 40-yard ball launched from the defence and against two big units in defence, what exactly is the lone man supposed to do, even if it were one of the aforementioned. Not much is the answer, even if you are labelled world class.

Carlton Cole suffered the same fate when stuck in the lone role, and I can guarantee these guys hate the isolation and the heavy duty placed on their shoulders when being part of this system.

That said, Modibo really hasn’t helped his own cause. There is a real lack of urgency about him that infuriates crowd and teammates alike. The one thing every fit and well trained pro can do is run, and run hard. The crowd can soon suss a non-trier or a hider, and that for me is the biggest sin, especially when all hands to the deck are urgently needed.

We have seen games where lazy, non-committed performances from Maiga, Nolan, and Diame have left us woefully short of useful bodies, and the defeats have been testimony to this scenario. Contrast that to Saturday’s brilliant result at Cardiff City where the whole team put in the hard yards, then we need to be sure that anyone selected will have the guts for the fight ahead, and that is where I really feel Modibo Maiga is lacking. Closing down, if done at all is half-paced and lacking bite and conviction. Mark Noble would die for the cause, Modibo Maiga would laugh at the very suggestion.

I genuinely feel the guy has some skill, and in a different tactical set up, may well score his share of goals. However, as an out numbered lone striker battling physical defenders, the expectations are just too much and he is unable to deliver on a regular basis. For me, he just hasn’t got to grips with the British game in terms of its pace, power and intensity, and he would be far better suited to a slower tempo, less physical league where time on the ball is more available.

Carlton Cole is a better bet at present in the Andy Carroll fill-in slot, though with the big guy hopefully back and ready for contention, Carroll, Cole, and hopefully at least one forward signing in the January window will mean no place for Modibo Maiga, and that can only result in an exit to make room for more suitable players in a relegation battle.

It just didn’t work out for the guy, but in fairness, I really feel it wasn’t totally his fault.