A solitary point from our festive fixtures…not exactly what we were expecting after Leicester City were brushed aside with a stylish aplomb, however three poor results haven’t suddenly wrecked our season.
I think at times like this where dissenting voices are once again making their voices heard a little perspective is needed. Yes we can’t at this moment in time look at the table and sit there all smug and sated as we’re no longer occupying fourth spot, but we are still firmly in the mix for it. It wasn’t so long ago that Southampton lost four or five in a row and were written off by so called ‘experts’ they’ve now recovered and once again are flavour of the month.
Our next opponents are having a dreadful season; they are woefully underperforming and in the hostile and fickle world of football management; Roberto Martinez who last season heralded as taking Everton onto the next level is now firmly in the firing line. Everton along with Arsenal have taken the mantle of being our official ‘bogey sides’ however surely given Everton’s woeful form we can go into that game hopeful of a spot in the fourth round of the cup and not the inevitable defeat we all assumed was in the bag when the draw was first made.
Our season is simply no longer defined by staying up but it is worth noting that with twenty games gone we are now sitting fifteen points clear of the bottom three whilst Manchester United in third are only five points better off than us. I think we all would’ve settled for that at this stage of the campaign. This season we’ve gone from being a perennial joke to one of the better sides the league has to offer; and this transformation shouldn’t be buried with a few less than desirable results.
This season on a couple of occasions we’ve won three games on the spin and I don’t think any of us thought we’d cracked it and the league was ours for the taking; so just because we’ve now gone three games without a win doesn’t mean the wheels have suddenly come off our season.
The murmurings of the #AllardyceOut brigade who never really went away but merely went into hibernation really do not hold much of any substance, the improvement this season has been beyond what anyone could envisage or imagine and as manager Sam should take the plaudits.
If you want to look at the effects on a side of constantly changing their manager you need look no further than our opponents on New Year’s Day…West Brom could actually hold an ex-managers convention for the last three seasons and get a decent turnout, especially if you figured in caretakers, are they any better off for it?
Totally agree, let’s keep it real, it’s great to have ambition, hopes and dreams, it wouldn’t be West Ham. We are underdogs and every dog has their day. When they come along they are so much sweeter, worth so much more, remembered longer. Stay in the division, top 10 and a good cup run. A final like 2006, the occasional beautiful glory. That’s why I love West Ham. Sam has been great for us, be very careful what you wish for. COYI!
Once again we see judgements being made on what we have done but ignoring the fact it was achieved with a different team and set-up.
We still haven’t seen our best striker combination back together since Carroll came back and the midfield is being shuffled around to accommodate Nolan.
What we ‘so called sceptics’ see that you refuse to, is a pattern and that pattern is happening because Sam is determined to play these two at any cost.
Ask yourself this honestly. Can you think of any other manager breaking up, not only our most successful striker combination but one of the best in the whole premiership.
If one did, we and the media would be saying he’s crazy and his days are surely numbered.
I totally agree with you Canchas 100%,who else but this Carroll/Nolan loving manager would be stubborn enough to break up Sakho and Valencia. Sahko was just a whisper away from being the 1st Premier League player in history to score in 7 consequtive EPL games. Now all we see is Valencia replacing Sakho and both players shrugging their shoulders in disbelief as they cross that now,because you know who is back up front, that partnership is brocken, and yes,where on earth does Nolan fit into this team now? I am not surprised in the slightest that we have lost 4th spot, because you can bet your life that if the Sakho and Valencia partnership had been left in tact we’d be challenging for 3rd or 2nd spot, who knows maybe even 1st? I don’t care what people say, Sam is not a big club manager and will look a bit out of place in the stadium.He is just too Darby & Jones and probably more wrapped up with her-in-doors to be a big time manager, and this club with the stadiumcoming, does have it in them to be BIG TIME
in truth sometimes managers are given more credit than actual worth, this is the case.
he is a selfish child, his ability lies in appropriating blame, A manager should be a tactician, with rigidity only in setting up team discipline. A truly passionate individual with a true love and understanding of the finer points of the game is needed, Westham need an inspirational leader, not rent a manager from the whirlpool of recycled premier league trash. New blood, take a gamble on someone who can move forward. in the least someone with positive body language.
I find myself agreeing with Canchas on certain aspects and with Boakye on others .
West Ham had an awful calendar having to play Chelsea & Arsenal and their confidence took a pounding , then failed to beat West Brom attempting a different system . A few results should earn them back some confidence . There is a problem however ; the continued dismissal of our best striking force of the last 30 yrs is very concerning and could cost our ambitions dearly .
Hopefully we can have a good run beginning with a win at Everton ( or win a reply at our place )
Which actually sounds and would feel better .
There is only five points between us and Utd , so let us keep our heads . West Ham have had a blip against very tough opposition , it must be said . Other teams will also have their’s . Can we bounce back ?, yes with the right team selection . 18 games to go and Europe is still a possibility
Did City fans expect a 2-2 with Burnley? Did Liverpool expect a 2-2 with Leicester? I agree with keeping things in perspective
Sam did not break up the Valencia / Sakho partner ship ,injury to Sakho caused that to happen .Playing too many games so close together is the main cause of poor results ,you only have to look at Chelsea v Spurs to see that . As for reverting back to the “long ball ” tactics , i watched both the Arsenal and West Brom games and saw little evidence of it .I thought we were well beaten by a Chelsea side who had also beaten every one else this year at home . The game against Arsenal was a good match and we were unlucky not to come away with something .Against West Brom
they had more energy than we did and deserved their point . It is a little disappointing to have just the one point from three games but not totally unexpected .Next up Everton away in the cup ,am i hopeful ? Yes .Confident ? given our recent history , No ! Just about the worst draw we could have had really so i am not going to all gloomy and despondent if and when we lose on Tuesday night ! I still think our realistic target is top ten , any thing else is a bonus .
This is the starting 11 that won 3 games in a row without Andy Carroll in February last year;
Adrián, Demel, McCartney, Taylor, Collins, Tomkins, Jarvis, Noble, Cole, Nolan, Downing
These are the original clean sheet warriors who went 4 games without conceding, so the strategy against Everton at Goodison on Tuesday is simple. Conserve our new dynamic signings for Saturday’s Premier League game away at Swansea on Saturday. Play 9 of this lot. Park the bus and get a 0-0 draw which will get us a block buster replay at Upton Park, because if we don’t concede we may even win. I know we no longer have McCartney and Taylor, but with a bit of subtle re-shuffling we do have the squad that can conserve our new stars and still get a result on Tuesday night. Then we will have Sakho, Valencia, Song & Kouyate etc all fit and raring to go for the resumption of the EPL, sound good. COYI
P.S. Funny how we always win more when AC isn’t around eh??