PL: West Ham h Ratings & Reactions

[butler50]

Poor performance again on home soil, Ashley Young needs to learn how to cross a ball past the 1st man on a set piece. Were crying out for a better striker upfront big time and M.O.N says he won't by, frustrating, i think he needs to read this thread as were all thinking the same thing. Had chance to catch up Spurs n City and maintain challenge for top 4 2day and again we fail, personally don't think that were a top4 team unless we get 2 new strikers that can finish more consistently. Carew needs to start next game imo, Heskey works hard but never gonna score. Were falling away again just like last year, and its likely Everton will catch us if they continue the way they are. Carling Cup is our priority in mu opinion now.

[The_Steve]

I forgot to say anything about the ref in my last post on this topic. I just want to add that once again the ref made a poor decision. Kovac should have 100% been sent off. He went in with studs up and was already on a yellow. Shocking that he didn't go....

That's not making an excuse for our performance or the result by the way. It's just yet another shit decision made by a ref that has gone against us in recent weeks.

The same with blowing the whistle for Behrami when we countered attack, completely broke the game up. He went down in the first half looking for a free kick feigning injury but got straight back up when he realised the ref had waved play on.

Also the handball on Gabby when he lifted it over the defender, I'm not totally sure he hand balled it. Milner's free kick in the first half, the wall didn't appear to be the full 10 yards. Kovac should of been sent off.

[Willy_Evergo]

Only one team wanted it in the end. A combination of poor judgment and finishing has cost us, Gabby at the end and Carew being offside. West Ham offered very little in the game, just sat back and defended. Behrami is a cheating word removed. Another poor refereeing performace.

Petrov was excellent today, great energy, passing and commitment. It was going to be one of those afternoons.

Petrov looked bolloxed last 15mins as he does in most games.

I agree. Petrov was one of the better players today, but I still don't see what he brings to the side. If that was great energy passing and commitment...then...I don't know. He was fairly average and did next to nothing in my eyes. The rest were worse.

I'd normally agree but Jimmy looked as though he couldn't walk for the last 20 minutes today so we were at a severe disadvantage in the middle.

[tommo]

At around the 70 minute mark when WHU brought on fresh legs in midfield we started to struggle. To my surprise though, it was Milner who ran out of legs more than Petrov. From that point on WHU were able to pass the ball around our central midfielders who did not have the energy to chase them. Why MON will never bring on fresh legs to replace a starting CM (unless its NRC who doesnt require replacing usually) is a mystery to me.

Our finishing was woeful and from the amount of corners we had we should have expected Green to have been a bit busier. Very frustrating day to be a villan.

Milner tired more because he ran his ass off to cover Petrov, who every time he went forward didn't have the legs to get back when WHU eventually countered.

This.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

Hindsight about Delfouneso. If he comes on and we lose it would be 'what the hell was MON thinking'. Gabby wasn't bad at all in all round play but finishing wasn't wonderful. Not a game for Heskey and Carew didn't do much. Collins kept getting turned by Nouble would be my only point in defence. Overall we looked tired, onto Wednesday now I think.

I honestly couldn't care if it works or not. I was screaming for a change as my old man was throughout after about 60 minutes. Delfouneso and Delph or just Delph.

I couldn't care it didn't work but I watched 90 minutes of pure crap when at no point in the game I personally sensed "goal coming" and when it's 0-0 and the opposition starts to get on top, like they did for 15 mintues, why isn't O'Neill going, "well we're not doing anything anyway, might aswell go for it"

Macheda - United springs to mind, again that's not going to happen often however when it isn't going your way and your not looking like scoring, sometimes you just need something different and that's what we needed today, it was set for added energy in the middle or a peice of skill in the area.

Yes because Macheda is banging in the goals at the moment. Macheda against us was a total fluke, a huge gamble that payed off. I'm sure had he not scored, you wouldn't see so many United fans spunk buckets over him. I understand your point, but I don't think today was the kind of game Delf could of had a major impact, I may be wrong but that's my opinion.

Yeah but at no point in the game did I think any of us go in the second half, "Gabby's going to score or Petrov's going to create something out of nothing"...I'm not saying they would of made any difference (Delph and Delfouneso) they could come on and be totally shit but it's just the principal of trying something different and gambling. I went out at 85 minutes because it was blatently obvious for me if anyone was going to score it looked more like West Ham as we pushed forward.

I just don't get with 10/15/20 minutes to go what's wrong in chucking Delph on for example who is a quality player, not even un-tested! and Delfounso who's proven he can score at a top level!

[butler50]

At around the 70 minute mark when WHU brought on fresh legs in midfield we started to struggle. To my surprise though, it was Milner who ran out of legs more than Petrov. From that point on WHU were able to pass the ball around our central midfielders who did not have the energy to chase them. Why MON will never bring on fresh legs to replace a starting CM (unless its NRC who doesnt require replacing usually) is a mystery to me.

Our finishing was woeful and from the amount of corners we had we should have expected Green to have been a bit busier. Very frustrating day to be a villan.

Milner tired more because he ran his ass off to cover Petrov, who every time he went forward didn't have the legs to get back when WHU eventually countered.

Totally agree wiv u here mate, petrov just doesnt cut it for me in most games anyway, milner always gives 100% and goes till final whistle.

[tommo]

This begs the question. Is

Young....Petrov...Milner....Downing

...........Gabby......Heskey

the answer?

For the 'oh so offensive' 'we need to win games' formation this is supposed to be because we scored 4 against pompey, it clearly isn't working.

1 goal in 4 games.

[Willy_Evergo]

At around the 70 minute mark when WHU brought on fresh legs in midfield we started to struggle. To my surprise though, it was Milner who ran out of legs more than Petrov. From that point on WHU were able to pass the ball around our central midfielders who did not have the energy to chase them. Why MON will never bring on fresh legs to replace a starting CM (unless its NRC who doesnt require replacing usually) is a mystery to me.

Our finishing was woeful and from the amount of corners we had we should have expected Green to have been a bit busier. Very frustrating day to be a villan.

Milner tired more because he ran his ass off to cover Petrov, who every time he went forward didn't have the legs to get back when WHU eventually countered.

Why can't MON see this though is the question that needs to be asked. Delph or at least Sidwell for the last 20 would have given us a badly needed boost.

[kidlewis]

Passing. Shit.

Shooting. Shit.

Gabbys finishing has always been average, nows its none existent all he does his hold the ball up.

Both our strikers just hold the ball up to each other and hardly ever score!

Poor poor performance.

West Am have not had a clean sheet away from home since August!

Brilliant.

this,

worst performance I have seen myself all season. Poor passing all round from short to long passes. Slow in posession and no threat when the final ball went in.

14 corners or whatever it was with no result. not even a shot on target.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

Tbh, I'm one criticising, but we did have a couple of shots on target. Gabby volley and Downing strike for Carew offside goal.

[The_Steve]

Passing. Shit.

Shooting. Shit.

Gabbys finishing has always been average, nows its none existent all he does his hold the ball up.

Both our strikers just hold the ball up to each other and hardly ever score!

Poor poor performance.

West Am have not had a clean sheet away from home since August!

Brilliant.

this,

worst performance I have seen myself all season. Poor passing all round from short to long passes. Slow in posession and no threat when the final ball went in.

14 corners or whatever it was with no result. not even a shot on target.

The stats read

10 attempts on target

7 off target

When you flood the midfield and park the bus for most of the match it isn't always easy.

[spacemanscott]

BOOOOOORED!!!

Mind numbingly dull football, worth a tenner of my money and no more.

All around the 6 mark apart from the following:

Downing: 3 - gave the ball away time and time again.

A Young: 5 - plays too wide and NEVER beats his man. Doesn't realise there's more to football than constantly whipping crosses in (often poor crosses at that).

Petrov: 4 - although fairly decent on the ball, we needed him to move the ball quickly and get about the pitch rather than hang around in front of defence.

Milner: 5 - wasteful at times but I feel sorry for him in these kind of games as he needs more help alongside him.

Gabby: 3.5 - no intelligent movement, no natural finishing ability. Fluffed 2 golden chances.

O'Neil: 2 - Why was Reo not on the bench (not necessairly having a go here - was he injured?)? In a game where the opposition sat deep and flooded the midfield, a central pairing including Stan had nowhere near enough energy to make things happen. The game was crying out for Reo or Delph to mix things up a little.

Without a new striker, we definitely will not get champions league football.

[Ponky]

Passing. Shit.

Shooting. Shit.

Gabbys finishing has always been average, nows its none existent all he does his hold the ball up.

Both our strikers just hold the ball up to each other and hardly ever score!

Poor poor performance.

West Am have not had a clean sheet away from home since August!

Brilliant.

this,

worst performance I have seen myself all season. Poor passing all round from short to long passes. Slow in posession and no threat when the final ball went in.

14 corners or whatever it was with no result. not even a shot on target.

The stats read

10 attempts on target

7 off target

When you flood the midfield and park the bus for most of the match it isn't always easy.

Green made about 3 top class saves in the first half and Milner had a shot that shaved the upright in the 2nd.

Yes I agree our strikers were pretty poor (along with the supply froim the wings) but we were also thwarted by some good defending, excellent goal keeping and a tiny bit of bad luck.

However, take that one on one Gabby had at the death with Torres' goal against us in similar circumstances and it is plain as day what we are lacking.

[Vojskovoda]

Just got back. Quite evident we need a striker... if we don't get one we can say goodbye to finishing fourth, I can't believe Gabby **** up that one-one-one in the last minute, someone like Van Nistelrooy or Robbie Keane would have scored... that's why we NEED to buy either Van Nistelrooy or Keane. Not good enough and once again we waste the oppotunity to take advantage of results that went our way this weekend - typical. Don't know the name of the referee today but he was a **** rocket polisher... must have been a west ham fan.

[kurtsimonw]

Quite a big fan of Collins, but he deserves a right slagging off today. Looked fairly shaky at the back at times and had numerous free headers from which he should have scored. Gabby will, rightfully, get stick for his miss at the end, but Collins was just as bad.

Typical shite ref as well, getting bored of saying the same things over and over, sort it out FA, these refs are shite.

[tonyh29]

Carlos played well , Collins looked a bit off the pace .. I wondered how MON would handle the 3 into 2 bit regarding our CB's .. to me MON bottled it and moved Carlos over when really Young should be playing RB .. not that Carlos did anything wrong today but LY offers a more natural outlet in that position ....

we've had this problem right back to the JG days where teams come to VP , park the bus and we can't break them down ...it's like our team is inbred to play as hard to beat but lacking that something special ... but that something special costs more money than any Villa Chairman / manager is prepared to pay I guess ..(not knocking RL btw )

Carew is not a player you bring off the bench , he has to be "up for it" and starting ... on the bench isn't going to get him up for it .. As previously stated with Heskey playing so deep it seems we are playing more 4-5-1 rather than 2 up top and I still think with 2 wide men this is a mistake ... RVN probably would have tucked one or two away today .. I don't know if he is fit , available and so on but maybe a deal until the end of the season for a player of his calibre wouldn't be a bad thing ??

It's still the midfield that ultimately needs that something special ...which seems harsh considering the 4 of them on the whole are playing well , but at the moment the Downing , Young ,Milner swap-a-rama hasn't hit the heights we all thought it would ....

MOM Carlos again I think .. but nobody really stood out

[danceoftheshamen]

For me it is quite simply poor quality strikers which keep costing us. Good strikers have that composure in front of goal.. That is what makes the difference compared with an average one.

Composure means a cool head when given an opportunity. i.e. quickly weighing up the options, making the correct choice & executing what is normally a straightforward finish.

Well all i see from our strikers is hesitation when an opportunity arises, then an inability to make the correct choice followed by panicky shooting on realising that yet again they have fluffed the chance.

IN OTHER WORDS TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE TO WHAT A QUALITY STRIKER DOES!!!!

Result: LACK OF GOALS.

[Jez]

When you flood the midfield and park the bus for most of the match it isn't always easy.

Brilliant, easy to stop us then just do that and we can just moan the other team err defended, god forbid!

[b6bloke]

god there is some real shit being said in here! Yes it yes frustrating but bad passing? The first hour we passed brilliantly! The problem was having someone to put it in the net! Our game dropped when we got tired and started to make silly errors, why no subs were made was just bloody crazy with the semi coming up even more so! i'm concerned about wednesday.

[Wol.]

should of made changes..team looked flat..we have a MASSIVE game on wednesday and wet spam are shit. We should of rotated..

Can't believe Pertov is leading MOTM, thought he was over ran by there 5 man midfield, and last 15 was playing in a back 5.

Downing for me