Sunday 7 February 2010

Zola - The Case For And Against


Opinion seems to be divided about whether or not we should retain Zola as our manager. I attempt to summarise the case for and against below:

The Case For Zola:

1) He is a really nice guy.
2) He was a great player.
3) He has transformed Carlton Cole.
4) He believes in playing the game the right way - ball on the ground, neat passing, in the tradition of West Ham.
5) For a while last season, we played some lovely football which was so much more pleasing on the eye than the football played under Curbishley.
6)He hasn't had much time. We are only two thirds of the way through his second season in charge.
7) West Ham don't chop and change managers.
8) Manchester United stuck by Ferguson and look at how successful they have been!
9) It is our duty to get behind the manager and players. It is the duty of fans to support, no matter what.
10) He has been unlucky with injuries.
11) The club has been in turmoil whilst he has been in charge.
12) A few wins could see us out of trouble.
13) He is well respected in the game.
14) We battled brilliantly against Chelsea and came away with a 1-1 home draw.
15) Some decisions have gone against us - like the award of the Chelsea penalty.

Have I missed anything? Please add via comments if I have and I will carry them into the body of the article.

Now the case against:

1) So far this season we have won just four games.

2) We failed to beat Fulham, Sunderland and Hull despite them all being reduced to 10 men. The six points surrendered here explain why we are so deep in trouble.

3) We were also ahead in the Fulham and Sunderland games when our opponents had a player sent off. Not only did we not win, we failed to protect a lead!

4) In both the Sunderland and Hull games we were two goals to the good, but allowed our opponents back into the game.

5) We lost to Burnley yesterday who had lost their previous 4 games under their new manager.

6) Last Saturday, we failed to beat a Blackburn side who were hammered 3-0 at Stoke yesterday. Not only didn't we beat them, we were lucky not to lose. We did not manage one shot on target to stretch the keeper from open play all game. Zola failed to capitalise on the euphoria of the take over and picked a cautious team which handed the initiative to Blackburn.

7) In the previous game, we surrendered a lead to a very poor Pompey team who yesterday were thumped 5-0 by Man Utd. Seven crucial points have been surrendered against weak opposition over the last three games.

8) Apart from away to Villa and at home to Everton (and we drew and lost those games!), I cannot remember one game this season where we have looked comfortable for 90 minutes. We either start well and fall away badly (as against Hull, Burnley - at UP - Sunderland, Fulham and Tottenham -at UP) or we wait for the opposition to go ahead before we start to play (as against Arsenal and Burnley yesterday). Meanwhile, some of our performances have been utterly abject such as against Man Utd (minus a defence) at Upton Park, away to Tottenham, away to Bolton and at home to Blackburn.

9) We have only won ONCE in the last ELEVEN games! That victory was against bottom placed Pompey!

10) Zola persists with tactics that fail week in and week out. We cannot play the short passing game he favours and he repeatedly selects teams with no pace and no natural width. His insistence on playing a right footer on the left flank and a left footer on the right simply compounds the problem. I am not advocating a return to the Curbishley approach of lump and hope but, in our position, a more pragmatic attitude is needed. Zola's preferred style isn't effective and isn't even exciting to watch. How many chances have we created in recent games? How many times have we forced the opposition keeper into great or even good saves? A goal return of 6 goals from 11 games says it all!

11) Zola never seems to drop players. The team changes because of injuries, not because of bad performances. Ilunga stayed until he was injured. Mos t agree that Noble has been poor yet he stays in the team. I think Green might have benefited from a game sat on the bench personally. Curbishley dropped him after that 6-0 thumping at Reading and he returned a better keeper. His form this season has been poor. The players don't feel that they need to perform well to stay in the team - and that is a recipe for disaster!

12)Zola is too slow to react when the game is in play. What did he do until Burnley were two goals to the good yesterday for example? How long did it take him to make changes against Blackburn? Why didn't he change the balance of the team when we were two goals to the good against Sunderland and Hull? The guy reacts to situations, he doesn't read them and adjust accordingly.

13) For all the improvements we have seen in Cole's game, what about the others? Noble, Tomkins, Sears, Upson, Green, Ilunga, Collison and Behrami all look worse players now than they did at this stage last season. Of course confidence is a key factor here, but who is supposed to instill confidence into the team? Isn't that the manager's job?

14) We are second from bottom.

15) Zola's win ratio is 27.5%. Glenn Roeder's was 34%. We were too slow to respond to Roeder's incompetence and we went down. We are making the same mistake again this year. We are heading in one direction, and one direction only, under Zola. He has three members of the England squad in his team and we are in the bottom 3 - that is a terrible indictment either of the England national team or of Zola.

So, should Zola stay or should Zola go? I hope Sullivan and Gold read this and think!

27 comments:

Savvakis said...

Case made! Zola must go! But who do we bring in? Because we all know that with all Zola's failings we can do a lot worse by picking someone out there from those who are currently available (or should I say out of a job). Perhaps Brooking would be a good idea for the short term until we find a proper replacement.

Hammersfan said...

Mark Hughes for me. He has something to prove.

Winston said...

Hammersfan, i was thinking Hughes before i even read your article. I had to come back, even at this time. LOL. You set out the case. MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN. The writing on the wall to Darius the Mede thousands of years ago. You have been summed up, found wanting & your days have been numbered. Same with Zola. We are floundering like a fish on the beach. If people can't see that, well i'm flabbergasted. If the squad are still behind Zola & i doubt it, & they don't pull something big against Birmingham, & i mean really big, then time is running out. We are too good to go down, yeah yeah, heard it all before. It'll come good, we are just unlucky, yeah yeah. Burnley haven't won a game since late October. They have now. Love him or hate him, Hughes is a good manager. Never won nothing big, but sorts things out. He wasn't doing that bad at City as it turns out. Sullivan won't sit long. He didn't look the type on Hardtalk. It is in his interests to be decisive. He will find the money. I don't think we will be waiting long. Hope not.

Anonymous said...

Mark Hughes?!?! I feel sick!

Dan said...

I seriously can't think of a worse way to react to that game then sack Zola. It would guarantee relegation, the new manager would have no time to get to know the players and where they play best.

Get a grip!

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Anonymous said...

The scales look nicely balanced to me…..

Under Zola the team had a shaky start, (4-3-3 didn’t work), but then he had some success with the “diamond system” and we finished mid table playing quite nice football.

This season it has all gone wrong and the real problem is the “football project”. Financial reasons were perhaps the underlying cause but the squad was left wafer thin for attacking, full back and wide midfield options. Bellamy was sold and with Ashton injured, along came Savio.. Whoever made that decision has the most to explain. We had already lost the likes of Bobby Z. so the only real choice up front was Cole. When he duly got injured we were stuffed.

The attacking reinforcements were needed in August and our season could have been very different. Anyway they have now arrived and with two huge home games coming up we need to get behind Zola and the team. If we don’t win them then the vultures will be circling.

Mark Who? A fortune spent on “super stars” at City and only average results. Harry would be our best bet to save the day and Martin Jol is another who should be considered. Don’t write Zola off yet though. He is close to getting the balance right

Anonymous said...

1733 - hear hear! I love the way we play even if we are losing... I think the 2xdavids should shut up at the moment - washing our dirty laundry doesn't help much - slagging off Dyer - and saying that Green and Upson should sign or go can't help in the dressing room

Anonymous said...

How can you love the way we are playing? One win in 11, six goals scored. What's to be loved exactly? Are you a masochist?

Anonymous said...

17:56, WTF! "I love the way we playing even when are losing" you are taking the piss right? you plonker! We are 2nd from bottom, 1 win in 11 and that was against the mighty portsmouth. Oh I get it, you thought this was westhamfans.org!! that explains everything. PISS OFF!!

Essexhammer said...

Good case you present HF ,for and against.The pressure is certainly building now for ZOLA.Our next match is so important,if the team gets a decent win under their belt Wednesday night against BIRMINGHAM ,with a convincing display,confidence will return,and it will set us up nicely for the run -in.If we lose,especially after we have gone and brought in new faces,confidence will be rock bottom,then questions will be asked about ZOLA,does ZOLA have what it takes to motivate his players ?.
I am still of the belief that SULLIVAN and GOLD will give ZOLA a fair crack of the whip and keep him on,at least until the end of the season.If we have only just scrapped to safety I think ZOLA wil go,if he manages to pull us well clear of the drop zone his job is pretty much safe.If ZOLA is replaced ,then this time SULLIVAN and GOLD will not mess about with unproven ,unsuccessful managers,they will go after the best,and they will get their man whoever that is.

Hammersfan said...

Now, now 1827, lets not be rude to our friends from the Org!

taz69 said...

We all keep going on about zola zola,but what about mr clark what the hell is he doing?? he must sure take some of the blame......

Hammersfan said...

To be fair, we have been pretty tight at the back recently. Ever since Mr Clark brought Stephen Fry into the dressing room!

Stani Army said...

Dale woulda banned...that's B.A.N.N.E.D, you for that joke HF.

As for the Zola debate. We have hardly had two decent strikers for the period of the case against. It is only fair we give him a chance now that he has more appropriate tools. If he fails, I'll be the first to want him to leave. He has to let go of Noble though.

....and I'll never forget that pic. Thanks for the mammaries HF, thanks for the mammaries.

Hammersfan said...

lol stani

hammalot said...

Our league position speaks volumes. Zola out.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry you say Noble's been poor but he's been miles better then both Collison and Behrami recently who would struggle to get in any side in the league when looking at recent form, Noble was by far one of the best players on the pitch against Portsmouth and as for only 2 good performances add Villa home, Wolves away and i don't think you can say we 'fell away badly' at home to spurs, without 2 silly mistakes we'd have got a deserved 3 points

Anonymous said...

HF why do you always post anonymously on your own thread??? that's just weird, and very sad.

Stani Army said...

Anonymous 23:29,
I agree Collison and Behrami have also been poor recently. In their defence, Behrami has been injured and his struggles to find form have stemmed from that lay off. His talent is undoubted. With Collison; it is clear he is the best of our recent academy graduates but has recently been playing a bit head-down and panicky. His talent is also clear. Noble; not so clear. He has played more than 100 first team games and hardly progressed. Great guy, just hasn't got it. I had hope for him too but enough is enough. If Zola keeps picking him, he will be gone before too long.

Anonymous said...

For Nobles sake I hope he gets the opportunity to leave our club and goes on to prosper at a better club where the fans are not so fickle like Lampard did. I think thats what every hammers supporter truly wants to see.

Anonymous said...

you zola lovers couldnt pick your nose let alone pick a football team the current whu side is under performing just like the manager at least us aussies can see that zola is a numb nut,he cant read agame and has no discipline in the way we play, even crap teams play better than us,time for mister nice guy to go.

John said...

I feel sorry for Zola he does his best but as he admits he is learning all the time, Premiership football is a ridiculous challenge for a rookie manager, and it should never have happened, I don't think he applied for the job Nani just offered the idea to him. Its been proven time and time again brilliant footballers don't often make good managers. I think in his first part season all the players respected him as a footballer, this season they are not respecting him as a manager. My only hope for him is that the players only put half a performance in on Saturday so that they have the energy to wipe the floor with Birmingham on Wednesday. If they do, it could save Zola's job, if they don't, and there is someone like Mark Hughes available I think he will go.

Stani Army said...

Anonymous 06:34,
You're comparing Noble to Lampard? Lampard came runner-up in both World and European player of the year awards....2005 I think it was. Noble will never reach those heights. At Noble's age, Lampard was sought after by big clubs and went to Chelsea for £11m. Do you think anyone would pay that for Noble right now? Do you think anybody has bothered even looking at him as a potential buy?

I support Noble for giving 100% and for hurting just like we hurt. I support him for being a local lad, but this does not blind me to the fact that he is simply not good enough. How much more time do you want to give him?

MelbourneHammer said...

Stani, Anonymous 06.34 was me, I was at work. I am in no way comparing their ability just West Ham fans attitude to get on players backs and virtually try and drive them out of the club when they think they are not good enough, whether it is justified or not. Deny it was thought that nepotism was the reason Lampard was given a game. The general consensus was he was said to be too slow and if it wasn't for Dad and Uncle Harry he wouldnt have got a game. Noble is fulfilling a role for Zola he is playing def mid so Parker can get forward and be more effective and dangerous. Im sure you would agree Parker has been a revelation since he was given that freedom. Now alternatives mentioned are using Behrami instead of Noble. Fair call but IMO Behrami cant do that job as having energy to burn and running around aimlessly you may as well use Kovac and besides Behrami works too well lately with Faubert they seem to have an understanding forming. Another thing Noble is better at holding up the ball (do pirouhettes if you like ala Parker) and passing better than Behrami. I seen people say Collison and again I think Noble is better disciplined than Collison and wouldnt go wandering. I Noble is as bad as everyone seems to think why does Zola and previously Curbishly and Pierce for the Under 21s (as captain) always persist with him.

MelbourneHammer said...

Stani, also stating awards Lampard won after he was driven out of the club kind of justifies my point as I see it. And 11mil just shows that unbiased eyes see true value.

Stani Army said...

Hiya Melbourne,
I agree, certain fans do get on certain players' backs for silly reasons but we MUST distinguish between those yobs and those that have good, genuine, critical points. I really don't think Noble has it and I fear for him if he left our club because he may end up disappearing into obscurity.

I do remember the nepotism talk around Lampard and the talk of him being fat. I even remember him falling over in a game against Palace and our floodlights went out :), time ago. But seriously, I do not think fans drove him out, it was the footballing circumstances. The fans couldn't have drove him out because those that were critical were just a minority. Surely Lampard would have had the intelligence to realise that the majority liked him?

Noble was never a holding midfielder and was always meant to be a creative/attacking one. The reason he has found himself having to fill that role is because he wasn't good enough to do the creative/attacking one. He is too slow (running and thinking). The trouble is, he is not good at the holding role either because he needs to be fast here too and be able to track back and tackle. He is not that good at those two things.

I would switch Parker back to the holding role he was doing before because his finishing isn't great so we shouldn't send him forward. I would keep Behrami for his engine. Those two players could occupy that central role. For support for the strikers from midfield, I would encourage Stanislas and Diamanti to provide that.

The reason Zola and the rest persist with him is because he tries and is is seen as a local lad. But you and I would fit that description too, it does not mean we should be playing. Be honest with yourself and tell me if you think Noble has progressed over the last couple of years? He is going to be 23 soon.

In regards to the awards; are you saying Noble will win these if he leaves us? Again, I reiterate, we cannot compare Lampard and Noble. Lampard had much more going for him at the same age as Noble is now.