Sunday 2 May 2010

Brilliantly Managed Fulham 3 Incompetently Managed West Ham 2


So, let's get a few things straight to start off with. Fulham played a hard and pulsating game of football on Thursday night, qualifying for a place in the Europa League final in the process; we had a week off. Fulham went into the game without the only player in their squad who has an outside chance of being on the plane with England to South Africa; we started with Green, Upson, Parker & Cole. Fulham had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to play for; we had our pride and a little matter of needing a point to ENSURE our safety. We are Fulham's bogey team - we always beat them! Fulham rested Duff, Gera and Murphy amongst others; we named Zola's "First Team".

That is the backdrop. Now we move to selection. Let me roll the clock back a week. Who scored an own goal to put Wigan ahead? Hang on, let me think...that would be Spector. Go back to the Liverpool game. Who had a mare? Hang on...they all did, including Spector. OK so let's go back to the Everton game. Who was at fault for both Everton goals? Hang on, that would be Spector. Well, let's look at the Man Utd game. Who was ripped apart by Valencia? Wait a moment, that would be Spector! Forget the Wolves game a moment, Spector was a sub so Tomkins had a mare instead, although Spector came on and was absolutely hopeless. So, let's roll back to the Chelsea game and who did Malouda tear apart? Hang on, it was the right back that time. Ha! No hang on, that was...Spector! And so to the Bolton game. Who did Lee crucify? Yes, that would be Spector! So who did Zola pick at left back today? You guessed it, the very same Spector! And what happened?

Who played Dempsey on for the first goal? That would be Spector! Who lost possession as the last man on the edge of his own box for the third Fulham goal? Well, just like Behrami, you could knock me down with a feather, that would be Spector again! Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

Daprela was fit of course; he was sitting on the substitute's bench as usual. This is the same Daprela who, as a teenager, was asked to make his debut against Arsenal and whose next two starts were against Chelsea and Arsenal again. This is the same Daprela who I cannot remember being directly at fault for us conceding a goal. This is the same Daprela who could do with experience in the first team, who might just benefit from an end of season, no pressure fixture against a mildly interested semi reserve Fulham team. This is the same Daprela who is naturally left footed. Yes, that Daprela, the guy Zola leaves on the bench so he can select...Spector! Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

Still we were unlucky weren't we? That goal just before half time changed the game. We were the better team up until then. And the second goal was a killer and really lucky, with a huge deflection off of Cole. And the third Fulham goal, well that was one of those things. Individual mistakes have cost us all season. The boys tried really hard, I was proud of the way we fought to the final whistle, they did not deserve that...Oh sorry, I came over all Zola there for a moment. I haven't heard his post match comments yet but I bet that's pretty close to what he's said. If I was interviewing him, I might ask, "So who is the C*** who keeps picking the guy who makes mistake after mistake, game after game?" That, of course, would be Zola.

So, back to the game. Half time, Fulham Casuals 1 West Ham Huff and Puffs 0. Did our manager change things? Did he bring on Franco or McCarthy? Did he tell Diamanti to show us what he can do? Why, why do that? At 1-0 the game can still be saved! Let's wait until Fulham get a second before we start chasing the game. At 1-0, it might just fall into our laps with a lucky break! Pathetic.

But still, at 2-0, he did bring on Diamanti and, with the right footed Noble out of position on the left, you guessed it, Zola asked the left footed Diamanti to play on the right. Well, why change a formula that hasn't worked all season? And for good measure, let's take off a full back whilst we are about it. Now, who shall it be? Tough choice here. Faubert or SPECTOR? Hang on, I'm thinking. Faubert or SPECTOR? Give me a moment. Faubert or SPECTOR? I know! Let's pull off the frog! Incredible. Absolutely incredible. Me? I might just have sent on Diamanti for Kovac, Franco for Ilan or Cole and Daprela for, you guessed it, SPECTOR. We could have had Faubert and Behrami on the right, Daprela and Diamanti on the left, and Noble and Parker in the centre of midfield. But why would we want to do that? Why have right footers on the right and left footers on the left?

How did we score our second goal? Would that have been Noble and Parker, two RIGHT footers, combining on the RIGHT side of the penalty box and PULLING THE BALL BACK for Franco to score? How easy was that then? Shame it only took until the second minute of injury time to try out that idea! Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

Contrast that to when Noble played a sweeping pass out to Diamanti wide on the right. He was one on one with the Fulham left back, with no cover behind. Franco and Cole were primed to run into the box. Diamanti controlled the ball and...came inside so he could cross with his left foot and all the attacking impetus was lost. Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

I have been banging the same drum all season. But Zola will not change! Why, because he is a pig headed idiot who does not understand that the players he is working with lack the ability of Messi, Tevez and company.

Oh, I nearly forgot Cole's goal. Great freekick from Noble and a lovely header - if he meant it. Apart from that, Cole was almost as bad as Spector!

Full marks to Woy and his boys. As for Zola, he HAS to go!

Player Ratings: Green 5 (Did he make a save?) Faubert 5, Da Costa 5, Upson 5, Spector 1; Behrami 6, Parker 6 (The new Brooking or Devonshire my arse!), Kovac 5, Noble 6; Ilan 5, Cole 3 Subs: Diamanti 5, Franco 6 (I know Stanislas came on but did he touch the ball?)

28 comments:

Essexhammer said...

FRANK GRIMES of the SIMPSON'S came to my mind when I read that HF...are you familiar? Anyway you summed it up well,and yes ZOLA and most of the squad have to go.

Sav said...

What do you know? Spector exceeded himself today. I think it is fair to say we conceded 3 own goals (one from Cole and two from Spector)! Well done Zola. You are a real genius. Keep selecting Spector. What do we mortals know? We just don't understand the game the way you do. As Mark Twain says all it takes to feel the world is yours is to be "ignorant and confident". I can't have another year of Zola, please send him back to Italy.

Sav said...

And please GZ take Spector with you, since you like him so much!

hammalot said...

At the end of the season HF please make an article listing all of Zola 'accomplishments' this term.
example:

first WHU team to lose six on the bounce since the 40s?

first WHU team to lose at CC since the 60s

first WHU team to lose at home to Wolves since the crusades

....make now mistake Gianfranco, THAT IS YOUR RESUME.

He has hurt my pride as a hammer, because we can all forget dour 1-0 matches under Curbishley but these numbers will live forever.

Kareem said...

Wanna be manager, Fanno? I totally agree with everything you just said. Even though we're safe, we might as well end on a high note. Why can't Zola get it?!

Sav said...

Excellent analysis HF. But who really listens. Definitely not Zola or the 2Ds. Or are they? I don't care how much it would cost us Zola should be sacked! Maybe I can wait another week but no longer. This is really a new low in the management (or lack of it) of the team. Nice article, HF.

Anonymous said...

HF why do you usually call Spector the wank????? Isnt that a bit rude as there may be children reading this blog??? H int that bad anyway i quite rate hm seriously.

Hammersfan said...

You quite rate him? Quite rate him as what? An X rated footballer? Why do I call him the Wank? Why do you need to ask? Hang on, doesn't your guide dog need feeding?

Unknown said...

anon if u rate him u must be delirious cuz pretty much evry game hes made a mistake or in zolas case small errors tht dont mean much shows how much u know and how much zola knows great post HF

Mark Baker said...

Read an interesting interview with Hodgson in the Telegraph today where he talks about his training methods, that repetition plays a key part. Like tennis players will practise their serves over and over for hours, Fulham practise routines likely to occur in matches over and over. The only routine I can see any evidence of us practising is how to pass sideways and backwards, preferably in our own half, followed by hoofing a long ball!

Hammersfan said...

Yep Batman, they certainly rehearse that one. Da Costa to Upson, to Spector, to Parker (coming deep), to Upson, to Da Costa, to Upson and...lump it up for Cole to chase. Of course, this a sophisticated twist on the old Curbishley tactic of the Upson lump. Back then there was no messing around with five passes first, it was just give it to Upson and lump! Thank God for Zola's beautiful football!

Anonymous said...

Spector will come good next season and lets hope Zola sees out his contract as he is a man of honour and i expect him o as te majority of fans still love him

Hammersfan said...

2019, where do you watch games from in Upton Park?

Unknown said...

init anon u dont seem to know much bout west ham then

T.I.S said...

Zola has single handedly turned us into one of these extremely boring to watch teams. Change really needs to happen and I pray that he waves the fans goodbye after Man City, then we'll know :)

TBI said...

That was the most boring 3-2 match I have ever seen.

Yet again the players just couldn't be arsed. The whole lot have become a sorry sight including the manager.

Get this season over with and lets enjoy the World Cup instead.

Anonymous said...

I watch games TB lower and im taking the piss of course zola needs to go and the fans want him out and rightly so. Where do you sit HF

Hammersfan said...

Sadly I have to keep that to myself as a few are looking for my scalp. Which pub do you drink in?

Deane said...

do you realise how bad things have got West Ham have sunk so low that the majority of comments support you

Hammersfan said...

LOL Deane. Mt old pair of flairs hung around in a wardrobe for 20 years and eventually came back into fashion! Trouble is, my waist was six inches bigger by then!

I'm waiting for the judgement of Stani. Will he still be defending Zola?

H4MM3R said...

I was 50:50 but today Zola convinced me with his great tactical skills!
He surely thought the same team that has beaten the latics last week can handle this without a problem...
To watch Spector failing game after game after game after game and to watch players that have to play out of position is not tolerable anymore...it's just depressing.
I hoped Zola would probably try out sth new the last two games but he decided to go on with the crap that didn't work the whole season...really unbelievable

Anonymous said...

dandilion 19:43 - type enlish you brown nosed fool.

Deane said...

seems that Zola feels we didn't have much luck and I tend to agree with him our luck went out the window when he picked the team

Anonymous said...

Re your flares, my problem is, every time I undo my belt, my feet dissappear. I have to get a mirror to see what colour shoes I'm wearing. Great blog. Zola is a really great guy, but he has to go. He needs to be paid off instead of undermined as this harms us all.

Hammersfan said...

LOL Cheers mate.

Sav said...

The measure of West Ham's misery is how much HF has risen in popularity. Nice one Dean!

Unknown said...

me lil daughter was two a few wks ago,when zola came to west ham i used to call her my little zola cos she was always smileing,.,im now thinkin of callin her my lil avram hahaha

Hammersfan said...

If your daughter looks like Avram, I'd get your money back on the wife mate!