Saturday 23 April 2011

Chelsea 3 West Ham 0 - Water Polo and the Defence with a Hole!

Well in the end it went to script. Lampard scored, Torres got off the mark, inevitably, and Malouda added a third for good measure. Gabbidon also made a brilliant "goal line" clearance and Luiz rattled the bar with a superb shot from 30 or so yards. Lampard also missed a sitter from inside the six yard box and Malouda should have scored before the game was five minutes old.

All of which makes it sound like another shambolic performance. But it wasn't. Spector could have scored first half after Sears set him up superbly. Sears so nearly scored with a very clever flick and did his best to put one on a plate for Cole, who should have hit it first time but didn't. Keane missed a sitter after being set up brilliantly by Spector and Ba had a good shot that Cech had to parry. da Costa could have scored from a Hitz cross but got under the ball and another header was cleared off the line. Chelsea knew they had been in a game and had it finished 3-3, nobody could have complained!

Did we miss Parker? No. Interestingly.

Of course we were weak at the back again. Chelsea used the ball superbly at times and sliced through our back four with wonderful passes and runs - but somehow we kept them them down to one until well into the second half. It was, in truth, an honourable defeat, especially in conditions that would have had Noah excited!

But it was still a defeat and we did ship three and we are rock bottom so thank God the other results went our way. Wigan's defeat was huge and Wolves and Blackpool both took one point from games in which they should have taken three. If we beat Sunderland, Blackburn and Wigan we will definitely stay up. Sounds easy like that doesn't it?

Player Ratings:

Green 8; Jacobsen 5, da Costa 5, Gabbidon 6, Bridge 6; Sears 7, Noble 6, Spector 6, Hitz 6, Ba 6; Cole 5 Subs Keane 5, Piquionne 4, Obinna 4

18 comments:

fred149 said...

If we play like that in our remaining games theres no reason why we cant take a point off man city and win our last games but once again cole hasnt got the instincts to shoot first time and its getting on my nerves how demba ba has the instincts of a predator like no other but keeps being wasted on the wing. Once again da costa was awful and gabbidon was the better defender and tomkins has to be returned to the lineup asap

Anonymous said...

At least they showed some balls for a change but why did Grant take off Sears??
Thought Upson had a good game for once (he he)

Anonymous said...

Stupid iPad, what is was trying to say before this stupid device erased what I wanted to say was. . . .! What I was trying to type is we are relegated and nearly all the team will be off come the end of the season so it not the premiership status I'm worried about, but our championship status!

Anonymous said...

And after a season like this, the last thing I want to hear is that incompetent, lady boy, grant talking about survival. He is just as incapable of delivering on the night as Sullivan and gold, so bankruptcy and four years of pain it is then.

Hammered said...

I hate to say this but if we play the same way over our next four games we are going down... Know why! Well for all the chances we had today, we never managed to get the ball in the bag. Yes it was difficult due to the conditions, but we should have done better. We can't keep making chances and not take them. Unless we start scoring it doesn't matter how good we play cos the back is still fragile and we can't stop others from scoring! The defence were shocking at times, as balls came across they didn't even move...

Anonymous said...

Anyone notice Grant giving Torres a good old chuckle and smile. Then a back slap for good measure when he came on. Very relaxed and enjoying his salary! This is a manager who does not give two hoots about the hammers. Should we blame Grant? Nope, I blame the club, yes our club.. West Ham Utd is the problem. By that I mean the the board who run it. They simple dont give a damn or they would have fired that stinking C++T Grant many months ago. The fact that he was having a laugh on the touchline says it all.

US HF said...

Am I the only person that knew we were gonna lose 3-0 or more? Why are people saying were going down now? It was Chelsea! Not blackpool not Aston villa but Chelsea. Anyone stupid to think we were gonna win or tie might are as dumb as grant or as HF puts it as dumb as those who voted Parker poy ( I agree w you on that HF).

Fred149- you serious? You think how we played today would gain a point from money city? Your joking right? Grant must be a good coach too

Shane. said...

I think, if we can put in performances like today, with Parker and Upson in the squad, theres no reason why we can't get 10 points from our remaining games. We worked harder than we have done all season, but the only problem is Cole in the centre-forward role. He doesn't have that poacher instinct of Ba or even Keane, and we need someone to put those chances away. I was also blown away by Freddie Sears today. I think he's probably the brightest prospect we've got, and after throwing him in against Ashley Cole after he's not played first team for a few games, he was arguably our best attacker today. I hope that he can play our next 4 games, he looks like he really, REALLY wants it.

Sav said...

There is only one possible outcome with Avram Grant at the wheel. If only they had the courage to suck him in January we would surely a Premier League team next year.

I am totally shocked by his selections today (despite this not being our worst game this year). But we did not have a chance with this team. I like to dream that maybe we will win our last three games and be saved. Maybe that is possible. But AG will find a way to screw it up! It is absolutely pathetic how the owners seem to be OK with all this. It is as if they want us to go down! Who knows they may be able to make more money this way. I had just about enough of this charade. Over and out. At least for a few days until I cool off a little.

Hammersfan said...

Suck him Sav? Who did you have in mind to do it? Sullivan, Gold or Brady? I know he is rumoured to have visited massage parlours but do you really think that would have persuaded him to walk away? That really would have been a blow in our battle to stay up! ; }

Hammersfan said...

Well said Shane and US HF. Perspective needed!

fred149 said...

US HF

just cause we didnt take our chances doesnt mean we played bad in fact apart from the 1st 20-25 mins we we actually had chelsea on the ropes. Grant is an awful manager but apart from da costa over tomkins he got the lineup right in my opinion.

Also i was very impressed with sears and if he doesnt start against man city grant needs to take a good hard look at himslef and say is there a reason im dropping in form players.

Tatcics for next game.

Tomkins for da costa and maybe upson got gabbs if fit , parker for noble if hes injured or for spector and collison for Hitz . Cole for keane and make sure everybody knows what there freaking jobs are

Sav said...

If you had to choose one, it has to be Brady, of course. But really, I felt so bad, I did not even have the patience to read what I wrote to check on any mispelled words.

Apparrently, they initially were going to sack him and then decided it is best to just suck him! Basically, that's what happenned. So, I wasn't too far off!

Anonymous said...

What about sears. He rinsed Ashley cole at times. The worlds best lb! I can't think of atleast three tines where he skinned him. The boy deserves credit for his performance today and hopefully he's in the team for the next game!

Anonymous said...

"we are definitely down" - you three months ago.
So shut up

Hammersfan said...

Looking like I was right three months ago then! And when Parker leaves...

Anonymous said...

You said Parker was crap many times. but now he's in the same company as George Best, Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore and Kenny Dalglish. Which goes to prove what the vast majority of us already know, that you know absolutely nothing.

Sav said...

Good point 21:27. Although I would go as far as to agree with you that HF is nothing. He is something of a genius in twisting the truths to support his lost causes.