Sunday 24 July 2011

Strikers Firing Blanks

If Sam Allardyce is happy with a 0-0 draw at Wycombe, as the OS suggests, then that is very worrying. Cole, Parker, Barerra and Nolan all started yesterday but we couldn't put the ball in the net, suggesting that there are still issues related to creativity and finishing.

Cole's critics will be quick to point the finger and I will be tempted to highlight that a genuine Player of the Year should dominate against opponents like Wycombe, but let's instead dwell on the positive of a second consecutive clean sheet with Tomkins again looking dominant. I know it was only Wycombe but clean sheets are clean sheets...

...and of course clean sheets are much more likely if the big black guy up top is impotent!

17 comments:

Elf72 said...

Strikers never really looked like scoring. Cole spent most of the time bent over with his hands on his kneese puffing and panting or limping about the pitch. He looked as down on his confidence as at any point last season.

Pic was ok in the air, the ball could have dropped more advantageously for us at times.

Nolan and Nouble had the best chances but couldn't keep their attempts low enough to trouble the keeper.

Barrera and Montano regularly beat their man and delivered some decent crosses. Boa Morte was up for it; busy and combative but ultimately lacking with quality of distribution. Argued with officials well as usual.

Parker was subdued.

Tomkins and Spence were very tidy at the back, O'Brien was ordinary. Illunga looked more interested than last season which is something.

Didn't see enough of Jordan Brown to comment, couldn't really get involved.

We're definitely not there yet but if you look at each element of the team there's some promise. I'd like to see Barrera, Collison, Noble, Nolan and Taylor pulling the strings together in front of Spence, Illunga/Taylor, Tomkins and Faye/Reid.

As far as adding to the depth of the squad goes, we'll probably fill that with some Prem players that don't make their 25 man squads.

It's just that forward position we're missing and you're right, it's worrying. None of them looked like they had goals up their sleeves.

Anonymous said...

Black, white,green with yellow spots, what's his colour got to do with anything?

Hammersfan said...

No difference but last time I saw him, Cole was black!

Anonymous said...

We need two new strikers. Dj Campbell should be one of them.

Anonymous said...

Well said 11:20.

Johntan said...

Agree with you that we badly need a couple strikers and have done for the last couple of seasons. We also need a good right winger and two full backs. It is a bit worrying that we still imo need to fill so many positions so close to the big kick off but I am happy that we finally have a proper manager who might actually have some clue what he is doing so we might actually be ok with what we have. We must remember how incompetent Grant actually was so players that we thought were flops might step up this season.

USA Dave said...

I wonder if Sams fitness regimen is why they are so tired. If so, that is fine. By the time the season is under way maybe the games will be the easiest part of their jobs?

I know its a different game and many yeats ago, but when the USA won the gold medal in ice hockey in 1980, the defining factor was the teams fitness. The Russians had NEVER been outskated in the third period. But there they were, hunched over, while the American college kids skated circles around them. And early in the Americans training games against college and pro teams they got destroyed. So Im trying to draw off that.

Hope I am right.

tommy d said...

NO! DJ CAMPELL SHOULD NOT BE ONE OF THEM! FLASH IN THE PAN! JUST LOOK AT HOW MANY DIFFERENT CLUBS HE'S PLAYED FOR IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND HE'S BEEN LESS THAN IMPRESSIVE! MASSIVE NAY FROM ME!

Sav said...

I am more worried by the lack of speed in the attack than not scoring. None of them are prolific goalscorers. We all know that. But if you have someone up front who can run at defences and get them disorganised, even Cole and co. can put the ball in the net. I hope Barrera stays because he can undertake this role if Sam wants to develop the team in this manner. I wish Etherington and Bellamy were around too. With such players in the Championship I would then be hopeful for an immediate return.

Michael said...

Everyone is overlooking Montano. That kid looks like he can do the business.

Wandereross said...

Only Wycombe?! Us on the way up and yous on the way down, we might pass you by season end! Nah, seriously though, thanks for the warm up;-)

fred149 said...

why is there somebody saying we need a right winger when we have stanislas and barrera. then saying we desperatley need two full backs when we need one backup player who can play right or left back. and then another idiot claiming because dj campbell has played for so many clubs we shouldnt sign him cuz apparently hes crap, yes considering he scored 13 prem goals in his debut prem season im sure hes crap. Some people are never happy and its truly annoying

Michael said...

Totally agree fred149. The only thing I have against DJ Campbell is that he is 29 an when signing new players I feel they should be no older than 27. That's just a personal preference.

fred149 said...

yer michael I know what you mean especially with west hams habit of giving long term contracts to players his age aswell but it really dies annoy me when people cant look at the bright side of things and make some pathetic excuse as to why somethings bad. I think its just people who see one comment on a site like WHTID saying we need a right back for example then they just follow whatever they say

Johntan said...

20.10: Because Stanislas and Barera are both sh!te dumbass. Did you not watch a game last season? The need for two full backs was blatantly clear. It's because of the happy clappers like you that we went down last season. Grant should have been booed and berated at around christmas last season. But no the happy clappers call anyone that sees a problem in the team 'negative'. We will never make any progress if we refuse to acknowledge the weakness' of our club.

tommy d said...

fred you plonker use you f***ing brain! Why do you think he's been constantly moved on by clubs? Because he's f***ing marvelous by your logic! And lets look at his scoring record in the championship... hmm sh*t! Yes I am never happy with West Ham Because we're always f***ing losing and having to see shite players of which campell is one of them, put on the claret and blue which means so much to me! Because he scored a few goals this season does that all of a sudden make him a great player? FLASH IN THE PAN. Mug.

fred14 said...

well stanislas and barrera are not shite you are judging two players who have had two clowns as managers and havent been nurtured right. Last time I checked not many mexican players who are 22 years old can come over to england and perform straight away so barrera has an excuse and after january he never played when he shouldve been given another chance. stanislas is a natural winger who was almost ruined by zolas shitty italian philosophy and has never had a proper good run in the team. If stanislas is so bad why does allardyce seem to think hes good aswell at the moment.last season it looked like we needed a bunch of players but we didnt its called having a clown in charge. at right back we have spence and faubert can cover and left back we have ilunga and brown to cover and taylor in necessary if a manager cant organzize a team or a defence then they will look worse then they are. and DJ campbells goal scoring record is better then any of our strikers and he is coming off the back of 3 good seasons. also tommy we havent got shite players that squad shud have finished top 10 easily but its called having shit managers for 3 years. also johntan you contradicted yourslef when using the term happy clapper