Why there is still plenty to be optimistic about at West Ham
After losing 1-0 at Wigan two weeks ago, Gianfranco Zola would have looked at West Ham’s next two fixtures, sighed, and accepted that his side would be marooned on four points from six games at the end of September. Games against Liverpool and Manchester City hardly represent opportunities to arrest a slide. Being an intelligent and thoughtful man, Zola would not have panicked though, and the more hysterical of West Ham’s fans would do well to follow his example.
Defeats to Liverpool and City have duly followed, and West Ham have now made their worst start to a season since the 2002-03 season. Ominously enough West Ham were relegated. Predictably enough similar forecasts are now being made, although those gazing pessimistically into their crystal balls ought to take a step back and review their misguided standpoints.
West Ham were brushed aside 3-1 by City on Monday, and while the defeat was as disappointing as any other, it should be viewed in perspective. There was a chasm of difference between the two sides, roughly £250m in City’s favour. As they showed by beating Arsenal 4-2 and narrowly losing in that period of stoppage time to Manchester United, they are already a force to be reckoned with this season.
City’s attack featured Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez, who were supported by Martin Petrov and Shaun Wright Phillips. Roque Santa Cruz was only on the bench, while Emmanuel Adebayor was suspended and Robinho injured. For West Ham, shopping in Primark to City’s Prada, behind an isolated Carlton Cole featured an on-loan Luis Jimenez, plucked from Inter’s reserves, and Alessandro Diamanti, a cheap recruit from a side just promoted from Italy’s second division. Still outraged by the result?
These kind of games, for a team in West Ham’s position, are always a bonus. In any case, as Corporal Jones from Dad’s Army would say, don’t panic. After all, Zola’s side have accrued the same amount of points from their opening six games as they did from last season’s corresponding fixtures - although you have to fiddle the stats a little bit. West Ham lost 3-2 at West Brom last year, the 2008-09 equivalent of Wolves, who were defeated on the opening day.
It is only the defeat to Wigan which has created this despondent mood, but then Roberto Martinez’s side did hand Chelsea a 3-1 stuffing on the weekend. Then again, that was Wigan’s first win in 34 attempts over one of the Big Four, so it goes to show how pointless it is to fret over losing to Manchester’s answer to the Harlem Globetrotters.
Trite though it may sound as well, but West Ham are due some luck. Of course, a team will not go through a season of struggle on the back of ill fortune alone, yet it can be the origin of a mini-slump of this kind. While West Ham were well beaten by City, the score at half-time would have been 2-2 had Scott Parker’s finish not been ruled out for a foul on Joleon Lescott by Cole that only the woeful officials saw. Lescott later apologised to Cole for the decision.
Similarly West Ham would have led 1-0 at Wigan had Alan Wiley not ended the first half just as Cole put the ball into an empty net. That would have given Cole four goals in six league starts. As it is, he has three, scored against Tottenham, City and Liverpool, a healthy record for any England hopeful.
Injuries have not smoothed West Ham’s start either, and on Monday night they were missing the experience of Matthew Upson in defence, meaning the young James Tomkins was partnered by a player making his first Premier League start, Manuel Da Costa. One look at that soft centre did not inspire confidence, and Carlos Tevez’s two goals were both poorly defended.
The midfield could do with the return of Valon Behrami and Jack Collison too. Radoslav Kovac, Mark Noble and Scott Parker huffed and puffed, but they offered little goal threat, incision or creativity. No brio from that trio, and Zola may want to rethink his 4-3-3 formation at the moment. Kovac, Parker and Noble are a little too similar, and Petrov and Wright Phillips made ample use of the vast spaces on the flanks.
Once Behrami and Collison are fit, a return to the diamond formation that served West Ham so well last season could prompt an improvement. The first time that surfaced, a 1-1 draw at Chelsea was achieved and, indeed, propelled West Ham into contention for a European place. The 4-3-3 is in its early days though, and could blossom once Diamanti and Jimenez start to find their feet in England.
There remains plenty to be optimistic about at West Ham, on the pitch at least, yet at the merest sign of a crisis, the critics are quick to come creeping out of the shadows, a little too eager to launch into tedious told-you-sos, mainly because Zola used to play for Chelsea. Just be grateful he’s not Dennis Wise.
Jacob Steinberg
Column
Crass of the Day: Why Gary Lineker should be ashamed of his xenophobic mocking of Arsene Wenger
Columnists 11:07 03/05/12Shame on Gary Lineker. His mockery, stupid French accent and derision of Arsene Wenger at the end of... Read More+
Column
Stop rewriting history: Hodgson may have got it, but Redknapp is still the better man for the job
Darren Lewis 10:45 03/05/12The revisionism surrounding Harry Redknapp this week has been an education to behold. Suddenly his f... Read More+
Column
Big Match Verdict on Chelsea 0-2 Newcastle: Torres has been transformed in a week
John Cross 22:27 02/05/12Fernando Torres has been transformed in little over a week. In fact, the Spaniard was the odd man ou... Read More+
