en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/708075 Comments by RoyClark http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment321092651 Sam's half term (and a bit) report: Got some organisation and discipline into the club - good 3rd in the table - pretty good Entertainment factor - very poor Reasons given for not winning - absolutely pathetic Tactical nous - none. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:59:19 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment321092651 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment321091137 There was something in that song about "Eight miles high and falling fast......". That's the ball I reckon. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:56:35 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment321091137 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment321088245 Roshi, I think that, for reasons I cannot posibly even try to fathom, Sam has pulled the wool over so many peoples eyes over so many years. Remember that he was in the frame for the England job not so long ago! How did he get that far (and how did he fit into the frame?)? This alone probably says so much about English football and why we have achieved diddly squat for more than 40 years. Apart from a promotion (maybe 2) Sam has won nothing and has continued to play the same dinosaur football through a career that has made him a pretty wealthy man. Some managers get one chance and are then discarded (often prematurely) whilst others seem to keep getting jobs and have reputations that belies their lack of achievement. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:51:32 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment321088245 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment320934341 In an exclusive interview, Sam Allardyce (affectionately known the world over as "Big Sam") responds to some of the crticism he has been receiving about his style of play and his team's results. Q: Sam, there has been criticism from some West Ham fans about the style of play you use. They would like to see the ball played on the floor and the amount of long balls reduced. What do you say to that? SA: They know booger all about football. Just because they have been watching the game for up to 50 years and, in some cases, played when they were younger, it doesn't mean they understand owt. They don't bother me at all because I am right and I am better than them. Q: What about the overuse of the long ball? SA: I'm reet fed up of answering this one. As a genius I know best. You have to be able to give it a big boot. That's quality football that is. Have you watched that Barcelona? Boring as buggery. They wouldn't last 10 minutes in a real man's game. Q: There has been criticism of you playing players out of position. How do you respond to that? SA: Again, these people know nowt and I know everything. Positions mean nowt. If a bloke at the back gives it enough height the blokes at the front have plenty of time to run about and get under the ball when it drops. So positions mean nowt. Q: In the Middlesboro match you failed, again, to hold onto a lead and there have been questions about your substitutions. SA: We did not fail to keep the lead. The fans did that. It was nowt to do with me cos I am right and it was only my tactical genius that ensured we got a good result and were not beaten. Bringing on John Carew was an example of how good I am. We had Carlton Cole, a big lump, playing up front, but Carew is a bigger lump so you have to use him. The bigger the lump, the better the player. I'm hoping to sign that Zigic from Birmingham cos he's even bigger. Q: Will you get automatic promotion? SA: I will. Don't know if the team will. The fans will probably cock it up though. Q: If you do get back to the Premier League, how do you think you will compare to managers like Ferguson, Wenger, Mancini, even Brendan Rogers or Paul Lambert? SA: I'm better than all of them. I'm a reet modern manager, me. I've got one of them things in my ear and everything. Q: Thanks Sam. SA: You're welcome. But remember, you know nowt about nowt and I do. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:38:47 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment320934341 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment320925857 Another frustrating evening. Poor set up of the team, lack of width and pace, inability - again - to defend a lead. The problem is not our midfield or our strikers, it's the whole front 6. The shape is wrong and the selection is wrong. Examples? Tomkins is not a midfielder and Maynard is not a wide player. Green had almost nothing to do and the back four did Ok with Faye the pick of the bunch. Nolan was anonymous and Tomkins looked exactly what he is - a centre half playing out of position. Noble's passing left a lot to be desired at times but at least he kept looking for the ball and put in lots of effort. The players around him made it very difficult for him. Maynard looked lost on the right and Taylor almost the same on the left. Cole was left isolated and had to deal with appalling service. Our inability to get to the byline and put crosses in instead of hoofing diagonal balls into the box was why we created very little chances. The substitutions were puzzling. Collison is so out of form at the moment that it was unlikely he would change anything positively - particularly wide right - and Carew jumps even less than Cole. I don't understand why more use is not made of Baldock and Landsbury and, surely, at some point, Morrison must be given a go. I've just watched Allardyce's post match interview and it was bitchy and childish. Doesn't he understand that we watch the game, we saw what happened and no amount of flannel from him can change what we saw? Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:15:57 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/20/vote-player-performances-v-middlesbrough-2/#IDComment320925857 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320414444 For some bizarre reason I think he will go 4-4-2 tonight with a midfield of O'Neill, Nolan, Noble and Taylor plus Cole and Baldock / Maynard up front. Personally I think he needs to make more of Lansbury and give Morrison a go. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:53:44 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320414444 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320412725 Mine or Aussies? Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:50:48 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320412725 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320412185 But is it really football?? Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:49:47 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320412185 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320297374 I think he only (only!) got about £30m from the sale. Still, that would leave him £5m to buy more caravans. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:53:23 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320297374 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320296841 I think Allardyce is making this far worse than it is and his comments are not going to help the players one little bit. And he's not exactly endearing himself to the supporters either. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:52:15 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320296841 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320263935 He's also said, "Ravel got a good feel for what football is all about" after he'd come on against Leeds. Eh? Has he not played before? At all? Anywhere? did he have to borrow some boots? Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:40:24 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320263935 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320187853 I agree with 1shoe that the booing is at the end of a game - sometimes a little at half time as well. It doesn't go on throughout the game. However, I still think it is counter-productive and, personally, I have never booed myself. Hacked off and disappointed, yes. The negativity on this site (and others) is down to frustration and, whilst a little of it is unsubstantiated, most of it comes with views and opinions that have validity and are thought through. This is because its a forum where we can express our views and would be a waste of time if we all came on here wearing our rose-tinted specs and were constantly positive. My "negativity" from time to time is based on style of play, tactics and the fact that we have a better squad of players than our football is currently generating. The biggest problem at home is not the booing but the apathy. We used to be a loud crowd but now there is a large proportion of fans who only applaud / shout / sing when we score or are winning. This doesn't apply away where there is no apathy whatsoever and we are still seen as vocal and positive as any other bunch of fans - much better than most, actually. I guess that's the difference between those who make the biggest effort to support our team and the section of home fans just expect success and entertainment to be served up on a plate. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:51:01 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/19/purge-your-negative-thoughts-get-behind-the-team/#IDComment320187853 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319514663 I see that Sam has moved from his "2points per game will get us promoted" to "90 points will be enough". That's almost 2 points per game but it means, if he is right, that we need to get 23 points from our last 10 games. I can see us getting 8 or 10 of those away which means we will possibly have to win all of our home games. A tall order bearing in mind the last few home results. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:27:55 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319514663 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319512570 But we're not, so he's not! Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:22:28 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319512570 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319511273 I know that Cole splits opinion but I think our best striking force would be him plus one of Maynard or Baldock. Playing as a lone striker is not Cole's game (Maynard's or Baldock's either) but a smaller, quicker player alongside him is, IMO, our best option. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:19:16 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319511273 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment319383706 Not sure that Sam allows them to play with freedom and confidence. There have been so many occasions this season at home when we have taken the lead and then played too deep and not gone on to kill the game against lesser opposition. It has happened too many times for it not to be Sam's way. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:47:40 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment319383706 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment319382468 I'm afraid our style will never change whilst Sam is in charge. That's the way he has always played and, I would imagine, always will. Leopards and spots etc.... I will say, however, that I don't have a problem with what Allardyce did when he first came in with creating organisation and discipline - which was desperately needed - but this only goes so far when it comes to the playing side. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:44:36 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment319382468 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment319380216 The ideal scenario would be that we got promoted and then changed the manager - which I can't see happening. As I've said before, ad nauseum, Allardyce's style of football is now a thing of the past and the top flight teams will just carve through us. Only Stoke really play in a similar way to us and somehow they get by, horrible as it is. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:39:06 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment319380216 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319373127 It will be interesting to see what team starts on Tuesday against Boro. There must be every chance that Tomkins wont be fit and likely that Faubert, Diop, Reid and Vaz Te will still be out. I guess that means Taylor will play as he is our only wide man left standing. Unless Sam invents another holding midfielder we must surely go with 4 in midfield and two up front. Oh, sod it! I can't be bothered to try and second guess the tactical genius. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:20:17 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/18/results-player-performances-v-leeds-2/#IDComment319373127 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment318895624 I think we will see very little of Morrison for the simple reason that in a 4-5-1 (and we won't see much of anything else) the forward midfielder will always be Nolan (if you can call him that) which is probably where Morrison should be playing in this formation. Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:36:39 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2012/03/17/vote-player-performances-v-leeds-united/#IDComment318895624