If anyone wants to see my views on the game or a bit of bedtime reading please visit: http://thompsontalkstactics.wordpre...diff-city-0-west-ham-united-2-4th-march-2012/
Any other result would have been a travesty - we were well beaten. Sorry to see Gestede pull up, but he looked slow and cumbersome to me well before that. He's either not fit or needs some serious pace coaching - he is not the answer up front at the moment. Sad to see him go off for that reason, but wasn't sorry when he did. Tired and jaded is a fair description of our performance today, albeit against a well organised outfit that killed us off in midfield. Brighton did it earlier in the season and Blackpool more recently. Up front we are desperately in need of an experienced target man to hold the ball up and a pacey wideman to get around the back of opposition defences. I can't remember that happening once today. Taylor is too slow to get upfield on the overlap and Kev nearly always turns inside in his forays and runs into their holding midfielder or centre backs. Great work in progress by Malky, but it's the sharp end of the season now, and we could struggle. Having said that, we'll probably thrash Brighton next.
The team looked tired today and McNaughton had a shocker again. Even the energy and commitment that masked his defensive frailties seem to have been lost. There is no pace in the side and there were few positives today unlike last week. Only 3 wins this year. Nonetheless the manager has made some good signings but we remain deficient in several areas. There is no eveidence on today's performance of an improvement in form and with no time for the team to rest the signs are that we will face a difficult end to the season.
Surprised there doesn't seem to be much critisism of the ref's performance.Piss poor and ridiculously bias.That said we were way off the pace today and clearly suffering post cup blues.Nolan totally bossed the middle of the park and the big fella at the back was totally solid.Tiredness,bad luck and a poor bench didn't help us today.I am still continuing my give Earnie a chance campaign,he should have been on the bench today.
ITI Earnie would have added nothing today. He needs the ball in or around the box and we couldn't do it. Saying that he will probably get a chance in the next week to rest others. Why wasn't Conway brought on to give something of a plan B in that he would get the ball down, run at defenders and make them play? Something we sadly lacked today. I guess he has done something to greatly piss off Malky. Even at 2 down he should have been on.
Agree about the ref, piss poor is being kind but we were 2nd best today our passing was very poor, McNaughton has been not his usual self since his injury, Whitts is struggling to do everything in mid-field. We miss Macca more that I thought we would, we need someone to put his foot on the ball and to the easy things. I still think Heaton is a better bet than Marshall. Kenny Miller is going through a bad spell but once he gets one I think he'll get a hat full.
Anyone else unimpressed with Vuckic? Personally I would have preferred to see Conway come on. Think the young man who came on wants to much time on the ball and lacks a little bite. Also I thought some of the balls Rudy was given early on & couldnt quite reach would have been perfect for Earnie. Surely he's still a bit quicker over the first few yards and wouldnt be afraid to pull the trigger. I thought West Ham were as good as anything else we've had down here this season. Solid & professional. Strong defencively. A lot of big strong players. Dont think we were ever going to get much out of them the way we were putting hopeful balls in all the time.
A lot of very honest opinions on here. Malky has got a lot of support from the paying customers, as well as his paymasters. We need to pull it all together for the run in. Just a point about Kenny that Rhondda touched on. Anyone think he's feeling the pressure on him and trying too hard at the moment? He seems to want to atone for his recent cock ups and bust the net with every goal attempt. He's playing with a couple of youngsters up there in Mason and Gestede, and he needs some guile alongside him as well as youthfull enthusiasm. For me, whilst Rudy supplies a different dimension up there, at the moment he's not the answer. On the other hand, Joe (more fat on a jockey's whip) Mason has been a revelation and provides all the enthusiasm in spades. Settle down Kenny lad - you've got undoubted class as a finisher and the goals will come.
Think Miller was trying too hard yesterday, he kept dropping very deep and trying unnecessary crosses to nobody into the box rather than move the ball around
Agreed on Vukcic. He seems to want too much time on the ball. A couple of times he had the chance to charge forward and put a shot in (as he did v. West Brom in that video clip that did the rounds) but he pulled back and the move petered out. Also, he's a big lad but doesn't try to impose himself. Kiss gets stuck in more. I'm not sure where Vukcic fits in with our style and he certainly wasn't an upfront replacement for Rudy who I guess will be side lined for a couple of weeks again with his hamstring. We need a ball winning loaner centre forward who sees an opportunity to prove himself and show he is worthwhile to his home club. Any thoughts other than Torres and Bothroyd? And, of course, a quick tricky winger. How did malky miss Hammill at Wolves - went to Middlesboro.
