This may have been discussed on another strand and is so I apologise in advance... I think we got a first look at the flawed character of Ravel Morrison last night and, alongside that, another reminder of why so many are now questioning the capabilities of HR. Morrison was closely marked and got kicked around for a lot of the game. He did not deal with that at all well and seemed to get really sulky to the extent that he spent much of the second half either wandering around avoiding the ball or getting in the ref's face (who was to be fair one of the worst we have seen this season). He was clearly no longer being effective and badly needed to be substituted but our bench didn't seem to notice. Indeed Redknapp's activities on the bench overall were not dissimilar to that of a pantomime dame. Several times he had players stripped off only to be sat down moments later, some of whom eventually came on for the last few minutes and others who never got on at all. In the end Morrison saw things through to the final whistle of course but you can see how he needs to be carefully managed not unlike our dearly departed AT.
I thought Yun, oddly, replaced Morrison for the last couple of minutes. According to The Times, West Ham want to re-sign Morrison on a log term contract at the end of the season. He's a very good player, needs a coach who can help him reach his potential and understand that his temperament needs to be controlled. I don't think Redknapp or Allardyce are that coach, and if he exasperated Ferguson, you can only hope he matures with age. Still adding a lot to our team, he's good to watch I hesitate to criticise. If he keeps on going until the end of the season, great. We'll see what happens then, but I doubt we will see him next year even if we are promoted.
Certainly in the 2nd half he was, how shall I put it, very tightly marked by Wigan (read kicked a bit) and was given no protection by the ref, on one occassion on the edge of their area he was about the bring down the ball under his control and received a mighty shove in the back right in front of the ref who simply waived play on......it was all incredably similar to the way AT was treated by refs and Morrisons reactions were straight out of the AT Handbook. Having said that when he did shake the defenders attentions off of him he was head and shoulders the most accomplished player on the pitch last night, he can certainly stike a dead ball and without him we would be struggling for any creativity....... Lets hope that Harold looks after him until the play offs....
Good points but he did get subbed at the end (where I think HR could see he could easily get himself sent off) Hoillett was about to come on but HR realised JB was coming off injured so changed his mind. Can't see too much wrong with that to be fair. I agree about the flawed side of RM last night though but I have to say the defender was all over him and yet again we get virtually nothing from a ref. It is bad enough that they are all starting to look like Howard Webb clones but at least find one who knows how to award us a free kick!
Someone was saying last night that Ravel is carrying a knock and needs an operation but Harry won't let the op take place until the end of the season (good for us), I'm guessing it's not bad however if West Ham are keen on having him back surely they could insist he takes the OP earlier ?
Funny that, cos most that watched the game didn't notice either Sorry AAAGH, you're normally pin-point accurate but considering what you said about Zamora's performance last night and now this, I can only conclude that you must've spent considerable time consuming refreshments in the Springbok before the game. Because what you're talking here is balderdash pal.
Wow. The man has been scoring goals aplenty for us and has been playing some good football and you're already down on him after one less effective game. I still think he played a part last night and got the ball moved around for us. I'd just like to know what you would do with him? Send him to the EDS squad for a month as punishment for a less than perfect performance?
I think I said exactly what I would have done with him; HR should have subbed him on the hour when it had become obvious that he'd stopped playing because of the rough treatment he was getting. Despite your apparent need for something more dramatic there's no more to it than that; just a sensible tactical change to meet the circumstances and a reminder that all the players need to give 100%. His talent is evident for all to see but then so was AT's.
