West Ham Utd 0 Cardiff City 1 (07/08/11)

[dapablo]

With our holy trinity in the centre of the park, who was supposed to play the holding player because the TV suggested it would be Noble. It felt to me at times that Parker kept dropping back to collect when the duty really was Nobles, hence our confused midfield on occaision. Maybe a little bit of sttling still to be gone through yet.

[Denbighammer]

With our holy trinity in the centre of the park, who was supposed to play the holding player because the TV suggested it would be Noble. It felt to me at times that Parker kept dropping back to collect when the duty really was Nobles, hence our confused midfield on occaision. Maybe a little bit of sttling still to be gone through yet.

I would have thought Parker would be the 'sitter' in front of the back four, with Noble trying to create something and Nolan trying to get forward in support of the striker? I thought that many times, when Cardiff attacked Parker was the most forward of the 3 and thats not his game. He is a destroyer and should be used as such IMO.

[dapablo]

Sounds like we could agree confusion reins then DH, either that or they are supposed to be fluid in their positioning and just need the practice, do we have time ?

[Denbighammer]

Sounds like we could agree confusion reins then DH, either that or they are supposed to be fluid in their positioning and just need the practice, do we have time ?

Yeah, I was disappointed with how disjointed we were all across midfield. I felt that the other areas of the pitch seemed to have more of a plan behind what they were doing compared with last year but the midfield seemed a bit all over the place. I'm pretty sure Allardyce didn't think he would ever field a side with Parker in it and now he's still here its perhaps affected his plan somewhat?

[HammerMan2004]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14438467.stm

Highlights if anyone wants them. Goes to show just how many chances we created. Ilunga really did get done over when we conceded

[Kitt the car]

Cheers! First time I've seen highlights since the game, thought we played some decent football and the seeing the highlights confirms that, We will do fine this season but we just need to take our chances.

[Matt of iron]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14438467.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Highlights if anyone wants them. Goes to show just how many chances we created. Ilunga really did get done over when we conceded

How many times can this happen? Since Redknapp has left the amount of times we batter teams but can't score is a joke.

[Irrons]

Just watched the highlights. For their goal Illunga is half asleep when caught in possession and makes a very half hearted attempt to win it back when he should have taken the player straight out! Should never ever be getting caught in possession where he is, he had all the time in the world to clear it.

The defending from then on wasn't great either - 3 defenders back, the one nearest covering (Reid?) doesn't close down the player with the ball quick enough and Tomkins stands too far off Miller who is the only passing option available in the box. Green's attempt at a save ain't pretty either.

Hopefully McCartney playing instead of Illunga will mean this stupidity doesn't happen again.

[Puff Daddy]

I'm still smarting from this disgrace nearly a week later and I know people are still banging on about Ilunga, but if we had any players who can put their ****ing laces through a football when 5 yards out from goal we would have won this game comfortably

[ironsjh]

Cardiff are just scraping pass Oxford in the Carling Cup....

[Cookedskunk]

Cardiff are just scraping pass Oxford in the Carling Cup....

Didn't we do the same last year? I seem to remember listening to Wurzel Gummage doing the radio commentary...

[Het-Field]

It was a strange game. The WHUFC midfield was, on paper, the strongest midfield ever to take to a Championship pitch. Unfortunatly, the manner in which Big Sam chose to approach the game ensured a form of midfield constipation prevailed. Although Matthew Taylor sought to progress matters, the rest of the midfield seemed content to play horizontally, and with little urgency. This "constipation" was evident at half time. Unfortunatly, BFS chose to change the players, but not the system.

Yes, chances we made. However, most were flashes in the pan, and not clearcut. Freddy Piquionne's limitations are amplified when he is in reciept of little service from the midfield, and changing him with Carlton Cole was unlikely to help matter.

The backline seemed competent. Illunga was at fault for the goal.

Ratings
R.Green 6 What little he had to do, he did quite well. Could have done better for the goal.
J.O'Brien 7 A confident debut. Stuck to his task in defence, and appeared willing to attack
H.Illunga 5 One moment of horror defined this game. The re-signing of Linda should see Illunga relegated.
W.Reid 6 One of his better performances. Performed competently against decent strikers
J.Tomkins 7 Marshalled well. He seems very much at ease with the thought of the Championship
F.Sears 5 Seemed out of sorts. He never really got going.
S.Parker 6 The engine just didnt appear to be running smoothly.
M.Noble 6 Fashioned one chance for himself. Passing was somewhat wayward.
K.Nolan 5 Inconspicuious debut. Fluffed a very good chance, and didnt seem anxious to involve himself.
M.Taylor 7 A fine debut in which he demonstrated a willingness to run, and an ability to carve out chances
F.Piquionne 5 Two decent chances blown. Often he was nowhere to be found.

C.Cole 4 No impact
P.Barrera 5 Found himself in some good positions
J.Collison 5 He entered a failing system and could do little to rectify the situation.

[JerseyHammer]

Quite frankly, I´d be more concerned if we´d won 4-0. Then you know something really is wrong