West Ham Utd 0-0 Stoke City (12/12/15)

[Rio]

Good game.

Thought our lack of width was our undoing. Everything we did was attempted largely through a congested midfield.

Agree with Gibbons about Tomkins. While he offers solidity he is not, repeat not a right back. Away from home against bigger sides, when we have the likes of Moses & Lanzini it works. Yesterday it didn't.

It goes to show how far we've come, when we half half the forum and West Ham support on social media positively wetting themselves over our injury situation, that with all those players out, we were still more than a match, for what is a very good Stoke side. Last year we would have been crippled by the absentees, this year, it's an inconvenience but we can more than cope.

Zarate continues to be his enigmatic self. One minute delighting, the next making me want to slap him round the face and remind him he does have teammates. Songs easing back into match fitness, which bodes well for the Christmas period.

At the back, I really do like Ogbonna. And considering another change of partner with him he acquired himself well. Adrian continues to grow is in my estimations.

Up front I can't see how you can fault Carroll. He did very well. Stoke are well drilled defensively but he didn't give Shawcross (who until he ever signs for us, remains an asshole of the biggest order) a minutes peace. Starved of service from the flanks, he dropped deep, linked up play well, laid the ball off with aplomb and worked his nuts off. The goals will come, mark my words.

Finally Antonio. While not sharing the sponsors view regarding man of the match, I thought he too did well. Worked hard, full of willing and made defenders uneasy. For those questioning where he's been, do you really need to see a team on a great run, disrupted by playing someone for the sake of it? He's come in, trained, learnt the system, and will probably be a better player for having to bide his time.

Onwards and upwards

[the pink palermo]

Can't argue with any of that Rio although I would add Noble was again excellent .

[Kermit]

A decent point and a decent game against a side who took Manchester City to pieces last week.

Reid, Payet, Lanzini, Sakho and probably Moses would have been certain starters had they been fit. Take players of that calibre out of any PL side and they would struggle. To use Man City again as a yardstick are they the same team when, collectively, Kompany, Silva and Aguerro are missing?

More positives than negatives imo. We could have lost the point had Adrian not been at his best when faced with a couple of one on ones but we could have won it through Zarate's effort and snatched it right at the death when Butland had his mad moment.

Onwards and upwards.

[Puff Daddy]

Can't argue with any of that Rio although I would add Noble was again excellent .

Should have scored when put through in the first half, but one poor touch with his left foot took him away from goal and that was enough to allow Shawcross to come and block his effort.

[sutts07]

Overall, pretty happy with that yesterday, even more so when you consider our depleted squad. We didn't stop giving it a go right up until the final kick and were unlucky not to grab the win. Saying that, they also had chances and would have been forgiven for feeling hard done by had we taken all three.

Like the fact Bilic threw Ginge in, also love the fact he throws attack minded players on to try and change a game.

Adrian - did very well when called upon and was an outside candidate for MOM in my eyes. The back four all looked very solid defensively too, caught out once or twice but in general they were sound.

Kouyate didn't seem at it to me. Need him to really step up and boss games like that. Song and Noble both showed a lot of quality and seem to work very well together, Noble should have either rolled Carroll in or got a shot away though after going through.

Zarate was superb. Bags of effort and really the only one who looked as though he was going to create a goal for us. Antonio worked just as hard (if not harder) but still had 'rabbit in the headlights' kind of feel about him. Certainly no worse than Moses has been in the past few games and certainly one to watch as the confidence comes.

Carroll couldn't have done a lot more really. Worked very hard and kept his cool despite all the forearms and elbows flying around. Valencia looked lively again after coming on. Still think and hope we will see the best of him.

Would really like to see the FA get hold of Stoke though. The stamp from Adam was terrible and until they start all getting pulled up for things like that as well as constantly swinging their arms around, they will continue to run the risk of smashing someones cheekbone.

Expected to see a lot more from them going forward. Pleased that the loss of just one player hasn't had such a drastic effect on us, we still took the game to them.

[FlorinHammer]

Would really like to see the FA get hold of Stoke though. The stamp from Adam was terrible and until they start all getting pulled up for things like that as well as constantly swinging their arms around, they will continue to run the risk of smashing someones cheekbone.

I'd also like to have seen the elbow from Shawcross on Carroll in the first half, or Van Ginkel(I believe) going in studs up and catching Adrian in the stomach, to have been at the very least shown on Match Of The Day.
But no. Never mind MOTD. Let Stoke get away with that and then don't even show it the programme and use the old "And that's all we've got time for. That's all folks".

[WorcesterWHU]

I think the only challenge that needed another look was Adam's, which looked intentional to me.

Van Ginkel and Adrian both bottled their coming together, nothing in it.

[sutts07]

I think the only challenge that needed another look was Adam's, which looked intentional to me

Make you right, but there were just a lot of arms being swung in general. They have some big clumsy lumps and unless they are told to control their arms they will get end up smashing someones face in.

Don't get me wrong, I like to see a physical game but throwing arms is a different matter altogether.

[ireland hammer]

In stanstead with my mates and the wags after our yearly wags weekend av to do that so as we get over for our day trips...keep them happy..... not a bad 0-0 to be fair merry xmas to all our .mates and see you in january COYI

[Stepney]

All in all pretty pleased with the point. They probably had the better chances so we did well to get away with a point. The effort was there from our lot but a distinct lack of movement (especially first half) was a bit frustrating. Hats off to Carroll and Antonio who chased down a lot.

Another point towards safety

[jaybs]

It was a point which we can't complain about, quite a few players did well, but the lack of goals from our strikers has to be a worry, still not sure what Jelavic really offer when he comes on?

[Romford]

Thought the game changed when Song came off....

Bojan made the most off the space and i thought Stokes passing was much crispy than ours all afternoon.

Need to work on the ball this week at Rush Green...the pace and putting it in people's stride is SO important.

Very happy with the point.

[libero]

I thought it was an entertaining match and that the point was fair.
Given our injury crisis our performance was quite impressive:
Adrian, Song, Zarate, AC and many others put in very good performances

And yet another clean sheet with Tomkins playing at RB

Reasons to be cheerful

[Lee_WHU]

And yet another clean sheet with Tomkins playing at RB and Ogbonna at CB

Reasons to be cheerful

Fixed mate

[Billydinho]

Adrian wasn't necessarily at his best, Diouf kicked it straight at him both times. I'd have been disappointed if either went in.

We need to remember keepers are there to make saves, particularly routine and straightforward ones like those, so we shouldn't get carried away.

His save from Fellaini last week however...that's a different story.

[Kermit]

It was a point which we can't complain about, quite a few players did well, but the lack of goals from our strikers has to be a worry, still not sure what Jelavic really offer when he comes on?

Jelavic certainly has limitations and wouldn't even be in the squad (imo) if it wasn't for our growing sick list. But, again only imo, he is more likely to score than Carroll, his career record is far superior, and also offers slightly more mobility and pace, although I agree that's not saying much.

If Bilic is going to continue to use a target man I would prefer to see Jelavic start with the option of throwing Carroll on for 20 minutes or so of hump and lump if plan A hasn't worked.

[bobbymooresbracelet]

Was that a penalty yesterday on Noble or did he nod off and fall over ?

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

Was that a penalty yesterday on Noble or did he nod off and fall over ?

Like PP said above, he took a heavy touch with his left foot which pushed him away from the goal and gave Shawcross time to get in a good tackle.

Having said that, Noble did have the air of "I want to be anywhere else but here" as he was bearing down on goal. He didn't look at all confident.

[Aceface]

I'd also like to have seen the elbow from Shawcross on Carroll in the first half, or Van Ginkel(I believe) going in studs up and catching Adrian in the stomach, to have been at the very least shown on Match Of The Day.
But no. Never mind MOTD. Let Stoke get away with that and then don't even show it the programme and use the old "And that's all we've got time for. That's all folks".

There was nothing in either of those incidents.

Adam's foot being left in was the only action that looked like a throwback to the Stoke of yore.

[Billydinho]

No Stoke are still the same team as before.

They may knock it about better now but there's still time wasting, diving, sly digs, nasty tackles and stray elbows all over the place.

I'm surprised Geoff Cameron managed to walk off the pitch how many times he was supposedly kicked in the leg. Then there was Shawcross throwing himself to the ground after manhandling Andy Carroll.

Oh and Bojan throwing himself to the ground as soon as Andy Carroll got near him by the corner flag.

Its sh*t refs like yesterday who are encouraging more diving and cheating in the game. They let these scumbags get away with it right in front of their face.

And just to level up my hatred of cheating I would also have booked Mark Noble for his embarrassing dive in the box. He needs to cut that sh*t out.