Charlton Ath 2 West Ham Utd 0 (31/12/05)

[when saturday comes]

just got back aswell (thanks kthammer :niceone: )

this game should have been over and done with within the first half.charlton were terrible but done what we couldn't and took their chances.

IF this were the same side we started the season with i would be really worried but with dailly and collins in and teddy,z-man ,gabbers and repka out ,reo still to get back into it and marlon just being marlon ,this is probably what i expected at the start of the season anyway.

these players will all be back soon and the transfer window opens in about 8 hours,so once our annual hiding has taken place on the 2nd its onwards and UPWARDS.if this slight slump is all we have to worry about , i'll take it. looking back at last season and how things were panning out at one point ,i'd still take 17th , but with players coming back and new ones to come in,we're a top 10 team in our first season back despite the last few games.

c'mon u iiirrroooooooonsssssssssss

[abel]

Duno why it says dissipointing performance on the front page, we compleatly outplayed them first half, should have been 2 or 3 up, thought, Konch, NRC and Alliadiere had particully good first halves, we were just lacking in the final thrid in both areas of the pitch.

Second half was a much more average display, thought we should have kicked on but failed to do so. Allidiere should have been kept on IMO, looked good.

Some people are so fickle one min this bloke near me is loving the fact that Daily has come off, we conceed and second "oooooooooo fuckin Pardews done it again what a mug, Newton cant play RB ect ect"

Harewood had one of his fustrating games, if only he had a better footballing brain, he could develop into an excellent player.

All in all, not too bad esp first half when we were well on top

[Post Horn Gallop]

Now back myself...how we didn't win let alone lost is beyond me.
First half was the best half i've seen us produce this season. They scored with one of their THREE attacks the whole half, that said we had one player to mark in the middle with three defenders and we couldn't even manage that.
Second half wasn't so good though again we were the better side.
Today was just one of those days. Nothing went for us. Charlton got every bit of luck they could have done. Bastards.
Ratings:
Carrol- 8 A few excellent saves
Konchesky-6 Good in an attacking sense but time and again beaten by Rommedahl
Ferdinand-6 Pretty solid but he's had better games
Collins-7 Won lots of headers but needs to watch the runners a bit more carefully
Dailly-5 Alright defensively but can't cross to save his life
Etherington-7 Dangerous throughout but needs to get back more to defend
Mullins-5 Good first half, abysmal second.
Reo-Coker-9 Was awesome. Our MOTM for sure
Newton-6 Not bad but should have kept his shot low and we probably would have won
Harewood-7 Worked very hard but the ball wouldn't run for him
Aliadiere-7 Skillful, and a good decision of Pardew's to start him. Bad decision though to take him off

SUBS
Bellion-4 Utterly pointless
Benayoun-7 Looked excellent but missed a sitter

I THOUGHT REO COCKER RAN ABOUT LIKE A HEADLESS CHICKEN 110 per cent for effort BUT VERY LITTLE END PRODUCT
REGRETTABLY ANTONS FRAILITYS ARE BEING SHOWN UP NOW GABBIDON ISNT COVERING HIS BACK> THE SOONER WARD GETS BACK THE BETTER.

[Ironball]

Just back; thoughts:

1. Etherington and when he came on Benayoun played well
2. Konchesky needs to close his man down more; and Collins doesn't look as confident as hopefully he will become
3. Our passing game really has withered on the vine. Etherington shouldn't have to beat a man in his own half in order to make progress - there should be a central midfielder coming in or a striker running down a channel. It is the same in the opposition half; the ball is played up to a man, and there is a cut inside begging for Harewood to make a run but he's just completely static. I thought he was ok today as he was good at receiving the ball and turning/holding his man off, but there would be no need for this if he wasn't such a bloody statue. AP - get them moving and supporting the man on the ball ! They all just stand and f*cking stare when someone takes possession as if he's gonna carve the situation out himself. They should be carving a situation out for the man in possession!
4. Mullins. Hmmm. Lost the ball, failed to impose himself, nothing going forward - he is a bit like an appendix - basically useless and potentially dangerous.
5. A lot of people cheered when Dailly's number came up. But I think his job would have been made easier if Harewood had given him an easier distribution option.

In the second half today we looked like we did last season. Hopefully the points on the board already, the men coming back and a signing or two will pick us back up and keep us clear with a bit of a cushion.

[Post Horn Gallop]

all the defence needs is a right back, ARE YOU SURE MATE? FERDINAND WAS CRAP TODAY HES BEEN FOUND WANTING NOW THAT GABBIDONS NOT COVERING HIM.which im sure has been lined up. I reckon it might not be the big name people expect, just a good, solid player (that Stoke lad seems to fit the bill)

we'll lump a load on a proven striker and that will then see us pick up enough points in the next couple of months to play with freedom in the last dozen games and play out the season in style

[Post Horn Gallop]

I am as dissappointed with our current form as anyone, however, as someone else mentioned, this may be our slump. With one or two more players joining us and a few injuries clearing up I am sure we wil have another good spell at some point before the end of the season to cement a decent 9th or 10th place.

Don't get on their backs yet and look as fickle as other fans, ive had a feeling all season we'll do Chelsea at home

CAN I HAVE SOME OF WHAT YOUR ON?

[shoreyda2nd]

all year ive had that feeling, but not now with all our injuries.

[Alf Garnett's (Ex) Missus]

Just back...another disappointing day out.

Defensively we are woeful - Carroll obviously never speaks to his defence, Collins is too slow and never picks up his man, Anton is being found out I feel and was obviously carried by Gabbidon(Liverpool £8m and I'll bite your hand off).

Newton is not a RB, Mullins was dreadful and NRC has not got the forward creativity we hoped for.

Lumping long balls up to Marlene and Ali is not good football!

Etherington was runing scared today and never once took his defender on the outside, didn't cover back when Konchesky went forward hence the fact they were so effective on their right.

I shudder to think what Chelski will do come Monday.

[Eastbourne Hammer]

Said at the start of the season I'd be happy with 17th & I'll stick with that. I bet if you asked Wigan fans they'd say the same thing.

[If only....]

I see the invincible Wigan defence and their unstoppable attack performed well today.

Worn out after making us look like pratts?

[jay66uk]

Just back...another disappointing day out.

Defensively we are woeful - Carroll obviously never speaks to his defence, Collins is too slow and never picks up his man, Anton is being found out I feel and was obviously carried by Gabbidon(Liverpool £8m and I'll bite your hand off).

Newton is not a RB, Mullins was dreadful and NRC has not got the forward creativity we hoped for.

Lumping long balls up to Marlene and Ali is not good football!

Etherington was runing scared today and never once took his defender on the outside, didn't cover back when Konchesky went forward hence the fact they were so effective on their right.

I shudder to think what Chelski will do come Monday.

Thanks for the report, AGxM. Given strong speculation that Tomas was going last season, I am amazed we are so light at Right Back. Hoof ball failed for us last season when we tried it against CHampionship sides...why do we expect it to work against Premiership sides?

According to some fairly reliable prediction software we look to finish 15th on 35 points with Boro, Pompei and the Mackems going down. I can face losing by 20 goals to Chelski on Monday if that's true.

[Chippenhammer]

For ****'s sake we will not go down. Have a little faith, and I have seen it all in my 35 years as a fan. We wre having a dodgy spell but we will get it sorted. It shows how much we rely on Gabbs though.

[Ironball]

I would LOVE to see boro go down, but I don't think it's gonna happen

[Amsterhammer]

Given strong speculation that Tomas was going last season, I am amazed we are so light at Right Back. Hoof ball failed for us last season when we tried it against CHampionship sides...why do we expect it to work against Premiership sides?

And even stranger that we loan out our only other 'specialist' right back, Trent McLenahanamanahan.

Agree with your view too AGeM.

[one fine morning....]

another good pards interview on bbc website

he confirms that another offensive player is coming in and that he expects katan to make an impact

no mention about defensive reinforcements though but i bet there's at least two

[EggyG]

another good pards interview on bbc website

he confirms that another offensive player is coming in and that he expects katan to make an impact

no mention about defensive reinforcements though but i bet there's at least two

Yes some that can keep hold of the ball, like a Parker or a Carrick, but obvoiusly cheaper than those two. We missed that badly today

[Gabers]

[quote="Alf Garnett's (Ex) Missus"]Just back...another disappointing day out.

Defensively we are woeful - Carroll obviously never speaks to his defence, Collins is too slow and never picks up his man, Anton is being found out I feel and was obviously carried by Gabbidon(Liverpool £8m and I'll bite your hand off).

Newton is not a RB, Mullins was dreadful and NRC has not got the forward creativity we hoped for.

Lumping long balls up to Marlene and Ali is not good football!

Etherington was runing scared today and never once took his defender on the outside, didn't cover back when Konchesky went forward hence the fact they were so effective on their right.

I shudder to think what Chelski will do come Monday.[/quote/]

I have to disagree with you here. I watched the game as well today and from my point of view Dailly was the wink link in defence especially for the first goal. I didnt see either centre half exposed for pace throughout the whole game and the only problem being Dailly at right back stretching our 2 centre halfs. Carroll made some fantastic saves and had we taken our chances (at least one) it would have been a totally different game.

Our midfield didnt look solid but Matty had our only real threat throughout and I thought he had a decent game. I didnt expect to win today just had a feeling but I fully expect a good game against Chelsea and we will be laughing you see

[Dwight1970]

Look at Sunderland and if being realistic I am sure many of us would have exepected to see us down there with them. What we have acheived to date has exceeded all my expectations.

Unfortunately our squad sruggles when certain players are injured and sadly we have picked the worst week of the season to get knocks as there is very little recovery time.

Today we performed well 1st half but lacked that little bit of quality that say Sherringham and Yossi have given us this season hopefully with their return we will get back on track.

To be fair up front is not the area that concerns me but defensively is where we are weak. Gabbidon has been a massive signing for us and without him Anton and Collins inexperience and errors are being exploited. The player that has disappointed me is Carroll, I really cannot see what he offers us that Bywater does not, I had hope with his experience he would command his defence but on the evidence to date I am not seeing it.

In the middle of the park we need more strength, we are way too lightweight and often outmuscled and seem unable to stop runners on and off the ball.

Hopefully January will see us pick up a win and then we will get back on track, the saddest part of today is that Charlton were there for taking.

[maltab]

Yes we are having a tough time with injuries etc,but let,s keep positive.We are fortunate enough to have some cash to spend,so in the next few weeks,i expect us to make about 4 signings,which will give the side a much needed boost.there are a lot of sides far worse off than us.I expect Newcastle to drop down a bit after losing Owen.Sunderland are down.Boro have stated they have to sell before they can buy.Pompey will continue to struggle,plus a few others i can think of.

Anyone else out there think the reason Pards hasn,t recalled Elliot from Plymouth,due to he may have first option or something with their player Akos Buszaky - currently being eyed by a number of clubs.

[Ted Fenton knew my father]

Agreed another poor performance but make some allowance for the injuries. We will NOT go down because bar the biggest turn up ever Sunderland are down, that leaves 2 others . Simple calcluation, work out how much better the teams below us have to perform to make up the points difference with us.

All of them will play each other and pinch points so unless it's a 5 or 6 game spell without a point there is no danger of it happening this year.

Believe me as I seen enough relegations in 40+ years supporting West Ham, no going down this season.