West Ham Utd 1 Southampton 1 (14/02/12)

[Aceface]

One thing we've turned around completely since last season is how strong we are in the air in defence. Happy to be corrected but I don't think Reid or Faye missed a single header all night - outstanding given the calibre of the attack and the numerical disadvantage. Both are less assured when the ball is on the deck, but at the moment I no longer have to cover my eyes when the ball is crossed into the box, which is pretty rascal.

[steptoe61]

Forgot to add,a decent sized crowd over there last night.

[Tarbs]

Other results were kind to us last night too.

[BrownFatwa]

A proper good game of football last night. had everything including compulsory diving and tiffs to get the crowd roused.
Thoroughly enjoyed it - for a change.
Well done everyone. (obviously excluding Taylor the ****ing twat).

[Romford]

Am i the only one who thought Southampton were cack ??

They played better in the second half, using the pitch, but I was still very surprised when they scored.

I have just read Saints Web and i cannot belive that they think they played well.

They had 2 extra men plus the linos...and we were still the better team.

[hammerdivone]

what is with this whole that striker cannot defend cobblers? (re Vaz Te)

He's an attacker? He ran himself into the ground for us last night

And no-one has criticised his effort, just his ability to defend when he has to play left midfield for 70 minutes. If he can't play that role (which clearly by the amount of time he spent on his arse trying to tackle) then he should have been one replaced.

That said, as I said before, he did continue to offer us a threat going forward.

[RyanWHUFC]

Other results were kind to us last night too.

Birmingham v Hull did, other than that, Cardiff won 3-1, Reading won 1-0, Blackpool won 3-1, wasn't great for us but we are still top and a game in hand so it could be much worse.

[GeorgeParris'Pet]

Perhaps rather than insist on one formation a manager should be able to adapt the formation he plays depending on the players at his disposal.

Or is a number of square pegs in round holes a good idea?

[RichieRiv]

Am i the only one who thought Southampton were cack ??

They played better in the second half, using the pitch, but I was still very surprised when they scored.

I have just read Saints Web and i cannot belive that they think they played well.

They had 2 extra men plus the linos...and we were still the better team.

We were saying the same thing last night. If they continue to play like that, I predict them sinking like a stone.

[the pink palermo]

Am i the only one who thought Southampton were cack ??

I thought their No. 20 took up superb positions between the lines dozens of times last night - which of course with us a man short he should have .Where they failed was in the final third , but I would credit our defenders and keeper last night .

I thought we were well organised - another respectable performance by Tomkins, Noble.........when we had 11 men on the pitch I thought we were all over them .

Saints ,I thought, were poor sportsmen last night .

[TheAlmightyAmmer]

Am i the only one who thought Southampton were cack ??

I agree. If it had been 11 v 11 we would have won comfortably

[Hockley Hammer]

Am i the only one who thought Southampton were cack ??

They were not as dangerous as I thought they would be, they moved the ball around nicely and got into good positions, but their delivery wasn't always good.

I thought we defended well and with Tomkins there we had three good headers of the ball when defending which I bet they don't play against every week.

We looked very comfortable with 11 v 11, and it's a shame we lost the opportunity to be adventurous due to losing Taylor.

Credit where it's due to those who stayed on the pitch and worked tirelessly. I didn't think we were going to lose but their goal shows how quickly a match can turn. I expected them to score with a piece of brilliance or a sharp finish to a good move not a scramble when the ball fell for them for once.

[hawkins_hammer]

Am i the only one who thought Southampton were cack ??

Me and you Romford are Allardyce's biggest critics...but I thought yesterday we outplayed them with eleven and neutralised them brilliantly with ten.

They had potshots all second half and scored from a set-piece when Faye was mugging about. I'm starting to change my tune on Allardyce and I expect us, with the new signings, to play more football.

Not having Nolan in the team seems to have helped massively as well.

[Up the Junction]

If they continue to play like that, I predict them sinking like a stone.

Three wins in ten games, Richie ... looks like their decline may already be under way.

Shame, eh...

[Irrons]

A few things I think worth mentioning that weren't in the match report:

Green - Some great saves bar the Lambert shot which he made amends for, but some very erratic goal kicks one of which could have been costly (similar to the one at the Millwall game)

Noble - MOTM definitely, but his set pieces and free kicks were very wasteful as we were down to ten men - mostly poor floated crosses when they should be whipped in with pace (like Southamptons were)

Faubert - great effort defensively and closing down which led to chances, but back to his usual poor crosses, some very poor passing and wasteful in several good positions. Millwall is still his best performance so far for me and hopefully he can be more consistent going forward

[marcushammer]

I was half expecting the Ref to do this last night when Southampton scored

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Uds5_oywM&feature=related

[RichieRiv]

Shame, eh...

Can't say I am going to lose any sleep over it gaffer.

Frankly I was disappointed by their whole attitude. I expect it from some teams (rightly or wrongly), but Soton? I was slightly under the influence last night, but I did make the comment that if I were a Soton fan I would be embarresed by both their performance and cynical manner.

[psychoscoredthelot]

i was at cirque de soleil last night - pissed off a few people by constantly checking t'internet for scores

**** em - sth london mugs

[RichieRiv]

..I have checked out the picture in The Times and it proves nothing. Those that think it does, I hope you never go on jury service...the defendant would be ****ed.

[Coker]

Thought ref was cack last night, Taylor should no better but the worse thing all night was the gay when the saints go marching on , was it coz it was valentines day or do they always sing that ****, felt sorry for maynard not being able to show what he can do