Carling Cup
West Ham United 3-1 Stoke City 

Wednesday, 27th October 2010
by Gordon Thrower

I'm beginning to think that this team has a touch of the bi-polars about it you know.



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Player Ratings

Marek Stech
One good save. Looked a bit uncertain against Delap's aerial bombardment and his kicking needs a bit of work. Decent match though.


Julien Faubert
Going forward we got the usual four poor crosses for every dangerous one but he did ok.


Tal Ben Haim
A couple of potentially costly errors in normal time. Took one for the team in getting a yellow card for a block that broke up a dangerous looking break.


James Tomkins
Like Da Costa, he got steadily better as the game progressed. Unlucky not to score.


Manuel Da Costa
Recovered from a shaky start which led to the goal. Took his goal well and relished the different challenge that the introduction of Delap brought in.


Scott Parker
Another fine game. Superb goal. At one point he appeared to be playing the opposition single handed.


Radoslav Kovac
His withdrawal was the catalyst for our recovery.


Luis Boa Morte
Not the greatest of matches but nobody could fault his effort on the night ?EUR" unlike some others.


Pablo Barrera
A microcosm of the team as a whole ?EUR" sometimes breathtaking and dangerous, sometimes anonymous. Fine cross for the equaliser.


Carlton Cole
Like Boa Morte he didn't have the greatest of matches but he never gave up, despite the often illegal attention of the Stoke defence ?EUR" one unpunished stranglehold in particular sticks in the mind begging the question what did he have to do to actually get a free-kick.


Benni McCarthy
His air shot was the 'highlight' of a rather dismal performance.



Substitutes

Valon Behrami
(Replaced Barrera, 69 mins) Not afraid to run at players ?EUR" something that had been lacking in the period prior to his introduction.


Mark Noble
(Replaced Barrera, 69 mins) Outstanding ?EUR" I'd give him MOTM for that run alone. He ended up being the difference between the two sides.


Victor Obinna
(Replaced Barrera, 69 mins) Well taken goal. Made a hellofa difference and also picks up a 5.9 for artistic impression for the gymnastics.


Marek Stech
Did not play.


Tal Ben-Haim
Did not play.


Luis Boa Morte
Did not play.


Julien Faubert
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Marek Stech, Julien Faubert, Tal Ben Haim, James Tomkins, Manuel Da Costa, Scott Parker, Radoslav Kovac, Luis Boa Morte, Pablo Barrera, Carlton Cole, Benni McCarthy.

Goals: Scott Parker 84 Manuel Da Costa 96 Victor Obinna 118              .

Booked: Tal Ben Haim 88          .

Sent off: None.

Stoke City: Begovic, Higginbotham, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Huth, Pennant, Whitehead, Whelan, Tuncay, Walters, Jones.

Subs not used: Nash, Soares, Tonge, Faye.

Goals: Jones (6).

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Referee: Howard Webb.

Attendance: 25,304.

Man of the Match: Mark Noble.