Balham Blade
S24SU Seer
Met up with BladeInThatcham moDtheGod and Ollessendro for a quick pint in Aldgate before heading deeper into East London on the district line, via one comedy moment when, after the tube doors shut, BladeInThatcham thought it would be a good idea to poke fun at those who'd just missed the train...only for the doors to reopen, letting the targets of his distinctive brand of humour get on.
I have to start by saying what a fucking shambles West Ham made of the ticketing. No segregated away collections meant that we had to queue for 30 minutes with the home fans at their ticket cabin, listening to the game kick off and watching coaches full of Unitedites arriving late. Honestly, Maidstone United would have been embarrassed by that lack of organisation.
We got into the ground 25 minutes into the game so missed the first chance, which the big screen replay at halftime would suggest was a long range effort spilled then regathered by Howard. Initial impressions were that West Ham were by far the better side with United's attacking forays limited to winning the occasional corner.
Howard saved well from Valencia after he was put clean through by a slide-rule pass before a Collins foul 25 yards out gave Morrison the chance to have a strike on goal, which he took. His effort was on target but lacked the necessary power to beat Howard, who made a decent save down to his left. From the resulting corner a West Ham player got a yard on his marker, volleying in an effort that Howard had to push round the same post. Morrison took that corner short, received the return ball before diving in an attempt to win a penalty - he was rightly booked and gave the Unitedites a decent reason to sing "same old West Ham, always cheating".
The hosts didn't have to wait long to open the scoring and it was a terrible goal to concede. We're making a habit of conceding soft goals this season and this one was no different: a nothing ball lofted from the half way line found Sakho free of his marker (positionally, I think it should have been Collins) inside the penalty area and with Howard making the wrong call to come off his line, the striker's header looped in.
That was pretty much the last action of the first half but the second half started with United looking much brighter. McNulty was crowded out as, like at Peterborough, he refused a chance to shoot first time with his left foot but United didn't have to wait long to draw level. McNulty chased a lost cause down the West Ham right and won a throw in which was worked back for a cross that Reid somehow contrived to knee past a wrong-footed Jääskeläinen, with the ball trickling over the line in front of the delirious Blades.
United were now in the ascendency, with Davies and Alcock particularly prominent down the right. A series of Davies crosses caused issues for the Hammers defence without really threatening, the best effort being a Basham header way over the top. That was the cue for Allardyce to bring on bigger names, starting with £10m winger Stuart Downing, whose direct running started to cause problems for Harris. There were a lot of efforts from West Ham over the next 10 minutes but none were particularly clear cut, with United able to either crowd out the attackers or get blocks in.
Harris was replaced by McEverley after appearing to land awkwardly and Alcock put a header over the bar from a corner before Downing's deflected shot drew a world-class save from Howard, the United keeper clawing the ball out of the top corner. Zarate came on for the awful Vaz Té and Campbell-Ryce replaced Flynn for United but the pattern remained the same - West Ham in possession, United defending resolutely. The added pace of Campbell-Ryce meant that United had an outlet but the balls to him were often poor, with McNulty particularly culpable.
Doyle picked up a yellow card for bringing down a West Ham man on the break but that was the final action of the 90 minutes, with the game heading to extra time. Nothing much really happened in the additional 30 minutes with Campbell-Ryce seeing a series of shots blocked and Alcock seeing a shot blocked close in, the highlight was probably seeing Wallace make his debut, marking the occasion with some crisp passing and some wild tackling, one of which gave Valencia a chance from a free kick but his fierce effort was straight down Howard's throat.
And so to penalties. We were cheered by the choice to take the penalties in front of the United fans, with West Ham kicking first.
Noble 1-0: decent penalty low to Howard's left, atoning for his dreadful miss against Spurs
Davies 1-1: excellent penalty into the top right corner
Downing 2-1: decent shot low to Howard's right but the keeper might feel he could have stopped it, given that he got a hand to it
Collins 2-2: followed Davies in putting his penalty in the top corner
Zarate 3-2: cracking penalty. Powerful shot into the roof of the net, absolutely no chance for Howard
McNulty 3-3: Jääskeläinen got fingers to the shot but couldn't stop it down to his left
Poyet 4-3: sent Howard the wrong way and rolled it in
McEverley 4-4: into the side netting inside the left post, no chance for Jääskeläinen
Valencia 4-4: poor, poor penalty, straight down the middle and as easy a stop as Howard could have hoped for
Doyle 4-5: converted with ease into the bottom left, sparking wild celebrations from the Unitedites.
Overall thoughts
West Ham's players were better than ours. Bigger, stronger, quicker, better first touch...but they didn't play as a team and didn't have a clue how to break us down. Other than Valencia's miss in the first half I'm struggling to think of a clear cut opportunity that they created.
Once again, though, we conceded a soft, soft goal. It was a nothing ball that Collins (I think) should have dealt with but Sakho got a yard and was able to flick over a stranded Howard. After defending relatively well that could have been a hammer blow.
We equalised fortuitously but then held out and rightly asked West Ham to break us down. Even throwing on their better players didn't help with Downing and Zarate looking lively but only forcing one decent save out of Howard.
We desperately need a mobile centre forward. I like McNulty's attitude but I feel he's like a League One Billy Sharp - no outstanding attribute at this level to play in this team. Maybe if we start putting the ball at his feet 10 yards out he'll start scoring but we're not getting to the byline to get those cut-backs working.
Defensively I thought Doyle and Basham had good games, getting in West Ham's faces and denying them space. West Ham lacked experience in the centre of the park and we were able to exploit that - the fact that Morrison starting picking the ball up next to his centre halves tells you what a good job Doyle and Basham were doing. Alcock was outstanding, linking up well with Davies and keeping a very good opponent in Diamé quiet.
Ratings:
Howard 8.5: this might seem harsh but there were two spilled shots which, on another night, could have cost us. The saves from Valencia in the first half and Downing in the second half were outstanding, however; and the penalty save was the icing on the MOTM cake.
Alcock 8: solid defensively and still had the energy to make 70 yard dashes in the second half of extra time. BladeInThatcham made the point that we've been lucky with our right backs in recent years...then we remembered McMahon.
McGahey 8: grew into the game. Solid as West Ham didn't exploit his weakness, judging high balls. I'm firmly on the side that believes that he's going to be a very good centre half.
Collins 7: see McGahey with a lost mark for losing Sakho.
Harris 7: did well; didn't get forward as much as Alcock but this wasn't a game for both full backs to be bombing on
Davies 7: not the quickest so not keen to take on the inexperienced Potts at full back but used the ball well
Basham 7: weird one. He's been tasked with being the more advanced central midfielder but I'm not sure he's got the technique to do that role. Defensively and positionally excellent, however.
Doyle 7.5: this is the sort of game that Doyle thrives in. Letting West Ham have the ball and staying solid meant that his weakness (mobility) was negated and his strength (getting stuck in) could be utilised. Not a player for an open game.
Flynn 6: didn't really get into the game at all; outmuscled by Demel pretty much whenever he got the ball
Baxter 6: not really sure where Baxter was supposed to be playing but he ended up trying to be a deep lying playmaker, with the lack of movement in front of him meaning that wasn't really an option. He also needs to get on the ball more as if he goes without it for a couple of minutes, he normally loses it when he does get it.
McNulty 5: see above. I want it to work out for McNulty but he's not got the strength, pace or movement to cause issues at this level on the evidence so far.
Subs:
McEverley (for Harris) 7: up against Downing who's better than his reputation would have you believe. Will prove to be a very good signing for us despite the initial doubts.
Campbell-Ryce (for Flynn) 7: full of running and caused more problems in 40 minutes than Flynn did in 80
Wallace (for Baxter) n/a: on for 20 minutes in extra time
Clough 8: got the tactics spot on. We looked like a team, they didn't
West Ham 5: looked like a collection of individuals without a clue how to break us down. I'd be surprised if Allardyce sees out the season.
Fans 8: fewer fans at West Ham than at Peterborough the week before tells you where our priorities are; that said, the 900 seemed to outsing the 28,000 home fans.
I have to start by saying what a fucking shambles West Ham made of the ticketing. No segregated away collections meant that we had to queue for 30 minutes with the home fans at their ticket cabin, listening to the game kick off and watching coaches full of Unitedites arriving late. Honestly, Maidstone United would have been embarrassed by that lack of organisation.
We got into the ground 25 minutes into the game so missed the first chance, which the big screen replay at halftime would suggest was a long range effort spilled then regathered by Howard. Initial impressions were that West Ham were by far the better side with United's attacking forays limited to winning the occasional corner.
Howard saved well from Valencia after he was put clean through by a slide-rule pass before a Collins foul 25 yards out gave Morrison the chance to have a strike on goal, which he took. His effort was on target but lacked the necessary power to beat Howard, who made a decent save down to his left. From the resulting corner a West Ham player got a yard on his marker, volleying in an effort that Howard had to push round the same post. Morrison took that corner short, received the return ball before diving in an attempt to win a penalty - he was rightly booked and gave the Unitedites a decent reason to sing "same old West Ham, always cheating".
The hosts didn't have to wait long to open the scoring and it was a terrible goal to concede. We're making a habit of conceding soft goals this season and this one was no different: a nothing ball lofted from the half way line found Sakho free of his marker (positionally, I think it should have been Collins) inside the penalty area and with Howard making the wrong call to come off his line, the striker's header looped in.
That was pretty much the last action of the first half but the second half started with United looking much brighter. McNulty was crowded out as, like at Peterborough, he refused a chance to shoot first time with his left foot but United didn't have to wait long to draw level. McNulty chased a lost cause down the West Ham right and won a throw in which was worked back for a cross that Reid somehow contrived to knee past a wrong-footed Jääskeläinen, with the ball trickling over the line in front of the delirious Blades.
United were now in the ascendency, with Davies and Alcock particularly prominent down the right. A series of Davies crosses caused issues for the Hammers defence without really threatening, the best effort being a Basham header way over the top. That was the cue for Allardyce to bring on bigger names, starting with £10m winger Stuart Downing, whose direct running started to cause problems for Harris. There were a lot of efforts from West Ham over the next 10 minutes but none were particularly clear cut, with United able to either crowd out the attackers or get blocks in.
Harris was replaced by McEverley after appearing to land awkwardly and Alcock put a header over the bar from a corner before Downing's deflected shot drew a world-class save from Howard, the United keeper clawing the ball out of the top corner. Zarate came on for the awful Vaz Té and Campbell-Ryce replaced Flynn for United but the pattern remained the same - West Ham in possession, United defending resolutely. The added pace of Campbell-Ryce meant that United had an outlet but the balls to him were often poor, with McNulty particularly culpable.
Doyle picked up a yellow card for bringing down a West Ham man on the break but that was the final action of the 90 minutes, with the game heading to extra time. Nothing much really happened in the additional 30 minutes with Campbell-Ryce seeing a series of shots blocked and Alcock seeing a shot blocked close in, the highlight was probably seeing Wallace make his debut, marking the occasion with some crisp passing and some wild tackling, one of which gave Valencia a chance from a free kick but his fierce effort was straight down Howard's throat.
And so to penalties. We were cheered by the choice to take the penalties in front of the United fans, with West Ham kicking first.
Noble 1-0: decent penalty low to Howard's left, atoning for his dreadful miss against Spurs
Davies 1-1: excellent penalty into the top right corner
Downing 2-1: decent shot low to Howard's right but the keeper might feel he could have stopped it, given that he got a hand to it
Collins 2-2: followed Davies in putting his penalty in the top corner
Zarate 3-2: cracking penalty. Powerful shot into the roof of the net, absolutely no chance for Howard
McNulty 3-3: Jääskeläinen got fingers to the shot but couldn't stop it down to his left
Poyet 4-3: sent Howard the wrong way and rolled it in
McEverley 4-4: into the side netting inside the left post, no chance for Jääskeläinen
Valencia 4-4: poor, poor penalty, straight down the middle and as easy a stop as Howard could have hoped for
Doyle 4-5: converted with ease into the bottom left, sparking wild celebrations from the Unitedites.
Overall thoughts
West Ham's players were better than ours. Bigger, stronger, quicker, better first touch...but they didn't play as a team and didn't have a clue how to break us down. Other than Valencia's miss in the first half I'm struggling to think of a clear cut opportunity that they created.
Once again, though, we conceded a soft, soft goal. It was a nothing ball that Collins (I think) should have dealt with but Sakho got a yard and was able to flick over a stranded Howard. After defending relatively well that could have been a hammer blow.
We equalised fortuitously but then held out and rightly asked West Ham to break us down. Even throwing on their better players didn't help with Downing and Zarate looking lively but only forcing one decent save out of Howard.
We desperately need a mobile centre forward. I like McNulty's attitude but I feel he's like a League One Billy Sharp - no outstanding attribute at this level to play in this team. Maybe if we start putting the ball at his feet 10 yards out he'll start scoring but we're not getting to the byline to get those cut-backs working.
Defensively I thought Doyle and Basham had good games, getting in West Ham's faces and denying them space. West Ham lacked experience in the centre of the park and we were able to exploit that - the fact that Morrison starting picking the ball up next to his centre halves tells you what a good job Doyle and Basham were doing. Alcock was outstanding, linking up well with Davies and keeping a very good opponent in Diamé quiet.
Ratings:
Howard 8.5: this might seem harsh but there were two spilled shots which, on another night, could have cost us. The saves from Valencia in the first half and Downing in the second half were outstanding, however; and the penalty save was the icing on the MOTM cake.
Alcock 8: solid defensively and still had the energy to make 70 yard dashes in the second half of extra time. BladeInThatcham made the point that we've been lucky with our right backs in recent years...then we remembered McMahon.
McGahey 8: grew into the game. Solid as West Ham didn't exploit his weakness, judging high balls. I'm firmly on the side that believes that he's going to be a very good centre half.
Collins 7: see McGahey with a lost mark for losing Sakho.
Harris 7: did well; didn't get forward as much as Alcock but this wasn't a game for both full backs to be bombing on
Davies 7: not the quickest so not keen to take on the inexperienced Potts at full back but used the ball well
Basham 7: weird one. He's been tasked with being the more advanced central midfielder but I'm not sure he's got the technique to do that role. Defensively and positionally excellent, however.
Doyle 7.5: this is the sort of game that Doyle thrives in. Letting West Ham have the ball and staying solid meant that his weakness (mobility) was negated and his strength (getting stuck in) could be utilised. Not a player for an open game.
Flynn 6: didn't really get into the game at all; outmuscled by Demel pretty much whenever he got the ball
Baxter 6: not really sure where Baxter was supposed to be playing but he ended up trying to be a deep lying playmaker, with the lack of movement in front of him meaning that wasn't really an option. He also needs to get on the ball more as if he goes without it for a couple of minutes, he normally loses it when he does get it.
McNulty 5: see above. I want it to work out for McNulty but he's not got the strength, pace or movement to cause issues at this level on the evidence so far.
Subs:
McEverley (for Harris) 7: up against Downing who's better than his reputation would have you believe. Will prove to be a very good signing for us despite the initial doubts.
Campbell-Ryce (for Flynn) 7: full of running and caused more problems in 40 minutes than Flynn did in 80
Wallace (for Baxter) n/a: on for 20 minutes in extra time
Clough 8: got the tactics spot on. We looked like a team, they didn't
West Ham 5: looked like a collection of individuals without a clue how to break us down. I'd be surprised if Allardyce sees out the season.
Fans 8: fewer fans at West Ham than at Peterborough the week before tells you where our priorities are; that said, the 900 seemed to outsing the 28,000 home fans.
