Just back from the game - some thoughts.

Okay, it's not a Foxtrot Report, but a few thoughts now I'm back from Upton Park.

1. We didn't play too badly for the most part, but didn't threaten enough either. West Ham were incredibly poor for all but the final 5-10 minutes of each half and a more courageous manager would have won.

2. This was a game for Hoolahan - having him buzzing around in front of the West Ham defence would have created far more opportunity to play in Hooper, or stretch their back four to get our wingers in behind them. Even bringing him on for Johnson or Tettey for the last 20-30 minutes may well have been enough.

3. We were far too narrow, and our wingers were quite timid throughout - nobody looked particularly confident but Redmond lacked the spark he had when he joined and Snodgrass could have been more adventurous as well.

With Fer, Tettey and Johnson in central midfield, our only creativity is going to come from the flanks so the team needs to be built around playing the wingers in, and it's not enough for them to just switch sides - there needs to be more variation between them tucking in and playing on the touchline.

The lack of physical pace in the team is a real issue but just as serious is the slowness of our attacking movement - I've been to most home games and several away this season and the amount of time it takes us to get balls into the box has been shocking throughout.

4. There isn't an obvious weak link in the team: no one player clearly lets the side down as was often the case under Worthington in 2004-2005 (for example). But nobody is standing out either - I spent a good chunk of the match thinking about who I might vote for as Player of the Season, and it took ages to get to "Ruddy, maybe?" Just before they scored, in fact.

I still think we've got a decent enough squad but am becoming ever more convinced that someone else needs to be managing it. A less likeable man than Hughton would be long gone by now.

5. Attempting to get a drink/snack at half-time is one of the scariest things I've done at a football match. I felt claustrophobic queuing up and decided not to bother, and honestly thought I might get crushed on my way out of the tunnel, especially if I got pushed over (which I nearly did). Someone behind me said it got so busy and bad-tempered at the bar that fights broke out - did anyone see this?

And some player ratings ...

Ruddy - 5. Made one or two good saves and generally authoritative with strong distribution, but his error for the first West Ham goal lost the match.

Martin - 6. Didn't do much wrong defensively, but didn't overlap too well in attack either.

Olsson - 7. Like Martin but a little better in support of his winger.

Bassong - 6. I had no specific gripe about Bassong.

Yobo - 7. Impressive in his two games so far, and the defence looks far more cohesive when he's in it. I rolled my eyes when we signed him but happy to be proved wrong.

Johnson - 5. Not too bad in the tackle but didn't build much. We miss Howson and Johnson is the man I'd take out on his return, which would hopefully free up Fer to link the defensive and attacking midfield, which I think is what he does best.

Tettey - 5. Not as combative as he can be, and didn't stamp himself on the game.

Fer - 5. In a 4-2-3-1 without Howson, Fer needs to be supporting the striker, being on hand for knock-downs or lay-offs, or acting as a pivot to bring in the wingers. Fer did little of either and looked unsure of his role.

Snodgrass - 5. Too narrow for much of the game. His set pieces weren't awful but his crosses from open play lacked assurance, and he missed our best chance.

Redmond - 5. Didn't take on his man enough, or stretch the game. Not a huge threat.

Hooper - 6. Might have done better with the chances he had, but did at least get in good positions and pose a problem.

Subs:

Pilkington - 5. No better than Redmond, and equally hampered by our lack of width.

Elmander - 4. I try not to slag off our players these days - it doesn't help anyone really - but I just don't see what he brings, or what his role is. Doesn't ever look like scoring, or creating anything, or playing anyone else, and looked like a slower Mattias Jonson tonight.

Van Wolfswinkel - 4. Didn't get in the game at all. He wasn't on long enough for me to tell whether it was his fault or the midfield's.

Hughton - 5. As predictable as ever, and I think Hoolahan for Johnson or Tettey would have been the boldest substitution, perhaps with twenty minutes to go. Plenty of friends won't go to away games until he's gone and given how timid and conservative we are, I might stop too.

Posted By: Ottosson Foxtrot, Feb 11, 22:59:54