[Archived] Rovers v West Ham

[B.R.F.C]

Will take a point after that.

If we don't sort out our defence we are going to lose a fair few games over the Christmas period without doubt. We will need time for the new tactics n style to bed in but it is going to have to happen very quickly.

Shame Peds free kick didn't go in at the end...Nearly hit the roof thinking it was in.

As for Dunn and Benjani...god awful

[slough_rover]

I think it's easy to say Big Sam would have won today. Last season, when he was in charge, we didn't beat them so lets not pretend that we would have won today.

We played poor against a poor side.

The important thing is that Venkey's put their money where their mouth is and prove to us why it was the right decision to sack him.

My sentiments exactly. All those saying Sam would have won even though he failed to beat them in previous encouters. All will hinge on January.

[Bobby G]

Yes, we usually always give West Ham a good kicking.

Games against the bottom 3-5 teams. Especially at home.

[Exiled_Rover]

I don't agree with this. West Ham could have scored quite a few today if they had counter attacked better - as could have we. It was a very even contest.

What worried me was our shape was all over the place, no one holding the midfield together. Dunn was abysmal too, Benjani not much better. Pedersen was outstanding, Nelsen and the two Dioufs were good.

Obviously Kean needs to be given fair amount of time to make his stamp, but the tactical looseness of the formation worried me. A better team than West Ham would have murdered us on the counter.

Well we don't have the players to play 4-4-2, so that was a mistake. At least he tried it - he switched back to 4-5-1 in the second half. A big part of why West Ham will killing us on the break was because Dunn and Emerton were out on their feet.

[Steve Moss]

A point was a fair result.

Based on how we played, yes.

We would have played better (or at least smarter) under Sam. I'm firmly of the belief he would have brought all 3 points home.

I still have hope for Kean. He was unlucky with injuries. But Dunn and Emerton should not have been on the field, IMO. Hoilett and Olsen would have been much better choices.

Oh well. 4 points in 3 games is not horrible. And we are at 22 in 18 matches, or 1.22 per game and on track for a 46.4 point season. But I can't help but think we should have done better today.

[John]

Really needed to test the inexperienced goalie more than.

[AggyBlue]

Yes, we usually always give West Ham a good kicking.

we always beat the bottom club at home (don't we?)

[Doaksie]

All felt a bit like the wheels coming off today. Very dis-jointed performance, but that's to be expected after the week's events, fans unrest and the injuries during the game. Very hard for Steve Kean to come in and steady the ship. I really hope he works out and he may very well do. But it's hard to see yet how this one is going to play out in the long run, but with the run of fixtures we have coming up, the decision to sack Sam just baffles me.

Are you watching Venky Boys??!?

Apparently they were embarassed after the Man U result going around the world. With our increased coverage today due to the snow, I wonder how they viewed this one? Proud of sacking Sam, or a little confused as to why things didn't suddenly get 'better'.

Anyway, all the best to Steve and working with the team for a week in training before the Stoke game. It'll be interesting how we set-up and approach next week's game. I'm hoping for some more pace. Let's back the man.

[Bobby G]

We didnt test their keeper at all.

What kind of chants did we have today?

[philipl]

Easy to say Big Sam would have won today and patently obvious he would have done.

A simple point in case- we had eleven throws in their last third and not one resulted in the ball reaching the danger area. And this with a debutant keeper who looked nervous plus a rubbish defence?!?

[Roverall]

Well I hope Mrs. Desai and her brothers 'enjoyed' that as much as I did.

The demoralisation of the players was written all over their faces, and who can blame them? Their hearing of our new transfer system is hardly the best motivational tool, is it?

Still though, maybe Geovanni and Kris Boyd will make the difference.

[LeChuck]

A big part of why West Ham will killing us on the break was because Dunn and Emerton were out on their feet.

Emerton was fine physically, he was still driving forward right near the end, it was his run that brought the free kick for Pedersen.

Dunn was knackered and the injuries were unfortunate because he needed to be replaced. One tired players shouldn't be a cause for playing that badly though.

[USA Rover]

Why did Kean go with Benjani over Kalinic? That was the perfect style of match for Niko. West Ham are shocking. What a horrible result. Gutted.

[martmitch]

Our midfield was non-existant today, how many times did the ball fall away from wham's area and no-body there to scoop it up, terriblly hard conditions to play in which was fairly evident on both teams just disaapointed wham seemed to have free rein in the middle of the park

[Bobby G]

Most worryingly the players looked a bit down-hearted.

[alexanders]

I dont understand how people can say it was a very disjointed performace. For me we fought good and gave wham some nice kicking where it hurts. Gamst was very good.

The fact that we had the injuries forced us to use Emerton and Dunn even though they were knackered at the end. Hoilett and Olsson would've won us the game.

[Roberto Policano]

You'll be ok.I've seen much worse over the years,much better 2nd half.Hope the young lad hasn't done his ACL.

You definitely need a decent striker next month though.Finish top half.

[EnglishChris]

Why did Kean go with Benjani over Kalinic? That was the perfect style of match for Niko. West Ham are shocking. What a horrible result. Gutted.

My guess Big Sam told him to lol

[RibbleValleyRover]

Would we have won today under Sam? Who knows... I really don't think our performance that was much different from type we regularly produced under Sam, on the whole it was direct football with an emphasis on set pieces. The usual lack of creativity and poor possession allowing sides to dominate us was also evident.

Early days yet but the only way I can see anything changing is for Venky's to spend some serious money. Even if we got in a flair type of manager I’m not confident they could transform it without some major squad restructuring.

[Exiled_Rover]

Emerton was fine physically, he was still driving forward right near the end, it was his run that brought the free kick for Pedersen.

Dunn was knackered and the injuries were unfortunate because he needed to be replaced. One tired players shouldn't be a cause for playing that badly though.

Like Dunn, he wasn't tracking back properly. It's easy to run forward when you're tired.

[RovertheHill]

Those that don't like a direct style should take note. We do not have players good enough, or incisive enough, to play a pure passing game. More to the point we don't have fans who are patient enough for us to play a passing game. Ironic really that the first half today was one of the dreariest I've seen for a long, long time. Steve Kean may well be the right answer but I fear he won't have, or be given, the time to prove it...

[Roverall]

Most worryingly the players looked a bit down-hearted.

And that's to put it lightly - Nelsen looked very down in the doldrums, even after his goal.

[John]

West Ham will be delighted with this result considering their dire situation - every time WH play someone at the moment, they are fearing a thrashing.

[G Somerset Rover]

Most worryingly the players looked a bit down-hearted.

Can't blame them. They're probably wondering as we all are, who are these fools who have taken us over?

[broadsword]

Its not pro Venky its Pro giving the new manager and owners a chance. If they dont put their money where needed I will join the bashing but until the Jan transfer window ends I am going to give all parties a chance.

Your patience is admirable, but they have so far gone completely the wrong way about it.

It's like that medical saying "first do no harm", they shouldn't have made any changes until they got a real feel for how the club works. The way they've gone about things was only ever going to put some noses seriously out of whack.