Stoke 2 West Ham 1
Jimenez and Hines were dropped to the bench. Kovac came in for the suspended Parker and Collison and Behrami were given starts. Franco was named as a sub.
Stoke started the brighter of the two sides and set out their stall early on with a number of Delap long throws into the box in the first seven minutes. In the eleventh minute Fuller back-heeled the ball to Etherington in the West Ham penalty area. Etherington got a touch to the ball just before Faubert dived in and brought the ex-Hammer down. The ref gave the penalty and Beattie scored from the spot.
Within a minute of the restart Etherington fired a shot that was deflected wide by Tomkins. After that however West Ham responded well and dragged themselves back into the game.
West Ham's first effort on goal came in the 16th minute from a cross which Cole headed goalwards forcing Sorenson to tip over for the corner.
In the 20th minute Diamanti had a long range effort which flew over from 30 yards. In the 29th minute Diamanti won and took a free-kick. The kick beat the wall but was straight at Sorenson in goal. In the 33rd minute West Ham won a corner and Upson headed Noble's cross home from six yards after Sorenson came, flapped and missed. Within a couple of minutes of the game restarting Cole forced Sorenson to make a save.
West Ham started the second half brightly. In the opening minutes of the half Cole had a shot blocked and Diamanti forced a save from Sorenson. Stoke came back strongly however and in the 53rd minute Beattie shot just high and wide and then in the 55th minute Shawcross headed a corner at goal. Faubert and Upson combined to block it on the line, Shawcross followed up but put the rebound just wide.
In the 69th minute Diamanti lost the ball and Fuller piled forward and shot at goal. Green palmed Fuller's shot away and Beattie was the first to the rebound to give the home team the lead again.
Within a couple of minutes of the game restarting Huth landed a punch on Upson, forcing Upson off the pitch. Unfortunately the officials completely missed the punch and Huth was saved a certain sending off and West Ham denied a certain penalty. In the 74th minute Etherington headed wide from six yards.
In the 76th minute Hines was brought on for Diamanti. A couple of minutes later and Stanislas was brought on for Kovac. In the 88th minute Franco was brought on for Collison. Despite the substitutions West Ham never really looked like scoring and Stoke looked more likely on the break.
A slightly better performance for West Ham still sees them losing. In their defence there were two clear penalties in this match, Stoke's was given and West Ham's wasn't. Huth would also have been sent off for his punch had it been seen. Do you get the feeling it's going to be that kind of season for West Ham?
posted by Keir Clarke @ 3:02 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Games that we can and shud win , we end up drawing. Games that we can and shud draw,we end up losing. That is relegation form . We simply cannot dig out results,whereas teams like Stoke and Wolves can. The performance may have been better,but if we get no points out of it ,what good is it ?
This team has been put under huge pressure by being left with a threadbare squad, having had key pieces of the team either removed,or not looked after. It's ultimately down to the players,but when the people who own the club don't give a damn about it,it just makes the players' jobs that much harder.
If we go down,it is not what the players,managers or supporters deserve.But it s exactly what STRAUMUR deserve because they can't manage any business ,no less a football club. Proper vomit those people are.
Unfortunately, the game was lost and West need of victory. At least the action still creates the hope of future victories, but they have to come soon.
The coach has to make the simple in the scheme and lineup that the result will come. This team should not be so down on the table, and with work serious luck to be back.
Zola is getting the club to play the way 'he' played....keeping the ball as much as possible.Great,but when the opposition have the ball we are not competetive enough and don't look like we want the ball back.
If you watched Sunderland beat Liverpool,all the Sunderland players were working very hard and playing very physically, whenever Liverpool had the ball.....we are not doing that.
We need more players,in midfield particularly,who play hard and can win the ball back.
Zola wants to play pretty football but he is losing sight of the need for hard men.
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