Cole Crocked
The Express say that a Wally is a good thing. They bizarrely claim that the appointment of Wally Downes led to West Ham keeping a clean sheet yesterday. The Express have never let the facts get in the way of a non-story.
I'm not saying Downes hasn't had some impact at West Ham but Wigan scored one goal, had a perfectly good goal disallowed and missed a penalty. I think the defensive frailties at West Ham were still there for everyone to see.
The News of the World claim that West Ham fear Carlton Cole is suffering from a chronic injury which is hampering his form. The club want to send Cole for tests on his knees to find out the reason for his lack of goals and fitness.
The People say that despite yesterday's win West Ham are still compiling a list of potential replacements. The list includes Glenn Hoddle and Dave Jones.
The People also claim that West Ham will sell Cole in January to keep hold of Scott Parker. It isn't exactly clear why Scott Parker would suddenly become an ex-West Ham player if Cole stays at the club. I think that their reasoning is that Parker will leave if West Ham are relegated and therefore West Ham need to sell Cole in January to buy players who will keep West Ham up.
The People also say that Gabbidon will be sold in January. Gabbidon is apparently wanted by West Brom and Birmingham and only has six months left on his contract.
posted by Keir Clarke @ 12:14 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
haha @ the clean sheet! Wally obviously doing a great job!
I used to think the only thing you ould trust in the tabloid press was the football scores, looks like i'll have to revise that opinion :)
Second controversial off-side decision recently, the other one being Blackpool. I think both times the ref's got it right. If a player is on the edge of the 6-yard box when he ball is going in the net he should be deemed active and ruled off-side.
Wally seems to have made a great first impression. He seems to have lifted spirits. On the other hand it was fortunate that his first game was against Wigan, we'll see how the defence holds out against Man U!
Downes has been there for all of 2 days of training. And any supporter who actually goes to matches on a regular basis could see that there was indeed a big difference in the way we defended,as compared to the rest of the season. We conceded a soft goal . After 85 minutes when the game was won. Green saved a penalty. So what? We have not been awarded a number of penalties that we deserved.
Agree with Paul on the so called "perfectly good goal " that Wigan should have been awarded.
For the first time this season, we actually tried ,and largely succeeded ,in shutting the opposition down all over the pitch. For once we did not allow the other team time and space on the ball. Downes deserves some credit for that .
Nobody claimed that Downes was a miracle worker. But if he is going to help move us off the bottom,then don't make snyde,ill-mannered,arrogant ,cheap criticisms of him. Yes,obviously our defence has not become solid overnight-but it was a step in the right direction.
Be realistic : don't take the lazy option of being negative for the sake of it.
Cole crocked ? Excuse after excuse after excuse. The issue with Cole isn't physical-it is an issue of attitude,which is second rate. If his fitness is such an issue ,then why didn't we bite the hands off of whoever was prepared to pay 8 million plus for him in August?
Even if we can get as little as only 5 million for him after his shambolic first half of the season,we should take it ,because we have nothing to lose,literally. The risk in selling him is that we lose a player who currently scores once every 15 games. Which is no risk at all. Take what we can get for him and re-invest it in one or two loan signings who are proven goal scorers.
Carlton Cole is one of the main reasons why we currently sit bottom. His performance stinks,his attitude is worse,and to top it off ,he now creates dissension in the camp. GET RID,with urgency. This club gave this guy a golden chance-and he blew it because he has no character.
Regarding the offside goals I think we need to interpret the rules correctly. They state:
"A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball
touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee,
involved in active play by:
• interfering with play or
• interfering with an opponent or
• gaining an advantage by being in that position"
According to:
http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations/~/media/Files/PDF/Get%20into%20Football/Referees/LOTG201011.ashx/LOTG201011.pdf
With both the Wigan and Blackpool goals the offside player was not causing any of the three bullets above. Being on the edge of the six yard area does not mean that you are interfering with play. In both cases the player did not motion towards the ball or obstruct the view of the goalkeeper. He just stood their and watched so both goals should have stood IMO.
If we are still unsure then consider the sitter that Piquionne missed. Another player was offside but Piquionne wasn't. The ref allowed play to continue so if he had scored instead of fluffing it the goal would have stood. A similar thing with Aston Villa's goal against Arsenal which stood. We have to be consistent with our views of these things.
The six yard area interpretation of 'interfering' is not a bad idea and may well help clear up the rules. But like it or not there is nothing in the rulebook that I can see that states this.
Hodgson offering 8 mill plus Bable! WHAT A MELON!
everywere cole goes he is crap sell him now
Only problem selling him now is we are gonna get next to nothing for him!
Post a Comment
<< Home