Tuesday 6 November 2007
Mid Table Mediocrity Beckons
Charlton in Claret and Blue.
I am sure Alan Curbishley's heart is in the right place. He seems to feel defeat evrery bit as much as most fans. But where is the invention, inventiveness and inspiration in the current West Ham set up.
Its hard to imagine Alan Curbishley, Mervyn Day and Glyn Snodin joining mensa or outwitting teams with their tactical acumen - rather they remind you of a rather tired old PE teaching espousing the virtues of discipline, professionalism and hard work. All very laudable - and lacking last year. But where's the imagination and excitement. The culture of excellence that runs deep at the Emirites.
Alan is right when he says that we have been unlucky with injuries. But when you buy players with a history of long term injury problems its shouldn't come as a tremdous surprise that they miss a significant number of games. Taking a chance on one, or maybe 2 injury prone players is perhaps a worthwhile risk. But in signing Kieron Dyer, Freddy Ljungberg, Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy over the Summer the club brought in players in had all had injury interrupted seasons. Not one of those players played anything approaching a full season's game last year. With their track records it would, in fact, have required a great deal of good fortune if all had played regular first team football throughtout the season.
Given the experience with last year's panic buys - who, almost to a man suffered injury problems, common sense and prudence should have dictated that money was invested in players where the expectation, and their previous track record suggested that they sttod of good chance of actually playing.
What we seem to have the the rather curious case of a manger gambling not inconsiderable sums (£47.1m to date gross) on new signings, whilst player safety first football with uninspired team selections.
Somehow we have managed to only concede 9 goals in 11 games. Unfortunately we have only scored 12. I suspect these stats look quite familar to Charlton fans as probably does the syle of play.
As I recall, his signings at Charlton were generally unspectacular and, at best function, with Darren Bent being the one notable exception.
I will credit him with a more organised team - particularly at set plays - which were a nightmare last season. But something more is required given the financial investment that has been made in the team. (if anyone knows quite how this has been funded I would love to know, by the way.
I guess like most supporters I will be content with finishing in 10th place this season, and with avoiding a flirtation with relegation. But at £40 plus I would like to get some entertainment and to see the players compete and enertain on a regualr basis. This is a well supported club, in one of the greatest cities in the world. Winning the Premier League and competing in Europe shouldn't be beond reach. To do that the club needs to be focused on excellance and to make use of every asset available.
A record of finishing 3rd, 5th and I believe 6th twice just isn't good enough. The supporters deserve more.
I am sure Alan Curbishley's heart is in the right place. He seems to feel defeat evrery bit as much as most fans. But where is the invention, inventiveness and inspiration in the current West Ham set up.
Its hard to imagine Alan Curbishley, Mervyn Day and Glyn Snodin joining mensa or outwitting teams with their tactical acumen - rather they remind you of a rather tired old PE teaching espousing the virtues of discipline, professionalism and hard work. All very laudable - and lacking last year. But where's the imagination and excitement. The culture of excellence that runs deep at the Emirites.
Alan is right when he says that we have been unlucky with injuries. But when you buy players with a history of long term injury problems its shouldn't come as a tremdous surprise that they miss a significant number of games. Taking a chance on one, or maybe 2 injury prone players is perhaps a worthwhile risk. But in signing Kieron Dyer, Freddy Ljungberg, Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy over the Summer the club brought in players in had all had injury interrupted seasons. Not one of those players played anything approaching a full season's game last year. With their track records it would, in fact, have required a great deal of good fortune if all had played regular first team football throughtout the season.
Given the experience with last year's panic buys - who, almost to a man suffered injury problems, common sense and prudence should have dictated that money was invested in players where the expectation, and their previous track record suggested that they sttod of good chance of actually playing.
What we seem to have the the rather curious case of a manger gambling not inconsiderable sums (£47.1m to date gross) on new signings, whilst player safety first football with uninspired team selections.
Somehow we have managed to only concede 9 goals in 11 games. Unfortunately we have only scored 12. I suspect these stats look quite familar to Charlton fans as probably does the syle of play.
As I recall, his signings at Charlton were generally unspectacular and, at best function, with Darren Bent being the one notable exception.
I will credit him with a more organised team - particularly at set plays - which were a nightmare last season. But something more is required given the financial investment that has been made in the team. (if anyone knows quite how this has been funded I would love to know, by the way.
I guess like most supporters I will be content with finishing in 10th place this season, and with avoiding a flirtation with relegation. But at £40 plus I would like to get some entertainment and to see the players compete and enertain on a regualr basis. This is a well supported club, in one of the greatest cities in the world. Winning the Premier League and competing in Europe shouldn't be beond reach. To do that the club needs to be focused on excellance and to make use of every asset available.
A record of finishing 3rd, 5th and I believe 6th twice just isn't good enough. The supporters deserve more.
Thursday 1 November 2007
Curbishley - the jury is still out?
How do you judge a manager? Whilst most West Ham fans set a high stall on playing attractive attacking football, first and foremost the team needs to win.
Lets be honest, Curbishley was appointed because, after the promise of the previous season, the Pardew era had ended in tatters. Poor football, lack of basic discipline on and off the pitch, a lack of tactical nous and the prospect of relegation. The board clearly lacked confidence in handing a big cheque book to Alan Pardew. Enter AC, to, at best, lukewarm applause from the vast majority of West Ham supporters.
The question is - given almost unprecedented financial clout for a West Ham manager, did he make good use of the funds?
It was a most unusual experience as a West Ham supporter being linked with almost any player available, and some who weren't. So how did young Alan do:
Calum Davenport £2m (guess)(rating 4 out of 10) - quite fondly remembered for his loan spell during our Championship days. After his initial baptism has rarely featured, and seems to be almost permanently injured. Doesn't appear to have been money well spent but a case could be made that injuries forced his hand and an extra body was needed.
Nigel Quashie £1.5m(rating (3/10)- what was he thinking. Had nothing to offer over what was already available at the club. Only claim to fame was previous association with relegated clubs.
Lucas Neil £1.5m (guess) (6/10) - received rave reviews last year and subsequently made captain. Over rated and overweight in my opinion. Can't tackle or run and seems to have lost the ability to pass with accuracy. An Australian "Christain Dailly" without the work rate ethic.
Matthew Upson. (6/10) £7.5m. Injured on debut, and now appears to be first choice centre half playing alongside anyone else who happens to be fit. Has looked off the pace in several games this season. Paid a very full price. Maybe more to come with regular football. Had an especially torrid time against Kenwyn Jones in the Sunderland match.
Luis Boa Morte. (3/10) £5m. Has been so ineffective I almost forgot he was signed. Surely can't be as bad as he has appeared to date.
Signed in a hurry, and at inflated prices in an effort to climb the table and pull clear of the relegation zone. Only Lucas Neil could be regarded as a success last season - but that is often attributed to his influence in the dressing room as much as on the pitch. His greatest fans wouldn't argue that he is blessed with great pace.
And then on to the Summer, where, once again our priority was a proven goalscored with pace, to complement a fit again Dean Ashton.
Here's what we got.
3, make that 4 right sided midfield players.
Julian Faubert £6.1m (unfair to offer a rating). Considered by many to be one of Curbishley's better buys - perhaps because he hasn't played. He's young, can run and capped at full international level by France. Lets hope he features at some stage this season.
If at first you don't succeed...
Freddy Ljungberg. up to £3. Rating (4 out of 10). Let go by Arsenal because he was injury prone and past his best. Has done little to prove Arsene Wenger wrong.
Kieron Dyer. £6m. Injured too quickly to merit a mark. That he was injured was entirely predictable but the nature of his injury wasn't. Appeared to be over priced, and unreliable.
Scott Parker £7m. Hasn't played enough to warrant a rating. Injured, and then bizarrely played 2 games in 5 days. Injured ever since. Looked like a solid signing but with a chequered injury receod at Newcastle.
Craig Bellamy. £7.5m (7/10). A proven premiership player, hard worker but mot prolific in front of goal. A poor man's Carlos Tevez, if you like. Has looked the part on occasions and can't fault his work rate - but doubts remain about his temperament, goal scoring and fitness record.
Richard Wright (6/10), Nobby Solano (6/10) - despite his heading prowess, and Henri Camera (6/10) complete the new additions.
Value for money from our £47.1m shopping spree - I think not. Could Pardew have done worse given such resources? Has anyone done worse?
So how would we rate Eggert's signing of Alan Curbishley. Its hard to score anything higher than a 6/10 and that's giving the benefit of the doubt.
Lets look at it slightly differently - from a job describtion point of view.
Essential Criteria.
Avoid Relegation. Successful, by the skin of his teeth. (6/10).
Sort out player discipline. Seems to have made some solid progress after and slocw and difficult start. (8/10).
Finish in top half of table or better. An OK start with results better than performances. (6/10)
Use transfer funds effectively to enhance value of squad. A mixture of bad lack, bad judgement and generally poor buys has failed to excite or obtain value for money. (3/10)
Desirable.
Play attractive football. A few glimpses or attacking football have been very much the exception. (5/10)
Raise profile of the club. The club has rarely been out of the news but for the wrong reasons, by and large. (7/10)
Have successful League and FA CUP runs. Promising start in League Cup. Losing to Watford in the F A Cup hardly what the doctor ordered. (6/10).
Qualify for Europe. Looks unlikely on record and preformances to date, but not an impossibility. (6/10)
Develop Home Grown Players. Noble excepted, little progress to date. Youth team not had the best of starts and reserves struggling to impress (5/10)
Lets be honest, Curbishley was appointed because, after the promise of the previous season, the Pardew era had ended in tatters. Poor football, lack of basic discipline on and off the pitch, a lack of tactical nous and the prospect of relegation. The board clearly lacked confidence in handing a big cheque book to Alan Pardew. Enter AC, to, at best, lukewarm applause from the vast majority of West Ham supporters.
The question is - given almost unprecedented financial clout for a West Ham manager, did he make good use of the funds?
It was a most unusual experience as a West Ham supporter being linked with almost any player available, and some who weren't. So how did young Alan do:
Calum Davenport £2m (guess)(rating 4 out of 10) - quite fondly remembered for his loan spell during our Championship days. After his initial baptism has rarely featured, and seems to be almost permanently injured. Doesn't appear to have been money well spent but a case could be made that injuries forced his hand and an extra body was needed.
Nigel Quashie £1.5m(rating (3/10)- what was he thinking. Had nothing to offer over what was already available at the club. Only claim to fame was previous association with relegated clubs.
Lucas Neil £1.5m (guess) (6/10) - received rave reviews last year and subsequently made captain. Over rated and overweight in my opinion. Can't tackle or run and seems to have lost the ability to pass with accuracy. An Australian "Christain Dailly" without the work rate ethic.
Matthew Upson. (6/10) £7.5m. Injured on debut, and now appears to be first choice centre half playing alongside anyone else who happens to be fit. Has looked off the pace in several games this season. Paid a very full price. Maybe more to come with regular football. Had an especially torrid time against Kenwyn Jones in the Sunderland match.
Luis Boa Morte. (3/10) £5m. Has been so ineffective I almost forgot he was signed. Surely can't be as bad as he has appeared to date.
Signed in a hurry, and at inflated prices in an effort to climb the table and pull clear of the relegation zone. Only Lucas Neil could be regarded as a success last season - but that is often attributed to his influence in the dressing room as much as on the pitch. His greatest fans wouldn't argue that he is blessed with great pace.
And then on to the Summer, where, once again our priority was a proven goalscored with pace, to complement a fit again Dean Ashton.
Here's what we got.
3, make that 4 right sided midfield players.
Julian Faubert £6.1m (unfair to offer a rating). Considered by many to be one of Curbishley's better buys - perhaps because he hasn't played. He's young, can run and capped at full international level by France. Lets hope he features at some stage this season.
If at first you don't succeed...
Freddy Ljungberg. up to £3. Rating (4 out of 10). Let go by Arsenal because he was injury prone and past his best. Has done little to prove Arsene Wenger wrong.
Kieron Dyer. £6m. Injured too quickly to merit a mark. That he was injured was entirely predictable but the nature of his injury wasn't. Appeared to be over priced, and unreliable.
Scott Parker £7m. Hasn't played enough to warrant a rating. Injured, and then bizarrely played 2 games in 5 days. Injured ever since. Looked like a solid signing but with a chequered injury receod at Newcastle.
Craig Bellamy. £7.5m (7/10). A proven premiership player, hard worker but mot prolific in front of goal. A poor man's Carlos Tevez, if you like. Has looked the part on occasions and can't fault his work rate - but doubts remain about his temperament, goal scoring and fitness record.
Richard Wright (6/10), Nobby Solano (6/10) - despite his heading prowess, and Henri Camera (6/10) complete the new additions.
Value for money from our £47.1m shopping spree - I think not. Could Pardew have done worse given such resources? Has anyone done worse?
So how would we rate Eggert's signing of Alan Curbishley. Its hard to score anything higher than a 6/10 and that's giving the benefit of the doubt.
Lets look at it slightly differently - from a job describtion point of view.
Essential Criteria.
Avoid Relegation. Successful, by the skin of his teeth. (6/10).
Sort out player discipline. Seems to have made some solid progress after and slocw and difficult start. (8/10).
Finish in top half of table or better. An OK start with results better than performances. (6/10)
Use transfer funds effectively to enhance value of squad. A mixture of bad lack, bad judgement and generally poor buys has failed to excite or obtain value for money. (3/10)
Desirable.
Play attractive football. A few glimpses or attacking football have been very much the exception. (5/10)
Raise profile of the club. The club has rarely been out of the news but for the wrong reasons, by and large. (7/10)
Have successful League and FA CUP runs. Promising start in League Cup. Losing to Watford in the F A Cup hardly what the doctor ordered. (6/10).
Qualify for Europe. Looks unlikely on record and preformances to date, but not an impossibility. (6/10)
Develop Home Grown Players. Noble excepted, little progress to date. Youth team not had the best of starts and reserves struggling to impress (5/10)
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