In a game billed by many so-called “football experts” as a
rugby match, the Hammers drew their second successive game at home and, for the
second successive home game, were perhaps a little unfortunate not to emerge
with all three points.
Much like the previous week’s win over Newcastle United, the
first half was described by many a neutral observer as “dire.” This was one
point which the media got right- the first period featured few chances either
before or after Jon Walters’ excellently-fashioned opener for the Potters, and
much of the football on display was not exactly pretty to watch. The game was
arguably West Ham’s greatest test of the season, as they came up against a side
that have carved out a reputation for themselves in the Barclays Premier League
as being a footballing army of sorts; supremely well drilled, organised and
difficult to break down.
Prior to City’s
opener, the Irons had a couple of chances of note- after about ten minutes,
Mobido Maiga- deputising for regular left winger Matt Jarvis, still feeling the
hamstring injury which forced him off at St James’ Park last weekend- broke
down the left channel and flashed a ball into the box, which ultimately came to
nothing. The Mali international was looking sharp, however, and a lot of the
Irons early forays into the visitors’ penalty area were channelled through him.
It was something of a surprise, therefore, when Stoke won a
corner in front of the Bobby Moore stand- their first of the game, after
fifteen minutes. Surprise turned to stunned disbelief when a short ball by
ex-Hammer Matty Etherington, as the packed Irons defence expected a long corner
to the back post, found the unmarked Ireland international Walters, and he
finished with aplomb. Fingers could be pointed at George McCartney for not
picking up the former Ipswich Town man before Charlie Adam had the opportunity
to block him off and prevent the interception.
It was here that Big
Sam’s tactics were really tested- 11 games into the season, and the Irons had
only gained something from the game after going a goal down on one occasion.
Frequently criticised in the media for lacking a creative spark, the assorted
journalists sharpening their knives, ready to sink them into ‘Big Sam’s Boring
West Ham,’ seemed to be on the money. Long ball after long ball was pumped towards
the pony-tailed head of the increasingly agitated Andy Carroll, painfully aware
of his ineffectiveness in the game. The visitors almost doubled their lead five
minutes before the break, with the impressive Steven Nzonzi millimetres away
from netting with a fierce drive which bounced down off the underside of the
bar, and as the half time whistle sounded, it was clear there was much work for
the Irons to do in the second half.
No doubt fresh from a civilised Big Sam lecture on the flaws
of footballing existentialism, the Hammers came roaring out in the second half.
There seemed to be a new energy about the boys, and Kevin Nolan really should
have scored from two yards before a Gary O’Neill cross from the right found the
unlikeliest of sources in full back Joey O’Brien, who restored parity with a
well-placed finish into the roof of the net. The Ireland international’s team
mates mobbed him as they celebrated his first West Ham and first ever Premier
League goal.
The Irons then tore into Stoke and Maiga should have done a
lot better from five yards out and with only Asimir Begovic in the Stoke goal
to beat. A well worked play by the corner flag presented O’Neill with an
opportunity and his perfectly hit curling shot from the edge of the penalty
area was only inches wide of Begovic’s far post with the Bosnian keeper
scrambling. The game was all West Ham at this stage and with less than half an
hour to go, Stoke boss Tony Pulis succeeded in slowing the game down after
bringing on the more defensive-minded Wilson Palacios for Glenn Whelan.
Allardyce, in the Hammers dug out, seemed reluctant as ever to risk leaving
gaps open at the back by bringing on more attackers, and the sting was taken
out of the West Ham attack as a result. Carlton Cole and Matty Taylor were only
introduced, rather pointlessly, with five minutes to go, and the game arrived
at its inevitable conclusion- a draw which suited Stoke more than the Irons.
City, in drawing, set a new club record in the Premier league for away games without a victory: they now have not tasted league victory on the road for 11 games, but will take heart from this point. West Ham were left, perhaps, to rue missed opportunities that they would have
put away in another game and now look forward to Sunday’s London derby at White
Hart Lane.
Man of the match- Momo Diame, West Ham United
Report by Alex Shilling
LINE UPS
WEST HAM UNITED: Jaaskelainen; O’Brien (Demel ’77), Reid,
Tomkins, McCartney; O’Neill, Diame, Noble, Nolan, Maiga (Taylor ’85);
Carroll(Cole ’85)
Subs: Spiegel, Collins, Demel, Spence, Taylor, Cole, Hall
STOKE CITY
Begovic; Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson (Shotton ’32);
Whelan (Palacios ’62), Nzonzi, Adam, Etherington (Kightly ’74); Walters, Crouch
Subs: Sorensen, Upson, Shotton, Palacios, Kightly, Jones,
Jerome
Referee: Chris Foy
Attendance: 35,505
What an incredible year we’ve just enjoyed. From securing promotion to the Premiership thanks to a last-gasp goal by Vaz Te at Wembley to a brilliant first half of the season in the top flight of
