West Ham United 1 - West Bromwich Albion 0

Dave Watkin:

FIREWORKS AT UPTON PARK

After relying on defence at Bolton and Blackburn, Albion switched to a more attacking style of play at Upton Park but the end result was the same, a third successive Premiership away defeat with no goals scored.

The game featured exciting end-to-end play as both sides created and wasted chances. Although Albion matched the Hammers in most aspects of the game the difference between the sides, as in the home match against Newcastle, was the class of the strikers. Whilst the Baggies and Kamara in particular missed their opportunities, Sheringham coolly steered the ball home for the only goal of the game.

I thought Curtis Davies was outstanding in defence, Watson played well particularly when linking with the attack, but the rest of the team were just competent, without showing the flare and determination necessary to secure our first away win of the season.

TEAM NEWS

Albion were strengthened by the return of Martin Albrechtsen and Diomansy Kamara, but Nathan Ellington was absent on paternity leave.

There were three changes altogether. Albrechtsen played at left back allowing Neil Clement to switch inside at the expense of Darren Moore. Steve Watson moved to right back instead of Riccardo Scimeca with Ronnie Wallwork taking the holding midfield role. Kamara was a direct replacement for Darren Carter.

HIGHLIGHTS

Albion could easily have been a goal down in the opening few minutes as Martin Albrechtsen did well to block a close range shot and then West Ham came close from two successive corners. Diomansy Kamara threatened for the Baggies with a mazy run, but shot when a pass through to Inamoto might have paid dividends.

Albion were unlucky when Steve Watson rose to head home a Kamara free kick only for the "goal" to be disallowed for offside. Thomasz Kuszczak made a good save at the foot of his near post, then from the corner the Hammers skied the ball over the bar. Back at the other end Rob Earnshaw beat his man wide left and cut the ball back for Kamara, but he could only head straight at the keeper.

Just before the break West Ham came the closest yet to scoring, when Harewood hit a fierce cross shot which Kuszczak parried. The ball was laid back and a blistering goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked by Curtis Davies on the goalline.

Albion were first to threaten in the second half and a well worked move ended with a shot from Watson which Hislop fumbled. Kanu followed up and caught the keeper's head with his boot. He recovered after treatment but was later substituted. Meanwhile Harewood broke clear but from a good position shot into the side netting.

The deadlock was broken in the 57th minute from a West Ham free kick awarded out on the right just inside Albion's half. The ball was swung in and headed across the area. SHERINGHAM pulled just a yard away from his marker and in one movement controlled the ball and placed a right footed shot just inside the post.

With a quarter-of-an-hour remaining Geoff Horsfield came on for Earnshaw and later Kanu was replaced by Kevin Campbell.

Albion created one last chance, when Ronnie Wallwork stooped to cleverly head the ball into the path of Kamara, but the winger failed to trouble the keeper, his left foot shot crashing into the side netting.

ALBION FORMRATE : FAIR

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH : CURTIS DAVIES

AND FINALLY

For the THIRD week running all three West Midlands Premiership clubs lost, this time without scoring a goal, Blues one-nil away to Newcastle, Albion and Villa two-nil at home to Liverpool. That leaves all three in the bottom FOUR, Blues 19th, Albion 18th and Villa 17th!

Funky Fudge:

Enough is enough.

3 months and 14 games into the season including the cup games.

By now, surely, the players should be match fit.
By now, surely, the defence should be starting to improve at set pieces.
By now, surely, the best striking partnership should have been found.
By now, surely, the best midfield combination should have been found.
By now, surely, we should have started seeing some of the summer investment paying off.

Instead, we have players that seem overweight, players who don't seem to be able to last a full 90 minutes.
Instead, we have a defence that still looks appalling at set pieces.
Instead, we have strikers that don't know where the back of the net is.
Instead, we have midfielders being swapped in and out during games.
Instead, much of our summer investment seems wasted.

Listening to the game today, I do feel it is time to consider a change of manager. The commentary suggested that there was no emotion when, for example, Kamara missed the target when he should have done better.

At the end of last season, we were talking about it being solid mid-table form from February onwards (or whenever it was). We haven't suffered by losing any significant players, other than Richardson. Were we really a one-man team? If it wasn't for a freak result against Arsenal we would be rock bottom.

For me, it should be thanks Bryan and hello George.

Zoltans Fan Club:

Everyone keeps having a go at the attackers [Earnshaw the scapegoat today] but lets look at the defence.

22 odd goals conceded in 12 games!

Did you see Clemmo today for the goal. Like an enchanted fairy watching the northern lights as Sheringham (yes 108 yr old glacially paced Sheringham) turned and shot.

Clement has NEVER convinced me as a Prem left back let alone centre half. Every defensive combination contains him and we leak like a Labour press office.

Lots of people go on about how respected Pearson is yet he was a centre half and he obviously can't coach defenses by the performances this season.

There's X reasons we're going down:

1. The defence is awful - only 1 prem player on the books Robinson!
2. The attackers never get a run
3. Robson has wasted 10 mill on utter shite Carter, Ell, Kamara, Chap
4. Can you think of 1 prem team that would want any of our players? Gera's the only one (on the basis of last yr only)... think hard... nope, none, nil

Shite, I'll be screwed if I'm buying another season ticket - no chance.

Matty_b:

Couple of quick observations on the game:

We did have a couple of chances (Dio guilty of missing the best two), but so did Hammers who could have been 2 up in under 10 mins. Saying that, thought we were good for a point.

We look extremely shaky at corners.

On the positive front, Davies impressed me (and a number of hammers fans talked to after) with his pace and his ability to take care of Harewood. Going forward we just need to find him a defensive partner.

Watson (the only player who seemed to come over and acknowledge the fans), Kamara (despite the misses) and Kanu (shouldn't have been taken off - was the only guy holding and linking players in), IMO all had good games.

The rest were very average. Ina didn't turn up today.

Shame no Ellington as terrorised Hammers with Wigan last season.

We did have chances, and maybe the last few games, Fulham, Newcastle etc, we've been player some better stuff. However, hard to see where the points are coming from and it looks like having to rely on other teams being worse than we are.

If this squad continues to fail to perform, serious questions must be answered by Robson.

Goulds Coffin:

Now home after the game, I had a look on the BBC website where Robson was quoted as saying: "If we play like that we will win more than we lose." He also talked about our "dominance". To quote Oscar Wilde or somebody like that, it would take a heart of stone not to laugh.

Can anyone remember Hislop or Bywater making a significant save? I don't know what the stats say about our efforts on or off target, but I am sure it wouldn't make pleasant reading. On the other hand, West Ham could and probably should have been three up at half time, but for a miraculous block by Albrechtsen and a clearance by Watson (I think) off the line after a great double save by The Pole.

We did command a lot of possession in the second half, but did next to nothing with it. Inamoto was lightweight today; Greening was infuriating and Wallwork was his usual limited self. A quick point here about the Albion fans: they were extremely supportive of Wallwork today I felt, which says more about us than it says about the Rocket (surely the most inappropriate nickname since Killer Kilbane).

In defence we were absolutely static today. Every ball over the top was dangerous and we won nothing in the air at all. I like Albrechtsen but he was caught out on a number of occasions in the first half. It can't help that we are fielding a different back four in every game at the moment and we really miss Robinson. The Pole has to sort out his kicking but otherwise he is a cracking keeper. Somehow, it just isn't coming together though.

I feel for Earnie, but he had no presence today. Horsfield should have been sent on earlier. Kanu shows flashes but he can't run a game. We need someone who will do that for us. The Gera of old would help.

Robson also blamed Kamara for a lack of composure, which was true to an extent, but he was our most dangerous threat.

We're coming to the period where there are a few tough decisions ahead. If we are going to change manager this season, then it has to be soon. Otherwise, we've got to let Robson engineer another escape. There'll be no more players in January so he needs to work out what our best team is and stick with it. I hope he's got more of a bloody clue than I have. On today's evidence, I'm not convinced he does.

Highbury Baggie:

Just back from Upton Park. Reading the comments of the journalist and the two managers on the BBC website makes you wonder if you've been watching the same game.

Albion today looked like a team who are going down. Some interesting and creative phases, but in the end not enough passion, not enough defence and a lacklustre attack. Where are the souls of our players? They blow hot and cold - deft little passing movements that are thrown away - good defensive play and then woeful distribution (especially by the goal keeper - who incidentally stopped some good ones today). Watch the Pole's kicking from set pieces as an example - every time pumped up field to Ernie or Kanu - and the smallest man on the park knowhere near getting possession. I can't understand how the coaches sanction this, to me it looks quite basic, but it's so WASTEFUL and it's costing us points.

Apart from all this there were periods of the game when Albion lost heart and passion and it especially interesting to feel the heart and passion drain from the normally ebullient Baggie fans. I found this really telling. It only revived towards the end of the game with the introduction of Campbell and the Horse.

Very performances from many today. What has happened to Greening? He looks a different player to last season - where is Gera? We may be expecting too much from him when he gets back. Is there anyone else (apart from Robbo of course) who's prepared to stand up? On the strength of today - I doubt it.