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kirok1 11:45 Thu Jan 1
Are we slipping back to one up?

http://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/west-ham/are-west-ham-in-danger-of-losing-their-attacking-threat?

Andy Carroll has enjoyed a successful return from injury after overcoming an ankle problem that kept him out of action since pre-season.

His presence in the West Ham side means that the team now play to his strengths, resulting in more long passes to target the big man up front. He has chipped in with three goals already, including a superb brace against Swansea City that really announced Carroll’s return to Premier League football.

Carroll’s consistent appearances since he became injury free offers Sam Allardyce another option in attack. However, upon his return, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia both picked up injuries that allowed Carroll a free run in the team. Suddenly, the two strikers are finding it difficult to get back into the West Ham team now that Carroll has returned to 100% match fitness. Naturally, Carroll’s inclusion in the starting line-up means West Ham tend to look for more direct passes rather than working with the pace of both Sakho and Valencia.

The big Geordie does offer something completely different compared to the other strikers at the club, but many West Ham fans are questioning why they haven’t seen the very successful partnership of Sakho and Valencia since Carroll’s return. The two new strikers have not started a game together since West Ham’s number nine returned to the fold, as Andy Carroll is now firmly in the thoughts of the manager Sam Allardyce. Against Chelsea on Boxing Day, playing Andy Carroll was perhaps the wrong approach.

Carroll would receive the ball very high up the pitch and his lack of pace and movement in that particular area of the field made it very easy for Chelsea to defend against. When Valencia partnered Sakho up front in the second half at Stamford Bridge, the Hammers created more chances by using the pace and movement of their front two.

The same problem applies with their defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. Although West Ham played well, they were very too predictable at times. Too many floated balls aimed towards Carroll ended up in the arms of Wojciech Szczesny. Some fans voiced their frustration when Sakho was replaced by Valencia, as it meant that West Ham would not resort to a ‘plan B’ for the rest of the game. Instead, Valencia was pushed out wide into a position that he is not overly comfortable with and West Ham continued to play through Andy Carroll, which didn’t work.

When the West Ham team play with Carroll from the off, they always look for him. This obviously sacrifices some of the build-up play that West Ham were being commended for earlier in the season. Against Arsenal, Alex Song looked frustrated as the centre-backs would look to go long rather than play the ball to his feet. With Sakho and Valencia in the side instead of Carroll, it might have been a different playing style.

Time will tell whether Andy Carroll is a better option instead of Sakho and Valencia. But there is a feeling around Upton Park that West Ham are returning very quickly to the one dimensional football they played last season. The lack of goals from both Valencia and Sakho coincides with Andy Carroll’s return, which suggests that in order to get the best out of one strike force, the other has to be left in the cold.

January could cause a few problems for West Ham, especially in terms of the football they play. Diafra Sakho will leave club duty to represent Senegal at the African Cup of Nations. This leaves Enner Valencia, Carlton Cole and Andy Carroll as the strikers West Ham will look to in January. If any of these players get injured, it may result in Sam Allardyce resorting back to one up front, a formation that many West Ham fans have grown to despise under their manager.

Many presumed that January would be the opportunity for the talented Mauro Zarate to step up and make a difference. But he has been loaned out to Queens Park Rangers, leaving many West Ham fans confused. With the absence of both Sakho and Zarate in January, West Ham fans will be worried about their over-reliance on Andy Carroll and, most of all, an alteration in style that could leave Hammers fans reminiscing about the ugly football played at the start of the season.

Definitely seem to be playing back to Nolan and Carroll. Though the latter is scoring, the pace of Valencia and Sakho is clearly missed.

I guess time will tell...

kirok1 7:35 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Sir Alf - that's the problem. I think we ARE already back there.
Bigger problem is that Carroll is not what Fat Sam seems to think he is.
The situation is going to see us slide steadily down to the depths of mid-table. I cannot see that the Fat F*ckwit has learnt anything or can be at all adaptable, as you suggest, to trying two differing approaches.
As another poster wrote on the match thread - Deja Poo - same shit, different year.

Sir Alf 2:00 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Returning to the question.... "Are we slipping back to one up?"

I think we already have to some extent. Whenever Carroll plays, it seems Sakho or Valencia tend to play out wide and Sakho can only feed on the scraps of Big Andy's knock ons. With Carroll on the field the instructions are to play to and thru him whenever possible it seems?

Shame BFS could not learn to switch between one up with Carroll and 2 up with Sakho and Valencia, during a game. That is so difficult to deal with as the opposing managers usually prepare a team's tactics based on the system they think the opposition will use. Man City tend to switch their approach in the way they employ Dzeko but Sam has an unhealthy loyalty to Carroll and Nolan that will make such an approach a non-starter I would guess?

Ricky 1:56 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

You are. You have even taken to posting in your usual Nicey style, because you want people to know and you get this weird attention you crave so badly.

I feel sorry for you. I dread to think how shit your real life is that attention on here gives you such satisfaction.

Sandon SandIRON 1:51 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

This again? I'm not.

Takashi Miike 1:49 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

why do posters use two usernames? very odd behaviour

Leonard Hatred 1:47 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Sandiron = Nicey.


In case anyone hadn't realised.

Sandon SandIRON 1:34 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

I hope so. We have the players to play this and it will allow us to consolidate our PL status for yet another season.

Sakho and Valencia will take time to bed in to the PL and it will be sometime before they are at big Andy's level. Some more appearances off the bench, perhaps to replace Nolan after he runs himself into the ground again and they should have the necessary experience. I expect big things from them next season.

mongo 1:28 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Hoping for this today

Adrian
Jenkinson Collins Reid Cresswell
Song
Amaliftano Kouyate
Downing
Valencia Sahko

COYI

GreenStreetPlayer 1:06 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Would like to see S&V start, but sure it will be Carroll and therefore Nolan who will start all games now.
Shame as the football was also more enjoyable with the former and was something we craved. Sure he realises but he cannot leave his son out and makes room for him to the detriment of the team.

David L 12:57 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

As I said on another thread, Sullivan has already decided that Allardyce must stay at whatever cost, unless he demands a stupid amount. Sullivan will pay him a fortune anyway, for a season that may initially have held much promise, but which I fear may fizzle out over the next few months to its usual mediocrity, due to a manager that refuses to adapt and move forward. Today will tell us a lot about where we're going in 2015.

bell 12:45 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Did anyone honestly think that Allarydce had changed his
'' footballing '' philosophy?

kirok1 12:36 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Thought it had a good point to make. Albeit one already made by plenty on here.
Will the fat f#ckwit stay with his stubborn view or return to pre iOS formation that worked so well. I guess a certain amount of that decision may depend on whether it was his idea or whether he was forced into it after our awful preseason?
He's shown he doesn't want to be dictated to with the Zarate situation but is his ego bigger than his desire for a new deal? Or could he, unlikely as it is, recognise his own errors?

terry-h 12:30 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

The Sakho/Valencia partnership hasn't even had time to settle down before Allardyce decides to go back to his beloved system.
This is the quandary Sullivan has. Future results including a possible non existent FA Cup run will determine his decision on fatso. We all know Allardyce will do what he wants and will metaphorically keep on cupping his ear at us mugs.

Mr Polite 12:20 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

The fat oaf just knows that my half season ticket starts today and has used the last few games to get ready for the type of football that made me give it up in the first place.

I apologise to all for what will be served up in the next few months, it is my fault, but I just didn't want to miss out on tickets next season.

ludo21 12:19 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Really should be Sakho and Valencia today.... BFS refuses to change a winning team so after two losses will he have the balls to leave Andy out!?

With BFS it's all about dropping players not picking the best team for the circumstances.... AC is likely to achieve just as much coming on fresh for the last 30mins in any case.

Sniper 12:12 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Spot on summary of the current situation. Regardless of how well we've done this season, gold and sullivan must be wondering if another manager might get more out of the squad when everyone is fit.

Willtell 11:59 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Very good and accurate summary. Nice to see them use my monica at the end too...

stirlinghammer 11:59 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

A decent manager would now be starting with sakho and Valencia. Then try AC with one of them during a match.

This simple change of tactics during a game is too much for Sam. Plus throw Nolan into the mix. The result will be mid table at best.

lab 11:56 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

I have to agree Sven, Sam needs to make a statement today on our way forward.

Sven Roeder 11:53 Thu Jan 1
Re: Are we slipping back to one up?

Fair summary of our current situation.
This issue will have a big effect on our finishing position and I think the mood of Mr Sullivan particularly when it comes to the future of Mr Allardyce beyond this season.

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