West Ham fan Kwame Boakye gives his personal views on Sunday’s draw at Swansea City
West Ham’s venture into south Wales yielded a very valuable point; it was a performance full of grit, determination and stoic defending.
It wasn’t a classic; 0-0 draws seldom are and yes West Ham once again assumed their position as the last fixture on Match of the day; but if asked at the start of a triumvirate of difficult games (Spurs away, City home and Swansea away) whether four points would suffice one suspects most fans would’ve graciously accepted.
West Ham’s performance at the Liberty was the hallmark of a side drilled and battle-hardened all week by Sam Allardyce. The 4-6-0 which worked so well at White Hart Lane and not so well at home against Man City once again caused the opposition problems.
For all the Swans slick passing and clever movement, they never genuinely looked like penetrating West Ham’s defensive block. It was the type of performance that they simply wouldn’t have been capable of under previous regimes; but Big Sam’s Irons are made of sterner stuff.
Though however wonderful West Ham were at restricting the opposition; they failed to take a number of chances they created - Guy Demel in particular wasting two amazing opportunities to seal all three points for the Cockney boys.
The Hammers simply look toothless in attack without Andy Carroll. one suspects when he is finally added to this side the team will be capable of going to places like the Liberty and nicking a win, but until then, a draw is perhaps the best they can hope for.
Carlton Cole, making his 2nd debut for the club was a welcome sight, without the aforementioned Carroll, Carlton is without a doubt the club’s best option up front.
The upcoming game against Aston Villa at the Boleyn will surely see Carlton start as the game is a must win and whilst the 4-6-0 seems to be working away from home, on the hallowed turf of the Boleyn where the onus is on the home side to break the opposition down; the formation doesn’t appear to give the side the impetus needed to put teams on the back-foot.
West Ham only lost four home games the entirety of last season...this season they’ve already lost three.
The big problem has been scoring goals and though this team was moulded and shaped by big Sam to get the maximum out of Andy Carroll, the torch must pass for now back to his predecessor Carlton Cole.
West Ham boxed clever against Swansea, but they must go for the knockout against Villa.
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