.................Green..............
O'brien..Faye..Collins..Taylor
.................Noble...............
......Morrison.....Lansbury......
.................Nolan...............
......Maynard....Baldock.......

Subs: Cole, Linda, Collison, Tomkins, Henderson

Seriously guys...you lot that keep up with the "in Sam we trust....", etc, I just don't understand you. The football being played is simply atrocious. This league is not difficult. Play with pace, shoot on sight, try and score goals...that way you will win games. The reason the likes of Southampton, Reading, Birmingham, etc. are winning is because they are playing football and trying to win games. Even if we do manage to sneak promotion, I'm not sure I will be inclined to celebrate too much, as we will not retain a premiership status with this type of football. I know I sound negative and pessimistic, but I have seen nothing in 2012 to make me think any different. We have gone backwards as a football team, after a pretty promising and exciting start to the season. Stop being so bloody defensive Sam and go to win games. Get Lansbury, Morrison, Maynard, Baldock, Vaz Te all in the team, and go for it. Stop playing people like O'Neill, and dare I say it, Collison. Stop with the playing a defender in midfield. Realise that this is West Ham, and with the squad we have, we should be walking this league. You are going to get the crowd on your back if you carry on this way, and once that has happened, you do not stand a chance.

Just watched the 2 minute highlights Football League Show, and couldn't believe that Cole couldn't even put the ball in from 3 yards and had to rely on Nolan to put it in. Crap!

I didn't see or hear the game today, but I was at the Watford game. I am taking it from the comments on here that it was not good at all. I saw the line up before the start, and my initial reaction was "yes, O'Brien isn't playing", and then I noticed no right back in the team, and that McCartney was going to play there...what the f*ck! All those on here saying "trust Sam, he knows what he's doing", or "it's OK, we didn't lose and are unbeaten in 8".....seriously get real. This team should be walking this league. Whenever we can actually be bothered to attack teams, then we tear them apart....but no, BFS doesn't like that..."hoof it up to Cole, he's so strong in the air and holds the ball up superbly"...boll8x, Sam, Carlton couldn't hold up a pair of curtains, the guy has lost it, his confidence is shot and he offers the team nothing. Time to go with the pace of Maynard, Baldock and Vaz Te, and to bring in Morrison. The remaining games are going to go by in a flash, and the way we are playing is not going to put us in the top 2 at the end of the season. Tomkins and Faye can cope with most that is thrown at them, and of course Green is a legend, plus Noble is doing it most games, but apart from that, the players need to take a long hard look at themselves and realise that just like they weren't too good to go down, they are also not so good that they are going to walk themselves into the top 2. The drivel that comes out of Sam's mouth is starting to annoy me now....the players really need to up their game and fast......drawing at home to Watford and Doncaster.....seriously!

The point is that Cole does NOT play every week. He has been on the bench for many games. I agree with what you are saying in that the guy should be destroying this league, but he is not playing more than the other strikers we have. You say that Watford outplayed us??? No they didn't...with the chances we created we should have scored a hatful, but everybody was too scared to shoot

Hi Tom

Great post and I agree with a lot of what you say. Before last night I was calling for Taylor to replace Linda at LB, but McCartney had a pretty solid game so I'm tempted to change my mind......but I won't :)

What's the story with Demel? I'd love to see somebody on the right with a bit of power and pace (and it's evident that Faubert is not that man, which is a shame)

I'd like to see this (if everyone was fit):

................. Green ...................
Demel - Faye - Tomkins - Taylor
....................Diop...............
...........Noble - Nolan...............
. Baldock - Maynard - Vaz Te

Subs: Collison, Lansbury, Morrison, Cole, McCartney

Hi Tommo. Haven't seen Morrison play yet, but he certainly cannot be any worse that Faubert. Not sure I agree with your comment about Parker though. Noble has been pretty consistent IMO

spot on. I have been a bid advocate of his, but last night he was simply woeful and strolled around the pitch silking

Really surprised to see Nolan so far down. Faubert and Cole were undoubtedly the worst players last night. At least Nolan isn't afraid to shoot. The amount of times the ball was there to be hit by an on rushing Hammer, only for nobody to be there. Or if there was, the shot that came in could be described more as a pass to their keeper as it was so weak. Why is everyone so afraid to shoot? Nolan and Taylor seem to be the only ones that know where the goal is. Maynard had chances and fluffed them. Baldock hit another weak left foot shot after he had used his pace to get it off. Cole was pathetic on the ground and in the air. Seriously with the chances created last night we should have put at least 3 away.

Was at the game. Have to say that it was very quiet in the stands. Was quite excited by the starting line up. At last, a 4-4-2 with a partner for Cole. However, it transpired that Cole really does have less than nothing. Faubert and Cole were simply dreadful. Ive been defending Cole recently saying that he needs a strike partner and tonight he got one but he was so lazy, and didn't stop moaning the whole game, I cant begin to explain how bad Faubert was. First touch , shooting and crossing were all shambolic. How he stayed on the pitch for the entire game is beyond me. Talking of subs, they were ALL wrong in my opinion. Cole and Faubert should have come off for Vaz Te and Baldock, and Taylor should never have come off. I really don't know how we did not score more. The shooting was very timid, and there were at least 4 occasions when the ball ended up at the edge of the box with no West Ham player there to have a pop at goal. Saying this, Tomkins and Faye were excellent and I thought that Noble and Nolan played well too. Noble had to reign it in a little after his early yellow card but still was pretty tenacious. Was not overly impressed with Maynard again. Have to admit that Linda had a good game again, and I am his biggest critic. All in all a bit disappointing not to win a game that we completely dominated, and we really need to be more positive in front of goal. Next game, Maynard and Baldock up front for me.