Season Review 2012/13 - Player of the Season

There are several options for this award, as not one player played exceptionally well throughout the whole season. Of course Winston Reid is one of the candidates, the others are Momo Diame, Andy Carroll, James Collins, Jussi Jaaskelainen who make up the contenders for Player of the Season.

Winston Reid, now the Hammers third choice captain, and new captain of the New Zealand national side. Reid had a terrible start to his West Ham career in 2010, and his first season was not a memorable one. He started to show great promise during the 2011/2012 promotion season in the championship and was probably over shone by James Tomkins. Last season, Reid went on leaps and bounds to show why Avram Grant did pay £4 million for his services. Reid has show great potential, and now needs to keep up his great performances last season, and display them on a regular basis next season. He is a contender for player of the season, due to his last ditch tackling, tenacity and overall influence on the side when the Hammers needed stability. He did peak off in some games, but not everyone is perfect. The only learning point for the defender is his ability to keep focus, as sometimes in games his concentration is poor and makes amends through last ditch tackling.

Momo Diame, he must have had a good season when teams like Arsenal and Manchester United come knocking six months into his West Ham career. Luckily for the Hammers, the Senegalese midfielder looks likely to stay at Upton Park and is looking to sign a new contract to up his minimum fee release clause. Diame was exceptional, and a breath of fresh air in most games with his endless running and dribbling. He is exactly what West Ham need in a slow central midfielder, as Noble and Nolan have good abilities but are not the most agile players in the world. Diame will be most remembered for his great performance against Chelsea in the 3-1 win at Upton Park. Diame only just beats Andy Carroll for signing of the season, and for a free transfer, he was what Harry Redknapp would call a 'bargain.' Diame does have something to work on in the summer, passing, he does not know how to, he runs off into blind alleys, losing the ball too often sometimes. However, his dribbling does help the Hammers ease the pressure defensively and gives West Ham the ability to break quickly. He did rarely contribute during the second half of the season due to the speculation of him leaving, but his amazing performances before January earn him his candidacy for Player of the Season.

Andy Carroll, for a player who only played 23 times last season, he made a big contribution. Carroll scored seven times, with most of his goals coming in the last few months of the season. He became a fans favourite rather quickly, and showed his partnership with Kevin Nolan still works as it did at Newcastle. Two injuries hindered the big man's season last year, and if he had been fit all season, no one knows where the Hammers might have ended up in the table. Sadly, as a contender for Player of the season goes, he was the best player but did not play the whole season missing large chunks of it. West Ham fans got their wish, as Carroll was signed permanently for a club record fee of £15.5 million. Hopefully Carroll will not have such a injury prone season and lead the club to stability.

Another new signing who impressed was James Collins. Many fans before the season were pleased with the signing of 'Ginge' even though many Villa supporters were happy to see the back of him. Hammers fans changed their opinion, three months into the season as Collins was making too many mistakes such as in games against Swansea and Sunderland. Collins got injured during the season, and then West Ham started to show weakness in defence during the Welshman's absence showing how maybe he not Reid was the reason for the good start to the season. Collins came back and showed why the Hammers had missed him especially in his man of the match performance in the 0-0 draw against Liverpool, where the defender kept Suarez in his pocket. Collins showed in that game Reid was not needed and the partnership between Ginge and Tomkins was sufficient enough to deal with the Reds. Collins was very under-rated last season, he was probably the main reason for why Reid looked so good, as Collins did the dirty work and Reid picked up the pieces. However, for Collins' poor start, he is not the strongest candidate.

Lastly, Jussi Jaaskelainen signed on a free transfer from Bolton, and was not seen as an inspired signing by Hammers fans. Many people suggested the Finnish goalkeeper was finished, and could not perform at a Premier League standard. For the first few months, it appeared so, as Jussi looked uncomfortable, nervous and shaky. However, he settled in and grew with confidence to guide the Hammers to a comfortable tenth place. Many times, West Ham had Jaaskelainen to thank for his impressive performances which kept them in the game, including his man of the match performance against Tottenham which was over shadowed by Gareth Bale' wonder strike. Jussi saved 78% of shots he faced, and faced the most shots in the division with 215. The former Finland international was ever-present last year, and he may not be this season with new arrival Adrian looking to steal the goalkeeper spot.

Overall, a comfortable yet sometimes nervy season meant there were many candidates to stand out for player of the season. However, one player did stand out more, and it was a tough decision but Winston Reid just wins with Andy Carroll behind. Carroll may have played on 23 times but his impressive performances most of the times he played deserved second place. Diame finished in third, only because of his poor second half to the season, as Jussi and Ginge finish on joint fourth. Winston Reid has improved rapidly in the last two seasons, and deserves his success he had in the 2012/2013 season.

Come On You Irons!

Season Review 2012/2013 - Game of the Season

Where's the blue flag? Chelsea have been looking for it since December 1st 2012, when they visited Upton Park to face the Hammers. Pre-match expectations were rife with Rafa Benitez likely to pick up his first win as Chelsea boss. Instead, it was quite the opposite as a superlative second half display from West Ham got them the three points.

Leading up to the match, West Ham were on a three match winless run, with a 1-1 draw with Stoke, and two back to back losses against Tottenham and Manchester United. Whereas Chelsea came into the game with two consecutive 0-0 home draws against Man City and Fulham. With Rafa looking for his first elusive win as Blues boss, and the Hammers looking to stop the rot, it was always going to an explosive action-packed game.

The pre-match line ups shocked many Hammers fans, as Gary O'Neil found his way back into the Hammers side in place of in-form Momo Diame, who was on the bench. O'Neil was coming in from the bench cold to replace a man who had been arguably West Ham's best player up to this point of the season. It was a tactic that Allardyce was hoping would work.

The decision to start O'Neil looked to have backfired at the start of the game, as Chelsea dominated the first half through their pace and quick passing, which West Ham could not live with. The Hammers were missing their Senegalese powerhouse, but they had to play the half without him. Chelsea took an early lead, as Victor Moses sent Fernando Torres down the line, who pulled the ball back to Spaniard Juan Mata. Where Mata from inside the box, side-footed the ball into the corner of the Hammers net. Chelsea had several other chances which they wasted including a great chance for Victor Moses but Joey O'Brien had quick reactions to clear.

The second half was a completely different story, as Allardyce knew a change was needed in the weak, slow and fragile midfield. O'Neil was taken off and replaced by Diame, a straight swap. Diame brought a new lease of life to the side. The Hammers were battering the Chelsea side all over the park, there was a role reversal of Men vs Boys. Chelsea were looking like boys, and West Ham's second-half dominance finally paid off, as Matt Jarvis' cross took a huge deflection off Gary Cahill, looping up into the air. As the ball rolled down, Carlton Cole 'outmuscled' Ivanovic to head the ball past Petr Cech. It was Cole's first goal against Chelsea, and first of the season. Cole had been second best to Andy Carroll, who picked up an injury in the midweek game against Man Utd, allowing Cole to start the game.

The Hammers rode their luck after the equaliser, as Juan Mata hit the post from a free-kick, which had Finnish goalie Jaaskelainen beaten. The free-kick struck the post and was cleared. There was only a few minutes of the ninety remaining, when West Ham earned a throw in. O'Brien saw Cole gained a bit of room from his marker, he threw it to the big man, who turned the defender and laid it off to man of the match Diame. The Senegalese was unmarked outside the box, and slotted the ball with the outside of his foot under Cech. The Hammers were leading with six minutes to go, and they completed the rout when Ashley Cole's pass was intercepted by Maiga, who put Taylor through one on one. Taylor's left foot shot was parried straight to Maiga inside the box who barried the ball into the back of the net. The game ended 3-1.

It was the first time West Ham fans had a chance to get one over their west London rivals. It was the first win against Chelsea since 2003, when Paolo Di Canio's only goal in his last game at Upton Park kept the Hammers in with a shout to stay in the Premier League. This was the game of the season, due to the work rate, determination of the team and brilliant turnaround against a team who dominated the first half with great ease. Diame's influence on the side changed the game, and whether Allardyce intended to use Diame for an effective 45 minutes, only he knows.

 

Come On You Irons!

Review of the Team: Part IV - Forwards

The forward line for the next seasons will be lead by Andy Carroll. Carroll signed a six year deal to make his move to West Ham a permanent one after a rather successful loan spell last season. The big man is the Hammers most expensive signing and which has divided people not just Hammers fans but the footballing world. Carroll did have a successful season even though it was hit with injuries leading to him missing three months of the season. Even with these injuries, Carroll still scored seven goals and became a fans favourite. The cries at the end of the season from the fans to sign Carroll showed how influential he became at Upton Park. Carroll signed a six year deal, which is hopefully a sign of good things to come.

Apart from Carroll, the Hammers' successes were few and far between with strikers. Hammers' fans will have seen the last of Carlton Cole in a Claret and Blue shirt with his last goal against Everton. Cole when played, did not set the world alight last season apart from one game against his former club Chelsea. Cole has not turned out to be the striker many thought he would be at the age of 22 when Alan Pardew signed the former number 9 for £2 million. Cole was always hit and miss, only playing his best football under Zola and maybe it was time for him to leave.

Lastly, the final striker Modibo Maiga is likely to be sold, after not really been given a chance at Upton Park. He has shown a few glimpses of what he can do, with goals against Southampton and Wigan as well as his performance in the last game of the season coming on as a substitute. Maiga, though is likely to be sold back to France making way for new forwards to complement Carroll.

Hopefully, last year's loans signings of Chamakh and Paulista are not replicated this year and the Hammers can bring players in who will actually benefit the side. Two more forwards are needed to support Carroll, one to compete and one to be a back-up. Although, Allardyce may see Vaz-Te as the back-up striker or Kevin Nolan, but signings are definitely needed in the forward areas.

 

Come On You Irons!