Vinny's Birmingham Report
Vinny 11:29 Tue Apr 10

Other articles by Vinny ...

West Ham United 3 Birmingham City 3

West Ham fought back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 in a dramatic and pulsating encounter which leaves automatic promotion in the balance for the East London side.

I am absolutely drained after watching this game and I feel as though I have been through an ordeal. This was as dramatic as you can get although we fully deserved the point we all know that we needed to get all three.

The game was extremely strange in the way we controlled the first part of the first half and then fell apart conceded two terribly soft goals, getting one back with half time approaching and then conceding a couple of minutes later.

I couldn’t really believe what I was watching and the second half saw us absolutely batter Birmingham and I mean batter them.

So much happened in the game and we can look at two clear penalties in the second half which were not given and a slightly harsh one which was although if you are going to stick your hands in the air that pretty much qualifies as handball.

There are positives to take out of the game and if this had been a match earlier in the season we would be looking at this is a very different light as coming back from two goals behind should of course been seen as a good thing.

To pick ourselves up from such disappointment at half time took a lot of effort from the players and just when you think we have a bunch of players who have no bottle they go and produce a second half like that.

Whilst we dominated the second half we did this by pumping high balls into the Birmingham area and looking for any knock down possible. This wasn’t pretty but it needed to be done and too many times you watch sides do this in the last five or ten minutes and wonder why they didn’t do it before when they were chasing a game.

I cannot recall the last time I saw us batter a team like we did to Birmingham in the second half. Even in games we have won comfortably I fail to recall a game where we put as much constant pressure as what I witnessed.

The second half was so different to anything I have seen for some time and the atmosphere was red hot and very intense. As I mentioned I felt as though I had played the game myself given how exhausted I was when the final whistle went. When Vaz Te stepped up to take the penalty I didn’t think I could take any more and felt as though I had been through enough.

If excitement and exhilaration is what you have been looking for this season then this game really did fit the bill but on the flip side the awful home form continues and to have not won a game at home since February 4th against Millwall is atrocious and clearly the reason why we will not be automatically promoted.

We are going to need to pull some amazing form out of the bag in the last four games and we will require some large doses of luck if we are to get that second placed finish.

Birmingham got their tactics correct in the first half and we played right into their hands. It looked boringly predictable as we huffed and puffed our way through the majority of the first half without any urgency or any idea how to break Birmingham down.

It was a superb comeback no doubt but to have got ourselves in that position was simply not good enough and the performance was so far below par it seems baffling that a side can go and win 4-0 and play like that just a few days later.

It was like watching a different team altogether and I had been expecting to see a confident team with urgency but instead we looked nervous on the ball and allowed them to cut through us so easily.

The Team

Allardyce made two changes to the side who started at Barnsley.

In defence Guy Demel was dropped to the bench with Abdoulaye Faye coming into the side. With no Demel, Faubert or O’Brien this saw us play James Tomkins at right back with Reid and Faye in the middle. I’m not sure how fit Demel was but he did only play any hour at Barnsley and was clearly fit enough to be on the bench.

The other change saw Matthew Taylor drop to the bench with Carlton Cole coming into the team. Nicky Maynard was pushed out to the left wing with Vaz Te on the right.

First Half

The opening ten minutes were encouraging in that we looked sharper than the visiting team and we were seeing a lot of the ball. Birmingham barely got a kick in those opening moments and it was a similar start to that against Reading.

The problem was with our start is that we did not create any clear cut chances and when it seemed as though something may come our way the final ball would often be poor or well-defended.

With a quarter of the game gone it was Birmingham who had the first real chance of the game as out of nothing a through ball to Burke saw McCartney attempt to step up and play offside but he got this all wrong and Burke was through but his low shot was tipped around the post by Robert Green.

From the resulting corner Birmingham had another good chance as the centre half Davies met the ball with a firm header which went wide as he pulled away from his marker Faye.

This was typical of our home performances this season as no matter how much we think we are on top it is the opposition who seem to be able to carve their way through.

And with these chances Birmingham started to get a little more confident and as we invited them on you could clearly see a change in their attitude.
A poor clearance from Reid saw went straight to Burke who gave the ball to his teammate Mutch who hit a long range effort which went wide.

Birmingham broke again soon after and it was Mutch again who saw his powerful shot charged down brilliantly by Winston Reid.

As the half wore on Birmingham were firmly in the game and we had not created one meaningful chance. To make matters a whole lot worse it was the away side who took the lead on 27 minutes.

It began when George McCartney played a poor pass inside to Mark Noble who was never going to get their first and Jordan Mutch nipped in, burst forward and hit a low left foot shot past the static Robert Green who I can only presume was unsighted as Birmingham went 1-0 up.

Although it was a good finish it was all our own doing and we were again playing catch up.
If losing one goal was bad enough what happened just three minutes later was complete disaster.

Again it was a goal out of nothing and it was far too easy for Birmingham to increase their lead.
James Tomkins received the ball at right back and played a pass into the feet of Carlton Cole who was in his own half to receive the ball. Cole’s control was not great and he was easily disposed and a first time pass was played through to Marlon King who sprung the offside trap and with only Green to beat he finished calmly to make it 2-0.

It was poor hold up play from Cole but one pass should not be able to cut us open like it did. Defensively we were not good enough and it was not looking good.

The crowd’s initial enthusiasm and support for the side was beginning to wane and there was much frustration around Upton Park.

George McCartney went up for a header with Ramage and came off worse after a clash of heads. McCartney had to subbed and Danny Collins replaced him.

We lost our way for most of the remaining minutes of the half and the team looked shell shocked, much like they did after Reading had score two quick goals in the previous home game.

The players could not seem to get hold of the ball and Birmingham were doing an excellent job in defending. The tactics employed by former Hammer and Birmingham Manager Chris Hughton were spot on and Sam Allardyce was certainly being out thought by his opposite number.

As the 45 minutes hit we had our best chance of the half thus far as Nolan did well to get the ball out to Nicky Maynard who cut in from the right and curled an excellent shot which beat the keeper Myhill but not the cross bar as it smacked against the woodwork.

The chance was not over yet as Vaz Te retrieved the ball and set up Kevin Nolan but his poor shot lacked power and was straight at the keeper.
As four minutes of added time had been awarded there was still time to get something out of the half and we did just that.

A corner was won and taken by Mark Noble and found the head of James Tomkins who head back across goal for Ricardo Vaz Te to powerfully header past Myhill and bring us back into the game.

At the time I thought this was a massive goal and one to give us the confidence to go into the second half in a much better condition.

But what was so typically West Ham is what occurred just a minute later.

Birmingham went straight back the other end and won a corner. The corner was only half cleared to the edge of the area where Chris Burke volleyed into the ground and the ball bounced over everyone and past Green to make it 3-1.

I think I may have sworn a record amount of times.

The half time whistle went pretty much straight after the re-start and plenty of boos rang around the ground.

Second Half

The second half would have just as much drama as the first and would leave many West Ham fans breathless given the amount of drama that was enclosed.

Allardyce made one substitution which was to take off Nicky Maynard and bring on Henri Lansbury.
Whilst this change may have worked out I cannot have been the only one who thought this was a ludicrous decision as if any of the forwards were to be taken off it was surely Carlton Cole who had looked poor and had a stinker of a half.

Just a minute in to the half and we should have been awarded a penalty. A cross into the area from O’Neil saw Lansbury attempt to get on the end of it before going down under a challenge from Ramage. The players appealed but the referee waved them away.

Replays have since shown that this was a clear penalty and a poor decision from the referee.
We bombarded Birmingham from then on in and they struggled to cope with constant pressure.

We were beginning to win a number of corners but all were being scrambled away by the away team.
A free kick into the area was allowed to bounce inside the box but it eluded both Cole and Nolan before being claimed by the keeper.

We had another penalty shout when a long ball forward saw Davies’ header loop into the area and Vaz Te went up with the keeper only to receive a slight nudge from Davies. Again nothing was given and the crowd were certainly not happy.

A cross from O’Neil saw Cole flick the ball on and Nolan hit a decent shot which had the keeper scrambling but it went well wide.

On 67 minutes a massive penalty appeal went up from both supporters and players. A ball into Cole by Nolan saw the striker tugged back by defender Caldwell as he attempted to shoot only to be tackled. Birmingham broke, Lansbury took a wild swipe and the player is possession but missed and then Winston Reid took him out with a cynical challenge.

A number of players all ran towards the ref to protest with Nolan and Lansbury both getting booked but oddly Reid received nothing for his dissent or the fact he just took one of their players out with as cynical a challenge as you will see.

All this injustice seemed to spur the crowd on and the atmosphere was fantastic. And with this we got a goal back on the 70th minute mark.
A free kick was Noble was flicked on by Birmingham sub Zigic and Kevin Nolan managed to hook the ball back for Carlton Cole to make space a fire a left foot shot past the keeper to make it 2-3.

It was certainly game on now although just like when we scored earlier we seemed to switch off and Birmingham came back into a half they had not been part of.

Zigic who had just been booked for a foul on Reid had a glorious chance to score as Burke crossed and the big Serb saw his header flash wide when he should have scored. Just why we seem to fall apart when we score is a mystery to me.

The last ten minutes saw a lot of endeavour but little quality as we piled forward looking for the equaliser. Allardyce brought on Baldock with eight minutes remaining for Mark Noble.

Corner after corner seemed to be awarded but we could do little with them as the clock seemed to have gone into overdrive. It didn’t look as though it was going to happen.

But with two minutes remaining fortune decided to smile on us.

Henri Lansbury saw his shot smack into hands of Burke who for some reason had them in the air and the ref pointed to the spot much to the delight of everyone connected to West Ham and to the anger of Birmingham’s players who felt this was a harsh decision.

With Mark Noble off the pitch it was Ricardo Vaz Te who had the responsibility and he smashed his penalty down the middle of the goal to make it 3-3.

The question now was ‘could we win it?’.
With four minutes added on time I think we thought we might be able to and we all knew that there is always that one chance that presents itself. Would we be able to create that chance? Yes we could, but it wasn’t taken.

Myhill got the ball away but only as far as Lansbury who hit a shot which came off his own player but then it was played back to him and with a shot on target surely meaning a goal Lansbury completely missed the ball and the chance was gone.

The players had given everything in that second half and although the win could not be obtained it was still a fantastic comeback.

It’s just at this stage of the season, it isn’t enough.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
He watched two of the three goals go past him without even diving. I think he was unsighted for the first and caught a little for the third. I only remember him making one save in the entire game.

James Tomkins
Our best centre half should not be playing anywhere other than in that position. He is not a centre midfielder or a right back and Allardyce is talking bollocks if he believes he is. Dangerous again at set pieces as he peels off to the back post and got an assist for the first goal.

Winston Reid
A decent display but both centre halves gave the opposition too much room and neither seemed to be able to read where the passes we going. If Birmingham had decided to attack us in the second half I have no doubt that they would have scored again.

Abdoulaye Faye
Looked incredibly slow and was poor in the first half. In the second he had very little to do other than play a few sideward passes.

George McCartney
Taken off with an injury in the first half although in his 34 minutes on the pitch his poor pass to Noble led to the first goal.

Ricardo Vaz Te
Scored another two goals and is proving such an important player for us. That was his fifth goal in the last four games and we need him to keep scoring if we are to do what we need to do this season. Excellent.

Gary O’Neil
A good display from O’Neil who never hid and was involved from start to finish. He may not have the quality required at times but his energy in the midfield is important.

Kevin Nolan
No goals in this one although he did get an assist for the second goal. There was not enough about his display in the first half and I expected a bit more after his good display at Barnsley.

Mark Noble
He looked knackered from the kick off and two games in quick succession did not seem to suit him. His fitness levels were questioned last season when he seemed to look dead on his feet after an hour and I thought he was poor.

Nicky Maynard
Play him up front and he will score. Play him on the wing and he will not.

Carlton Cole
A difficult player to judge. The fact is when we play Cole up front on his own we knock it long and play a style of football which I do not think suit us. In the second half we had little choice to do this and he did well enough, should have had a penalty and score his 11th goal of the season. This was his second goal in as many home games. For me when Cole plays we look a worse team and whether this is actually because of him or just the way we play when he is in the starting line up is beside the point. The way we played at Barnsley is how I want us to play and I think we are better for it.

Subs Used

Danny Collins (on for McCartney 34 mins)
A decent display from Collins who didn’t do a lot wrong although some of his crossing was poor. With McCartney injured I expect to see him start against Brighton.

Henri Lansbury (on for Maynard 45 mins)
A very positive display from Lansbury who made a lot happen. He should have been awarded a penalty just minutes after coming on and won the penalty near the end. He nearly was the hero at the end but missed his shot.

Sam Baldock (on for Noble 82 mins)
Ran about a lot but when he had the ball I seem to recall him giving the ball away with every pass he made.

Subs Not Used: Demel, Taylor

Bookings: Nolan, Lansbury

Man Of The Match: Ricardo Vaz Te

Birmingham City: Myhill, Ramage, Caldwell, Davies, Murphy, Burke, N'Daw, Fahey, Elliott, Mutch, King
Subs: Doyle, Redmond, Townsend, Huseklepp, Zigic

Attendance: 31,045

Overall

It may not have been the result we wanted or needed but to come back from 3-1 down is never something to turn your nose up at. This was a comeback full of spirit and those players really wanted it in the second half and we really took the game to Birmingham.

The problem is this leaves us adrift of the top two and with Southampton winning it seems as though they have secured their place in the Premiership next season leaving us a Reading to fight it out.

Saying that, if Reading do go to Brighton this evening a pick up all three points I think we will all have to concede that the Play Off’s beckon although I am sure many of you feel this way already.

Next Game – Brighton and Hove Albion (h) Saturday 14th April, 3pm Kick Off

By the time we actually play Brighton, Reading would have played two games as they go to Southampton on Friday night.

But this point we will know a lot and if Reading are to win both of those games it will nearly all be over anyway.

There is still life left in our season but if we go up automatically or go through this play offs this game against Birmingham will be one to look back on.


Sams View

"What a comeback in the second half - we showed fantastic quality and spirit," Big Sam said. "We got the crowd right behind us and we had them on the edge of their seats and they continued to drive us on, continued to cheer for us and the atmosphere was fantastic.

"Eventually Cole scored and Vaz Te got the penalty so we gave ourselves a chance of winning the game. Then in the final minute we had a chance with Lansbury to win it; it's just a shame it was on his wrong foot and he took the chance too quickly."

"We were supported hugely by the crowd who willed us on to get that all important win. Now we've got to give the crowd enough on Saturday to cheer us on to the win like we tried to do in the second half today.

"Unfortunately we didn't get the three points and even though it was a very good comeback by us it is still two points dropped at home. Now we have to think of four wins and twelve points and hope that either Southampton or Reading slip up enough for us to get in there."

"I have to give the lads credit for an outstanding performance but in the end it was too late after the first-half professional suicide we committed. In the first half we played some ridiculous football that allowed Birmingham to go straight through us because we were playing silly passes in our defensive third.

"That was something we spoke about not doing but we continued to do so and that's why we found ourselves 2-0 down. Birmingham had two chances that they finished very well but we gave them those opportunities.

"But then we showed courage by getting the goal just before half time and all we had to do was keep it like that until half time. Unfortunately we couldn't do that, their lad on the edge of the box is all on his own which is unacceptable."




Season 2011/12 Scorers and Red Cards

Kevin Nolan - 11 (11 League)
Carlton Cole - 11 (11 League)
Mark Noble - 8 (8 League)
Ricardo Vaz Te - 7(7 League)
Sam Baldock - 5 (5 League)
Jack Collison - 3 (3 League)
James Tomkins - 3 (3 League)
Own Goal - 3 (3 League)
Gary O'Neil - 2 (2 League)
Nicky Maynard - 2 (2 League)
Winston Reid - 2 (2 League)
John Carew - 2 (2 League)
Frederique Piquionne - 2 (2 League)
Papa Bouba Diop - 1 (1 League)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (1 League)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (1 League)
Henri Lansbury - 1 (1 League)
Julien Faubert - 1 (1 League)
Frank Nouble - 1 (1 League)
George McCartney - 1 (1 League)
Danny Collins - 1 (1 League)
Scott Parker - 1 (1 League)
Junior Stanislas - 1 (1 Cup)


Red Cards

Callum McNaughton - 1 (vs Aldershot home)
Frederique Piquionne - 1 (vs Portsmouth home)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (vs Reading away)
Jack Collison - 1 (vs Reading away)
Kevin Nolan - 1 (vs Millwall home)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (vs Southampton home)
Robert Green - 1 (vs Blackpool away)*

*rescinded by FA on appeal





Email: vinnywhufc@hotmail.com

Mex Martillo 9:26 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

dicksie
Did your teachers tell you "thats not good enough"?
That used to fuck me off.

Mex Martillo 9:24 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

SDKFZ 222
I see where your coming from, and it is all psychological in the play offs, but position is not that important, it is often the sixth placed team that raced up the league at the last moment and has won their last 6 games that goes on winning and gets promoted. That is how we did it with Pardew. To give Birmingham a good doing was important as we may need to give them another doing in the play offs and we should have some advantage as we just did that yesterday...

What we need is to give Brighton a doing and win the other games so we feel invinsible going into the play offs.

Reading still 1 up...

bell 9:12 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Thanks as usual Vinny.

Northern Sold 9:11 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Nice one Vin.... cheers

SDKFZ 222 9:09 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

The point I'm making is that the psychological disadvantage of being pegged back even further to 4th would have affected the already very fragile mindset of our players. Pulling the score back to 3-3 after a stunning comeback shows we have slightly less to fear.

Also, under normal circumstances those teams finishing higher (i.e. 3rd) have the second leg at home, playing the potentially slightly weaker team (6th) and providing another psychological advantage, although in our particular case, admittedly, our home form is quite dire.

dicksie3 9:05 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

We've conceded seven dreadful goals in our last two home games which has basically ended any aspirations that we had for a top-two finish.

That's not good enough.

It was an admirable comeback from our team, going behind 3-1 at the break, but the manner in which we conceded the goals was amateurish, pathetic and absolutely fucking infuriating.

riosleftsock 9:03 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

I must say that after yesterday's result and the utter battering we gave them in the second half, do you honestly think Brum or any others will be looking forward to playing THAT team?

Mex Martillo 9:00 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Thanks Vinny

The draw is not about 3 or 4th it is about not losing to one of our future play-off opponents. The play-offs are about form and mental strength, a draw and close win over Birmingham is very important for the mental strength, we still need to win all remaining games especially Brighton who may also be a play-off opponent. If we get that momentum we will get through the play-offs.

kylay, not sure why you pick on Cole. Long ball is crap at best a lottery and it is more crap to critise the player with the stupid task of recieving long balls and playing it on to others. Good teams and good players do not play long ball. But if they did the result would be similar to what you critiise Cole for.

fordstar 8:45 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

stewie griffin 6:58 Tue Apr 10



One of the best posts i have read on here in a long while.

One McAvennieeeeee 7:55 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

What's the difference between 4th and 3rd?

SDKFZ 222 7:25 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

1 point instead of three from this match was quite disastrous, but the importance of not letting Birmingham win can't be ruled out. They would have been just three points from us under those circumstances and quite possibly we would end the season in fourth place due to their current form and ours.

Kenkwondo 7:18 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Don`t think I can argue with much there, Vinny. Some good comments by Kylay, too.

Cheers.

stewie griffin 6:58 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

kylay 6:24 Tue Apr 10 Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report


Agreed, and to add to that, there's been a fair bit of criticism of the defence today which isn't really fair. You do not, and should not, retain your shape and defensive line when you are in possession of the ball, you want people to be pushing up, or you are essentially asking them to anticipate dreadful first touches from team mates. Turning over possession so cheaply in your own half leaves any defence in the world exposed.

The Joker 6:56 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Great report Vinny but a little harsh on Nolan IMHO. Thought he was in the thick of it yesterday and was looking our most dangerous player in the second half.

LAD 6:30 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

I am absolutely drained after watching this game and I feel as though I have been through an ordeal. This was as dramatic as you can get although we fully deserved the point we all know that we needed to get all three.

I felt like this after watching it in my armchair, fuck knows how those who attended felt afterwards.

kylay 6:24 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Great analysis Vinny.

"It was poor hold up play from Cole but one pass should not be able to cut us open like it did. Defensively we were not good enough and it was not looking good."

I'll just point out that Cole's unpredictability with receiving passes and holding the ball makes it virtually impossible for the other players to anticipate where to position themselves other than behind him defensively which our defenders didn't do here b/c they were looking to move forward. When a central piece to your attack concedes possession at such a torrid pace, it's impossible to build up play, and I'd argue it's part of the reason for our excruciating form in the offensive third.

It's like the player that never passes when he gets the ball. At some point, you just stop wasting energy on runs forward b/c the defence has figured out it doesn't matter.

Sundance Kid 6:15 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

shit report, could have been good if the bitching towards SA and Nolan wasn't there, but Vinny nowadays is a bit of an old Mary.

Thanks though

Texas Iron 5:42 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Cheers ...Well done...

Game of 2 halves & mistakes cost us dearly...

Faye doesn't seem the same since his head injury...

keddy 5:33 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Well done Vinny. This club should carry a government health warning!

Johnwhu 5:16 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

Spot on as usual Vinny

aldgate 3:24 Tue Apr 10
Re: Vinny's Birmingham Report

spot on again vinny
playing tomkins out of position also robs us of pace in central defence
faye needs someone quick next to him or can be exposed
reid is too similar a player to faye so pairing has to be tomkins plus faye or reid
up front we have to play vaz te and maynard with cole as an option on the bench for a late bombardment
lansbury certainly did enough to start next time as well

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