After the win at Palace I thought the shoulder injury to Kevin Nolan, unfortunate as it was, might inadvertently help West Ham. We knew Allardyce wouldn't ever drop his talisman, but now it would give the more mobile Zarate a run in the position linking the main striker with midfield. After the dire performance against Southampton I'm not so sure.
The one thing we lacked in the second half against the Saints was leadership. Nolan might look like he's not worth his place if he isn't scoring, but the one thing everyone at the club says is that he is a good captain. You see him high-fiving players who make blocks and had he been on the pitch he might have been able to organise the players a bit, order more closing down, change some positions and rollick those who were underperforming. We needed more leadership from Mark Noble and Winston Reid on the day. We can all accept a home defeat, but not a capitulation where West Ham don't even threaten to make a comeback.
4 comments:
Noble couldn't lead a dog down a narrow alley . He is too busy gasping for breath as the game passes him by . Reid is too quiet so I reckon Collins is the man . 110% committed and leads by example . By no means the best but no natural leader in Bonds mode available .
Noble gasping for breath? He covers more ground than anyone else in the team. Of all the criticisms you could have, lack of fitness is not one.
Collins might be a more of natural shouter so could be a good choice. I think Noble works hard as the second comment says, and he's been very consistent, but he doesn't look like giving the Bonzo-style inspiration we need…strikes me as a bit of a quiet type.
The question I have is are results and performances really any better when he (Nolan) is in the team?? I'm not so sure they are. We do lack a leader it would appear, although let us not forget Noble has Captained England at U21 level so some must have seen something in him.
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