After the Reading and Southampton game the previous evening, it appeared that WHU’s chances of automatic promotion were slim if not gone completely. With this in mind, the fact that we had a near full house surprised me. Over 32000 came to watch a game between two now playoff hopefuls. Once again the cold set in, and i expected yet another draw for Big Sams team. It was refreshing to see that Vaz Te was allowed to play up front with CC, in a near 442 formation. Also coming in for a second time in just over a week, was Guy Demel, making a welcome run in the team post injury.
The two up front strategy seemed to work as we hit the bar in the first minute. Then out of nowhere Vaz Te banged one in from range, leaving the keeper like a Coldstream guard, one nil 3 mins. By seven mins he had doubled his tally with a header for 2 nil. Brighton had no response and by 10 mins Nolan had got onto the end of a Tomkins back post header to tap in the 3rd.
By this time Hamers fans were dreaming of record wins, and closing the goal difference on Southampton. And then BFS switched to one up front again, and Vaz was restricted to shots from distance which i assume was team orders as Brezovan, the seagulls keeper, didn’t like to catch and kept punching out, giving forwards who follow up some sort of chance. Half time came and went, pretty quietly, as did the first 20 mins of the second half. The we moved to two up front again, and Vaz Te took a stunning bicycle kick to get his hattrick, and celebrate his change (not BFS’s in my opinion) to go back up front.
This reopened the floodgates, and CC got his first of the day with a hard shot that deflected off Lansbury to go 5 nil up. CC by the way had his worst day bar none, missing nearly all balls hit his way, but he didn’t give up and got his reward. Just when things couldn’t get any worse for Brighton, in came a Noble corner, which hit the back of the calf of Dicker for an own goal, and the last of the day.
West Ham win 6 0, but it’s all a little late, we need Southampton to lose at least one of their next 2 games. We have to win all of our games, and it really didn’t need to be this way. Once again, 2 up top is the solution, and Sam should be by now getting disciplinaries from the board based on this omission. Even today it proved the difference for probably two more goals. Speaking of which Lansbury should of got one, when he blazed over the bar from about 8 foot. This was a player who i thought would make the difference, and always scores for the under 21’s, but looks terrible for WHU. Where does he need to play, Centre Mid ? Would you drop Noble, or introduce some sort of xmas tree formation?
Apparently Morrison in injured. Or apparently Ravel has had a tiff with our own Kevin Nolan, and is currently on suspension from the club. This of course could be nonsense, but not surprising.
One other thing i heard is that if we dont get promotion, then Kevin Davies is on his way this summer. Really ? To replace who, Carew? Baldock ? or someone else who hardly plays.
We have Bristol City on Tuesday, in a game to extend our away record and close the gap on Southampton. We drew at home, in a dire wet evening game, lets hope Tuesday is better. Then Leicester away on Saturday. By then, realistically we will know where we are in relation to a straight promotion.
Fingers crossed and 2 up top.
MOTM: Ricardo Vaz Te. who else.
Mrben09 