West Ham United - fan's review of 2008/09 Premier League season
West Ham United - fan's review of 2008/09 Premier League season
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Tuesday, 02, Jun 2009 05:49
Good, bad or just the same old, same old? What the fans made of the 2008/09 season.
A lot of West Ham fans started the season with reasonably high expectations.
The squad was in good shape and key players who had missed most of the previous campaign were fit again. Alan Curbishley, the manager, had been keen to blame the shortcomings of the 2007/08 season on factors outside his control, so this season the fans were eager to see what he could deliver with the squad he had assembled over the previous 18 months.
It's never quite that straightforward with West Ham, though, and shortly after the big kick-off in August it became clear that the credit crunch was going to have some ramifications in east London. The owner lost most of his vast fortune as a result of the downturn, the shirt sponsor went bust and a row over player sales led to Curbishley leaving in early September.
After a few ex-players, including flavour-of-the-month Croatia coach Slaven Bilic and the hugely popular but equally unstable Paulo di Canio, had fallen by the wayside a former Chelsea hero in Gianfranco Zola was appointed.
It would be fair to say that the reception was not overwhelmingly positive, with some concerns raised about his links to west London and limited coaching experience, having only managed Italy's under-21s.
The addition of Steve Clarke, the highly-regarded Chelsea coach, helped ease concerns about managerial pedigree and Zola quickly won the respect of the players with his hands-on approach to training. When his focus on technique and ball retention filtered through to performances on the pitch, the Upton Park faithful started to forget his affiliation to the Blues.
Given what the little Sardinian had to work with, he did a remarkable job in his first season.
He never once complained or tried to shift the blame elsewhere (take note Alan Curbishley); he got the team playing good football; and turned Carlton Cole into something approaching the finished article.
Grade: B
High Point
Carlton Cole's run of six goals in seven games over Christmas and new year that saw him earn a call up to the England squad was certainly a high point for the season.
Tonking Portsmouth 4-1 away and then losing just one of the next ten, to Manchester United, would also be up there.
But this season was more about restoring some pride and putting in some respectable performances than setting the world on fire.
Low Point
Losing home and away to Tottenham and Bolton and getting dumped out of the FA Cup by Middlesbrough were all black smudges on Zola's end-of-term report.
The day the sale of Luis Boa Morte fell through was also one of disappointment although his form did pick up (i.e. he contributed more to games than getting booked and back-heeling the ball to imaginary team-mates) in the second half of the season.
The manager
Gianfranco Zola, despite having played for Chelsea and done nothing previously as a manager, quickly won over the West Ham supporters this season.
He successfully transferred the enthusiasm and technical nouse that made him one of the Premier League's all-time greats to the dugout. Zola secured a respectable league position and vastly improved the quality of football on show at Upton Park. This achievement alone has earned him some credit for next season.
His next test will be the transfer market, where he is likely to have very limited funds.
His one big signing so far, Savio Nrsereko, is yet to make his mark.
Fan's Player of the Year
- Carlton Cole -
From journeyman benchwarmer to international striker, Carlton Cole transformed his reputation this season.
He bagged 12 goals and led the line with aplomb. The physical attributes that had Chelsea's youth team believing they had unearthed a real gem were finally put to good to use with some consistency.
Zola's team was built around Cole's ability to hold up the ball, bring in players breaking from midfield and get on the end of it in the box. Injury interrupted the end of his season, but he scored on his return on the final day raising hopes that he will carry his excellent form into next season.
Needs for Next Season
The squad is reasonably well-stocked, although the number of injuries suffered this season must be cause for concern.
The defensive ranks could be strengthened, especially at full-back where the mightily impressive Herita Ilunga is without cover and the less impressive Lucas Neil is without competition.
The most important task Zola will have is to hold onto his stars.
Robert Green, the goalkeeper, has attracted the attentions of bigger clubs, while the midfield general Scott Parker and Matthew Upson, who leads the defence so effectively, were also widely coveted during the January transfer window.
Adam Barber