Barclays Premiership - Match 5
 

Season 2008-2009

WEST HAM UNITED

3 v 1

NEWCASTLE UNITED

  David Di Michele 8
David Di Michele 37
Matthew Etherington 53

Michael Owen 67

  
     
  Date: Saturday 20th September 2008
  Venue: Upton Park
  Kick Off: 3:00pm (BST)
  Australian Live TV: Foxsports 2 via viewers choice
  Attendance: 34,743
  Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
     
   

West Ham: Green, Behrami, Upson, Neill, Ilunga, Faubert, Noble, Parker (Mullins 72), Etherington (Boa Morte 73), Di Michele, Cole (Sears 87)

Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Davenport, Reid.
  Booked: Neill
   

Newcastle: Given, Edgar (Bassong 59), Taylor, Coloccini, N'Zogbia, Geremi, Cacapa (Gonzalez 81), Butt, Duff, Owen, Xisco

Subs Not Used: Harper, Ameobi, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson
  Booked: Taylor, N'Zogbia
     
 

Post Match Comments:

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola:
"In one week I'd like to say we did something to these guys but to be fair to them it's down to them and what Alan Curbishley did so far. The attitude has been incredible.

"We knew already that in the last 20 minutes our condition had gone a bit down, but even in those moments, we kept the shape and tried to maintain good position - I'm very proud of them.

"My duty is to make things work on the pitch, me and all my staff will be working on that, then we need support from (technical director) Gianluca Nani and the board, who will need to do their part - I trust them, they trust me."
 Watch Gianfranco Zola's post match interview

Acting Newcastle coach Chris Hughton:
"I thought we came out very well in the second half and once Michael Owen got the goal I genuinely thought we had a chance of getting back in.

If we were going to get something it was from wide, Geremi and Damien Duff. You can't afford to concede so early on, we got back in and played some good stuff but they were soft goals.

"I was very pleased that we had a real go in the second half, it was a spirited performance, we could have got something out of the game.

"The situation's no different to how it was a week or so ago. It'll be best for all when a manager comes in but that's not the situation at the moment but I can't fault the application of the players."
Watch Chris Hughton's post match interview

  
     
  BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match:
West Ham's David di Michele 8.68 (on 90 minutes)		  
     
 

 
     
  Match Report:  
  No light at the end of the tunnel for Newcastle as West Ham welcome Zola with a convincing home victory.

The warning bells were ringing for Newcastle from the start, with caretaker manager Chris Hughton naming a central midfield pairing of Nicky Butt and Claudio Cacapa. If he was looking for experience he certainly found it, but unfortunately for Newcastle supporters the better experiences of these two are well and truly in the past. Despite questionable defensive application Charles N’Zogbia was again named in the left fullback position, with Damien Duff (returning from injury) preferred in the more advanced left sided position. The central defensive partnership of Taylor and Coloccini remained anchored at the back, as they have for each of Newcastle’s matches this season. On the right David Edgar reprised his fullback position, with Habib Beye injured and Geremi preferred in the midfield. Debutant goal scorer Xisco retained his position up front, partnering Michael Owen. Shay Given was between the sticks.

From the opening exchanges of the match Newcastle’s core was found wanting by an enthusiastic and enterprising West Ham midfield. It was however reasonably lucky for West Ham when they scored their first goal. A strike from midfielder David Di Michele deflected off Steven Taylor looping over a helpless Shay Given. Di Michele had eased past Argentine defender Coloccini to put himself in a position to score, with the Newcastle defender going to ground far too easily. Taylor may not have been at fault for the first goal, but he most certainly was for the second. Stranded marking no-one he caught himself out with what we could only guess was an attempt at an offside trap. Di Michele was again the player to benefit breaking into the Newcastle box with a one of one chance against the Newcastle keeper. Given did well to get in the way of the shot, with the rebound falling back to Di Michele. By this time Steven Taylor had recovered from his earlier error, but unfortunately all he could manage was another mistake. He bustled his way towards Di Michele who did well to control the ball and elude the Newcastle defender before slamming his shot by an outstretched Coloccini and past Shay Given in goals. With less than 40 minutes played, Newcastle were 2-0 down and the signs did not look good.

Despite making no personnel changes during the break there was some improvement from Newcastle in the second half, but it all counted for nothing when West Ham on the break scored their third. Di Michele was again heavily involved running into space down the right, before whipping a shot-come-cross into the path of Etherington. The winger made no mistake sending the ball into the back of the net. The match was won.

15 minutes later, but 65 minutes too late Newcastle highlights package finally registered a clip. Michael Owen was fed the ball at the top of the box, and with all of the work still to be done, he knocked the ball clear of West Ham defender Lucas Neill before curling an inch perfect shot around Robert Green. It was a top shelf finish. The goal spurred the team on, and for the next 10 minutes Newcastle enjoyed their most enterprising period of the match. West Ham managed to weather the minor winds, and despite some very good chances to score in the closing passages of the game they failed to improve on their goal difference, winning 3 goals to 1.

In the wash up from a match like this it’s very hard to look for positives, and even harder to find them. Around the 60th minute David Edgar was substituted for Sebastian Bassong, with the left footed French under-21 player switching to left back. This facilitated N’Zogbia moving to left midfield, with Duff swapping to the right. Geremi shifted back into right fullback, the position where he played most of his football at Chelsea. Not surprisingly when we had more players in their natural positions we played a lot better (this is the only positive – though it is common sense really). Earlier in the match all of our attack was aimed down the left side of the field, with Edgar (not a natural fullback) reluctant to get forward with any purpose. Why this was not our formation from the opening part of the game is anyone’s guess. Likewise the involvement of Brazilian Cacapa in midfield must be questioned. He lasted until the 81st minute when he was replaced by loan signing Nacho Gonzales.

Overall it was a disappointing match, compounded by a poor formation and a weak defensive showing.		  
     
 

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