The Guardian
Premier League
West Ham United 1
Hitzlsperger 78
Blackburn Rovers 1
Roberts 12
West Ham United continue to cling to Premier League status by their
fingernails, but this result will demoralise rather than inspire. Within
two minutes of the final whistle here, Robbie Keane miscued from inside
the six-yard box with the goal at his mercy. This club's campaign must
be considered a collective rather than individual failure, but the miss
felt like a nail being hammered into the coffin.
The fact some hope is retained is starting to feel cruel. The London
club have not won a league game in two months and travel to Wigan, a
team hinting heavily at recovery, in the desperate hope that cramming
into their final two fixtures the victories that have proved so elusive
will be enough to prolong a six-year stay in the top flight. In the
context of recent form, that scenario feels distinctly unlikely.
Avram Grant conceded that only success at the DW stadium, where Wigan
are unbeaten since February, will extend his team's chances to the final
weekend. "But I think I'm confident," he said, rather unconvincingly.
"We have a chance to stay up, of course. But we need to win at Wigan."
Regardless, a shudder of grim acceptance must have gone through the
directors' box at the final whistle here. Even the boos from the
neighbouring stands felt half-hearted.
Profligacy remains a problem, but more worrying even than Keane's late
miss was the general lethargy that infected West Ham's play for long
periods. This team wore the haunted look of condemned men at times, the
frantic late pressure whipped up after Thomas Hitzlsperger's skimmed
equaliser, dispatched with wonderful zip and power as Jermaine Jones
dawdled for an instant, masking a pedestrian display.
The lengthy list of absentees may have included the side's better
players – Scott Parker, Matthew Upson, Mark Noble, Gary O'Neil, Victor
Obinna – but the locals were still justified in expecting more. Their
mood turned against the management early in the second half, when Luis
Boa Morte, one of the few home players to offer urgency as he snapped
relentlessly and sometimes wildly into tackles, was replaced. There was
a chorus of abuse, aimed specifically at Grant. The beleaguered manager
appears more isolated by the week.
His post-match assertion that his team are playing "the football we more
or less wanted to play this season" was baffling. If there is sympathy
to be had in the reality that he has been denied three of his
first-choice midfield quartet – it is by no means certain that Parker
will return at Wigan after an achilles complaint – then Grant's
inability to stoke confidence and conviction in this squad is damning.
The co-owners' willingness to offer public criticisms may not have
helped, but a sense of under-achievement prevails.
"It's my responsibility," said Grant. "I cannot argue with the position
we are in. I can argue that the football we are playing is positive and
good, and that we're dealing as well as we can without key players. But
I'm not looking for excuses or saying we have no luck... though we do
need a bit of this. It would help. Every-one, from the kit man to the
owner, wants West Ham to succeed. This was our target. We thought things
would be different. But sometimes people make mistakes." That rather
summed up the muddled nature of life at this club.
They had been prised apart early, Jones feeding the overlapping Brett
Emerton down the right and the Australian's cross by-passing Robert
Green for Jason Roberts to tap in. Blackburn rarely threatened
thereafter, but they appeared comfortable until the latter stages.
"We've had 'positive' results in five of the last seven matches, so
we're one of the form teams in the bottom half," said Steve Kean. "I
don't know what we'll need still, but we keep going."
Keane's late miss, and a fine block by Christopher Samba on Carlton Cole
three minutes into stoppage time, preserved their point. One more, from
games against Manchester United and Wolves, and they will feel assured
of their future at this level. West Ham can only crave being so close to
salvation.
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Grant on... Blackburn Rovers
Knees Up Mother Brown
Avram Grant fights on - whilst fending off some difficult questions
regarding his relationship with his employers...
Avram: a lot of chances to win it in the last ten minutes?
I think all game we were on top of Blackburn - maybe this is the story
of our season. Take all the games that we have drawn where we were on
top of the other team, created a lot of chances. In this game also we
created a lot of chances in the last ten minutes but didn't score. It's
happening again and again and again and it cost us points. But at least
we drew - from one-nil [behind] - so it keeps our chances alive.
Scott Parker missing again today; what's the chance of him playing next
week?
Every week we say 'next week'. When we had a good run we played with a
midfield of Thomas [Hitzlsperger], Scotty, Mark Noble and Gary O'Neil.
Now three of the four are not playing - especially Scott and you know
what his contribution to the team is. I think the other players did well
[but] of course it's better to play with Scotty and the others. No-one
wanted him to play more than me - but if he cannot, he cannot.
Do you concede that you have to win your last two games?
Yes, but it depends on the other results; it will not depend on us after
today. So we need to see if the other result will be what we want it to
be. It will depend on us if we win against Wigan, so we have to win -
and I think we can do it.
What were you saying to Keane after that terrible miss at the end? You
seemed to be in conversation with him.
[long pause] I think a player like Robbie Keane, and others that missed
today - Demba and others - they want to score. They didn't score... I
wish I knew why.
Was it a moment that could define your season?
Absolutely right. But as you know I cannot kill him for this - and I
will not. He [also] had big chances in the last games. I must say that
he arrives at the chances through intelligent movement, something that
we needed more of in the first half of the season. But at the end of the
day, the only thing that counts in putting the ball in the net - and we
didn't.
There is no-one more frustrated than me, because most games this season
have been like this. The footballing side, the effort, I cannot say
anything against the players for most of the games. Of course, not all
the games. Today they gave a lot of effort and were on top of them. But
we don't score and the other team scores - maybe from just one chance.
Maybe we need to learn from Blackburn, they had two or three chances and
scored. At the end of the day, this is what football is all about.
You've sounded very confident all season that you will stay up. Are you
still confident?
Yes. We have a chance, of course, but first we need to win at Wigan. If
we win against Wigan we will be above them on goal difference. This is
the most important game. We always say 'this is the most important game'
but when it's two games to the end [of the season], this IS the most
important game. We need to win; they also want to win - and they are
playing at home - but we have to do it.
Was it too much of a gamble to start Collison?
It was a gamble. I'll be honest and say it was a gamble. We missed
Matthew Upson today - ok, it's a different [position] - but we missed so
many midfield players and three of the four that we had when we had a
good run. Today we played [Jonathan] Spector. Spector is not a
midfielder; ok, he's doing a great job in midfield but we played with
Spector and then we wanted a change so we used Jack Collison.
Of course if everything was normal we could wait a little bit, but I
think he did a good job. He came on with a lot of enthusiasm to play;
he's a very good player. It's not easy to play when you've been injured
for more than a year but I think he did a good job.
Do you think another week will be enough for Scott Parker to come back?
That's what I said two weeks ago so I don't know. I didn't say it was a
bad injury, I said we'd miss him for one game or two but we've missed
him since Man United. Now we know he played the second half against Man
United when he was injured. I say it again, there is no-one more than me
that wants him to play. He's more than a player for me but when he
cannot, he cannot.
Where does this leave you in terms of managing West Ham, in terms of
your position at the football club?
What do you mean?
You've got two games left, you're three points adrift at the bottom -
it's a worse position than West Ham were in last season.
Yes, I cannot argue with the position - I can argue about the football
that we play, I think we're playing positive and good football. I think
we are dealing very well with problems that other teams cannot deal with
- see top teams when they miss one player. We've missed the player of
the year, we've missed other players, so many players. And we've dealt
with this very well by the football side.
Of course I want the results to be better, I'm not a guy that will find
excuses. I'm not a guy who can say there is no luck but we need a little
bit of this, it could help us. But to answer your question, I think you
need to wait and see. We have two games [left], we concentrate on the
football. My position, it's not important.
How much responsibility do you personally accept?
It's my responsibility.
Totally?
It's my responsibility. I'm responsible for all the professional things
that happen in the club.
Was Upson dropped?
No, he was injured. Couldn't play.
Are you happy with the support you and your players have received from
the owners?
I will not answer this question because I think it's a tricky question.
I think that everybody at the club wants West Ham to succeed. Some
people sometimes make mistakes, but everybody from the ticket-man to the
owner wants the team to stay in the league. This was our target, this
was part of our vision. We thought that it would be a little bit different.
But I can tell you that I don't want to speak about the season, but on
the football side we don't have any complaints. This is more or less the
football that we wanted to play this season but we didn't take enough
points until now. But we need to be patient, wait and see and then I
will answer any questions that you want.
The timing of some of the owners' interviews and some of the things
they've said are not really conducive with where West Ham are. They're
not helpful, are they?
You know, I can answer only about what I can do; I cannot answer about
what people do. I don't give them compliments and I'm not criticising
everybody. I'll answer you honestly about what I did good or wrong but
what other people do you need to ask them, not me.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hitzlsperger arrests slide but Hammers on the brink
The Independent
West Ham United 1 Blackburn Rovers 1
By Nick Szczepanik at Upton Park
Der Hammer gave the Hammers the most slender of lifelines in their
struggle to avoid relegation yesterday. Thomas Hitzlsperger's
power-packed left foot rescued a point for West Ham and almost inspired
a late surge to victory, but Robbie Keane missed a glorious chance to
hit the winner and the odds remain stacked against the Londoners.
Avram Grant's side arrested a run of five successive defeats, but
another must-win game was not won. They remain bottom of the Premier
League, with virtually no margin for error in their two remaining games,
away to Wigan Athletic and at home to Sunderland.
Related articles
When they most needed a display of intelligence, passion and commitment,
they got the opposite, and but for the German's strike their chances of
climbing out of the bottom three would be nil – not that there was much
to celebrate in a draw against Blackburn, who have been the joint-worst
travellers in the League this year and conceded the most goals away from
home.
Yet again West Ham missed Scott Parker, who had failed to recover from
an Achilles injury. His return, which could come against Wigan next
Saturday, may be too late, and Grant could not be sure that the
Footballer of the Year will be fit even then.
"No one wants him to play more than me, but if he can't, he can't," he
said. "We have a chance to stay up. But first we need to win at Wigan.
If we win against Wigan, we'll be above them. Two games before the end,
this is the most important game. We need to win."
Grant refused to answer questions about his own position, which has
seemed perilous in view of reports of shortlists of possible
replacements having been drawn up, and statements from the owners about
the possible sale of players if the club goes down.
"Everyone, from the kit man to the owner, wants West Ham to succeed," he
said. "I cannot argue with the position. We are missing the Footballer
of the Year and other players, and we're dealing with it as well as we
can. I'm not looking for excuses or saying we have no luck, but we need
a bit of this. You need to wait and see [about my position]. My position
is not important."
Blackburn's failure to hold out for a first victory on the road since 28
December means that their safety is not yet assured. Steve Kean, their
manager, believes that yesterday's result confirms that his team can
take the points they still need from a home match with Manchester United
and a trip to Wolves. "It was a big point," Kean said. "We've had five
positive results in the last seven matches, so we're one of the form
teams in the bottom half. I don't know what we'll need, but we'll try
and keep picking up points."
West Ham began confidently in front of a noisy crowd, but were soon
behind as Manuel Da Costa unaccountably left Jason Roberts unmarked to
stab home Brett Emerton's cross from the right. They made chances as
they looked for a reply – Demba Ba headed Wayne Bridge's cross wide,
Freddie Sears's shot lacked power and Hitzlsperger's rocket shot was
beaten away by Paul Robinson – but it was witless, one-paced stuff for
the most part.
Keane came off the bench as West Ham searched for inspiration, but even
with four forwards there seemed little to suggest a revival until
Carlton Cole rolled a pass to Hitzl-sperger, who struck the ball first
time past an unsighted Robinson from 18 yards.
Could West Ham grab an improbable win? With three minutes to go,
Frédéric Piquionne's low cross from the left put the ball on a plate for
Keane but he miskicked horribly, and the outstanding Christopher Samba
blocked efforts from Cole and Ba in injury time.
"I can't kill [Keane] for that," Grant said. "He had intelligent
movement but what counts is putting the ball in the net. Most of our
games this season have been like this. But at least we drew and kept our
chances alive."
Attendance: 33,789
Referee: Peter Walton
Man of the match: Samba
Match rating: 4/10
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM 1 - BLACKBURN 1: ROBBIE KEANE BUNGLES HIS BIG CHANCE
Sunday Express
THE moment came for West Ham with two minutes to go, after prolonged
pressure on the Blackburn defence forced a golden chance for Robbie
Keane to score the winning goal and lift them off the bottom of the table.
Keane was two yards out in front of an open net. He missed. He barely
got a touch on the ball.
It was the moment Hammers fans will surely recall as the one that doomed
them if they are relegated.
Right now, their destiny is still just about in their own hands, but
optimism was not fl ooding round Upton Park as the final whistle blew on
this disjointed and undistinguished contest.
Jeers were muted as the players trudged from the field. The mood was one
of quiet resignation to their fate.
West Ham 1 - Blackburn 1
The draw, and the point, suited Blackburn a great deal more – although
they are not out of danger quite yet.
For that they only have themselves to blame. If they had shown a little
more composure and adventure in the final minutes, they could have
snatched a winner themselves.
Manager Steve Kean knew that, but said: "It's a big point for us, and
it's encouraging that we keep getting
positive results.
"I was hoping we could hang on for the win that would probably have made
us safe, but there was also that Keane chance. I was sure he would score
when the ball flashed across the six-yard box."
So was West Ham manager Avram Grant.
"I wish I knew why he didn't get the ball in the net," said Grant. "It
was frustrating for everyone, especially Robbie. We had the chances to
score and didn't take them. It's been like that for us all season.
"We can still stay up. I am confident we can do that, but now we have to
beat Wigan next weekend. If we do that we have a chance."
West Ham have been six seasons in the Premier League, but it didn't look
like it for much of this game.
Their play was often ragged, and for long spells they resorted to
hit-and-hope stuff that is far from the club's tradition of stylish
football.
One particularly inept long ball forward by Manuel da Costa brought
noisy derision from the home fans.
It was a poor display all round from Da Costa, who was badly at fault
when Blackburn took the lead in the 13th minute with a simple goal,
striker Jason Roberts tapping in a cross from Brett Emerton.
He could hardly miss from three yards range, having been allowed space
by the hapless marking of his opponents.
A lead for Rovers was hardly a surprise. Morten Gamst Pedersen had
already shot narrowly wide during a frantic and nervous start, and he
might have scored, too, from another Emerton cross.
Pedersen then popped up on his own line to keep out a header from Da
Costa at a corner.
The Hammers' only weapon much of the time was from set-pieces,
particularly a succession of long throw-ins from Lars Jacobsen.
They were not a threat against the tall, powerful Blackburn defence, for
whom skipper Christopher Samba excelled.
There was more urgency in the second half from West Ham, though there
could hardly have been less.
A thunderous drive from Thomas Hitzlsperger was beaten away by Blackburn
keeper Paul Robinson and Grant went for a final gamble of playing four
strikers at the same time.
Carlton Cole's calmness created the chance for Hitzlsperger to fire home
an equaliser in the 77th minute – and that prompted a cavalry charge finish.
Samba made two superb blocks to keep out goal-bound shots, one at
point-blank range from Cole.
But it was the memory of the Keane miss that endured.
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