1911: Portsmouth v West Ham line-ups: Portsmouth: Begovic, Finnan, Kaboul, Wilson, Hreidarsson, Basinas, Mokoena, Mullins, Boateng, Piquionne, Utaka. Subs: Ashdown, Vanden Borre, Webber, Hughes, Ben-Haim, Ritchie. West Ham: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Spector, Collison, Kovac, Noble, Behrami, Diamanti, Nouble. Subs: Stech, Cole, Jimenez, Sears, Da Costa, Daprela, Stanislas. Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands) Looks like Spector gets the start at LB. Parker is out which doesnt bode well for West Ham in this CRUCIAL match.
Let's go Jonny boy. I was just thinking earlier today that it's about time for Specs to bag a goal in the Prem this season. Today would be nice, thank you very much.
Portsmouth player gets around Faubert, passes into the box, other Portsmouth player crosses near the goal and it's almost scored.
Utaka simply handed Spector the ball and stood there. Shocking play by him. If Portsmouth had any substitutes they might use them!!
Goal Portsmouth 1-1. Spector was not at fault, Portsmouth pierced the right side of West Ham's defense.
FT, West Ham let another one get away, against the basement dweller. They cannot keep doing this. Spector goes a full 90 at left back
I believe this is the 8th league game this season that Spector has played as a left back (twice as a sub who came on in the first few minutes of the game, once as a 65th minute sub).
out of curiosity, went to the west ham official website forum and checked out their gameday thread ... found these mentions of Spector, most of them post-game. Seems like the ones who bothered to mention him by name don't really think all that much of him. News to me, maybe not to the rest of you, but I don't follow this quite as closely. here are the ones I found. ------ The workrate in defence and midfield is superb tonight....even specs is doing ok. ------ Yaaay spector clears....jaysus lads we need the 3 pts! ------ Anyone else notice how out of breath Faubert was after taking it past 2 people? Could barely jog for the next minutes. I think he hasn't lost any of his attributes just doesn't have the stamina to run and make the overlap constantly like we need.. I'd agree with starting Spector on the right and Daprela on the left to give us more strength on the wings.. I'd also consider swapping Collison and Diamanti as all they seem to be able to do is cut inside.. so we have no real width and have to rely on Nouble to do all the wide work. ------- Faubert and Spector actually looked half decent. ------- Agree with everything there except the point on our fullbacks. Spector offered nothing going forward and Faubert still seems to panic whenever an opposition player comes within 5 yards of him. An early cross is useful but I wish he'd carry it to the byline once in a while. At least he gave us a little width on that side when he did come forward. -------- Our average full backs was the difference between the draw and three points.. Behrami and Spector had so much good possession and failed to put in a telling pass... They just aint the wing backs you need with a defensive midfield. Oops meant Faubert! -------- To be honest, mate, I don't really rate either Faubert or Spector. But I thought they both did ok tonight. All apart from Faubert falling over on his arse in the box, which nearly lead to us conceding, that is! :lol: Spector is a bit of a cart horse, but he's been plodding along quite nicely lately. Ilunga gets forward more, but then that exposes us more at left back, so it's swings and roundabouts. --------- Spector and Faubert aren't premiership quality full backs. I don't see the point in getting two more strikers but nothing at the back when teams get round us so easily. Nouble looks excellent, Cole is back, Franco will be back and midfielders can score. One of the main reasons we went down last time was because Winterburn was completely gone that season. He did well the year before but was completely shot and people went by him for fun. If we had had a bog standard left back that year it would have made a big difference. If we don't get a right back and Illunga is out for long we are gonna keep shipping goals.
They're not far off to be honest. Spector doesn't get forward much for West Ham, and when he plays on the left he rarely swings in crosses either (he often sends in early crosses from the right). Since there are a lot of fullbacks that attack and push up aggressively in the league, I could see how Premiership fans would not be enamored with him.
Watched the match today on Setanta... One thing I noticed in this game (as well as past games) is that the mids - especially Noble- refuse to play Spector forward. People can say all the want about JS not getting forward but either Zola wants his squad work the flank through Faubert or he is being frozen out. There were numerous times that he got forward and Noble looked him off.
Agree there is no "frozen out" at this level but there is stupidity and selfishess which is nearly the same thing. I've noticed too, in this game and in others the reluctancy to play Spector forward despite him making the runs. Even if he isn't calling for the ball there has to be recongition from the passer to see his run. It is as if he's ignored. Not on purpose mind you. It's because of ones stupidity and selfishness. The train of thought is the player on the ball can do it themself. West Ham to me, the 5-6 times I've seen him, just don't play as a team. They come across as playing as individuals. Spector isn't being singled out, though.
Yeah, Spector didn't have many chances to go forward in this game. WH often played up the right side and when they went up the left they never did any overlapping runs with Spector. I dunno what the expected from him.
My sentiment exactly... case in point - the last ten minutes when Green played Spector early after defending a corner kick. West Ham had space for a great counter. JS carried the ball forward - passed the ball - and was sprinting past the defender on the left side (1V1) If the ball is played forward into space there are no players between JS and the goal. I am not sure who the player was who JS passed the ball to, but he received the ball facing JS and saw him sprinting past the defender but still chose not to play him. - instead of a return pass - the ball was poorly played right to Cole (who was 1V2) - who immediately lost possession.