Writer: Rossy 
Date:Sunday December 16 2012
Time: 5:54PM
A scrappy game at The Hawthorns saw the spoils shared.
For this fixture, Big Sam was without his latest injury victim. Momo Diame, so Gary O`Neil was the only change from the eleven that started against Liverpool. The injury situation also meant that Big Sam was only able to name six substitutes with three of them being youngsters who had yet to make Premier League debuts.
First Half - Our hosts got the action underway looking to end a run of three successive defeats and West Ham were soon on the back foot with Reid producing a marvellous clearing header. A quick break saw Carlton Cole deliver a great long ball that Matt Taylor headed just over.
Morrison earned West Brom a free kick five yards outside the area but Brunt slammed his shot into the wall. Jaskelainen then did well to keep hold of a low drive, from range, by Odemwingie. Going forward, at this stage of the match with 15 minutes completed, West Ham failed to test Myhill in the West Brom goal.
Although both sides were enjoying spells of possession, chances were not forthcoming with the majority f the action occupying the middle third of the pitch, but the spell was ended when Morrison fired a shot wide from distance. The trickery of Shane Long almost saw a shot on target but, instead, it trickled wide.
Myhill was forced to make a save after a decent diagonal ball saw Taylor turn the ball back into the six yard box. Joey O`Brien received the first yellow card of the game for a lunge from behind. With the ball worked across the pitch, from the free kick, Brunt saw his shot comfortably saved by Jaaskelainen.
Jones, under pressure from Jarvis, at the far post, conceded a corner which Collins headed back in from beyond the far post only to see Reid volley the ball over the bar. Long, as our hosts pushed forward, rolled Reid but, once again, dragged it wide of the upright. Cole won possession showing some tenacity but his powerful shot was straight at Myhill who parried it away.
Second Half - No changes were made at half time by either side and the first piece of meaningful action saw Reid scramble behind a cross from Odemwingie. Two corners, in quick succession saw Gera keep the ball in play and the ball bounce off the bar for a third corner, which suddenly lead to a fourth as the home side almost scrambled the ball home through Morrison.
As West Ham enjoyed a spell of their own pressure O`Neil curled a shot just wide with the keeper beaten. The action switched to the other end where Mulumbu side-footed a shot wide from just outside the area. Nolan, with a shot on the turn as the home defence dithered, saw if fly wide. Odemwingie caught the missing the target bug firing high and wide after some decent approach play from Long and Morrison.
Taylor dragged an effort across the face of the goal and wide as West Ham kept the game moving from end to end. Having won a corner, Reid met the set-piece firmly with his head but the effort lacked direction. Jaaskelainen was forced into action to save from Gera and also deal with the rebound as Long threatened.
A great ball in from Odemwingie produced a magnificent clearance from Reid as West Ham won yet another corner which was headed over. A free kick from Noble, after Taylor had been fouled, saw O`Brien just fail to get his effort on target. West Brom continued to press and some pinball defending saw yet another corner won and a header from Morrison crashed against the bar.
With fifteen minutes to go Maiga came on for Jarvis. Collins, as West Brom pressed, blocked an Odemwingie shot and the same player did well to head clear when a cross from Jones spelled danger. Lukau, on as a substitute, won a corner, before it could be taken James Tomkins replaced Guy Demel. Once again, the resulting corner was scrambled clear.
Nolan received a yellow card after an altercation with Mulumbu. Minutes later Tomkins also went into the book for obstruction on Odemwingie. O`Neil fouled Odemwingie, on the edge of the area Rosenburg slammed his shot into the wall
With four minutes of added time announced Cole saw his low shot saved by Myhill but he deadlock couldn`t be broken and it was to be a point each..
Rat the Optimist (Thursday May 23 2013)
Carroll Make Your Mind Up Son! (Thursday May 23 2013)
Carroll Injury Update (Thursday May 23 2013)
Sullivan Warns Of Complacency! (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Lukaku Desire (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Carroll Withdrawal (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Carroll Fee Agreed (Wednesday May 22 2013)
VIDEO: Carroll Stalls On Future After Fee Agreed (Wednesday May 22 2013)
No Response from Carlton (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Carroll Future Still Unresolved (Monday May 20 2013)
| Latest Results | ||||
| West Ham | 4 | - | 2 | Reading |
| Everton | 2 | - | 0 | West Ham |
| West Ham | 0 | - | 0 | Newcastle |
| Man City | 2 | - | 1 | West Ham |
| West Ham | 2 | - | 0 | Wigan |
| West Ham | 2 | - | 2 | Man Utd |
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 7. Liverpool | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 28 | 61 |
| 8. WBA | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | -4 | 49 |
| 9. Swansea | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | -4 | 46 |
| 10. West Ham | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | -8 | 46 |
| 11. Norwich | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | -17 | 44 |
| 12. Fulham | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | -10 | 43 |
| 13. Stoke | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | -11 | 42 |
| Liverpool: Reds To Iago For Aspas
» Liverpool : 23/05/2013 19:51:00
|
| Saints Elite Centre Still Has Places Available
» Southampton : 23/05/2013 18:47:00
|
| The Villa Times - 23/05/2013
» Aston Villa : 23/05/2013 18:07:00
|
| Managerial Odds Update
» Stoke : 23/05/2013 18:01:00
|
| Pulis Thanks Fans
» Stoke : 23/05/2013 17:53:00
|
| Rat the Optimist
» West Ham : 23/05/2013 16:47:00
|
| Carroll Make Your Mind Up Son!
» West Ham : 23/05/2013 16:46:00
|