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Zola

barry

Bring me Messi
May 22, 2005
6,505
15,345
What a fantastic job he's done at the Hammers. I know they lost yesterday but just going by MOTD they should have battered Bolton. They defend and attack really well. As much as I hate to say it, the hammers have appointed a boss with real potential to be great, maybe the next Wenger, whereas we've appointed a manager who's akin to a dodgy used car salesman.

In the same time that Zola's turned some ok players into a great little unit who play attractive football and are hard to beat, Harry's turned a bunch of good players into a team that play dour football and still loses a lot.
 

milkman

Banned
Oct 3, 2005
12,150
3
Zola is doing well, most managers that start like him fail, but he certainly hasn't.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,986
81,916
He's made a great start that's for sure. But many inexperienced managers struggle in the Premiership when going through down periods.

Look at Portsmouth and Middlesboro. They more I watch football the more I think an experienced manager is the way to go in the Premier league.
 

masterblaster80

Trolling expert
Jun 8, 2003
1,014
0
He's done well,

dont write off Harry yet, give him untill the end of NEXT season. its not like we're heading anywhere this season anyways.

Personally I think this season is all about survival, anything else is a bonus.

we have to be patient... AGAIN...
 

InOffMeLeftShin

Night watchman
Admin
Jan 14, 2004
15,104
9,113
What a fantastic job he's done at the Hammers. I know they lost yesterday but just going by MOTD they should have battered Bolton. They defend and attack really well. As much as I hate to say it, the hammers have appointed a boss with real potential to be great, maybe the next Wenger, whereas we've appointed a manager who's akin to a dodgy used car salesman.

In the same time that Zola's turned some ok players into a great little unit who play attractive football and are hard to beat, Harry's turned a bunch of good players into a team that play dour football and still loses a lot.

I agree that Zola has done a great job so far, but not sure I agree about your final comment. Let's be fair, Harry hasn't turned them into anything. They were a bunch of good players playing dour football and losing a lot for months before Harry arrived. I'm starting to get a little disillusioned with some of the tactics and the football we are playing under Harry, because we haven't really seen any improvement. But it certainly isn't any worse than before.
 

barry

Bring me Messi
May 22, 2005
6,505
15,345
I agree that Zola has done a great job so far, but not sure I agree about your final comment. Let's be fair, Harry hasn't turned them into anything. They were a bunch of good players playing dour football and losing a lot for months before Harry arrived. I'm starting to get a little disillusioned with some of the tactics and the football we are playing under Harry, because we haven't really seen any improvement. But it certainly isn't any worse than before.

Fair enough mate. What I meant to say is that Zola has turned a West Ham team who played dour football and lost a lot into an attractive football playing side who hardly lose because of great team work.
In that time 'arry, in a similar situation but with better players, hasn't made any discernible improvements imo.
 

InOffMeLeftShin

Night watchman
Admin
Jan 14, 2004
15,104
9,113
Fair enough mate. What I meant to say is that Zola has turned a West Ham team who played dour football and lost a lot into an attractive football playing side who hardly lose because of great team work.
In that time 'arry, in a similar situation but with better players, hasn't made any discernible improvements imo.

Oh right. Then I agree entirely.
 

donny1013

Well-Known Member
Nov 4, 2005
5,646
946
Zola has done well but Steve Clarke is paramount to how West Ham have been doing. He is a great defensive coach and see how Chelski's results started to go down hill when he left.
 

PT

North Stand behind Pat's goal.
Admin
May 21, 2004
25,468
2,408
Zola has done well but Steve Clarke is paramount to how West Ham have been doing. He is a great defensive coach and see how Chelski's results started to go down hill when he left.
Good comment and probably trhe single most apt reason why West Ham Utd are on the up at a steeper gradient than Spurs.
 

InOffMeLeftShin

Night watchman
Admin
Jan 14, 2004
15,104
9,113
It's true Steve Clarke has been associated with good defensive records, but it is hard to prove that so much is down to him and not to do with Zola, as we haven't seen either of them go it alone. Lets face it when Harry was at Portsmouth their defensive record was apparently all down to Tony Adams working with the defence. Look how well that worked out without Harry.

I'm not saying that Clarke isn't a very good, but how can you decide the proportion of their success is down to Zola and which is down to Clarke. Players like Collison have raved about how good Zola is and how he has improved him as a player, maybe he has helped the defenders as well.

In any case the West Ham management team has done a good job.
 

Partizan

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2005
6,573
3,405
It's true Steve Clarke has been associated with good defensive records, but it is hard to prove that so much is down to him and not to do with Zola, as we haven't seen either of them go it alone. Lets face it when Harry was at Portsmouth their defensive record was apparently all down to Tony Adams working with the defence. Look how well that worked out without Harry.

I'm not saying that Clarke isn't a very good, but how can you decide the proportion of their success is down to Zola and which is down to Clarke. Players like Collison have raved about how good Zola is and how he has improved him as a player, maybe he has helped the defenders as well.

In any case the West Ham management team has done a good job.

There's a sentence I thought I would never read. Ever.
 

Mr Gamgee

Well-Known Member
Jul 25, 2005
4,339
281
This is the same Zola, that was reportedly close to being sacked about 6 weeks ago
 

bomberH

Well-Known Member
Jun 4, 2005
28,455
168,218
Zolas record since taken over in the Prem is Won 7 Drawn 6 Lost 10.

Harry's is Won 7, Drawn 5, Lost 6.

Those stats are just premier league and me working it out, nothing official but i think that's right from looking at the respective websites. Zola had a rancid start at West Ham and it took him several games to get going, but their form has dipped a bit again lately. He's done a good job there but not particularly better than Harry, apart from the fact they're doing it with 'lesser' players - but the main difference is West Ham were in good shape when Curbishley left (top 5 if i remember after 3 or 4 games), whereas we were dogshit and rock bottom.

I like Zola and i admire the style of football he's trying to play there. But he could afford to try it due to the position they were in when Curbs resigned, whereas even if Harry wanted to, there was much less time for experimenting etc, it was all about winning. Next season we'll see what style of football Harry gives us but it's difficult to judge it now as our position was so shit when he took over (Harry might've mentioned that you know.....)
 

SpurSince57

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2006
45,213
8,229
The Spammers have eight points from their last six games. Curiously, so do we. Their five-point advantage is down to the fact that they got six points from their three games under Curbishley whilst we got, er, one from our first three.

But never let facts get in the way of bullshit and Harry-bashing, eh?
 

sendô

Member
Apr 4, 2006
225
6
It's true Steve Clarke has been associated with good defensive records, but it is hard to prove that so much is down to him and not to do with Zola, as we haven't seen either of them go it alone. Lets face it when Harry was at Portsmouth their defensive record was apparently all down to Tony Adams working with the defence. Look how well that worked out without Harry.

I'm not saying that Clarke isn't a very good, but how can you decide the proportion of their success is down to Zola and which is down to Clarke. Players like Collison have raved about how good Zola is and how he has improved him as a player, maybe he has helped the defenders as well.

In any case the West Ham management team has done a good job.

Zola had intimated in an interview a little while ago that was infact he that did most of the defensive coaching, and Clarke that did most of the attacking coaching.

It took Zola a while to get going. Oct/Nov we were dire, and going into christmas we were only out of the relegation zone due to Man City's total inadequacies, but we've looked largely solid, and have continued to perform well despite offloading a large number of average players, and only bringing in a young winger, whilst relying on Carlton Cole up top.

Compare this with Redknapp, who it seemed had an open chequebook in january. Will be interesting to see what happens by the end of the season.
 

stemark44

Well-Known Member
Mar 17, 2005
6,598
1,829
I think Zola is doing a good job at West Ham and I like the way he has his midfield working together - Collison is a great prospect.
I reckon Chelsea might want him and Clarke back in the summer - they could do a lot worse if Hiddink leaves as expected.
 

sunnydelight786

Chief Rocka
Jan 7, 2007
6,075
4,241
Walking out of Upton Park on the night of December 8th, after beating them 2-0, I texted a West Ham mate of mine saying that they are doomed. I added that, that was one of the worst West Ham sides I have ever seen.. No way can Zola keep them up as they are skint and need to sell in Jan to just stay afloat.

Fast forward 3 months and you gotta say that Zola has more than turned it around. They are playing some very nice football aswell as keeping clean sheets now. They most certainly are moving in the right direction. Hat's off to both Zola and Clarke. If only Redknapp had a number 2 like Clarke instead of the "genius" that is Kevin Bond!
 

barry

Bring me Messi
May 22, 2005
6,505
15,345
Walking out of Upton Park on the night of December 8th, after beating them 2-0, I texted a West Ham mate of mine saying that they are doomed. I added that, that was one of the worst West Ham sides I have ever seen.. No way can Zola keep them up as they are skint and need to sell in Jan to just stay afloat.

Fast forward 3 months and you gotta say that Zola has more than turned it around. They are playing some very nice football aswell as keeping clean sheets now. They most certainly are moving in the right direction. Hat's off to both Zola and Clarke. If only Redknapp had a number 2 like Clarke instead of the "genius" that is Kevin Bond!

Exactly right mate. SS57 keeps going on about the points accrued as some kind of barometer to prove that Zola and Harry have done similar things at their respective clubs. Admittedly getting points is very important but it doesn't tell the whole story. West Ham are playing well consistently, we IMO are not.
Harry and zola have had a similar amount of time at each club and IMO Zola has got a lot more out of poorer players
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,986
81,916
Exactly right mate. SS57 keeps going on about the points accrued as some kind of barometer to prove that Zola and Harry have done similar things at their respective clubs. Admittedly getting points is very important but it doesn't tell the whole story. West Ham are playing well consistently, we IMO are not.
Harry and zola have had a similar amount of time at each club and IMO Zola has got a lot more out of poorer players

WH have been playing consistently for 2 months? Better bring in Zola right now then.

I remember some wanting Paul Jewell when we went thorugh a short bad period under Jol, I remember Peter Taylor and John Gregory being touted as future England managers after a short period of success. Lets see how well Zola does once the results go badly, lets see how he does when one of his players starts performing so well they build their team around him only for atop club to come knocking, lets see how he responds to WH fans demanding he gets them into the top four and they lose patience when it doesn't happen overnight.

Zola has made a positive start to his managerial career, nothing more.
 
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