Tonight:
5°c
West Ham 2-2 Fulham
Gianfranco Zola today vehemently denied rumours of a rift between him and West Ham technical director Gianluca Nani but admitted his team "lost faith" during the draw with Fulham.
West Ham, second from bottom in the Premier League, salvaged a late point thanks to a deflected shot by Junior Stanislas. But Zola, whose team have won only once this season, criticised his players' attitude after going behind to 10-man Fulham, who had South African Kagisho Dikgacoi controversially sent off in the first half.
Zola was unhappy the way his side, who took a 15th-minute lead through Carlton Cole, caved in when first Danny Murphy equalised through a penalty and then Zoltan Gera took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake by Robert Green to score Fulham's second.
The West Ham manager, who continues to have the full support of chief executive Scott Duxbury, was even more upset by speculation that he had clashed with Nani over the club's transfer dealings.
Zola said: "This is a total lie and who said this will have to be prepared to give us proof I had a fight with Gianluca.
"My relationship with Gianluca and Scott Duxbury is wonderful. I have always said that what we are doing here we are doing together. This is a total false thing."
What is harsh reality for Zola, though, is the predicament in which his team find themselves. The Sardinian was critical of the way a section of the Upton Park crowd booed at the end but West Ham's second-half display was little short of woeful.
Playing against 10 men and well on top following Cole's headed goal, they never recovered from Murphy's penalty after Matthew Upson brought down Diomansy Kamara.
Instead of redoubling their efforts and giving the crowd something to cheer, the home side looked increasingly timid and brittle, handling the initiative meekly to Fulham, who demonstrated the sort of character missing from West Ham.
The normally dependable Upson looked ill at ease, Green flapped helplessly at the corner which led to Fulham's second goal and Scott Parker, involved in the head-to-head incident which led to Dikgacoi's red card, looked all at sea in the second half before being substituted.
"I wasn't very happy because after the first half I expected to be at least another goal in front," said an agitated Zola. "I warned the players that the game wasn't finished.
"I didn't like what I was seeing. It looked too easy. We were passing the ball fantastically well, making chances but not scoring. That's not good.
"In the second half we started a little bit sloppy, not for the first time, and they got back into the game.
"When we conceded a goal the whole team lost faith, lost belief and that is something I really hate. Arsenal were losing twice against Blackburn but won 6-2. That is the kind of belief we have to keep.
"No matter what happens you keep playing your football. We have to react and be stronger. We can't let ourselves down like that when we go behind.
"I am responsible for 20 players but I don't pick up the players. They pick themselves up with their performances. They have to keep a high standard because if they don't somebody else will play instead."
In contrast, Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, who kicked out at a kit bag in frustration when substitute Stansislas scored in injury-time, believed his team showed great character after going down to 10 men.
"Don't ask me about the red card because I am fed up with talking about it," Hodgson said. "I come from a generation when violent conduct was violent. I have a problem getting my head around two players nose to nose and one of them is sent off.
"We're going through a spell when injuries are piling up on us. We started the game without four regulars, Andy Johnson came off at half-time with a slight problem and in the last minute Clint Dempsey hurt his shoulder.
"The last week has been excellent for us, though. We played very well against Arsenal and were unlucky not to get anything from the game. I thought we showed great character to beat Basle and great character to draw against West Ham."
Reader views (5)
I think that Zola should walk, his tactics are rubbish, we are NOT playing good football, all we do is just keep passing from defence to midfield without even going anywhere.
Still playing with one striker up front, no matter how you dress it up. We need to play with two strikers up front,4-4-2 that's the way too go.
We've needed to sign strikers since january, so zola
signs more midfielders.
Zola is another roeder disaster,first good season, then relegated the next season.
Please zola go now!
- Marc Edwards, Downham, 05/10/2009 18:09
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I agree, we lack confidence and killer instinct right now. We need senior players to start taking joint responsibility of team performance and lead from the front, this will also settle the kids down.
Having said that, the financial stability of WHUFC must be a concern to all at the club.
- Decency, London, UK, 05/10/2009 16:24
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Totally agree with Paul and Stu.
Zola has the boys playing some attractive football. However there's plenty of indecision and wastage in the last 3rd of the field. Cole definitely needs more support up front.
Another problem is fitness and concentration. The games are always thrown away in the second half.
Lastly, the team lacks leadership from some of the senior players. They need to keep the morale up and encourage the team to be more cohesive. Wake up Parker and Upson !
- Sunder R, Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, 05/10/2009 15:15
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Agreed, Paul. We are currently trying to play three up front as well as Jiminez behind and it's just not working. Three up front never has in the Premier League. The thing is, the approach play first half was outstanding as usual - a feature of Zola's stewardship - we're just not killing teams off when we're that much on top.
Fulham should have been left for dead by half time. Instead we failed to open up a decent lead, gave them two easy goals and then they packed their area, as you would expect when down to ten.
We visibly panicked when losing as well - senior players should have been calming the kids down but instead were the biggest culprits on the day.
- Stu, Beckton, 05/10/2009 13:16
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No the players weren't great but Zola's formation is causing the problems and he won't change it.
Two wrong-footed strikers end up playing as wingers and doubling up with the full backs, meaning that carlton cole is stranded on his own. These two strikers - Diamanti and Hines need to be in the box, not out on the wing.
- Paul R, London, 05/10/2009 12:11
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