West Ham v Doncaster Rovers

WEST HAM UNITED
 - V - 
DONCASTER ROVERS

Well we haven't quite got a top v bottom clash but it's as close as you get.  We of course, met at the Keepmoat back in August.  Rovers put up a decent showing back then, succumbing to a single Kevin Nolan goal after 5 minutes.  The Hammers line-up that day featured two players who, at that time against all the odds have played football for Donny this term, Herita Ilunga and Tuesday's debutant, Freddy Piquionne.

Sadly, both sides have gone on to prove the bookie's odds correct since our early-season meeting but its tightened up a little at both ends of the table.  While the Hammers champagne remains on ice, Rovers have again, taken a long gulp of self-belief.  Here's hoping it lasts until the end of the season although I do not think the roller-coaster ride is over just yet.

WEST HAM UNITED

Doncaster won at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday and they will get a massive confidence boost from that, but we know that if we can produce our best or close to our best that the result will look after itself.  - Sam Allardyce

Back in August, when I previewed West Ham before their visit to Donny, I ended up with egg on my face.  I was disparaging about their defensive abilities or lack of them.  Four teams have conceded fewer goals this season just as only four teams have conceded more than Donny.  Its a strangely symmetrical fixture on Saturday!

So Hammers, I'm sorry I was disrespectful about your defence back in August.  I'll put it down to watching a a side fresh after a relegation who had yet to build confidence in their new league.

Well looking at a few highlights, very few highlights in the case of the Watford game and the first thing I see is Matt Taylor smacking the ball against the crossbar from a similar distance as Freddy Piquionne's strike for the Rovers on Tuesday.  Obviously there is something in the East-End water.

Other than that, I've not a lot to say.  2 minutes 22 seconds of highlights, 30 seconds of which involved coming out of the tunnel and smiling for the cameras.

Turning to the highlights of the 2:0 win against Cardiff and in the main the Hammers' defence looked solid enough although not error-free.  There were two weak defensive headers, both of which put them in some degree of trouble and a complete failure to deal with a long throw. But plenty was dealt with well, particularly in the first half when the Hammer's defence was really getting in the face of the Welshmen.    There's a possible weakness against quick breaks, but doesn't everyone have that?  Besides, it was Cardiff, who aren't exactly backwards in going forwards.

The real joy of West Ham is at the other end of the pitch though.  Ricardo Vaz Té seems to have been quick to make himself at home in East London and may be keen to make a mends for his no-show against the Rovers when playing for Barnsley earlier in the season.

Goals from Kevin Nolan and George McCartney, after a great run together with the presence of mind together with the presence of mind to follow his own cross into the box, earned West Ham the points.  They could have scored more with Nicky Maynard being the most guilty party for missing chances.

Plenty there for Rovers to think about.

DONCASTER ROVERS

We'll be going there to win.  I'm not really interested in going there and trying to get a draw - we're going there to win. - Dean Saunders

But I bet he'd take the draw right now!  That said, he can't so, of course he's absolutely right.  

At our end of the table, what a difference a win makes!  Not only is it more likely to affect your table position, but it gives the fans a huge lift because the wins aren't happening that often.

For me, its been all the more frustrating as the three games prior to Tuesday evening's trip to Nottingham resulted in just 2 points.  But they coulda, woulda, shoulda have given us all 9 points available.  Leeds were awful against the Rovers but they did keep going.  Leeds are a team with a handy "late goals" habit while Rovers are a team with a hapless "late gift" liability.  If ever anyone should have bet on a injury time winner for the home side, this was it.

Brighton were nearly as bad as Leeds but again, Rovers failed against a team that had played poorly and while Peterborough deserved their point, it was another piece of last minute charity that allowed them their share.  My feeling were that Rovers were unable to close out a game and by not beating teams playing poorly, we were becoming architects of our own demise.

Then, at the City Ground, Forest become the third opponents out of the last four to be below par against the Rovers and, at last we made someone pay.

Freddy Piquionne's wonder-strike followed by Diouf's cross for Kyle Bennett's non too shabby finish was enough to take the points.  Of course Donny don't like their fans to be comfortable so a goal was conceded and a last ditch clearance from Sam Hird was needed to secure those points.  This is by no means by way of complaint.  I'll take it.  I'll become a nervous wreck for the last 15 minutes of each game quite happily as long as Donny win.

Monsieur Piquionne has been mentioned a lot in this article.  Unfortunately, big Sam isn't happy about facing the Frenchman while the Hammers are still paying the majority of his wages but I won't hold that against him.

I'll just say "Thanks" to West Ham.  If Piquionne contributes nothing more to Rovers' season, which I somehow think unlikely, he has given us a moment.

Enjoy!

Battle of the South Yorkshire Titans!

DONCASTER ROVERS
V

BARNSLEY

Forget the traditional Glasgow New-Year's Derby, the Keepmoat is the place to be for the clash of the two football power-houses of South Yorkshire!  Its a very appropriate date for the Doncaster to avenge their 2:0 defeat at Oakwell in November, when Rovers were frankly, terrible.

Doncaster Rovers

We owe the fans and we need to show them what we’re made of.  - Dean Saunders

I think that's a quote we'll all drink to, Dean!

Christmas 2011, like the rest of the year has brought Rovers' fans very little goodwill as two defeats, plus two victories for Coventry has seen us end the year rock-bottom of the championship.  From the year Rovers have had, I guess its appropriate that we should be bottom of the league.  Its also an appropriate place from which to start a New Year that we all hope will prove to be more successful on the pitch than the last one.

But its a New Year so let's be positive.  One positive is that Rovers are at home, where we are unbeaten in three matches and against opponents who, theoretically at least should pack more of a punch than Barnsley.  A second positive is that we have signed a 'Keeper.  He's an ex-Spurs academy player who has been on loan at nine clubs prior to Rovers.  Carl Ikeme he is not, but at the moment, with just one fit 'keeper, he is a welcome addition.

Continuing the positive messages is difficult.  Dean is forced into two changes with Pascal Chimbonda going off early in Saturday's 4:1 defeat and Herold Goulon seeing red in the second half.  Aha, something more to be positive about.  Until Goulon's exit, Rovers were level with Watford and were having the better of the second half.

Clutching at straws?  You bet.  Rovers are going to have to clutch every passing straw and hope it floats if we're going to playing Championship Football this time next year!

BARNSLEY

 

We've got three points from this game, so anything from the Doncaster game is a bonus - Keith Hill

 

OK - time to get it over with.  It's New Year, so when I look back I can blame it on drink so here goes.  BARNSLEY ARE A DECENT SIDE! There.  Now I need a drink to recover

 

Joking aside, a 4:1 beating of Leeds has to be admired as has the fact that Barnsley now have picked up the double against our mutual rivals.  What is concerning for Doncaster is reading Keith Hill's interviews before the Leeds game.  Barnsley have been stripped to the bare-bones by injuries.  How they must wish that they had a Willie McKay in the background able to pick up quality players at the drop of a hat.  No need to rely on out-moded concepts like team-spirit when faced with an injury crisis!



Ricardo Vaz Tê



Funnily enough, there are plenty of options when it comes to viewing Saturday's match on Barnsley's website.  I chose to be entertained by the 32 minutes of extended highlights.  It was typical Barnsley, tough and committed in everything they did but there was soemthing else that I liked.  There is an ability to play football particularly around the edge of the opponents area.  They seemed to try a couple of probing runs, knocking the opponents defence out of position before moving the ball into truly dangerous areas.

 

Ricardo Vaz Tê was the star man of the performance with a great hat-trick off the bench.  The Portuguese Midfielder certainly can finish even if he was aided by some very tame defending.   Plenty of good performances were on show and starngely, one of them was from Luke Steele who brought off a couple of real top drawer stops.

 

The only negative I could see was the defence not being so quick to close down at the edge of their area.  Some of the defensive headers also left a bit to be desired.

 

Against Ipswich, you see the more vulnerable side of Barnsley.  They were cruising, two goals up at half time against the Tractor-Boys only to lose 5:3.  The defence's standing off at the edge of the area was a part of their downfall as was the defending of set-pieces. 

 

I'm not going to try and kid anyone though.  Rovers have tough opponents tomorrow.

 

Happy New Year to all Donny and Barnsley fans and enjoy the match!