11/01/2014
15:00
Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff City vs West Ham United
Goalscorers:
0-1 Carlton Cole 42'
0-2 Mark Noble 93'
Analysis
42 days. That's how long we'd been waiting for a league win. 1,774. That's how long we'd been waiting to complete a Premier League double over an opposition.
Let's not get it twisted, this was a big result for West Ham (and an even bigger one for Sam Allardyce?). It wasn't a vintage performance, but it was exactly what we needed, exactly when we needed it.
The most important ingredient of this performance wasn't something that can be measured quantitatively. After the demoralising week that West Ham had to endure, the team spirit and desire had been questioned. On Saturday, it was there for all to see.
The desire to perform for the team was there from every player, but perhaps the best example was provided by George McCartney.
McCartney has been a regular in the team recently, filling in at centre half to the best of his ability, and occasionally getting the chance to perform in his favoured left full back slot. Against Cardiff, he was asked to come in at another unfamiliar position at right full back, following Guy Demel's nasty looking injury.
McCartney made 4 tackles, 5 clearances, and one very important block. On top of that, he also had a decent pass completion rate of 78%, and even created a chance for a teammate. But it was his work rate in an unfamiliar position that impressed me.
The image below shows George's heat map. As you can see, he didn't just sit back and play conservatively, as would have been understandable given his lack of experience in that position. McCartney got up and down that right flack with real purpose on a number of occasions.
Aside from the determination and effort the side put in, there was also the odd bit of quality in this performance - typified to the build up to the first goal.
Once Jack Collison picked up the ball just inside the Cardiff half, West Ham produced a quality, slick, passing move. Collison to Taylor, to Downing, to Noble, to Taylor, a wonderful chipped ball through to Jarvis, who expertly teed up Carlton Cole for an uncharacteristically clinical finish.
The map below shows the build up.
Perhaps the moment of the highest quality though, came from our goalkeeper.
Adrián San Miguel is rapidly becoming a bit of a cult hero in the East End, endearing himself to supporters with some top quality saves, appreciation of the support, and the simple fact that he seems like a bit of fruitcake.
On Saturday, he made 7 saves against Cardiff, successfully claimed 3 crosses, and got his first Premier League clean sheet.
Of those seven saves, one in particular stands out. The reflex save to keep out Fraizer Campbell's 49th minute effort was right out of the top drawer, and was exactly the sort of save that wins games.
The images below show that save, where Adrián had to get up to, and the close range from which Campbell struck the shot. What the pictures don't give you is the ferocity and pace that Campbell got in the strike, but you still get a pretty good idea of the class of the save.
The final performance I want to mention is that of the skipper.
Mark Noble was wonderful to watch on Saturday. He was tidy in possession with an 85% pass completion rate, making 41 passes in total (next highest was Matt Taylor with 28). He was tenacious in defence, 4 tackles, 4 interceptions, 4 clearances, 1 block, and 0 fouls conceded. And he attacked with purpose, 2 chances created, 3 free kicks won, 2 attempts on goal and 1 goal scored.
It was an all round performance from a man who many regard as Mr West Ham.
The image below shows Noble's range of passing; sensible in possession, and a desire to get forward.
The icing on the cake against Cardiff was the 20 minute cameo from Andy Carroll. Having the big striker back is a real boost to the club, and all of a sudden there is a sense of optimism again.
It's amazing what a win can do, eh?
General Play
4-2-3-1 Formation 4-2-3-1
(-22) David Marshall - Adrian San Miguel (66)
(-16) Kevin Theophile-Catherine - Guy Demel (1)
(-7) Steven Caulker - Roger Johnson (11)
(34) Mark Hudson - James Tomkins (-11)
(-5) Declan John - Rǎzvan Raţ (18)
(12) Gary Medel - Mark Noble (63)
(23) Peter Whittingham - Matthew Taylor (12)
(10) Craig Noone - Stewart Downing (11)
(45) Kim Bo-Kyung - Jack Collison (10)
(19) Peter Odemwingie - Matt Jarvis ()
(-3) Fraizer Campbell - Carlton Cole (11)
(22) Craig Bellamy - George McCartney (26)
(25) Magnus Wolff Eikrem - Andy Carroll (4)
(-7) Andrea Cornelius - Alou Diarra (-11)
Best Performance
(45) Kim Bo-Kyung - Adrian San Miguel (66)
Worst Performance
(-22) David Marshall - Alou Diarra (-11)
61% Possession 39%
411 Passes Attempted 236
Peter Whittingham 73 Most Attempted 41 Mark Noble
85% Passing Accuracy 69%
77% In Opp. Half 55%
Gary Medel 94% Best Accuracy (min. 15 passes) 89% Matt Jarvis
57 Long Balls 64
Steven Caulker 8 Most Long Balls (excl. GK) 7 Mark Noble
Most Frequent Pass Combination
Whittingham to Medel 14 - 9 Noble to Downing
21 Aerial Duels Won 22
49% Success 51%
Most Won
Peter Whittingham 88 Most Touches 64 Mark Noble
Offensive Play
19 Attempts on Goal 10
7 On Target 3
8 Off Target 7
4 Blocked 0
53% From Outside the Box 40%
Craig Bellamy 3 Most Shots 2 Mark Noble
16 Key Passes 8
Kim Bo-Kyung 6 Most Key Passes 2 Mark Noble
31 Crosses 20
Craig Noone 10 Most Attempted 7 Matt Jarvis
9 Successful Crosses 3
29% Success 15%
Peter Odemwingie 2 Most Successful 1 Matt Jarvis
Defensive Play
15 Tackles Attempted 23
6 Successful Tackles 12
40% Success 52%
Kevin Theophile-Catherine 3 Most Tackles 4 George McCartney
41 Clearances 47
Mark Hudson 18 Most Clearances 12 James Tomkins
10 Interceptions 11
Mark Hudson 2 Most Interceptions 4 Jack Collison
0 Shot Blocks 4
n/a - Most Shot Blocks 1 Jack Collison
Discipline
7 Fouls 16
2 Most Fouls 5
1 Yellow Cards 4
Cardiff City: Gary Medel
West Ham United: George McCartney, James Tomkins, Roger Johnson, Alou Diarra
0 Red Cards 1
Cardiff City:
West Ham United: James Tomkins
Head to Heads
David Marshall vs Adrian San Miguel
2 Goals Conceded 0
1 Saves 7
3 Claims 4
3 Successful Claims 3
100% Success 75%
35 Total Distribution 34
26 Accurate 15
74% Success 44%
11 Goal Kicks 12
7 Accurate 3
64% Success 25%
3 Throw Outs 1
3 Accurate 1
100% Success 100%
2 Kick from Hand 6
0 Accurate 2
0% Success 33%
19 Other 15
16 Accurate 9
84% Success 60%
0 Errors Leading to Shot 0
0 Errors Leading to Goal 0
Mark Hudson 9 Most Passed To 6 Andy Carroll
Steven Caulker 4 Most Passes From 4 Roger Johnson
Mark Hudson vs Roger Johnson
11 Aerial Duels 7
9 Duels Won 4
82% Success 57%
0 Tackles Attempted 2
0 Tackles Completed 1
0% Success 50%
18 Clearances 12
2 Interceptions 0
0 Blocks 1
0 6yrd Blocks 0
0 Errors Leading to Shot 0
0 Errors Leading to Goal 0
41 Passes Attempted 20
32 Successful 12
78% Success 60%
0 Crosses Attempted 0
0 Successful 0
0% Success 0%
0 Chances Created 0
2 Attempts on Goal 1
0 On Target 0
0 Goals 0
Gary Medel 7 Most Passed To 4 Adrian San Miguel
David Marshall 9 Most Passes From 5 George McCartney
Peter Whittingham vs Mark Noble
73 Passes Attempted 41
67 Successful 35
92% Success 85%
2 Key Passes 2
0 Assists 0
3 Attempts on Goal 2
2 On Target 1
0 Goals 1
3 Tackles Attempted 5
0 Tackles Completed 3
0% Success 60%
4 Clearances 4
1 Interceptions 4
0 Blocks 1
0 6yrd Blocks 0
0 Errors Leading to Shot 0
0 Errors Leading to Goal 0
Gary Medel 14 Most Passed To 9 Stewart Downing
Declan John 11 Most Passes From 4 Andy Carroll
Fraizer Campbell vs Carlton Cole
2 Attempts on Goal 1
1 On Target 1
0 Goals 1
1 Key Passes 0
0 Assists 0
14 Passes Attempted 15
12 Successful 8
86% Success 53%
4 Aerial Duels 12
1 Duels Won 4
25% Success 33%
Peter Odemwingie 3 Most Passed To 3 Mark Noble
Kim Bo-Kyung 4 Most Passes From 5 Adrian San Miguel
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