Premier League
West Ham United 3-0 Fulham 

Saturday, 1st September 2012
by Gordon Thrower

Cheers Liverpool – If you have any more decent players who might benefit from not playing in such a God-awful side feel free to send them our way.



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Player Ratings

Jussi Jaaskelainen
Kept his concentration throughout lengthy periods of inactivity so that when Fulham finally tested him properly in the last couple of minutes he was not found wanting.


Guy Demel
Continues to improve out of all recognition from the player who had such a dodgy play-off final. Combined well with Vaz Te and treated us to a cheeky back heel in the second half.


Joey O Brien
Pressed into service on the left due to Linda?EUR(TM)s injury he had an uncertain start with Duff getting the wrong side a couple of times. Inproved as the match went on.


James Collins
Much-improved from last week?EUR(TM)s disaster. Partnered up well with Reid and showed a fine sense of anticipation throughout the match.


Winston Reid
Who?EUR(TM)d have though that this was the same player whose performances in our relegation season caused so much concern. Just shows the value of playing week in week out.


Mark Noble
There were candidates for MOTM all over the place in this match. Noble got mine for the prodigious amount of work and tackles he got in that allowed some of the more eye-catching displays to take place. I know money?EUR(TM)s tight but please get that contract sorted guys.


Mo Diame
Another fine game. Among all the more spectacular signings we saw during the window, his arrival might just prove to be the key signing of the season when we look back at the end of term.


Kevin Nolan
The wise chaps with whom I attend matches (Mr Smith and Mr Smith) commented that the arrival of Carroll might just bring more out of the skipper. On this showing (and not for the first time) they could well be right. Excellent finish for the goal and could have added to his tally with a bit more luck and/or composure.


Ricardo Vaz Te
Maybe the prospect of new signings had concentrated his mind but this was his best performance in an age. You always got the impression that something was going to happen whenever the ball came his way.


Matt Taylor
A lot of hard work didn?EUR(TM)t catch the eye from Taylor. His well-taken goal obviously did. His corner for Reid?EUR(TM)s goal was spot on as well.


Andy Carroll
Not on the scoresheet but he played an important part in two of the goals ?EUR" for Taylor?EUR(TM)s goal no fewer than three Fulham players were trying to deal with his presence. It wasn?EUR(TM)t just the way that the ball was won that impressed, it was the intelligent way that other players were brought into play that was the icing on the cake. Hope that hamstring gets sorted sooner rather than later.



Substitutes

James Tomkins
(Replaced Collins, 67)
Slotted in well for Collins. I mentioned competition for places earlier ?EUR" here?EUR(TM)s a player who knows what I mean. Not that I would begrudge him the fantastic experience for one second but I wonder if he has a slight tinge of regret at the moment that he missed much of pre-season to join the Olympic squad?


Carlton Cole
(Replaced Carroll, 68)
Difficult to come in up front in a match that had effectively ended as a contest ages before. Not much of an impression as a result.


Robert Hall
(Replaced Demel, 78)
Showed a few good touches ?EUR" his few appearances last season showed promise and hopefully he?EUR(TM)ll get more chances to appear this term, with seven to select from on the bench.


Stephen Henderson
Did not play.


Alou Diarra
Did not play.


Gary O Neil
Did not play.


Modibo Maiga
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Guy Demel, Joey O Brien, James Collins, Winston Reid, Mark Noble, Mo Diame, Kevin Nolan, Ricardo Vaz Te, Matt Taylor, Andy Carroll.

Goals: Kevin Nolan 1 Winston Reid 29 Matt Taylor 41              .

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Fulham: Mark Schwarzer, Sascha Riether, Aaron Hughes, Brede Hangeland, John Arne Riise, Damien Duff, Steve Sidwell, Mahamadou Diarra, Kieran Richardson, Hugo Rodallega, Mladen Petric.

Subs not used: David Stockdale, Stephen Kelly, Chris Baird, Pajtim Kasami, Matthew Briggs.

Goals: None.

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Referee: A.Taylor.

Attendance: 33,458.

Man of the Match: Mark Noble.