Zola on Burnley
Filed: Saturday, 6th February 2010
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola was unhappy at West Ham's lax defending in the first half of today's disappointing 2-1 reversal at Burnley - but insisted that United didn't deserve to leave Turf Moor empty-handed.
A downcast Zola, speaking after the defeat which saw the Irons plunge into the relegation zone admitted that his team were simply not good enough out of the blocks - although added that he was pleased with the comeback that almost earned an unlikely point.
"Nobody could have said anything if we'd got a point today," he insisted. "I'm disappointed at the way we started, the first 20 minutes were poor. After that I was pleased and in the end we could have got more than that.
"The second goal for them was a cracker, you can't do anything about that. But even after that we played until the end; we scored one and should have scored more than that - and that is the story. We deserved more than that. It's an unexpected defeat and I don't like it."
The defeat leaves the Irons with just 21 points from 24 games this season, a point adrift of safety - and with little more than a third of the season remaining, Zola knows only too well that the time for excuses is over.
"This way it's going to be more difficult but we still have a lot of chances - starting on Wednesday [against Birmingham] when we have a game where we need to perform very well," he said.
"I think our future is going to be decided at home because we have important matches, matches that we can win. But it will be important also picking up points away - and we are looking forward to that.
"There's a lot of points to play for but we can't use that as an excuse. We have to start to get points straight away because everybody's doing that so we can't afford to start games the way we started today. That is something we need to work on."
Zola also had words of praise for his three new signings, who between them scored one goal (Ilan), hit the woodwork (Mido) and saw another effort cleared off the line (McCarthy).
"They showed us they have enough quality to help," said Zola. "Benni did okay, he's not at his best yet but he will be soon. Unfortunately he picked up an injury. I thought Mido, when he came on, was excellent - he looked a threat and he held the ball very well, I was pleased with him.
"And also Ilan came on and scored, so it's very encouraging. I think he is a good player, he came on, he looks alive - he's got pace and that quality is very important here. He'll be an important player for us."
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by Matthew Orr
03:27AM 9th Feb 2010
''Perhaps Zola was brought on with the wrong mentality and for the wrong reasons. One of Zola's selling points - and a big reason he said he wanted the job - was that he would develop players. Some players, like Carlton Cole, have improved under Zola. But the team has not.
Moreover, is 'development' a successful mindset for surviving the Premier League? Too often Zola sounds like a youth coach with kind encouragement after another substandard performance. There are times - and there have been many this season for West Ham - that professionals need to be coerced and not merely encouraged.
West Ham may have had many 'deserving' efforts this season but in the end the squad lacks the sack to get it done - and that is down to the manager.''
by Harvmeister
10:36AM 7th Feb 2010
''But surely the fact that the first 20 minutes were poor is mainly down to the manager in how they are motivated and sent out onto the pitch?
I think we're all blinded by the fact that GZ is such a nice guy and was such a great player. Maybe it is time for change.''
by g portugal
08:14AM 7th Feb 2010
''At this stage of the season it is not about what we "DESERVE". It's about what we actually get and there can be no excuses. Perhaps we "deserved" an equalizer at Turf Moor for the chances we created. But we also probably "deserved" to get beat by Blackburn and Zola can count himself lucky that we got a point in that game.
You can't show up for 65-70 minutes and expect to get a result. Either the players put a shift in for the full 90, or we don't get results and we get relegated.
What part of that do certain players not understand? ''
by Mark Hewes
11:42PM 6th Feb 2010
''Enough already. Time to go Zola. It's not your fault you don't have the experience to deal with this. You were hired hoping you were the next great coach. You are not.
I think it's time to get someone in to get us out of this hole before it's too late.
"I'm disappointed at the way we started, the first 20 minutes were poor. After that I was pleased and in the end we could have got more than that."
I think I was watching a different game.''
