Latest Opinion

Kevin Nolan is failing on all counts at the moment. Apart from the occasional good pass, I cannot identify anything that he is contributing to the team.

Nine games into the season he does not look fit, perhaps owing to time out in the close season from an operation. But if that is the case, why play him every match, especially for the full 90 minutes?

We cannot carry passengers and, in his current state of fitness, Nolan is exactly that: a passenger. That he is captain should not mean that he is not held accountable. It seems that he is not held to the same standard of scrutiny as other players and we are paying a steep price for that.

For a start, including last night's game against Ipswich, he is too often out of position, remaining forward and failing to track back. It is as if he expects the rest of the midfield to do the hard graft. This in total contrast to someone like Julien Faubert who is all over the pitch every second that he is on it.

We are starting to get overrun in midfield, regardless of what formation we play. This will allow any good passing team, especially one with the likes of Bullard and Edwards, to pass us off the park. And when he has tracked back, at times he just seems simply too slow. Is this down to fitness or did Alan Pardew and Newcastle see something that we did not?

When we have possession, where are Nolan’s runs into the box? Where is his movement? All too often he looks frozen like a statue, content to perhaps use his brawn and physical strength to give him an edge. Does he ever look a threat in the opposition’s box? Rarely. Then how can he justify remaining in such an advanced position so often,exposing the rest of our midfield?

The next thing is the man's finishing. He has missed a number of very presentable chances this season, notably against Forest, which fortunately did not cost us. We spent a lot of money on this player and are paying him very high wages. His immobility would be less of a liability if found the back of the net.

Nolan also has a nasty habit of arguing the toss with referees and linesmen to absolutely no effect. This was most evident against Peterbrough. Alll that this does is galvanize opposition supporters and players. It makes him and us look weak, as if we are babies throwing our toys out of the pram.

A captain should maintain his discipline and keep his head, and on a number of occasions he has already failed to do so. Is it any wonder that fools like Piquionne get themselves sent off when our own captain's discipline in in doubt at times? Being passionate and determined is not about yelling at referees.

Our Achilles heel remains our defence of set pieces, which is woeful. It's no coincidence that Bowyer’s winner resulted from a corner. Time and again when we concede corners we look very vulnerable; there is no excuse for this given the experience and physical presence we have.

Yet part of this is down to the captain, not just the manager. Surely the captain, first and foremost, must ensure that we are well organized in such situations. And if the opposition has one player who is clearly pulling the strings, especially a midfielder like Bullard, then surely the captain has to galvanize the troops to close that player down and deny him time and space.

Finally, the dying minutes of a game is when you expect senior players to stand up and be counted. To be professional and see it out. In particular the captain. You expect all eleven players to be fully switched on and not lacking an ounce of concentration. And who should be marshalling the troops in those key final minutes? Nolan, of course.

Then why do we continue to concede not only late goals at the Boleyn Ground that have cost us a total of four points against Cardiff, Leeds and Ipswich? Clearly the captain of the side bears some responsibility for this, especially given the scrappy, sloppy nature of some of these goals. It’s not like we are conceding to great strikes or great build-up. The nature of the goals we are conceding late in games is incredibly poor.

Nolan clearly isn’t the quickest of players. Nor is he a spring chicken. He can’t squeeze blood out of a stone. But surely he can put in more committed and determined performances than he has thus far,and surely he can make better use of his vast experience than he has thus far in a West Ham shirt?

It’s sad to say, but this is the worst I have seen Nolan play in his career. Is that what happens when you give a player a juicy long-term deal and make him captain? Our current league position masks how poor Nolan has been this season. But our points tally of just four points from the last nine available exposes exactly how limited his contribution has been.

* Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.

* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the highlighted author/s and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy or position of KUMB.com.