Championship
West Ham United 1-0 Barnsley 

Saturday, 17th December 2011
by Gordon Thrower

Did I hear the words 'bare bones'?



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Player Ratings

Robert Green
Not over-tested but the save at the start of the second half was a match winner. Collected crosses well and his awareness and command of the box helped settle an 'unusual' back four combination.


Julien Faubert
Was having a good match up to the point that his hamstring started complaining. A very different player this season.


Danny Potts
Good in defence and excellent going forward. Has a decent left foot on him, resulting in a succession of dangerous looking crosses from the left. Given the fact that he couldn?EUR(TM)t have known he was going to start until quite late this was a fine and assured debut which earns him my MOTM award. He?EUR(TM)d be too young to drink the traditional bottle of champagne so it?EUR(TM)s just as well we don?EUR(TM)t award one anyway.


George McCartney
Surprisingly good given that this was a highly unfamiliar position for Linda.


James Tomkins
The senior pro in terms of back four leadership, he bore the responsibility well. I see Newcastle are the latest to (allegedly) make enquiries as to his availability. If it were down to me I?EUR(TM)d refer them to the answer given in the celebrated legal case of Arkell v Pressdram (1971).


Mark Noble
If Diop is a Wardrobe, then Noble was more like a bedside cabinet ?EUR" like Nolan most of his work was the sort of stuff that often goes unnoticed.


Papa Bouba Diop
Immense in any number of ways. 'The Wardrobe' was a veritable rock in midfield and a provided a fine header for the goal.


Kevin Nolan
The boos were unmerited. He got through one Hell of a spell of work, doing the unspectacular hard miles required to protect the defence. Not his fault that the sponsors obviously preferred to have their post-match photos taken with the skipper.


Frederic Pqiuionne
Very frustrating. Got into a number of good positions which he then proceeded to squander, usually taking an extra touch when a first time shot was required. And vice-versa.


John Carew
Held the ball up well but never looked particularly mobile ?EUR" with or without the back spasms.


Carlton Cole
Gave the Barnsley defence much to think about without much looking like scoring.



Substitutes

Fred Sears
(Replaced Carew, 56) Ought to have had a free-kick when through on goal. Perhaps might have been better served if he?EUR(TM)d replaced Carew in the first half when the Norwegian first looked like coming up.


Henri Lansbury
(Replaced Faubert, 68) Not sure if right-back features heavily in his CV but he looked quite comfortable in the role when replacing Faubert. And it quite amuses me to have Linda and Angela in the back four!


Marek Stech
Did not play.


Callum Driver
Did not play.


Brian Montenegro
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Robert Green, Julien Faubert, Danny Potts, George McCartney, James Tomkins, Mark Noble, Papa Bouba Diop, Kevin Nolan, Frederic Pqiuionne, John Carew, Carlton Cole.

Goals: Papa Bouba Diop 6                  .

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Barnsley: .

Subs not used: .

Goals: .

Booked: .

Sent off: None.

Referee: Scott Mathieson.

Attendance: 34,797.

Man of the Match: Danny Potts.