Green bottles, then saves

When the U.S. team in the World Baseball Classic failed to advance past the second round to the semifinals, there was quite a bit of handwringing in America. There was a lot of criticism of overpaid American players not caring enough about the competition. There were questions about why Americans couldn't win at the game we invented. And a few weeks later, no one seemed to care. (A caller to Fox Football Fone-in made the point that the England failure reminded him of USA Basketball -- good point.) Something tells me that English football fans will still care come the week before Christmas that England didn't qualify for the 2008 European Championship. During every game that I watched this weekend -- four of them -- everything was related back to England's failure to qualify. Fans booed English internationals on the visiting teams. Announcers sympathized about what a tough week it's been for them. Sunday's West Ham-Tottenham match particularly exhibited these qualities, what with England's former No. 1 Paul Robinson in goal for Spurs and one of his potential replacements at the other end in Robert Green. The match also featured nearly a dozen potential English internationals.

I made my first Sunday morning trip to the Globe to watch. TMG was in London visiting her sister, so I went by myself. I walked in about 7:10 a.m. and sat at the bar, a stool down from another fan sitting by himself. I didn't recognize him as a Hammers fan till later. I exchanged pleasntries with him after a West Ham win last spring -- possibly the 3-0 win away to Wigan -- but we never introduced ourselves that day or Sunday. I wondered how things worked with the alcohol, because I knew that Chicago ordinance restricted sales on Sunday mornings. Well, now I know: 10 a.m. is the magic hour. In the meantime, I had a pot of tea and ordered a Western omelette (hold the cheese). By game time, another Hammers fan showed up -- he was meeting the gentleman two spots to my right -- and we three claret and blue supporters faced about 10 or 12 Tottenham fans. They appeared to be a supporters group, as they were handing out T-shirts (or maybe they were fleeces -- it was damn early in the morning) that they had ordered.

I didn't like the start to the game for the Hammers. They were trying to make a lot of longer passes and not holding possession. Tottenham, as usual, were strong on the attack and had the better of the play for the first 15 minutes or so. They nearly had a goal in the eighth minute, but Aaron Lennon was ruled offsides. It took a mistake in the 20th minute by Younes Kaboul to get West Ham going. Luis Boa Morte, playing upfront with Carlton Cole again, pounced on Kaboul as he bobbled while trying to clear. Boa Morte blocked his clearance, controlled the ball and got it on the right side to Nolberto Solano, who slid a pass across to Cole for a tap-in goal. For most of the rest of the half, I liked the way the Hammers were playing: shorter passing and a lot of possession. Tottenham had a chance that was the most controversial call of the day. Just a few minutes before halftime, Robbie Keane ran under a ball into the box and Robert Green came out to play it. Keane chipped it over Green, hit the ground and then popped up screaming for a penalty kick, which also would have resulted in a red card for Green. The Independent said the play was inconclusive even after video replays. The Guardian repeated Curbishley's "mischevious" suggestion that Keane reacted to the contact after he saw the ball was going wide. Watching the replays several times, Green's trailing leg appeared to nick Keane, but I think it would have been a harsh result to call for a penalty kick there. Keane appeared to be going to ground on his own anyway. The Tottenham fans at the Globe echoed Keane's screaming.

The second half bought a tactical change by Spurs manager Juande Ramos -- Kaboul was removed in the 55th minute for striker Darren Bent. Tottenham played three at the back for most of the second half, with Dimitar Berbatov dropping a little deeper -- maybe 3-4-1-2 best describes the formation, but then, what do I know? Hammers manager Alan Curbishley acknowledged after the match that he didn't understand what Ramos did, and the Times suggested that perhaps it's good that Curbishley doesn't want the England job. The Telegraph suggested that Curbishley wasn't the only one who didn't understand what Ramos wanted: for at least 10 minutes, neither did Spurs. I thought Curbishley eventually made the right move when he brough Dean Ashton on for Boa Morte, but I question why it took about 17 minutes after Spurs started playing with three at the back. Perhaps it was because of Ashton's fitness after nearly two months out of action, but putting pressure on that back three seems to my inexperienced eyes to have been the proper tactical response.

I've never played organized football, and I know little about being a goalkeeper, but one thing that I have learned: If you come off your line, you have to get to the ball. Even I could tell that Green was making a mistake when he came for the free kick by Jermaine Jenas in the 66th minute. The ball was coming in at least 12 yards ahead of the goal line, and there was a cluster of players between Green and the ball. He didn't get close to punching the ball, and instead, Michael Dawson headed the equaliser. If Green has a weakness, it's his decision-making on balls in that 10-12 yard area of the box. He looked very uncertain of himself throughout the second half against Bolton, as the Wanderers continued to pop high balls into the top side of the box.

From there, the Irons had some good chances. Robinson made diving saves to his left on Scott Parker and Ashton, in both cases with Cole being instrumental in the set up. The Guardian named Cole its Man of the Match, and I have to agree that he was excellent. He and Ashton looked very good together. The final good chance went to Tottenham, of course. Lucas Neill was whistled for a penalty for tugging mightily on the shirt of Jermain Defoe in the penalty area just into stoppage time. The TV analyst thought it was a bit harsh, but when you practically pull the opponent's shirt over his head and give him a good shove while you're at it, it's tough to complain about being called for a penalty. Defoe had replaced Keane, so Spurs were lacking their usual penalty taker. I was relieved that Defoe had a go instead of Berbatov. Much like the Portsmouth draw on the south coast, the penalty was taken by no better than the second-best penalty taker on the pitch for the opponent -- Benjani instead of Niko Kranjcar in that earlier case. That said, Defoe's try was better than Benjani's and Green did well just to deflect it onto his left post. When he collected the ball a moment later, he turned to the away supporters located behind him and showed them his club crest, tugging on it with his left while the ball was in his right. The Guardian noted the irony that Green's spot-kick save overshadowed both his error on Jenas's free kick and Robinson's solid play.

After the match, as we had a pint, I chatted with the fan to my right. He asked how I came to root for West Ham, and I told him about my friend Phil getting me watching, and last year's Manchester United fixture at Upton Park getting me hooked. He told me that he grew up in the area and has long rooted for the Irons. I said that I enjoyed going to a match last year, even though it was a terrible game, losing to Watford, and then we talked about how much the neighborhood had changed since he lived there. The pleasant conversation and a pint of Beamish (the Globe no longer carries Guinness) were nice cappers to an entertaining derby draw. The day would only get better, as TMG returned from London that evening.

Testy Tévez

Carlos Tévez was sent off with a straight red card while playing a World Cup qualifier for Argentina last week, and Tim Vickery, the BBC's South America football writer, says that the ensuing suspension could ruin Tévez's place in the Argentina side. Tévez didn't start in Manchester United's Champions League match Tuesday home to Sporting Club de Portugal (generally called Sporting Lisbon, but announcer Derek Rae noted that the Portuguese aren't so, uh, sporting if you call them that), but he came on at half and transformed a sleepy Man U side that trailed 1-0. Tévez scored the equaliser by deflecting a Cristiano Ronaldo shot (at least he was originally credited with the goal; it was hard to tell from the TV replay, but it perhaps was an own goal), and Ronaldo scored the winner on a brilliant free kick in stoppage time. United clinched their group with one game remaining before the knockout stage.

As much as I miss watching Tévez in claret and blue, it is some consolation to see him shine on the Champions League stage.

A likeable Texan

The Guardian featured American and Fulham forward/midfielder Clint Dempsey over the weekend. I didn't know Dempsey's story before I read this. I like him even more than I already did after reading it.

Vote now

The U.S. Soccer Federation has its annual "best of" vote going right now. Two Chicago bars are in the voting for best soccer bar: Ginger's Ale House and the Globe. I have voted for the Globe a few times already. When I was there Sunday to watch the Tottenham match, they had a flyer on the inside of the men's room door asking for votes. The flyer noted that Ginger's had won the previous four years -- without mentioning Ginger's by name -- and asked if the Globe's patrons were going to allow that to happen again.

EDIT: Link corrected.

Results versus excitement

Even I have to admit that last term's West Ham-Tottenham match was probably the best one that I got to see in 2006-07. I had recorded the match while traveling on business, I heard the result and the details of how heartbreaking the loss was, but I still watched it when I returned, and it didn't fail to compel. Just as I'd happily trade the excitement of beating the drop last term for a nice, safe finish in the top half this term, I'd be plenty happy with a 2-0 home win Sunday as the Hammers and Spurs meet at Upton Park to end the two-week international break.

West Ham's troubling injury situation improved somewhat during the break. James Collins and Freddie Ljungberg each played two international matches. Scott Parker and Dean Ashton played in a reserve match. Mark Noble and Hayden Mullins are back in training. Quite happily, manager Alan Curbishley notes that he will have some tough selection decisions to make. On the downside, striker Craig Bellamy's groin injury remains a problem, and it may require a more invasive surgery that would sideline him for a "prolonged period." Midfielder Lee Bowyer is out on suspension for accumulating five yellow cards, and also had hernia surgery during the international break. On the injury front for Tottenham, perhaps the best news for West Ham is the continued absence of centre-half Ledley King. Tottenham's problems have largely been at the back: Spurs have conceded 24 goals in 13 matches in the Premier League this term. Spurs are an exciting side to watch because they have excellent attacking options upfront and are weak at the back, so they tend to keep their opposition in the game.

Minnows still swimming

While I was at my parents' house for Thanksgiving dinner, I recorded the FA Cup first-round replay between League Two's Stockport County and Staines Town, a member of the Ryman Premier Division, or three levels below League Two. It was a treat near-equal to Mom's turkey dinner to watch the part-timers from Staines Town beat a team from the Football League for the first time in its history on penalty kicks. The match was 1-1 after extra time, but Staines Town's keeper, Shaun Allaway, managed to turn aside two of the five penalty shots while his mates put in the last four to send Staines Town through to the second round. Stockport''s manager Jim Gannon summed things well when he said that his team played well, but couldn't finish its chances. That was true in the second half, at least. Stockport County had the Staines Town net under siege for much of the second 45 minutes.

Staines Town, just a bit west of London and south of Slough, will host another League Two side, Peterborough Rovers, in the second round. Staines Town is not the lowest-level club through to the second round. Harrowgate Railway of the UniBond League First Division North, or the eighth level of English football, will host League Two's Mansfield Town. Harrowgate Railway are one level below Staines Town and Horsham, also of the Ryman Premier, who will be home to Swansea City of League One in the second round. Fox Soccer Channel is scheduled to show the Horsham-Swansea City match live and the Harrowgate-Mansfield match on tape delay. I'm hoping for a little more giant killing.

Shirt sponsor name-drops West Ham

During halftime of the Arsenal-Wigan Athletic match this morning, I saw a commercial for XLtravel.com, one of the sites that is part of West Ham's shirt sponsor XL.com. The commercial is aimed at American youth club teams who may want a football training holiday in England. The commercial depicts a head coach quizzing his players on some of the game's vocabulary differences between America and England -- rules versus laws of the game, grass versus pitch, soccer versus football. Then an announcer describes what the travel packages include, such as training with European coaches, playing local clubs and even attending Premiership matches. When the announcer finishes, it's back to the coach and his players:

"Now what team are you not supposed to like when you're at West Ham?"

"Millwall!"

"Excellent."

The XL commercials that I'm more familiar with depict American fans of the Premiership trying to support their teams and looking out of place. The one that I've seen the most shows a Man U fan wearing a Wayne Rooney shirt and watching a match on his laptop while in a bar. He cheers a Rooney goal while two other patrons look at him as if he's crazy. It's a benefit of the shirt sponsorship deal, I suppose, that West Ham got a mention in one of those commercials.

Scapegoats

The long run-up to England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 gave pundits and fans plenty of chances to opine on why the Three Lions will be at home next summer. Manager Steve McClaren gets the blame from most. Highly paid Premiership stars caught a lot of stick, too. And, just to balance out the self-flagellation, some have criticised the number of foreign players in the Premiership and the Football League. West Ham manager Alan Curbishley was among those who suggested that Premiership teams should be required to field a minimum number of English players. Meanwhile, the Sports Minister in the British government called for an investigation into the effects of foreign players on the national team.

Martin Samuel of The Times (see below, too), however, said the most important issue is the state of youth football in England. The mistake, as Samuel sees it, is forcing young players to play 11-a-side on a full-sized pitch too early in their development. The mismatch between their size, speed and strength and the size of the pitch leads to a game that is solely about the handful of fast-growing players who have enough strength to kick a clearance. Samuel nicely details how this set-up hurts player development. Well before Samuel's column or the fall qualifiers, the magazine FourFourTwo dedicated a three-part series to youth training in other countries and how England could benefit from those examples. One article in the series specifically addressed the issue of younger kids (around the age of 10 or 11) playing on full-sized pitches and how that stunts their skills development.

I think England would be crazy to require a minimum number of English players on Premiership sides, even if it were legal under European Union law. The league has become the most popular in the world, and messing with that seems ill-advised. Moreover, I don't see how watering down the top domestic league is going to help the England side. Better to ensure that English players get better training and develop into better players. That would be the most direct way to improve the England national team, wouldn't it?

Samuel savages MyFC.com

I enjoy reading columns by Martin Samuel of The Times, so I was a little disappointed to see him viciously rip the whole idea of MyFootballClub.com. I agree with the skepticism about the ability of members to pick the team, but Samuel writes like a member of the football insiders club who can't stand the idea of admitting anyone else to the club. He sees no possible positives from this concept. Too bad for him.

Former Hammer FA Cup winner dies

Graham Paddon, a member of West Ham's 1975 FA Cup winner, died earlier this week. He was 57. Paddon joined West Ham in December 1973 from Norwich, the club for which he played 290 League matches. Paddon helped keep West Ham up that term. Paddon joined with Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking in midfield and, eventually, Alan Curbishley, too. Paddon also was a key member of the West Ham team that lost in the finals of the Euorpean Cup-Winners' Cup in 1976.

Ferdinand cleared

A Crown Court jury needed just 90 minutes to find West Ham centre-half Anton Ferdinand not guilty on several charges related to a fight outside an East London nightclub a year ago. The jury seemingly agreed with Ferdinand's claim that he acted in self-defence, fearing that he was about to be robbed. Another defendant also was cleared.

A different kind of international

There was something from the Derby County demolition that I forgot to mention. When Nolberto Solano scored on a free kick in the 69th minute, he became the first West Ham player from outside the United Kingdom to score a goal for the Hammers this season. Prior to his beautiful strike, West Ham's goals had been scored by players who are from one of the Home Nations: England (Lee Bowyer, Matthew Etherington, Dean Ashton, Mark Noble, Carlton Cole), Wales (Craig Bellamy) or Northern Ireland (George McCartney). The Peruvian will be busy during the international break, as Peru host Brazil and visit Ecuador in World Cup qualifying. Solano was nearly edged out by American Jonathan Spector, whose trickling shot through traffic caused an own goal in the 55th minute. At first, I could see a case for crediting Spector with the goal, as it appeared that Derby's Eddie Lewis (also an American) had fallen over the ball on the line, but no, replays showed that Lewis tripped trying to play the ball. For now, it's an own goal, although Spector was hoping that a ruling would go in his favor.

Quite an experiment

MyFootballClub.com says they have agreed a deal to buy a team: Ebbsfleet United. The club is in the Blue Square Premier League, one step below the Football League. The team, formerly known as Gravesend and Northfleet, sit ninth, six points out of a promotion playoff spot. The board and management will remain in place after MyFootballClub complete the purchase of a 51% interest in the club.

I think they may have to adjust their model a bit. I don't think putting team selection to a vote makes a lot of sense. The big strategic decisions definitely lend themselves to the wisdom of crowds, and I think they can be successful in that area. I also think that the club's fan-members can be very helpful in spotting talent around England and elsewhere, and that could be an advantage in scouting that other teams at this level won't have.

I don't see how the entire group of fans can help a lot with team selection when they aren't watching training and may not even be able to see many of the matches, either in person or on television. Is the Blue Square Premier League featured on the BBC, Sky or Setanta? I wouldn't think so. I suppose that concern will lessen if Ebbsfleet United move into the Football League. I wonder if members will be able to watch matches on the web that aren't otherwise available, and maybe even clips from training. That would seem to be a way around my concern, or at least to mitigate it somewhat. Otherwise, they are relying on the recommendations of the head coach (no longer titled "manager") and what's the point of putting those to a vote unless the members have enough opportunity to watch the players in action and know their current fitness?

Moreover, what happens when a player knows that he is popular and starts slacking off but still gets picked in the side? The manager, Liam Daish, seems happy with the new arrangement, which will change his title to head coach. But I wonder what the effects will be on his ability to lead when he is no longer solely in charge of selection. Maybe my concerns won't apply to non-league players. Maybe I'm just thinking of these things because I'm used to well-heeled athletes in all the sports I follow. David Sullivan, co-owner of Birmingham City, made some of the same arguments in discussing the concept with BBC.com. Sullivan, whose team has been in and out of the top flight throughout his 14 years in the boardroom, was much more dismissive of the chances of fans helping much at all. His comments were condescending, really, saying that fans don't know the inside details on player transfers that drive which ones get made. Well, they will have that information now, won't they? I will say that secrecy could be a problem for this club.

On the other hand, maybe the fan-members can help the head coach from falling into the trap of predictability. Maybe there's something to be said for formations to be chosen based on the accumulated wisdom of 20,000 football-mad people who have collectively watched millions of games, rather than just relying on the experiences of the staff, who, while presumably professional and expert, must necessarily base their decisions on a much narrower set of experiences.

I do see a lot of potential here for this to work. I think there is a lot of scope for improvement on the business side. Fans as owners may bring more eyes to bear on what the ground needs, for example. It's a way of taking a non-league club up, I think, as having thousands of members lending a hand would give the club resources that their competitors simply don't have.

Taking advantage

Lee Bowyer is not the player he was when he was part of a Leeds United side that reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, but then, Derby County's back four won't remind anyone of a side capable of such heights, either.

Bowyer scored two in a 5-0 rout that left Derby bottom of the table and inched West Ham into the top half at 18 points, ahead of Newcastle United on goal differential. The Times and the Telegraph both focused on Bowyer's performance. Besides the two goals, Bowyer also picked up a yellow card, his fifth of the season, leavng him suspended for the match after the international break against Tottenham. It matters little, as it turns out, because Bowyer will be out after hernia surgery. Bowyer is at least the third West Ham player to have hernia surgery this term, following Craig Bellamy and Mark Noble.

The Independent's game account concentrated on Derby's travails and their manager, Billy Davies. In an offhand way, the writer mentions that it would be a waste for West Ham to sign Adriano, on evidence of their form Saturday. First off, Adriano is not coming to the East End, no matter how much his YouTube clips make me wish that were happening. But, given that Derby are missing three centre-half defenders, does the writer think that Adriano would not be of some use to West Ham against a real back four? The Guardian called the match Derby's worst loss of the campaign, given West Ham's injury woes. Both the Independent and the Guardian named midfielder Nolberto Solano as the Man of the Match. He was the player who caught my eye the most on Saturday, too, as TMG and I watched with my friend scotto at Ginger's (more on that below). Solano's passing helped West Ham go forward for most of the game, he hit the crossbar on one free kick and then slammed home the fifth goal from another free kick. Fortunately, Solano didn't have the chance to misfire on any headers this time, unlike at Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, the Observer, in painting the direst possible picture for Derby, said the loss was all the more troubling for the Rams because the Hammers will be "scraping around the bottom half" come May. Really? That's in stark contrast to other accounts, which note West Ham have managed to stick mid-table despite the injuries. One thing, as I have mentioned previously, is that the schedule is going to become more difficult. West Ham have played eight of the 10 teams below them in the table, but only four of the eight above them. And one of those teams below them is the next opponent, Tottenham, who have lately righted their listing ship with new manager Juande Ramos. But that can wait till after the international break. Saturday, at least, a depleted West Ham did what they needed to do against a team that looks unlikely to make a charge off the bottom.

We decided to give Ginger's Ale House a try. I liked the experience, but I have to give it an incomplete for now, through no fault of its own. Derby-West Ham was the only match at 9 a.m. Saturday, following the Sunderland-Newcastle derby and preceding Liverpool-Fulham, so it wasn't a day that lent itself to an electric atmosphere. When TMG and I walked in a few minutes before 9 a.m., we were the only customers. Our bartender/server was fun to chat with and provided excellent service. TMG and I ate before we got to the bar, but scotto had the traditional Irish breakfast and seemed pleased with it. We'll give it another try sometime, and maybe grab a meal there. I think I will go to the Globe for the Tottenham match on Nov. 25. TMG will be flying back from London that day, coincidentally.

Ground share with Spurs?

I think it's easy to forget that, while clubs compete fiercely with each other, there are many opportunities for them to be business partners, too. The Telegraph wrote last week that Tottenham Hotspur has approached West Ham about a ground-sharing arrangement for a couple of years while White Hart Lane is expanded. The funds that West Ham would earn from the arrangement, the Telegraph reports, could help the Hammers develop a new ground on the Parcelforce site near the West Ham tube stop.

Ferdinand affray trial

West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand is defending something besides his net this week: Ferdinand is standing trial on charges of assault and affray connected to an incident outside a nightclub in October 2006. Ferdinand claims that he acted in self-defense as he feared that his pricey watch, worth £64,000, would be stolen. Lee Bowyer stood trial on similar charges when he was at Leeds United. One of Bowyer's Leeds teammates was Anton's older brother, Rio Ferdinand, who was in court to lend his support. Maybe Bowyer can offer his younger teammate some advice.

Revenge has to wait

I've been keeping track of developments at Queens Park Rangers, because my friend James is a lifelong supporter of the Rs. Financial salvation has come to Loftus Road in the form of an investor group led by the owners of the Renault Formula One team. In addition to promising new funds for players, the new owners have brought in an Italian manager, Luigi De Canio (the first time I saw his name, I thought for sure that it was misspelled and should be Di Canio, like Upton Park hero Paolo Di Canio, but no, it's right...). I make it a habit to check the fixture list each week of the league season to find out the opponent for QPR. Saturday, their opponent was Crystal Palace in a London derby. That led me to send James this email last week:

James,

I just saw the fixture list for Saturday. Good luck to QPR against Palace. I never paid any attention to Palace before, but they went and hired that whinger Neil Warnock, so now I wish them relegation -- so long as the team at Bramall Lane goes down with them.

Heh.

Sadly, Palace nicked a point with a late equaliser. Both QPR and Palace sit in the relegation zone for now, but QPR has been coming on, with 12 points in their last seven matches (three wins, three draws, one loss).

At least the disappointment was free

I'm glad that West Ham-Bolton was on Fox Soccer Channel and that I have a DVR, because I would have been even more ticked off than I was if I had had to drag myself out of bed early on a Sunday morning to watch that game. For the first time this season, West Ham gave away points that they were about to book, with a stoppage time goal leading to a 1-1 draw with a team sitting 19th on the table. West Ham remain at 11th.

The Hammers came out fairly well, at least. West Ham pressured Bolton from the kickoff, for the better part of 20 minutes. Midfielder Nolberto Solano triggered the corner kick that indirectly led to the first goal of the match with a nicely weighted deep ball down the center that lone striker Carlton Cole and a defender battled over. Eventually, the other defender knocked it over the byline for a corner, which Solano took. His ball into the box was knocked around a bit and came out to midfielder Lee Bowyer on the right corner of the 18-yard-box. His ball back in wasn't decisive either, but eventually it was knocked around to McCartney, who finished expertly with his weaker foot, the right, and knocked it home on the volley in the 19th minute. It was McCartney's first club goal in nearly 200 matches for Sunderland and West Ham. Ironically enough, he had missed a chance with his right foot during last week's League Cup tie away to Coventry City, and the BBC Radio announcers had noted that he hadn't scored a club goal and preferred shooting with his left foot.

Just a few minutes later, McCartney cleared off the line. The tide of the play turned that quickly, as Bolton were threatening an equaliser. The ball McCartney cleared was a shot that Lucas Neill had deflected up in the air. Bolton had the better of play for the last 25 minutes of the half. Kevin Davies, named Man of the Match by the Guardian, caused a lot of problems on the balls in the air near the edge of the box and inside it. Bolton would press that strategy even more in the second period.

Managers can never let injuries become an excuse, but West Ham added their 13th player to the injury list when midfielder Hayden Mullins came off in the 50th minute, replaced by Jonathan Spector. Injuries have pushed Spector out of his role as a backup full back and into midfield. Injuries also have left the Irons with just Cole and Henri Camara for strikers. Camara has not played much first-team football since coming on loan from Wigan Athletic, and it showed Sunday when he replaced Cole in the 72nd minute. Just a few moments earlier, midfielder Matthew Etherington sprung Cole for his best chance of the game with a nifty diagonal ball, but Cole couldn't beat Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Cole looked a bit tired at times Sunday, but it's tough playing up front by yourself for the third time in nine days, even if Cole has rededicated himself to being fit, as manager Alan Curbishley mentioned last week after Cole's winner against Coventry.

In the 73rd minute, Davies headed smartly off a nice diagonal pass into the box, but the ball hit the top of the crossbar, fortunately. For a while, I could hope that that missed opportunity was the last that Bolton would get. Meantime, the Irons had a few more almost chances. Luis Boa Morte, playing on the right side, even though he prefers the left, had a chance to set up Etherington streaking in on goal, but the cross was terrible as Boa Morte tried to deliver it with his left. Etherington had to track down another pass from Boa Morte near the corner a moment later. Camara and Neill both clumsily played their way out of chances in the 89th minute. Curbishley said after the match that his charges should have been looking to run clock instead of going for the second goal. Spector had to clear off the line in stoppage time, and then the equaliser came in the 93rd minute, on yet another high ball into the box. Kevin Nolan slipped a half-volley past Robert Green after another bit of pinball in the box. Green seemed tentative for most of the match on dealing with the balls lofted into his area. We'll find out Friday if that tentativeness keeps him out of the England squad for two matches (one friendly, one Euro 2008 qualifier) on the next international break.

The annoying thing, besides the frustration of dropping two points by conceding a stoppage time goal, is that Bolton have been there for the taking so far this term. That was especially true Sunday as the Wanderers were missing Nicolas Anelka, their leading goal scorer, who would have been the best player on the pitch had he been healthy. After traveling to the East Midlands for Saturday's match, West Ham will see an increase in difficulty level after the international break: home to Tottenham, away to Chelsea and Blackburn and then Everton at Upton Park. It is somewhat unlucky that West Ham did not get to play Tottenham or Bolton when they were hapless, before they changed managers. The full three points are needed against Derby County on Saturday.

League Cup tie scheduled

West Ham's Premiership battle against Everton will come just a few days after they host the Toffees in the League Cup quarterfinals. The draw for the Carling Cup was Saturday. Playing Everton, who have UEFA Cup duties during the week of Dec. 17, necessitated the match being played a week earlier than the other quarterfinal ties. Of course, either way, the Toffees would be West Ham's opponent for two matches in a row. The winners of the quarterfinals will face off in two-legged semifinals in January.

Potential can be a cruel word

There were more stories in Thursday's papers about Carlton Cole finally realizing his potential as a striker in the Premiership. When I think of the pressure of having one's potential broadcast at a young age, I always think of two baseball players: Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. They were young, superstar teammates with the New York Mets in the mid-1980s. Drugs and alcohol derailed their careers, especially in the case of Strawberry. As Cole says, that potential often was stunted by a lack of first-team chances, and when those chances came, he often was not 100% fit. Injuries and, he acknowledges, some unspecified personal habits both stood in the way of his previous form. Given that he was a next-big-thing with Chelsea as an 18-year-old, I'm going to guess that those unspecified personal habits were birds, booze and late nights. His habits must not have reached the extent of that of Gooden and Strawberry, who were suspended and fell afoul of the law several times each. Injuries to Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy and Bobby Zamora have left Cole as the only option up front, and he is taking advantage of the opportunity, so far.

Update: This story in the Times, which I did not see till this morning (Nov. 2), quotes manager Alan Curbishley on how the managerial staff challenged Cole to improve his fitness over the summer in order to ensure that he would be ready if opportunity came knocking.

Chicago connection

I never noticed that Jamie Trecker, the senior soccer writer (that's his title -- don't blame me for using soccer instead of football) for Fox Sports, is based in Chicago. The free weekly Chicago Reader did notice, however, and their fall book special contains a story about Trecker's new book, Love and Blood: At the World Cup With the Footballers, Fans, and Freaks. The story describes Trecker's professional history and a health problem that afflicted him last year and almost kept him from writing the book.

And while I'm on the subject of Chicago, the Fire advanced tonight to the Eastern Conference finals in the MLS with a 2-2 draw in Washington giving them a 3-2 win on aggregate in the two-legged tie. Two goals in a three-minute span in the first half did the trick for the Fire. I considered going to the home match in this round, and I'm tempted to do so this time around, too.