Basic flaws are costing Hammers dear but Roeder vows to fight on
Glenn Roeder is right; West Ham do not look like a side who don't want to play for the manager. They gave their all last night and, as Roeder also said, if the Hammers had taken their chances the stories dominating this morning's back pages would have a very different look about them.
But whilst you have to feel for the Hammers, who remain rock bottom after James Beattie's late winner, honest Roeder would surely admit that there are basic flaws in the way West Ham are trying to play their way out of trouble at the moment.
In the opening quarter of an hour alone, I lost count of the number of times the home side gave the ball away as a result of a needless back flick, attempted nutmeg or drag back. Joe Cole, Trevor Sinclair and even Paolo di Canio were guilty of trying one trick too many and, ultimately, the Hammers were punished for over-elaboration.
Don't get me wrong, I love to see players expressing themselves and trying to conjure up something which has the fans gasping. But there's a time and a place for the fancy dan stuff.
The time being when you're 3-0 up with ten minutes to go; the place being in the opposition third away from danger if things go wrong. But when you're down at the bottom and down on your luck, the party pieces have to go on hold and the game should be all about getting the basics right.
That's what Southampton did. There was nothing fancy about the way they shaped up at Upton Park as they went about their task in an organised, disciplined way. Sure, they got the break when they needed it but what's it they say about making your own luck?
Fortune is in very short supply as far as West Ham and Roeder are concerned and surely the tide will turn. At least Roeder got nothing short of 100 per cent effort from his players last night, even if some of it was mis-guided and mis-directed - like most of the efforts the Hammers had on goal.
Roeder made it clear after the game that he has no intention of walking away from the challenge of resurrecting West Ham's season and he said defiantly: "I am here for the course. I love my job and I love working with the players. I'll stay and fight.
"I don't know any other way. That is how I was brought up and that is how I see life, and it is hurting me as much as it is hurting all our die-hard supporters. We are in a big hole at the moment, but we can turn it around. If there are any breaks up ahead I just hope they are coming soon.
"The way they have played recently suggests they have still got a lot of faith in me. I will keep going, keep working hard and practicing hard with the players, and as long as they keep giving me what I want, there is always a chance."
Although West Ham dominated the first half, without making their domination count, Southampton worked their way back into the game before snatching an injury time winner their manager Gordon Strachan felt they just about deserved.
"In the last half hour we looked more likely to win the game," said the Saints boss. "We were too one-dimensional in the first half but in the second there was more variation. We had to see off their enthusiasm for the first 15 minutes and after that we looked the most likely team to win.
"I know how hard an injury-time goal hits you because we have had three of them this season, so we were due one, and our bravery kept us in it and our ability won us the game in the end."
