I didnt think we needed a new striker, I believed we could scrape the goals with our talented midfield line. But the truth is, this is all we need, a man who will send those balls into the net. A hatful of chances go missing for the Hammers, who played some fabulous attacking football but just couldnt stick the ball away. Bolton, however, scraped and struggled, battled and bundled and made their few chances count. It was not pretty, but it was professional.
West Ham, lively on the counterattack were always creating opportunities, more chances than I will mention here, and Harewood, lively as roadkill, was always missing them. It took Pardew too long in my opinion to bring Bobby Zamora on in his place, instead sticking attacking option Aliadiere into the fray for Etherington after half time. I still think Etherington was looking dangerous and should have remained on the pitch to create more chances.
Man of the match Jussi Jaaskelainen who kept Bolton in the game throughout. Without him they would have lost by a margin of three or four goals.
The first half was end to end stuff, chances for both teams and an even affair with West Ham playing great to average and Bolton chugging along in steady style, their 5 man midfield getting the better of possession.
The second half began with the ineffectual Harewood still on the pitch for reasons only Pardew knows. But Marlon created a good chance linking with Etherington at the start of the second in another characteristically good West Ham counterattack. Then came the handbags. A stop start period of play where Diouf was booked, followed by Repka and then Nolan. With the Hammers' flow broken, Bolton could regroup and come back at the home side. A few minutes later Campo's 25 yard drive crashes off the woodwork after an excellent finger-tip save by Roy Carroll. The fright spurs yet another Hammers' counterattack with incredible immediacy as Harewood spoils another in a long line of chances by lashing over the crossbar.
Soon afterwards a volley from Okocha is cleared well from the line by Yossi Benayoun, the Israeli having a marvellous game. The second opportunity comes with the rebound as the ball comes off Benayoun's saving clearance, falling for Kevin Davis who finds Nolan who scrambles a scrappy goal over from a yard out.
0-1
West Ham begin to find the game a physical struggle and cant match the guts of a strong Bolton side. Etherington comes off for Aliadiere to show what he can do. The new boy goes to right wing, whilst Benayoun moves to the left. Aliadiere has a quiet start and doesnt get into it.
Pardew makes his second change which pleases the Upton Park Faithful. Harewood comes off to be replaced by fans favourite Bobby Zamora. Another couple of chances go begging with Aliadiere making a fantastic run along the right, being brought down at the top of the box by Gary Speed. With 14 minutes remaining West Ham are desperate to keep in it. Sheringham and Konchesky stand over the freekick but Sheringham is the one to fire it goalwards, a superb free kick completely surprising Jaaskelainen and cannoning of the woodwork. It seemed nothing would let the Hammers score.
Another free kick and the Hammers pour forward, forcing every Bolton player back except for Okocha. Reo-Coker's shot is pushed wide low to the left by the Bolton keeper. West Ham looking confident with 9 minutes to go. Ward replaces Gabbidon in central defence.
Then disaster. A Hayden Mullins (who had been playing a steady game) pass is miscued and flies straight to the dangerous Okocha who, with a slotted ball puts Campo through and with the flag staying down finds himself one on one with Carroll, Campo firing home.
0-2
With 3 minutes of match play remaining Nicky Hunt handballs in the Bolton box as Bolton struggle against the heavy Hammers onslaught courtesy of Sheringham, Benayoun, Reo-Coker, Mullins, Konchesky and Aliadiere. With the ball placed to the spot Sheringham steps up and dispatches his penalty, sending Jaaskelainen the wrong way.
1-2
Not a result which will justify the Hammers' endeavours but maybe one which punishes the lack of finishing. Not a result either which shows the true quality of Bolton who were nothing special if workmanlike. Noone to blame as such, just a valuable lesson to a West Ham side who played very very well, but did not take their chances. Against Blackburn, West Ham were a side who made every piece of luck count, but today their luck had run out. The Hammers deserved a point if not a win for their well crafted play, but deserved to lose for missing the barn door by a mile. They'll know that this could easily have been a 3 or 4-1 win to the cockney boys. Oh how different life would be.