I feel dirty. Tonight I am going to Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea thrash Portsmouth (hopefully). I’m only going as I’ll be in a nice warm box… Well, I’m not a politician yet so I don’t have to declare this corporate hospitality to the authorities – apart from to you lot!

I’ve been quite shocked at the level of vitriol against Zola and Clarke that has been displayed on this site over the last 24 hours. Like you all, I am extremely disappointed that we failed to get a single point from the Bolton and Birmingham games – and from what I have heard we didn’t deserve to either. Yes, things have got to improve and improve fast, no one is denying that. But would a change in the management team really bring about an instant change? It might, it might not. But haven’t we all seen glimpses of the kind of football we all love to see? In most matches we have not played like a side facing relegation. The fact of the matter is that we have players with the talent to get us out of this predicament, and if Zola can bring in one or two new faces in January – even if it means allowing one or two others to depart – then I genuinely believe Zola can turn things around. I don’t believe he has lost the dressing room. If I did, then I would be the first to accept that the end would be near.

Looking back, the sale of James Collins was a bad mistake, but that was out of Zola’s hands and he cannot be blamed. The fact that Ashton, Dyer, Cole and Upson have been injured is, again, not Zola’s fault. He is still playing with the majority of the players he inherited from Alan Curbishley. Yes, unfathomably, he sanctioned the purchase of Kovac, who I continue to believe is one of the worst West Ham players of the decade, but were the purchases of Savio and Jimenez down to him? No, I think a different Italian can be held to account for them.

Football fans are a fickle bunch. When things don’t go away we always have to find someone to blame. Sometimes it is the chairman, sometimes it is the board, sometimes it is the manager. But in the end the manager can only pick the players available to him. We know that Green, Upson, Parker, Cole, Collison, Noble and Ilunga form the basis of a very good team. But we also know that we have weaknesses. The challenge is for those weaknesses to be addressed over the next few weeks, and I for one believe that Zola and Clarke are up to that challenge.

We should all have a little faith.

Please click HERE to rate the performances of the West Ham players against Bolton.

Please use this thread to discuss the game as it progresses.

Some of us may be distracted by the talk of a change of ownership but let’s home this doesn’t have any effect on the team tonight. Not having seen the Birmingham game, it is difficult to be categoric about what has to change – apart from everything! But it is safe to say that it is the midfield which will change tonight, Mark Noble suspended. It was rumoured that Radoslav Kovac was suspended but I have been unable to verify that. Assuming it is only Noble who is out, then Collison will come into replace him. I also suspect that Kieron Dyer will replace the increasingly disappointing Stanislas. Other than that I can’t see what else will change. It is still a mystery to me that Da Costa isn’t in the team, but what do I know?

We do not have a good record at Bolton. Indeed we have never won there in ten attempts. We’ve lost our last four games against Bolton and overall have a 31-22 deficit. But apart from that I am optimistic!

Prediction: 2-0 to the Hammers with Franco and Collison bagging the goals.

Do you think West Ham should accept the £50 million bid from Gold & Sullivan?

Yes 55%
No 33%

Ignoring the level of their current offer, do you think Gold & Sullivan would make good owners of West Ham?

Yes 50%
No 34%

So, er, 5% think we should accept the bid even though they aren’t sure Gold & Sullivan would be good owners!

Do you think a new owner of West Ham should retain the existing management team, led by Scott Duxbury?

Yes 47%
No 44%

Sky Sports are reporting that David Gold and David Sullivan have launched a £50 million bid for West Ham and they hope to conclude a deal by Christmas with the club’s Icelandic owners, Straumur.

The money would in part go to the Icelanders and in part be used to service the club’s debt. Zola and Clarke would remain, but it is likely that the club’s executive management team would be replaced … by one led by Karren Brady.

They are trying to get the club on the cheap. I suppose you cannot blame them but I for one do not want them to get their hands on West Ham. They may be long time supporters but I do not believe they have the financial muscle need to take the club to the next level.

Anyway, enough of what I think, what do you think? I’ve put together a three question poll.

Click HERE to give your opinion on the proposed Gold/Sullivan takeover.

Today’s Evening Standard has a story  that confirms Carlton Cole’s affection for West Ham and his commitment to our cause.   It makes pleasant reading amidst the rising tide of press speculation about an alleged, impending player ‘exodus’ from West Ham (’exodus’ has seemingly replaced ‘fire sale’ as the favoured term in the press this season!) .  Speculation that will, in my opinion, prove equally as groundless as that circulating this time last season!

Significantly, he also endorses Zola’s management and calls him the best that he has worked with.     

When asked about a possible transfer, Cole said: “It’s just paper talk and I haven’t heard anything about a move. I love West Ham. I just want to get back to playing and I can’t do anything while I’m injured.

“I have to build up the muscles and do some rigorous rehab work to protect the knee and it is going to be like that for the rest of my career. Hopefully, I will be back some time in January.  I just need to get back fit and help the Hammers.

“It’s natural when things are going bad that it’s all doom and gloom but the manager is the best I have worked with. He’s put faith in the players and we’re trying to respond.

“We’re just not getting the rub of the green at the moment but we’re working very hard.”

No doubt the cynics amongst us will use Christine Keeler’s famous reponse, ‘he would say that, would’nt he.’  Or the alternative version, ‘what else do you expect him to say.’  However, maybe, just maybe, Cole is sincere in his statements and it is a reflection of the playing staff’s  continuing support for Zola and what he is trying to achieve at the club!

SJ Chandos.

It was revealing to read Dean Ashton’s interview in The Sun on Saturday.  Ashton returned from injury in 2007-08, but none of us were really aware of the severe problems that he endured that season.  Basically, he was playing in constant pain, could not jump off his right foot and had to learn to curl the ball on to target, rather than shoot straight at it. 

When you read about the physical pain and discomfort that he experienced it is a minor miracle that he did so well that season, scoring 11 goals and winning an England cap against Trinidad & Tobago.  He also clarified that he had not attended home matches this season because he could not cope with all the questions about his future, especially as it become clear to him that he may no longer have one as a professional footballer. At the present moment, Ashton is reported to be having difficulties just walking on the affected ankle.  Hopefully that will improve and Dean will regain full mobility in due course.  We wish him all the very best.

On the  Birmingham City game.  Another winnable match, another  three points lost.  Yes, we are having bad luck,  injuries to key players and have suffered constantly from poor refereeing decisions, but it does go deeper then that.  Arguably, we started this match with a line up that was far too negative.   In my opinion there was no basis for dropping Collison and playing Kovac.  Also, as stated last week, I think that we badly needed Nouble’s physical presence up front, alongside Franco. 

When he came on, Dyer made a real difference with his pace and ability to run at the opposition.  Zola wants to build up Dyer’s match fitness and use him, in the short-term, as a impact substitute.  Putting him on for the last 20 minutes, against tiring defenders, could be a very productive tactic for us.  And once again Diamanti created so much for us.  Zola is playing him (a left footer) on the right.  Personally, as I have said on numerous occasions, I would like to see Diamanti playing through the middle, in a free role,  with the licence to shoot in and around the box.  I think he would be an absolute revelation.

The season so far has been disappointing and frustrating I know, but panic is not the correct response.  It no good calling for Zola’s head or retreating into cynicism and defeatism.  Zola and Clarke need to get the players to roll up their sleeves and battle extra hard.  They need to improve our defensive organisation, get the players fighting for each other and grinding out results.  We can legitimately criticise the club’s lack of foresight and investment in the playing staff, but we need to stick with the team and hope that they can carve out a run of improved results, quickly get the injured players back and do some telling business in January. 

A  more industrious and disciplined approach needs to commence with Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday evening.  To win that match we need to first match them physically and then make our greater class tell.   We definitely need Nouble’s height and strength and Kovac, if selected, needs to start playing like a current Czech Republic International!  The type of scrap that we can expect from Bolton should be food and drink to Kovac.  He should be a vital player in winning the midfield battle and defending the inevitable Bolton ariel assaults on our box.   If only!

It will take a great team effort, but we are due a win up there.  And Tuesday would undoubtedly be the perfect time for it to happen.   

Finally, what is up with refereeing standards these days.   There are so many poor decisions it is now a feature of virtually every match and quite often decides them.  They issue a nonsense number of cards, often for trival offences.  Look at the Mark Noble tackle on Saturday that earnt him a second yellow.  Even if the referee thought it was a foul, which is debatable, why did he not just give a free kick?   Why did he have to bring out the second yellow?  In my view yellow and red cards should be reserved for dangerous play and other serious incidents.

Yes, I know that it is FIFA dictating refereeing policy, but sometimes it does not seem like the game I grew up with.  If this trend continues football will end up a non-contact sport in which cheats and play actors flourish and the non-penalised tackle is a rarity!  Who wants to watch that week in and week out?

SJ Chandos.

Rate the players who played against Birmingham by clicking HERE. Only vote for those players who appeared for at least 15 minutes.