[wba_1996]

This screams of the dingle bastards firing a parting shot at us before getting their P45's, also shows who picked the team for Irvine. Baird? No Varela? Sack them both immediately after this game, joke.

[baggietrousers]

This just goes to show how deep the problems are, not just Irvine but the whole coaching staff are clueless. I'm pleased with TP appointment and hopefully he'll quickly realise that this 11 is far from the best and get rid of the dross straight away. Today is a right off for me and judging by the first half hour a right off for most of the team.

[WBA-Josh]

A good counter-attacking goal by S & B. Pulis looked happy with that.

Just need the defence sorting out especially on the right side.

[betterthanbaird]

Saido bumping up his price? He's scored anyway.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Good point for TP to build on (hopefully). Looked like he was pulling the strings as the match went on, sending messages down to the technical area. Let's hope things will improve from here.

[wba_1996]

Very good away point that is, shame other results went against us.

Loved how Pulis saw we were getting overrun so phoned up the bench and told them to bring Yacob on, understanding and actually trying to influence the game rather than looking at his watch and letting the inevitable happen. I'm more optimistic this afternoon than I have been over the year since Clarke was sacked.

---

He sent Dave Kemp down to the technical area as well, love his enthusiasm to give us every hope of survival in a game he could have just sat there and watched.

[drewks]

How did we look generally?
Not able to see any of the game today but the stats (...I know ) suggest a better showing - 54% possession, 14-8 in terms of shots; also it seems by the text that we were pushing forward at the end with Varela just off target in the last minute?
Any comments?

[betterthanbaird]

Didn't see the game but it seems we did well for the first hour. A point is good at West Ham even if most the other strugglers got something as well.

[bomberbrown1968]

A good point to start the new year and it could have been more.

I'll be backing Tony Pulis all the way, in the same way I have done with all those who came before, and regardless of whether some of you are happy with the appointment, that's what we all need to do.

TP is the man in charge now and with a bit of luck can use his experience to get us out of the mess we're in, frankly I've read enough about his philosophy's and his tactics to bore me to tears. I don't give a shit how we stay in the premiership, the main thing is that we do. If we play more direct and it gets results you won't see me complaining, Gary Megson is regarded as a legend yet no one could ever say we were pretty then.

So to all you doom and gloom merchants that are going to stay away if we don't play 26 pretty passes before we lose the ball, give the bloke a chance and let's see what he can do, we've had the "nice team" tag for a long time now, but all that equates to is that we've been as soft as 5hite for far too long.

Entertainment starts with winning games, winning games comes when you've got someone in charge who knows whats needed and I'm a lot more confident now than I was in August

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

We were a bit of a mess early on, and West Ham's goal had a feeling of inevitability about it, but we responded well, kept the ball and limited their chances after that. The equaliser was deserved after some good chances went begging. Early second half we were on top but couldn't make it count, and then when it started to look like West Ham were turning the screw again, good substitutions got us sorted. Varela's late chance took a deflection and should have been a corner, but with Brunt on his typical set-piece form, I doubt it would have made much of a difference.

One of those either team could have nicked with a bit more luck, but 1-1 was fair in the end. I'm sure I heard some boos from the West Ham fans after the whistle, too; no pleasing some folks, it seems!