Post Match Comments
Audio Match ReportSaturday 9th December 2000
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
Upton Park
Attendance:25,888
Referee: Mike Riley WEST HAM1Carrick 15 ASTON VILLA1Hendrie 37HISLOP S PEARCE POTTS SONG I PEARCE SINCLAIR LOMAS DIAWARA KANOUTE DI CANIO CARRICK Subs: BYWATER SUKUR MONCUR (73) KELLER TIHINEN JAMES ALPAY SOUTHGATE BARRY WRIGHT BOATENG HENDRIE MERSON STONE GINOLA DUBLIN Subs: SAMUEL DE BILDE DELANEY STAUNTON ENCKELMAN
West Ham stretched their unbeaten run to seven games in the Premiership in a keenly contested draw, thanks to an early Michael Carrick piledriver.
Harry Redknapp claimed mitigating circumstances for a below par performance, hoewever, explaining:
"In the first half we had some great opportunities to really finish the game, but it was difficult. We had 1 or 2 who weren't fit playing today."
Of those players, he confirmed:
"Ian Pearce has not trained since he pulled his hamstring against Leeds 4 weeks ago and I threw him in today. He was nowhere near fit.
" Steve Lomas has also had the flu all week but he came out and played. It's not easy when people are struggling. Overall, I think again we worked really hard.
"We're short of bodies. Stimac is out for 6 weeks with a calf strain. Frank Lampard is very ill with the flu - we've got too many to come back."
"5 wins and 2 draws out of 7 league games - we'd have certainly taken that 7 games ago."
Harry also praised the performance of Freddie Kanoute while acknowledging that his goals ratio is not quite what it could be.
"If you want Pele, he's not around any more. What can you do? We're all looking for the perfect footballer," he admitted.
"He's an outstanding talent. He's only 22 years old, but he's got everything, pace, strength, good quick feet, good in the air.
"He does play a little bit on his own. Paolo doesn't play as a pair, Paolo does his own thing, so Freddie does an awful lot of work for us. He's a terrific player."
There was a mini dispute between Paolo di Canio and Stuart Pearce over who took a free kick - but no such bad feeling at the end of the match between the Italian and David James, who embraced after the match.
"I think Paolo wanted to take the free kick but Stuart Pearce has got the best left foot in England in the last 20 years and I think he felt he'd try to bend it in. Paolo will forget about it."
He also had praise for Rigobert Song, who delayed going to a funeral to play.
"Song was outstanding today - that's how he played last week against Middlesbrough. He has so much enthusiasm and a will to win.
"I thought he and Stuart Pearce were the two outstanding players today. The example they set with their enthusiasm rubs off on other people," he said.
"Ginola is not easy to play against. He's got great ability but Song is one of those people where you give him a job like that to do and he'll stick to you like a leech. Song's determined to come out on top and in fairness today he was excellent."
"Michael scored a great goal, he's a terrific striker of the ball. He's an outstanding young player. I think he's a really good footballer who's only going to get better. He's still only a young boy and has got a great future in the game."
The game started brightly, with the visitors quickly out of the blocks. Lee Hendrie was only inches away from giving Villa the lead after three minutes. Dion Dublin headed the ball back into his path 25 yards out and the midfielder had a go. West Ham were stung into action. New signing Rigobert Song strode forward and his 30-yard shot almost embarrassed David James.
Shaka Hislop then reacted superbly to tip over a chip from Hendrie and minutes later James showed marvellous reflexes as well to keep out a close range header from Kaba Diawara. The Hammers made the breakthrough after 15 minutes with a wonderful goal from Carrick.
Villa wingback Steve Stone's clearance only found Paolo di Canio and he prodded the ball into the path of Carrick. With a rifle of a shot, he did the rest, in off a post. James had no chance.
Moments later Dublin repulsed Ian Pearce's attentions, only for his effort to drift wide.
Di Canio should have added another for the Hammers when he was well positioned in the box but he skied his shot. Then Frederic Kanoute pulled a shot wide. Villa sought the equaliser and Alpay headed narrowly over the bar following a corner from Paul Merson.
They eventually succeeded in their aim seven minutes before half time through Hendrie. David Ginola set up the goal, releasing the diligent midfielder on the edge of the area and his effort found the net off both posts.
There was still time in the half for Trevor Sinclair to evade the Villa defence and play the ball into the path of di Canio. However his first touch let him down and James was able to save cleanly.
Villa were less assured in a less exciting second half but Dublin found space in the area only to head over following a cross from Stone. The visitors gradually wrested control from the home side in the middle of the park with Paul Merson outstanding as the game entered its final phases.
Ginola was cautioned for dissent and foul on Song with 12 minutes to go. The Hammers' fans enjoyed that, but there was little else in the final minutes for them to smile about.