Post Match Comments
Audio Match ReportSaturday 13th January 2001
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
Upton Park
Attendance:26,014
Referee: M Messias WEST HAM0 SUNDERLAND 2Varga 22, Hutchison 68HISLOP S.PEARCE SONG LOMAS WINTERBURN LAMPARD TIHINEN KANOUTE COLE DI CANIO SINCLAIR Subs: MONCUR BASSILA CAMARA (73) POTTS FORREST (46) SORENSEN WILLIAMS GRAY THOME VARGA HUTCHINSON McCANN SCHWARZ RAE QUINN PHILLIPS Subs: CRADDOCK INGHAM McCARTNEY OSTER KILBANE (80) Welcome to the Premiership, Sven-Goran Eriksson.
A warm reception from the Upton Park crowd, Abba hits played at half-time and even a fellow Swede, Stefan Schwarz, on the winning side.
But although Eriksson was able to catch sight of the precocious talent of Joe Cole, who flitted into life in bursts, it was more of an introduction to the singular world of english football than a foretaste of his first squad.
For none of the other english players on display really set the world alight and even Cole faded later on, while Sunderland found the target twice but there was the rare sight of Kevin Phillips not being among the scorers.
"It was a difficult game which was decided on 2 set pieces," said Harry Redknapp after the game.
"We knew there would be problems with set pieces as they are a bigger and stronger team than us.
"It was not one of our better games, it's not often that we don't score at Upton Park. I thought Joe was in tremendous form in the first half and he showed his great skill when he played the through ball to Paolo di Canio.
"Joe has been out for ten games but he is now over his ankle injury and back to form. But it is difficult to balance a team with both Joe and Paolo playing together.
"Joe is not going to play in a 4-4-2 formation. I think he'll become one of the great players of the game.
"I felt we opened them up in the first half and could've scored. However, the second goal killed it off.
"We have looked solid of late but it isn't easy to find the right place for Joe to play. He could play off the front men but Paolo also likes to play there so it's hard to balance the team as they are very similar players.
"I saw Sven-Goran Eriksson and he was very impressed by Joe.
"Joe has a heart as big as his body and the harder you kick him the sooner he'll come back for more."
"We missed Michael Carrick today. He's had a great season so far and is another player who will go to the top.
"If Sunderland get to the Champions League, then Peter Reid should be Manager of the year.
"Arsenal look the closest challengers but today they only drew. I can't see anyone catching Manchester United. The match further emphasized the need for reinforcements, and Harry added:
"I need to strengthen the squad. I have three centre halves all of whom are injured.
"We need to get 1-2 defenders and further strengthen the team. We made an offer to Christian Dailly on thursday and he said he wanted to join us.
"But on friday he decided that he'd like another 48 hours to think about it to ensure he makes the right decision. We should know his decision on monday.
"We would also like to sign Lorenzo Amoruso but he's also got to make up his mind. I saw him in Florence this week. But who needs Florence when you've got Green Street?
Craig Forrest replaced Shaka for the second half, and H adds:
"Shaka's knee puffed up at half time and I'm not sure if he'll play the next game.
As for the Steve lomas affair - it was his first game since bids from Everton and Manchester City were accepted - H says:
"Steve went up to both Manchester City and Everton and they offered him more money than here, but he's happy here and feels it's the club that he wants to play for."
In front of Eriksson, who was whisked away an hour after the game after enjoying some Upton Park hospitality with the directors - no engglish player scored.
A slovakian international - defender Stanislav Varga with a
23rd-minute header - and a scot - midfielder Don Hutchison with a
free-kick that resembled Germany's winner against England at
Wembley, grabbed the goals.
Eriksson also saw tackles flying in from all angles, more
perspiration than inspiration, and an inconsistent refereeing
display.
None of this, however, should detract from a fine performance by a
Sunderland side who fully deserve their place among the elite
places in the top-flight and now stand second in the table.
Few other teams will manage to keep Paolo di Canio and Frederic
Kanoute so quiet, as it was only Cole who managed to inspire the
Hammers into life - and even then, only sporadically.
The teenager admitted he was a bag of nerves on his first training
session with the senior squad under Kevin Keegan and "looked
like a big donkey" but was full of purposeful invention and
workrate at Upton Park.
With fellow emerging midfielder Michael Carrick absent through
injury, team-mates Trevor Sinclair and Frank Lampard had their
moments but all too few of them.
Indeed, it was Sunderland's 22-year-old Gavin McCann who caught
the eye in midfield, while Phillips had at most one half-chance all
afternoon but impressed with his hold-up play and harrying of the
defence.
And Eriksson will now know not only Michael Gray's name but
also that he produced a consistent display and can cross a ball
with some accuracy.
Otherwise, the research continues with Leicester at Ipswich
tomorrow and Manchester United on the agenda next weekend.
Given that the heart of England's 1966 World Cup triumph beat
so strongly at West Ham in Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin
Peters, Upton Park was at least a fitting venue to start an
immersion into the Premiership.
Eriksson was introduced to the crowd before the game and was given
a warm reception, rising to his feet with what almost appeared to
be shyness to acknowledge the applause from all sides of the
ground.
Then again, coming to watch West Ham in his first game as England
coach, with right-hand man Tord Grip, was always likely to go down
rather well with the Upton Park faithful.
Eriksson may not have reached his seat in time to see Sinclair
receive his December goal of the month award, but he did see the
wing-back's determination to make an early mark on the game
with a deflected shot.
A more important influence came, however, from Nigel Winterburn,
who is - along with Stuart Pearce - one of West Ham's two
37-year-old former England internationals, as he cleared Don
Hutchison's header off the line.
Neither side were imposing themselves on the game, with cameo
displays by various players rather than leading roles at this
stage.
McCann intercepted just as Lampard took aim and Cole produced a
superb covering tackle as Darren Williams threatened to break free
onto Phillips' through-ball on the break.
But after Sorensen had saved from Kanoute after a mistake by Varga,
it was the Slovakian defender who rose above even team-mate Niall
Quinn to head home McCann's free-kick.
Back came West Ham, but it was hardly convincing.
Sinclair burst through the centre but shot wide, while Cole, whose
talent was bubbling to the surface every now and then, embarked on
a purposefully mazy run but finished just as badly.
West Ham substitute keeper Craig Forrest replaced Shaka Hislop at
the interval and was soon required to block a prodded shot by Quinn
at the far post as the centre-forward was allowed to meet
Gray's deep cross.
Sunderland were simply not allowing the Hammers to play their way
back into contention as their defensive line held firm and they
matched them for workrate in midfield.
They could not legislate for a superb through-ball by Cole as he
set di Canio through, only for the Italian to strike a firm shot
against the foot of the post.
And after a free-kick was awarded for a foul on McCann by Lampard,
West Ham were caught unawares as Hutchison scored from 25 yards
out.
In many ways, it was reminiscent of the goal that Dietmar Hamann
scored for Germany against England at Wembley as West Ham were
still arranging their wall and keeper Forrest appeared unsighted as
Hutchison shot.
West Ham offered little in the way of a stirring response, apart
from Pearce's free-kick being tipped round the post by
Sorensen, and even Cole's influence started to fade.
So much for Eriksson's vision of the future of English
football. At least Sunderland are managed by an Englishman. Step
forward and take a well-deserved bow, Peter Reid.