Post Match Comments
Audio Match ReportMonday 22nd January 2001
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
The Valley
Attendance:20,469
Referee: D GallagherCHARLTON1 Bartlett 7 WEST HAM1Di Canio 73KIELYKISHISHEVKONCHESKYRUFUSTODDFISHPARKERSTUARTJENSENSVENSSONBARTLETT Subs:ILICPOWELL 73BROWNSALAKO 73LISBIE 64FORRESTSONGTIHINENDAILLYSCHEMMELWINTERBURNLAMPARDCARRICKCOLEDI CANIO KANOUTESubs:BYWATERBASSILAMONCUR 88POTTSCAMARAAnother wonder-strike from Paolo Di Canio salvaged a draw against Charlton at the Valley, but Harry Redknapp was still left wondering how his under-strength side failed to pick up all three points after dominating virtually the entire 90 minutes.
Despite producing a much more resilient performance than that which resulted in a 5-0 drubbing at Upton Park on Boxing Day, Charlton once again struggled to cope with the quality and movement of our attacking players and scored with their only real effort on goal - and even needed a helping hand from the referee to create that!
Just seven minutes had gone when Frank Lampard's attempted clearance cannoned off Dermot Gallagher and then fell to Addicks' full-back Paul Konchesky, who swapped passes with Graham Stuart before slipping a pass behind Finnish defender Hannu Tihinen into the path of Shaun Bartlett.
The South African striker took the ball in his stride and slipped a quick-fire shot under the dive of Craig Forrest to give the home side an unexpected lead after the Hammers had enjoyed the better of the opening stages.
Joe Cole - hoping to impress watching England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson for the second time in the space of nine days - had the game's first chance on five minutes when he took advantage of a mix-up in the Charlton defence to break free on the left but shot just wide of the far post.
From then on, it was the exciting young midfielder who enjoyed West Ham's best opportunities in front of goal. Midway through the first half he was fed by Frederic Kanoute and beat Richard Rufus on the edge of the penalty area before slightly scuffing a shot that almost caught out Charlton keeper Dean Kiely.
Minutes before half-time, Di Canio also wasted a good chance when he shot wide of the far post after Lampard's quick-thinking free-kick had released him on the left.
As the Hammers turned up the heat on their opponents early in the second half, Cole created two chances for himself by collecting passes from Di Canio and running at the opposing defence but his efforts on goal failed to trouble Kiely.
And the travelling claret and blue army were certainly wondering if their luck was out when Cole missed the best chance of the game on 55 minutes.
French loan signing Sebastien Schemmel - who, along with fellow debutant Christian Dailly, enjoyed a highly impressive first start in West Ham colours - linked with Kanoute on the right and pulled back a perfect pass for Cole who was faced with what seemed a simple opportunity just eight yards out.
However, the 19-year-old saw his side-footed effort blocked on the line by the chest of Andy Todd and rebound away to safety.
Despite that setback, the Hammers continued to dominate proceedings and finally made the breakthrough with 17 minutes left on the clock.
Just moments after he had been booked for fouling Charlton defender Kishishev when he allowed his frustrations to get the better of him, Di Canio typically popped up with another moment of magic to savour.
The Italian maestro stepped in on the edge of the box to flick the ball away after Kanoute had been challenged by Rufus, then side-stepped Mark Fish before letting fly with a stunning strike that brushed the fingertips of Kiely on its way to the top right-hand corner.
Afterwards, Harry Redknapp admitted he was relieved to come away with a point after fearing that it wouldn't be his night but was more than satisfied with the performance of his makeshift side.
"When Joe missed that chance from just a few yards out, I thought it was going to be one of those nights but luckily Paolo hit a great goal. He had a great chance in the first half but he gave us a goal when we needed it.
"Overall though, I felt we were excellent and, to be fair, we dominated this game more than we did when we won 5-0 at Upton Park.
"I had a very makeshift team out there tonight, so I was pleased at how well we passed the ball and controlled the game.
"Of the six players who were out, five of them would definitely have played tonight, so I was forced to reshuffle it and they didn't let me down.
"The two lads making their debuts were magnificent - I thought Sebastien Schemmel had a great game."
Harry was also full of praise for his three young central midfielders - who will no doubt have impressed Sven-Goran Eriksson, watching the Hammers for the second time since his appointment as England manager.
"Frank (Lampard) is 22 and Michael and Joe are 19 - kids really - yet they controlled the midfield and were magnificent.
"I thought Michael Carrick was outstanding. He gets hold of it and controls the game - he is a terrific young footballer.
"He is one of a kind who is improving every day. He doesn't waste passes, sees pictures that no-one else sees and has a fantastic temperament. All he wants to do is play football and he is a great lad who will go far in the game."
The Hammers boss also repeated his response to the tabloid claims that striker Frederic Kanoute is looking for a move from Upton Park but would prefer to stay in London.
Fredi's agent had released a statement earlier on in the day explaining the player's disappointment at being 'stitched up' by the tabloid newspaper that had printed the story and the Frenchman produced another excellent display at The Valley to prove that he is committed to the claret and blue cause.
Harry added: "I don't think he really said anything and probably didn't mean it to come out the way it did.
"All he said was that you would have more chance of getting noticed at a bigger club, which is true, but he doesn't want to leave.
"Fredi is a lovely guy, he comes in, gets on with it and doesn't ever give me a problem. When I bought him, he was playing for his reserve team in France, now it seems that everyone is after him, but he is enjoying his football here.
"He is a fantastic talent. He has strength, pace skill…he's got the lot."
Minute by minute:
5 - After a slow and nervy start, Cole has the first half-chance of the game when a defensive mix-up sees him collect the ball just inside the Charlton area but his left-foot shot rolls wide of the far post.
7 - GOAL. In Charlton's first real attack of the match, Carrick's clearance cannons off referee Gallagher into the path of Konchesky, who exchanges passes with Stuart before releasing Bartlett on the right, who gets behind Tihinen to fire a low right-footed shot from 12 yards out past Forrest.
11 - Schemmel sees his speculative long-range shot fly over the bar.
15 - Good work from Kanoute releases Cole some 25 yards out but, after beating Rufus, his low weak shot is saved by Kiely.
20 - Winterburn's strike from 25 yards out is sweet enough but too high to trouble Kiely.
29 - Carrick picks the ball up in the middle of the field, before striding out to the right-hand side of the area and firing in a stinging low shot that has Kiely scrambling across but whistles just past the post.
37 - Di Canio's throw finds Cole, whose bending cross falls perfectly for Kanoute. However, the Frenchman heads wide under pressure from Rufus.
38 - Schemmel's cross is seemingly heading for the feet of Di Canio before Rufus deflects it into the path of Winterburn, who can only force a corner.
40 - Lampard's quick free-kick releases Di Canio, but the Italian maestro fires his left-footed shot just past the far post.
44 - After some neat exchanges, Di Canio picks up Lampard's blocked shot on the edge of the box but fires high over the bar.
45 - Jensen's long range stinger is palmed away by Forrest low to his right hand side and Winterburn clears the following cross.
ADDED TIME: 1 minute.
HALF-TIME: Charlton 1 West Ham 0.
SECOND HALF:
47 - Svensson fires a left-footed shot high and wide past Forrest's right-hand upright.
51 - Di Canio feeds Cole, who wriggles past Parker before firing a low shot from the edge of the area that Kiely gathers comfortably.
53 - Di Canio once again finds Cole, and the youngster runs at the Addicks defence but sees his right-footed shot fly over the bar.
55 - A well-worked move between Kanoute and Schemmel down the right sees the debutant get behind Konchesky and pull back a perfect cross for Cole who, just eight yards out, somehow hits his shot against a defender on the line and sees the ball roll away. Winterburn's follow-up cross rolls into the relieved hands of Kiely.
57 - As the Hammers step up their search for an equaliser, Tihinen gallops clear on the left and feeds Kanoute inside the box. The striker swivels but hooks his shot well wide.
64 - Substitute for Charlton. Lisbie replaces Svensson.
67 - Lampard's hooked cross is headed wide by Dailly.
68 - Cole's attempted pass to Winterburn is deflected to Di Canio, who flicks the ball into the path of Lampard eight yards out. The midfielder's shot takes a slight deflection though and drops into the arms of Kiely.
71 - Di Canio BOOKED for fouling Kishishev.
73 - GOAL. After Charlton failed to clear from the edge of their own penalty area, Di Canio flicks the ball away from a defender's lunge, dummies past another opponent, and unleashes a scorcher from 20 yards out that flies into the top right-hand corner past the despairing dive of Kiely.
74 - Double substitute for Charlton. Powell replaces Konchesky and Salako replaces Jensen.
78 - Kanoute picks the ball up on the halfway line, turns and beats Rufus but decides to go alone rather than release Di Canio on the left. He is crowded out on the right but manages to get in a low shot that flies well wide of the near post.
81 - After collecting Di Canio's short free-kick, Lampard hits a shot from 30 yards out that deflects off a Charlton defender and just past the post for a corner.
88 - Substitute for West Ham. Moncur replaces Cole.
ADDED TIME: 2 minutes
91- Parker attacks the Hammers defence but fires the final shot of the match high over the bar.
FULL TIME: Charlton 1 West Ham 1.