David Connolly scored 42 goals in 63 games for Wimbledon. His
international record, without having a real run in the side, stands
at
one in four. Talk to Tony Cascarino and he will say that Connolly
is the best finisher he has ever worked with. And Cascarino played
at Marseille, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Celtic and with Teddy
Sheringham, as well as the Republic of Ireland. He also says that
Connolly needs to play off of a target man, to bring the
best out of him. Which might explain why he hasn't yet
delivered the goods for West Ham.
Three goals in his first two games suggested the £285,000 paid
for him by Glenn Roeder was outstanding business.
But when you are a goalscorer of excellent pedigree, eight goals in
25 games is poor. Especially in a division where defences are not
exactly
tight.
In fact, as a ratio of goals-per-games, it compares with the worst
record of his career. It's eleven games since Connolly last
scored, in a 2-2 draw with Burnley,
back in October. He will accept that is not good enough for him,
not good enough for West Ham.
So now we come to the time when Mr Connolly really needs to show
what he can do. With Jermain Defoe suspended for five games,
Connolly no longer has to play second fiddle. He is the goalscorer,
he is the main man, the responsibility rests with him. Most
strikers thrive on such demands.
Gary Lineker, for instance, always had to be the main spearhead. He
had almost 20 partners with England because they too found it
difficult to
share the job with Lineker. He was privately often accused of being
selfish, always taking up the best positions and leaving his
partner to feed off the scraps. It worked for England, it worked
for Lineker. The same could be said for Alan Shearer. Being selfish
is a prerequisite for being a successful goalscorer. Until Lineker
found Peter Beardsley at the 1986 World Cup and Teddy Sheringham
rescued Shearer's record in Euro 98, both struggled to maintain
a working partnership.
Goalscorers need to be greedy and they need to find a partner. They
also, it has to be said, need to be loved. They like their egos
massaged, they like to see their name on the top scorers lists and
in headlines. They feed off the fans chanting their names, buying
their shirts and celebrating their glory.
Connolly, it has to be said, is still settling at Upton Park. Since
scoring a dazzling goal against Millwall that showed grace, skill
and a predatory finish at the end of a direct and forceful run, he
has struggled to fit the bill. (I won £50 on a first-goal
sweepstake at the ground on that one, so thanks Dave...)
Since coming to the club, Alan Pardew has attempted to find a way
of playing three strikers. He believes that success in this
division will come
to the team who score the most goals.
Norwich, the leaders, have a similar view. They have just signed
three strikers in the space of a week, including the excellent
business of landing Darren Huckerby for £750,000. Pardew opted
for Marlon Harewood, the joint top scorer in the Division, who also
came at a giveaway price. The balance between playing Harewood,
Defoe and Connolly hasn't always been right, Pardew accepts.
Sure, it is early days. And, just as it came right, in the 2-0 win
at Nottingham Forest, news soon followed that Defoe's ban
appeal had been rejected.
So now it's back to the drawing board, with him suspended and
Pardew needing to change his team, with the weight on scoring goals
shifting from
Defoe to Connolly's shoulders (although the odd successful
strike from midfield wouldn't go amiss, either...)
It leaves Connolly as the spearhead, the attacking focal point, the
man who matters.
So come on, Dave. Pardew says you would "walk into any other
team in the division". Your record and reputation suggests he
is right. Time to prove it for West Ham now, starting in the FA Cup
at Wigan. Or else the "we can concentrate of the league"
excuses can be trotted out for another year.
------
Useless fact.
The year West Ham last won the FA Cup, the best-selling record of
the year was 'Grandma', by the St Winnifreds School Choir.
A great year for the Hammers and for those of us celebrating along
the Barking Road the next morning, but clearly not the best for the
music industry.
-----
The six biggest spending teams of the last year are Chelsea,
Manchester United, Manchester City, Blackburn, Spurs and
Birmingham. In 2003, West Ham were the 16th highest spending team
in the land, , just £15,000 less than Arsenal, according to
the Daily Telegraph.
The year before, they were the 25th highest spending team. Proof
there is investment being made, even if we would like to see a bit
more in the next month...