Gianfranco Zolas infantry conform well to approach conflict Football

Gary Jacob & ,}

Like a colonel trapped in the destruction of a polite war, Gianfranco Zola has kept one eye on his infantry and the alternative examination his back. But West Ham Uniteds aerial attack on Saturday referred to for the initial time that Zolas men will live to quarrel again in the tip moody subsequent season.

David Sullivan, the West Ham joint-chairman, shot himself in the feet once as well often with his sniping at his group and a little fans at Upton Park have incited their ammunition on him.

Amid the crossfire, Zola has stood with grace and a grade of humour. The Italian contemplated obey dual weeks ago, but returned from a mangle in Sardinia with new strategy to forestall his players competing as people and to broach feat at all costs. The prolonged round was less appreciative to the eye that was all West Ham had, Steve Bruce, the Sunderland manager, said but it has been a equates to to an end.

Last deteriorate we played good football to get results, but right afar we indispensable to work more defensively, Zola said. We need to keep on tip of the momentum.

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Ilans late equalising header afar to Everton last week finish stopped the debase of six uninterrupted defeats and his toe-poke, from Carlton Coles knockdown on Saturday has injected a little belief.

Plenty of work stays to set up confidence. West Ham scrapped for, but could not retain, receive and chances were at a reward as Sunderland hounded and harried but capitalising on early anxiety. Darren Bent lost his footing when by and Bruce was unfortunate with Mike Jones, the referee, for stopping a free flog being taken in blocking time as West Ham distinguished a disallowed goal.

Bruce tenderly embraced Zola at the finish and, perhaps, spoke of traffic with his joint-chairman after his spell underneath Sullivan at Birmingham City finished in acrimony.

I instruct Gianfranco the most appropriate but I am not going to get drawn on that [boardroom talk], Bruce said. Unless you have finished it and got the T-shirt, the really difficult. Hes rubbed himself with good respect.

Relief at Upton Park, but recriminations and casualties are expected come the summer.

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green 5 J Faubert 6, M Da Costa 6, M Upson 6, J Spector 5 J Stanislas 5 (sub: G Franco, 74), R Kovac 5, M Noble 6, V Behrami 6 Ilan 6 (sub: F Daprela, 89), C Cole 5. Substitutes not used: P Kurucz, D Gabbidon, B McCarthy, A Diamanti, J Spence. Booked: Spector. Next: Liverpool (a).

Sunderland (4-4-2): C Gordon 5 A Ferdinand 6, M Turner 6, P Da Silva 6 (sub: Benjani Mwaruwari, 88), K Richardson 6 J Henderson 7, D Meyler 6 (sub: K Jones, 63 5), L Cattermole 7, S Malbranque 6 (sub: B Zenden, 72) F Campbell 5, D Bent 5. Substitutes not used: T Carson, P Bardsley, A Hutton, M Kilgallon. Booked: Cattermole, Gordon, Campbell. Next: Burnley (h).

Referee: M Jones. Attendance: 34,685.