West Ham ... 2 Newcastle ... 2Glenn Roeder is so honest it seems fair to assume he was not guilty of the greatest public deception since Enron when he announced he hoped to complete his transfer dealings by buying a striker. In that case the West Ham manager is embarking on a bold but risky strategy.
It means Roeder will leave untouched a defence which has conceded more goals than any Premiership side. He is either trusting that they will tighten up or gambling that his team will score more than they let in.
For Roeder, who does not have the budget to sign players in all the positions he would like, this month is decisive. Soon there will be no chance to wheel and deal. A few weeks can make or break a career or club.
Jermain Defoe showed his talent, particularly in the first half during which he scored from Steve Lomas's cross. His tendency to shoot on sight may occasionally frustrate team-mates but he rarely misses the target and has four goals in three matches.
Joe Cole, too, is starting to score the goals which have been lacking from his game. He equalised and played with real verve.
Lee Bowyer was not at his sharpest after a month out but three times made trademark bursts into the box. Trevor Sinclair did a decent job up front, where Don Hutchison and Ian Pearce can also operate. When Bobby Robson said he felt West Ham would survive, it was on the basis of their attacking prowess.
"Of all the teams at the bottom I see West Ham getting out of it because they can score goals and, if you can score, you have a chance," said the Newcastle manager.
On the basis that high-scoring teams rarely go down it is understandable Roeder wants a striker, with Tottenham's Les Ferdinand a known target. But, since the Premiership's launch, the teams conceding most goals have always been relegated.
Roeder's team last kept a clean sheet in October and have not found a reliable central defensive partnership.
West Ham did not defend dreadfully against Newcastle, who possess one of the Premiership's most dangerous attacks. But another two goals conceded meant two points dropped and they could easily have lost late on. Though Jermaine Jenas's equaliser was unstoppable, it was born of Christian Dailly's failure to clear. The same defender was partly at fault for Newcastle's opener, beaten by Shola Ameobi in the build-up to a finish by Craig Bellamy.
With games to come at West Bromwich and Bolton and at home to Sunderland, West Ham remain defiant. It would be nice to think Roeder's attacking instincts will be rewarded. But the club could stand or fall on this next signing.
WEST HAM: James, Lomas, Breen, Dailly, Winterburn (Minto 56), Bowyer, Cisse (Hutchison 80), Carrick, Cole, Defoe, Sinclair (Pearce 81). Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Moncur. Goals: Cole 14, Defoe 45.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Griffin, Caldwell, Hughes, Bernard, Acuna (LuaLua 65), Dyer, Jenas, Robert, Bellamy, Ameobi (Cort 86). Subs Not Used: Harper, Solano, Dabizas. Booked: Griffin. Goals: Bellamy 9, Jenas 81.
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland)
