Another long, long break from blogging activity, but of course I felt it was pretty darn important to blog about yesterday’s eventful game. I hate to start with the over used cliche but, where do I begin? I’m simply on a high after that result and the buzz is still going through me. The amount of emotion searing through my veins currently I don’t know if I’ll be able to string continuous prose that read with ebb and flow for readers but here goes.
I knew there’d be drama in this final and would be no walk over for the Hammers. I was hoping for a stress free game where we would get on with the job hand and just do it with minimum fuss, wishful thinking of course. Being drawn against Blackpool, it favoured us of course with the good record we had against them and our style of play would surely minimise the effectiveness of Blackpool’s open and attacking approach. From our last two games against Cardiff where we showed a no fuss attitude and were not overawed by the grandiose occasion the play offs bring, we were in complete control of the whole tie over both games, even showing clinical finishing in our home tie. With that, there was a fear that we may have peaked too early and Wembley combined with being the favourites would prove too much for the Hammers. Fair play to Allardyce, his approach in the run up to the game was very low key, shunning the media spotlight and even getting his players to arrive to Wembley without suits was a clever touch that played down the sense of occasion a Wembley final brings. One tactical note I’d just remembered that I wanted to mention, I knew that though our closed down and defensive approach would prove to be a different kettle of fish this time around against Blackpool, due to it being at Wembley and a large pitch like the one they have there can sometimes favour the more open and freer side.
Ok now let’s get to the game, watching the first few minutes, I felt we looked to be in control. It was all about possession and remaining calm and to get those early match jitters out of the way. It was then a few nervy set of minutes that followed, with Blackpool, when getting their turn to play gave the Hammers a few scares with them going close early on with an effort that hit the post. Blackpool continued to pile the pressure on and managed to find space between defenders to carve out chances which fortunately for the Hammers became missed chances. We were struggling to get into some kind of rhythm and I felt at time that perhaps we were becoming fazed by Wembley and it was Blackpool who were bringing the game to West Ham and giving them a go. But then, against the run of play, winning the ball back from a Blackpool attack, winger Matt Taylor surged forward to loft a pin perfect cross into the path of Carlton Cole who used his might to hold off the Blackpool defence and grabbed first blood for the Hammers as he side footed the ball into the Blackpool net to make it 0-1 to West Ham. I was utterly shocked at that point but of course truly emphatic. We had got a goal completely undeserved and Blackpool looked utterly shocked by this turnaround of events. The rest of the first half showed the Hammers to be in control and they quietly saw it out with professionalism. Now the question was their second half approach, do they go for it and kill off the game, or do they control the game and ride the storm and hope to perhaps nick another. Minutes into the second half, the fervour that surrounded the first goal was a past thing with Hammers being caught out, like Blackpool had for Cole’s goal, with a long lofting ball that fell nicely into the path of the offspring of the hated one Paul Ince, his son Thomas, who fired in a low shot past Rob Green into the right hand corner of the net. A gut feeling went through me, we had blown it and now Blackpool would go on to win this, probably through the heartbreak of penalties. More chances came Pool’s way and there were definitely some hold your breath moments as Ian Holloway’s men came desperately close to adding another. The game then seemed to quiet down but still the match was absorbing, although the Hammers looked lacking of spark and creativeness. The way it was going I couldn’t see a goal coming our way and I knew it was just destined for penalties. However, once again against the run of play and out of nowhere, there was a lifeline as the ball found its way uncomfortably into the Blackpool box, a parried shot from Cole fell into the path of Ricardo Vaz Te who rocketed the ball into the back of an open net. My heart jumped to the back of my throat with part of me thinking he would sky that shot well over the bar. Part of me also felt the goal would be disallowed for some reason, perhaps for a foul on the keeper, but no, the goal was legit and it took a few moments to sink in for me. We had scored and checking the time, we scored at the perfect time, 87 minutes in, close to the 90 and close enough for the last bit of morale to be sapped from Blackpool’s spirits. Part of me then knew we had made it, even with 4 minutes injury time, something told me we had done it. Surely enough we held on, played into the corner, ran the clock down and kept possession. The final whistle went, and that was it, we had done it, West Ham were back in the Premiership, and we had done it at the first attempt. A complete weight had been lifted off me and it was such a euphoric feeling knowing that my team were out of that league and back where we belonged.
What still seems so remarkable about the result, was the manner in which it was achieved. We didn’t deserve that at all, and Blackpool by far were the best team on the day. I still was certain it would go to penalties and knowing my luck, my team would bow out in the most heartbreaking of fashion. West Ham normally aren’t the bad guys and steal victory away from the clutches of a deserving opponent in such late and cruel fashion, it’s just not West Ham. But in all my life as a Hammers fan, I think that bit of luck has finally come our way and though it wasn’t pretty, I’m happy we got lucky in such an important game. That was it wasn’t it? From day one, it was all about promotion, and it didn’t matter how we got there, but we did.
I think Big Sam deserves a fair bit of credit, its not easy being a manger with such a reputation he has for playing style coming to West Ham where expectations are of a certain ilk, and with that if results don’t go your way, the fans can get on your back and start to lose faith. Big Sam though to his credit has stuck to his principles and in the end he achieved his brief of automatic promotion whilst all the time facing criticism, largely from certain groups of fans.
Now to the future, let me be the first to say that I think with our return to the Premier League, this heralds a clean slate for West Ham. We can now look forward with the bonus of experience and to some extent our dues being paid. We can now forget about the Tevez saga, despite us still paying for it, it really doesn’t matter now and is a thing of the past, it was perhaps Karma that we went down last year, we’ve paid for it but can now move forward knowing we’ve been fairly punished. We have the added bonus of experience and hopefully learning from mistakes; hopefully DG, DS and KB know what a mistake it is to let a muppet like Avram Grant run your team and that results are what’s most important – really I feel they should have acted instinctively and got Big Sam in earlier and there would have been no need for the long haul of a Championship season. I also know that Del Boy and Arthur Daley will of course invest but do so with an aura of sensibility and pragmatism. No more shelling out exorbitant wages for over rated players and make sure we have a club that is not run into debt through senseless spending. I also feel that the team, ideally still with Big Sam at the helm, will be wary of second season syndrome. I think we’ll be fine next season in our prodigal return to the league, however I hope we don’t have a repeat of the ill fated second season experienced under Pardew and don’t have a team full of prima-donnas who get carried away now they’re Premier League players.
That fits nicely into the future of Big Sam, the man signed only a two year contract, so next season could perhaps be his last as a West Ham manager. I’m sure as well as the brief of instant promotion, it also went further with the notion of stabilising the club and ensuring we remain in the top flight. But where does it go after that for him? I’d rule out England what with Hodgson having a four year contract, and I can only say another team might go for Big Sam dependant on their situation at the time a la Blackburn for example when Ince was sacked, but that is of course based on the future which we don’t know yet. I mentioned about the second season syndrome that promoted teams sometimes incur, I’d like Big Sam to stay on to see out that year as I feel that is always an important year when you’ve returned to the Premier League. After that I’m not really sure, at this moment in time, I can hand on heart say that I never want West Ham to go back into that league again and I’m fed up of us yo-yoing as a team. Big Sam would bring us stability and Premier League football year after year but at a cost of perhaps uninspiring football. However I’m sure others have argued this for a while now, where has that got us and to that matter other teams? West Brom tried to play football and went down, next time round they played good football but at first sign of struggle they opted for the conservative approach and appointed Hodgson but sat comfortably mid table in the league last season. With teams going down in the lowly depths of the Football League, some have been unfortunate to never have returned and with football now being a money game, Premiership football is a must and constant need for those willing to see their clubs continue to thrive and to some extent survive. My honest opinion, stick with Big Sam and get West Ham stable for a few years and if the moment comes where both parties need to part way, ensure someone is brought in who you have 100% faith in that they can do a job and is not a high risk the likes of Zola and Grant…Moyes, Lambert, even Redknapp come to mind. Stability is everything in this age of football, no matter in what style you achieve it.
As for our first season back, I know this will be a tough one for West Ham and as a whole this will be the toughest campaign the league has seen. Tell me now if you can honestly pick three teams who will definitely go down? Eyes will be cast over fellow promoted teams Southampton and Reading; will they invest? Is their team good enough as it is to make a challenge? Who knew what impact Norwich and Swansea would make with QPR struggling like they had as well? Those three teams will be watched with interest, was their first season a blip, is this now the real test for them? Hopefully DG, DS and KB will give Big Sam money to spend, looking at the team now, there is always room for improvement. Anyway, I’d like to wrap things up by sending my condolence to Blackpool, you have a great manager in Holloway and some truly great fans, it is always such a shame that only one team can come out triumphant. But here’s to next year, what a year it could be, we’re back, did you miss us?
Despite going through the year 2012 with only one league defeat, a freak blip away to Ipswich, it is still difficult to stomach that the Hammers aren’t cruising the Championship and irrespective of their unbeaten form, they have been struggling to consolidate their hold on the top of the table. Allowing Southampton to leapfrog them as Championship leaders, after yesterday’s draw between Reading and Doncaster, the Royals jumped into the automatic second placed promotion spot and bumped the irons down to third. The Hammers being only one point behind Reading and still with that game in hand, the mood in Upton Park has changed from optimism to simple sheer worry and fear. The Hammers do no want to be part of the play-offs whatsoever! Sure it’s a great spectacle for the neutral fan and a play-off final is always enjoyable to watch, but to put in all that sweat, blood, tears and effort for the year and not to be rewarded with the just awards can be morally crushing. West Ham gaffer Sam Allardyce recently revealed himself to be a worried man and was slightly concerned about his team’s situation. Saturday’s game against Leeds is a must win; after squandering precious home points against Doncaster and Watford, we must carry on with our strong away form and react well to the pressure that is on us. With 9 games to go, this looks to be the last hurdle and here’s hoping the boys come out on top come the end of May.
Afraid I didn’t catch the game last night as was catching up with friends but heard Scott Parker put in a very good shift and as always combative display. I think the signs are leading to Harry Redknapp being the England manager what with the appointment of Scott Parker as England captain last night. He’s now one of Harry’s boys and Scotty is like the Artful Dodger to Harry’s Fagin so if Harry is to take the hot seat in Soho Square, he’ll definitely throw in a few T&C’s with one of them being Scotty Parker is my captain.
I think Scott Parker is the perfect choice for a captain; selfless, wears heart on his sleeve, plays always to the 90th minute and gives everything. He also has a good public image (well we’re lead to believe but I can’t see him being a secret racist or serial granny shagger), more focused on football on the pitch rather than off it, and he doesn’t have a Twitter account! He admitted himself in a recent article in FHM of all publications, how rubbish he is at computer games and doesn’t do social media and spends most of his time watching Spongebob with the kids, ah, bless. The only issue with Scott is that realistically Euro 2012 will be his last tournament so I think if we’re thinking of doing a long-term job for England, it should really be someone like Joe Hart. I like the idea of us using the model Spain did with selecting Casillas as their captain at such a young age and the fact they kept with him all the way to South Africa 2010 and still now. On the other hand Gerrard could be a good choice just for the Euros, he is a peripheral figure and this again would be his last tournament so it’d be a nice end for him to finish his International career as captain. I also wonder would there be a divide again like in WC 2010 where there was a clear struggle power between Terry and Gerrard over the issue of captaincy. Will Gerrard like Parker coming in and stealing his thunder as captain? On the other hand I know Scott Parker is such a resolute professional he’d still carry on with the job at hand 100% no matter what his role was.
Hello, with it being FA Cup weekend I did a little blog about the FA Cup but for another blog I write for. I’ll try and do a top Hammers moments in the FA Cup but for now you might have to make do with this…http://winkballblog.com/2012/01/top-5-f-a-cup-upsets/ enjoy!
Once again apologies it’s been a while but I thought a review of 2011 would provide good ammunition to make a worthwhile and engaging post.
2011 for the Hammers was and I hate to use the cliché phrase, a rollercoaster year. Once again little stability but still peppered with dizzying heights and morose lows. We of course all know that 2011 was the year that West Ham said goodbye to the Premiership after a six year long tenure in the top division. This was thanks to a variety of reasons, however most of these were in some way linked back to worst Hammers manager ever Avram Grant. This terrible fate that was bestowed upon the Hammers back in May appears to be a defining moment (defining in a negative sense of course) for the club in 2011 and looking back in retrospect at the year, most half cup empty iron fans might pinpoint that moment of relegation as confirming 2011 as one of West Ham’s worst years in their entire history. I say the word MIGHT of course, I have no desire to think for all Hammers fans and just assume I know what they’re thinking.
However, there are always two sides to a story and in the Hammers case two sides to a year. January to May 2011 reflects a difficult time for West Ham with the end result being relegation whereas June onwards up to this moment presents a clean slate, a new beginning that has been filled with optimism and enjoyment but still some dissatisfaction. Here is the year that was 2011 for West Ham United F.C.
January
The first month of 2011 began well for the Hammers after an impressive 2-0 home win against relegation rivals Wolves. A surprising win considering our track record that year against the more lowly sides and the fact that despite their erratic form, Mick MCarthy had assembled a hardworking solid team who were always tough to break down.
One of the highlights of January was the Carling Cup Semi-Final against Birmingham City. West Ham’s run in this competition was one of the few shining beacons of fortune that Avram Grant had managed to achieve thus far as manager. The first leg at home was a topsy turvy affair that yielded end to end football and glorious entertainment. A 2-1 win for the Hammers was the end result however it was the team’s second half performance that suggested there was something of the bipolar nature about them as a team. Losing their heads in the excitement of their good play resulted in a sloppy goal being conceded and a sending off for Victor Obinna. This made for one crazy evening at Upton Park. There is also this, very funny.
The return leg mirrored a lot of what the first leg was about for West Ham. Complete domination of the first half by the Hammers resulted in them leading 0-1 thanks to an incredible solo effort by Carlton Cole. The tie looked to be wrapped up, with a two goal cushion all the Hammers needed to do was consolidate the game and possibly nick another one. However, what was going to set the precedent for the rest of the season, West Ham proved they were a tactically naive first half team. Failing to cope with the inspired Birmingham substitution of Zigic, West Ham struggled to handle the Serb’s sheer brute and physicality and this inevitably saw momentum swing in Birmingham’s favour. Alex Mc Leish’s men went on to win the game 3-1 and book a place in the final against Arsenal at Wembley where as we know they went on to win the Carling Cup and leave the Hammers with a bitter taste of what might have been.
End of January additions came in the form of striker Demba Ba, winger Gary O’Neill and left back Wayne Bridge, who West Ham captured on loan but at an exorbitant price, paying a hefty percentage of his large wages. Bridge made what can only be described as one of the worst debuts ever in the home league fixture against Arsenal. Completely off the pace and lacking fitness, Bridge was at fault for all three goals conceded by West Ham. This game also had significance in the season as it presented a considerable crack in manager-board relations. With West Ham languishing in the lower half of the league, rumour was strife that Martin O’Neill was set to come in and take over from the struggling Avram Grant. This was allegedly to be Grant’s last game no matter what the result and things were made worse with news that Chief Exec. Karren Brady had texted players at half time asking whether or not they were happy with Grant as manager. Whether this was true or not, this was no way to treat someone no matter what your opinion of them was. In a touching moment, Avram Grant threw his claret and blue scarf into the stands after the game in a manner suggesting that he knew his fate. Shockingly though, O’Neill coming to West Ham as manager never came to fruition and Grant lived to fight another day.
February
The much debated Olympic Stadium and its future dominated the headlines in February. With both West Ham and Spurs tabling bids for the future of the stadium’s occupancy post 2012, Spurs courted controversy with their plans to scrap the athletics track in the argument that athletics does not bring the punters in all year round and an athletics track turns a football stadium into a library when it comes to atmosphere. West Ham aimed to uphold the legacy and keep the track and this idea faced opposition from many associated with West Ham both past and present, including Harry Redknapp who believed if the Hammers were to get the Olympic Stadium on their terms, it would have bad repercussions for them as a team. The debate continues over the Olympic Stadium and the pros and cons it throws up. Can West Ham fill up a stadium like that when they can never sell out Upton Park? Does an athletics track have a place in a football stadium? Should a team like Spurs be allowed to leave their North London roots? What cost does the taxpayer have in all this? Would a team like West Ham coming to Stratford threaten the existence of a smaller neighbouring club such as Leyton Orient?
West Ham were eventually announced this month as the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium by the Olympic Committee board however the matter did not end there. With legal battles and such which I will pick up later, I’ll leave you with some opinions from both Spurs and Hammers fans over the Olympic Stadium.
March
March was probably the best month that West Ham achieved in the whole of Avram Grant’s time as boss. After an impressive home (yes home) victory against rejuvenated Liverpool which in it included an exquisite goal from Scott Parker, West Ham recorded back to back victories with another win at home to Stoke. 3-0 was the score line, a tremendous result and the performance showcased a new winning formula, thanks partly to the introduction of Thomas Hitzlsperger and exciting striker Demba Ba. A solid and hard thought goalless draw away to Spurs who had recently reached the heady heights of the quarter finals in the European Champions League proved that there was a new and resolute determination to the Hammers play and momentum was now reaching them and they now stood a very good chance of surviving. Looking at how this West Ham team performed at White Hart Lane, it left many bewildered to how they had found themselves in this position as their performance reflected a team that should be sitting comfortably in mid table and enjoying their football.
It was also at the start of this month that Scott Parker had been named Premier League player of the month for February. It was inevitable that Parker would eventually be rewarded in some ways for his efforts, I think however it was this goal against Liverpool that clinched it, let’s see it again.
He was also finally recognised on the International stage and was called up by Capello for the European Qualifier against Wales where he demonstrated a formidable midfield partnership alongside Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere. A cert for Euro 2012.
April
Oh dear, this was where it all started to go wrong for the Hammers. After the international break, the Hammers returned to a home fixture against Manchester United. A fixture that near enough guarantees goals and always feeds football fans hunger for high octane footballing drama. This was no exception, the Hammers, off the back of a good run of form and high in confidence took a 2-0 lead against United with Mark Noble coolly slotting away two penalties. Then in what was a catalyst for a series of moments that may have changed the way things turned out for the Hammers in the game and the end of the season, United defender Vidic was merely booked for a trademark clumsy tackle on a fast striker, this time being Ba, beating him for pace and looking to be clear on goal. Vidic was let off with just a yellow card, perhaps because the referee felt he’d be pushing his luck with a red after giving away two penalties against United, or maybe in his professional opinion he deemed it only a yellow card, that’s football isn’t it? Seeing it as the time to strike, Ferguson made two inspired substitutions in the form of Hernandez and Berbatov and in typical fashion, United clawed back the deficit and went on to win 2-4 with a hat-trick coming from Wayne Rooney. A real blow which some teams may argue you shouldn’t react so dejectedly to what with the opposition being who they were. However, that afternoon, something did not feel right about that result and I had a feeling we’d pay the price. I of course was right, four straight defeats followed and the Hammers found themselves again in a precarious position.
One silver lining that came out of this month in that Scott Parker was named Football Writers Player of the Year, an award that I feel holds more valour and credit in contrast to the more objectified PFA Player of the Year which Gareth Bale had won quite undeservedly I felt, considering he had spent a large chunk of the season injured and was only being rewarded for his efforts in one short space of time, which included the two amazing performances against Inter Milan in the Champions League.
May
It looked pretty bleak for the month of May. With the Premiership campaign coming to an end, it looked certain that the Hammers stay in the league would come to an end as well. After an awful and timid display against Blackburn at home which resulted in a 1-1 draw, the Hammers had one last throw of the dice in the penultimate fixture against Wigan. The odds were against them and there was to be a lot of hoping for other results to go their way. Remarkably, results were going their way, Birmingham were losing and West Ham were leading 0-2 at the DW Stadium. And as this season so often treated us, West Ham fans once again saw their team throw away their chances and surrender a first half lead after once again failing to cope with a shift in momentum. The introduction by Victor Moses and Conor Salmon by Wigan gave Roberto Martinez’s a new impetus and injection which helped them level up the score at two apiece. With the game locked at 2-2, both teams looked to be set for the Premiership trap door. But in a moment that highlights both the pain and beauty of football, Wigan scored a dramatic winner in the dying seconds of time to make it 3-2 to Wigan and ultimately condemn the Hammers to relegation whilst the Latics themselves lived to fight another day. And what made that moment the more interesting and perhaps to some extent poetic, a small plane flew over the DW Stadium as Charles N’Zogbia’s winning goal flew in that simply said “Avram Grant : Millwall Legend”. After this catastrophic day for the Hammers, the Millwall Legend we call Avram Grant finally received his marching orders, a lot argued though it perhaps was a few months too late.
June – August
New beginnings it was to be for the Hammers, now waiting to begin life in the Championship, there had to be some big changes for the club which began first with the appointment of a new manager. Many candidates were talked about including former Hammers hero Paolo Di Canio, however the board went with their heads and not their hearts and appointed the experienced Sam Allardyce, a manager who was looked at as a possible replacement back in December when survival looked to be West Ham’s only objective that season. Big Sam came with a big reputation, a proven track record with teams and a man who could organise well and bring solidarity to a club. Some fans looked unfavourably upon his appointment what with his penchant for long balls, ugly football and winning at all costs. West Ham fans have always wanted their team to play attractive football that was exciting to watch. With Big Sam at the helm, fans feared their beloved Irons would soon become 1-0 specialists and the embodiment of anti-football. However, immediate promotion back to the Premiership was the goal and it had to be achieved. The hiring of Big Sam was a case of pragmatism over idealism.
Along with Big Sam, came top players in the form of Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor, two players with great skill and experience that would add bite and steel to the Hammers. Of course with arrivals in football, there must be of course departures, West Ham said goodbye to Thomas Hitzlsperger, Demba Ba, Matthew Upson, Victor Obinna, Wayne Bridge, Manuel Da Costa, Daniel Gabbidon, Jonathan Spector, Lars Jacobsen and wait for it…Kieron Dyer, yes! If there was anything that was good about 2011 it was sick note and financial drain Dyer leaving us, good riddance.
There was also of course one player who we all expected to leave, and that was of course Scott Parker. I’ve always wanted to use this phrase but as Red says in The Shawshank Redmeption, “Some birds aren’t meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright.” Scott had to leave as staying in the Championship would have been a waste of his talents and might have cruelly denied him the International spot he craves in 2012 for the England team. Parker finally and saddly left us after four seasons of faithful service in a £5 million move to Spurs on August transfer deadline day.
West Ham also welcomed exciting new striker Sam Baldock from MK Dons, Papa Boupa Diop, Spurs winger David Bentley on loan, and promising Arsenal youngster Henri Lansbury on loan.
West Ham didn’t start life too well in the Championship after an opening day home defeat against Cardiff – another last minute winner, surprise? However, things picked up for the Hammers after picking up three away wins, two of which were won by the impressive feat of four goals. Would this impressive away form and uneasy home form set the precedent for the rest of the season?
September
September finally saw West Ham record a home victory, the first since March. A 4-3 win against Portsmouth though was still not the comfortable result they hoped for. September also welcomed the league meeting of Millwall and West Ham, after years apart from each other in league football. A 0-0 draw at the Den was the result but once again this fixture showed the ugly side of football as I myself remember seeing West Ham and Millwall fans being separated as a sensible precaution near London Bridge when I was passing by that day. Fans witnessed another last minute defeat at home, this time against Ipswich and it was professional turd Lee Bowyer who came back to haunt the Hammers.
October
October finally saw Big Sam’s men grab a comfortable home win, smashing Blackpool 4-0 at Upton Park. A first away loss in a top of the table clash against Southampton gave the Championship leaders the edge in the continued race for automatic promotion. West Ham finished the month with another away victory, this time at Gus Poyet’s exciting young Brighton team and the Irons also recorded a 3-2 home victory against big spending Leicester City.
One other piece of quite noteworthy news this month was the collapse of the Olympic Stadium deal for West Ham. Ever since it was decided back in February that West Ham were the favoured bidders for the stadium, there was never an end to the debate and a line was never drawn under the issue. Legal disputes from the likes of Spurs and Leyton Orient ensured the matter never went away after both teams looked upon the selection process unfavourably with Orient Chairman Barry Hearn feeling particularly aggrieved due to the fact that the original stadium decision threatened the existence of Leyton Orient as a club. As a result, the Olympic Stadium deal fell through for West Ham and it was agreed that the stadium would remain in public ownership. With this news, West Ham has now bid to be the new tenants of the stadium rather than outright owners. Another obstacle in the Olympic Stadium saga and I’m sure it is not the last we have heard of it.
November
November was by far the best month in the Championship for West Ham. Unbeaten throughout the whole month with a draw and four wins, three of which were away fixtures. In particular, impressive victories came away to promotion rivals Middlesbrough and home to Derby where the Hammers made an immediate response to Southampton slipping up earlier that day. November was good, solid and uneventful…sometimes it’s nice when there’s no drama.
December
The dreaded winter slump came for West Ham this December in by far their poorest month form wise. A win, a draw and three defeats has hindered West Ham’s chase for promotion slightly and after yesterday’s defeat against Derby, the Hammers dropped into 3rd, just one point behind Middlesbrough. What was slightly annoying and has again been a bit of a regular story in our season was our failure to take advantage of a slip up from Southampton. Out of these defeats, one awful defeat in particular was against Reading away, a 3-0 drubbing with the Hammers losing two men through sending offs.
Well to round things off for December I suppose it was customary to end the year with a defeat. I think psychologically the players will want to put this year behind them and focus on what 2012 has to offer.
Even though we’ve dropped to 3rd, I’m sure fans won’t panic as it is still extremely tight in the table and as we know in football anything can happen. We all knew this wouldn’t be an easy ride and many teams would fancy their chances against us. January 2012 will no doubt see Big Sam bring plenty of recruitments in to aid our promotion cause. I’m sure Big Sam can get us there and see us through and I say with quiet confidence that August 2012 will see us back in the big time. But as you all know, football is a funny game and we can only show unwavering support for our teams.
Here’s to 2012, hopefully what will be a good year for the Hammers. And good luck to your team, whoever they might be.
So the new season is nearly upon us, this Sunday Upton Park welcomes its first taste of Championship football in eight years with the visit of Cardiff City. This game looks to mark a precedent for the rest of the season in that the hammers can look forward to playing firm associated teams the likes of Cardiff, Millwall, Leeds, Brighton and more. These teams, notably Cardiff and Millwall, seem to reflect their hooligan firm reputation in their style of play with one or two of their players who embody the rough and tough nature of some of their more, ahem, passionate fans – Craig Bellamy anyone? And yes I’m aware he’s not there this season, or is he? Oh you know what I mean.
For many, West Ham United has always held within it a nice quality for neutral fans. Past the senseless, and to some foolish fans, glorified legacy of its football firm, there is an inner beauty to it that overshadows the perceived thuggishness that surrounds it unfairly as a club. West Ham always want to play nice football don’t they? Get it on the ground, pass it around and entertain the fans, that’s what they’ve come to see. It’s a family club after all that’s interested in community spirit and want to invoke traditional ism into their standing as a club, despite the uncontrollable manner in which football’s finances have spiralled out of control. It is fans second favourite club, this is the team who gave us Bobby Moore, Sir Trevor Brooking, broke Manchester United’s stronghold over the title back when Blackburn lifted the trophy for the first time and have the beautiful signature tune Bubbles. Come on, who out of you lot were a little bit upset when the hammers went down when teams the likes of Wigan and Wolves remain in the top flight?
Now with this in mind, back to this Sunday now; West Ham’s beginnings in the Championship could possibly be a new phase in the club’s history in that east end spirit, niceties and family fun are put aside for a year or two and we become the team that everyone loves to hate.
Rumours are rife that with the release of Joey Barton on a free by Newcastle, the hot headed yet talented midfielder could be joining Big Sam’s East End revolution. Unlikely I think, unless his bad boy image and general rep as a trouble maker might make him so unemployable and attractive to prospective clubs that he’ll take a punt on another year in the Championship.
But our rumoured association with Barton got me pondering how the team has been shaping up under Big Sam this summer. The arrivals of Nolan and Taylor are great signings for the club, however my experiences of them as a fan from the opposing team has always been one born out of annoyance and hate. They are those players you simply love to hate, they’re annoyingly good and probably lovely blokes if you had a pint with them, but they always seem to have this knack of scoring against your team, looking smug about it and their style of play somewhat counteracts the positive ethos your team is trying to embody, and they normally have tattoos.
So this year, I think we could see roles reversed; “That f*****g cockney c**t Nolan scored against us again, he gets right in your f*****g face and doesn’t let you play”. With these signings, I can see us becoming that team, a winning team, but one that does so at all costs and loses fans for it (neutral ones, hopefully not hammer fans). If Barton were to make his way to the Boleyn Ground, I think that would confirm it; a team who’ll take no shit and will reject style for strength. But then again this is the Championship; although a league that has vastly improved in terms of entertainment, being a newly relegated team from the Premiership, you want to get out of there as soon as possible and by any means necessary. But oh, what the hey, it’s only for two years and we’ll be back in the big time. Then we can go back to our old loved ways and still be shit, ha ha! Anyway, here’s to Cardiff! COYI
So it’s been reported and I think confirmed by various news organisations that Manuel Da Costa has left the Hammers. I think at a price of 1.7 million, sounds like a bit of business finally from the two sex trolls and their little Apprentice princess – the buying and subsequent buying out of Benni McCarthy and the sale of Diamanti at a loss of around 4 million were particularly painful to hear about. Anyway, mixed feelings about him leaving, he seemed at times to show some good quality as a defender and could score a goal or two when needed. The Championship might have helped him mature and progress as a player as he’s still quite young I believe and him. With Upson and Gabbs off, I’m guessing it leaves Tomkins and Faye at the back for the Hammers, more and more interested to see how our team will look come the start of the season, we shall see.
As I always say, good luck to Da Costa, not sure if he’s going to enjoy the colder climates of Russia to his native Portugal. One thing’s for sure, FACES in Essex will be a bit quieter and essex girls can party without fear. Allegedly of course!
pick three teams who will definitely go down? Eyes will be cast over fellow promoted teams Southampton and Reading; will they invest? Is their team good enough as it is to make a challenge? Who knew what impact Norwich and Swansea would make with QPR struggling like they had as well? Those three teams will be watched with interest, was their first season a blip, is this now the real test for them? Hopefully DG, DS and KB will give Big Sam money to spend, looking at the team now, there is always room for improvement. Anyway, I’d like to wrap things up by sending my condolence to Blackpool, you have a great manager in Holloway and some truly great fans, it is always such a shame that only one team can come out triumphant. But here’s to next year, what a year it could be, we’re back, did you miss us?
West Ham also welcomed exciting new striker Sam Baldock from MK Dons, Papa Boupa Diop, Spurs winger David Bentley on loan, and promising Arsenal youngster Henri Lansbury on loan.
So the new season is nearly upon us, this Sunday Upton Park welcomes its first taste of Championship football in eight years with the
price of 1.7 million, sounds like a bit of business finally from the two sex trolls and their little Apprentice princess – the buying and subsequent buying out of Benni McCarthy and the sale of Diamanti at a loss of around 4 million were particularly painful to hear about. Anyway, mixed feelings about him leaving, he seemed at times to show some good quality as a defender and could score a goal or two when needed. The Championship might have helped him mature and progress as a player as he’s still quite young I believe and him. With Upson and Gabbs off, I’m guessing it leaves Tomkins and Faye at the back for the Hammers, more and more interested to see how our team will look come the start of the season, we shall see.
