West Ham United 3-2 Wigan Athletic
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Before hand we all knew how poor Bolton are and our confidence was high…which we should all know is a dangerous thing when it comes to West Ham.

I don’t want to break down the performance; who was a fault, who played well, who didn’t etc. But the comments from Parker afterwards have generated some interesting discussion…although I fear, discussion based on a mis-interpretation of what he was actuallyl implying.

On one hand, the fans were edgy and that may have influenced the performance of the players. there were boos at half-time and a chorus of “Zola, Zola sort it out”. Which personally I feel was an incorrectly channelled criticism…I don’t actually believe that at that point in the game, Zola could should much of the blame.

On the other hand, their lacklusture performance may have warranted the criticism vocally aimed their way during the game (and of course, after) and it should have been an added incentive to buck their ideas up.

From where I stand, we as fans should always get behind the team and the players whilst they are playing. That means constantly signing songs of support even when it’s hard to do…and I know it is certainly hard to do sometimes. Half-time and full-time are the times to demonstrate any displeasure. Personally I just feel that whether they deserve it or not, getting on their backs just doesn’t help anyone. Look at the difference in performances from Cole and Faubert since the crowd began to rally around them. You could even use Diamanti’s goal against Bolton as an example…the lead up to that goal saw 5 or 10 minutes of contstant “we are West Ham’s claret and blue army”. Coincidence? Personall, I think not.

I’m interested to know what everyone else made of Scotty’s comments. To save any confusion, here’s exactly what he said:

“I just felt that the crowd were a little bit restless and rightly so, because we didn’t really give them anything to go on.

‘When you’re out there, it’s always difficult, and when you feel the edginess of the fans – which was rightly so – it was always going to be hard. After a little while, although we kept digging in, it became increasingly difficult.

‘It was a very frustrating afternoon. It was a poor result and a poor start from us. We didn’t come out of the blocks at all, started the game really badly and a couple of individual errors cost us.

‘When you’re 2-0 down within 15 minutes, it is always going to be tough. We got a goal back late on and, to be honest, we didn’t deserve anything out of the game, the way we played. Having said that, we did have some good chances, but we didn’t have a cutting edge.”

COYI

In hopefully a couple of posts I will cover my thoughts on all of the takeover (including Karren Braidie), old saggy chops and his schemes to become the least original wheeler deeler football has ever seen and of course the poor result at Portsmouth last night (including and entirely suitable ref based rant).

An elbow, yes. But we were poor

To describe West Ham as poor last night, may actually be the wrong word. It’s not that we were lucky to get away with a draw, or that there was no desire from the midfield or in fact that the strikers looked off the pace. It was, on that note, great to see a very eager looking Carlton get back in the side.

It was poor to throw away another lead however. And that, in a nutshell, is what we’ve been lacking all year…a clinical edge.

The chances were there to put the game beyond Portsmouth, yet we failed to put any of them away. We were actually fortunate to get away with a goal that could easily have been prevented. What frustrates me is that so many times this year we’ve seen hard graft from all areas of the pitch but left games two or three points short of what we deserved. In other games, however, we’ve not been at our best yet missed chances to take all the spoils. To survive this year we need to start turning off-key performances into results. And, certainly keeping hold of a lead.

Last night could have been a different result – had Nouble put away he chances our confidence would have soared and the game could have been put out of reach with enough time to enjoy our football, with all dues respect to Portsmouth who I feel were, honestly, second best for the most part. However, as it’s been on so many occasions our slender advantage has lead to mistakes, nervousness and ultimately conceding a goal…or two.

Clinical, West Ham.

It really needs to change – I end up feeling deflated after so many games, leaving knowing what could have been.

On the plus side, there were some performances that were more like what we expect to see from said indivuduals. Mark Noble looked strong, well positioned and alert for the whole game. His desire to continue running, challenging and fighting back was evident for all to see – and encouragment considering he has been off the boil during parts of this season. Another, Valon Behrami, showed why he’s being valued in the region of £15m by clubs in this transfer window. Something that stood out from him last night, which I’ve not noticed before, was his pace – perhaps Pompey were just slow, but he was attacking forward balls and for the best part, getting on the end of them ahead of the defender. Indeed, I felt Kovac also put in a very ecouraging shift.

Andre Marriner – you are a shocking ref.

Harsh? Maybe. Actually, no. He is a shocker.

I’m honest enough to say that actually last night he was very poor for both sides – not necissarily throughout the whole game, but certainly missed some glaring key decisions. Pompey fans, you may argue it was a handball in/on the edge of the box.

But it’s West Ham (again) who I feel were hard-done-by.

There is no shadow of a doubt in my mind that the Portsmouth player led with his elbow, it caught Tomkins square in the side of the face and he was not able to get up and continue playing. In fact, he had to go off.

To allow the game to continue was the wrong decision. To play any sort of advantage to West Ham was the wrong decision. Of course any to Pompey was the wrong decision too. In fact, the only thing Marriner did right in this whole situation was get himself in a good enough position to make the right decision – which he failed to do.

It was a foul and a dangerous one at that. Arguably a booking. If I recall correctly, a foul by Carlton Cole was given a bit later in the game for what I can only assume was a small push in the back. Replays suggest it may not have even been that  – a slight touch maybe. Yet Marriner in all his glorious, pompus, egotisitcal wisdom decided that that was a foul.

Yet again, unexplainable inconsitencies from a referee have cost a side points.

It has to stop.

I’m pleased to have got that off my chest…don’t even get my started on Harry “Debroah Meeden” Redknapp.

Anyway, massive game against Blackburn coming up – I’m once again optimistic of all three points…let’s just hope I’m not once again left feeling entirely disappointed

COME ON YOU IRONS!

Sam

It did.

It would seem that Bolton had every right to be smug about last night’s fixture. And I’m sure had they known the lacklusture, painful, aching performance that we were going to take to their place, that actually they would have been even more confident. Their pre-match confidence was not undue and frankly, once again, they deserved their result.

Currently we are a sorry reflection of the enthusiastic, passing side that ended last season – and that we all thought would start this season. Maybe it’s fair to point part of the blame on injuries. But not all of it. The rest of the blame must surely lie firmly on the shoulders of Harry Redknapp and Terrence Brown. Tongue firmly in cheek.

The club is crying out for a shake up, we’re squandering and stagnating in an era past, defined by the Tevez saga and the financial meltdown of an entire nation and we need to push on from that now. The need for a takeover is even more pressing even if it is to just breathe some new life into what is fast become a side with confidence lower than any one of Tiger Wood’s mistresses’ pants.

I hold my hands up and say “well done” to Bolton after last night. I was unusually confident before the game and I’m left seriously questioning whether we have what it takes to stay up this year. Unless there is an injection not of cash but of vibrancy, bringing a buzz back to the place again then we are in for a long, long season. As fans we can be part of that – it’s hard to do but uninhibited support of our West Ham in the face of what has thus far been a shocking season, under the floodlights of Upton Park on Sunday is going to do more good to the players’ confidence than boos, jeers and calls for anyone’s head.

Then again, if we witness another performance devoid of passion and direction – against London rivals – ‘those’ question marks will grow ever heavier. And murmurings of discontent will, I’m sure, become far more than that.

COYI

Sam

So optimism and expectation was high going into the Everton game. Morale was up, confidence was good. That, it would seem, is often a problem for West Ham – perhaps we just get carried away too quickly?

It’s fair to say that we had the best of the game last night – the players were hungry (particularly Parker and Behrami), we were creating chances and I felt were up for it. And then, out of nothing, Saha just decides that it was about time he put the ball in the back of the net…so he did.

Strikers and chances

Was that the difference between the two sides? The ability to put chances away…we certainly had the lion’s share of chances (I think 18 attempts on goal compared to their 9), yet we only manage a poor 4 on target (compared to their 5). How we were not 1 or even 2 up at half time, I don’t know.

It was becoming frustrating at times – my mentality was becoming, “well even if we are in a good position, I just can’t see us scoring”. That’s never a good sign.

Tactics

However…was the difference more to do with tactics? From where I was standing, and this is not a criticism of Parker or any other midfielder, but I felt the decision to start with Jiminez in a forward position (think it may even have been a 4-3-3 setup from the outset) was a wrong one. Fellani was having a lovely time in the middle of the park and he, to me, was running the show. Every instance the ball was at his feet, he seemed to have time to do something with it. That should never have been the case. I really felt we were crying out for an extra man in the middle – and although he’s had some criticism this year, that man needed to be Noble.

The only good thing to come out of playing against Fellani yesterday was the song that originated from the back of the STB lower…

“He’s got an old bird’s muff, on his head”

The ‘Ref’

Or perhaps, and finally, we were subject again to a poor refereeing performance. Running the risk of sounding sounding like Steve Bruce here, but are the refs getting worse and worse every week? I don’t think it’s an excuse for all those chances we spurned, and equally he was bad for both sides, but was Franco not onside when he put the ball in the back of the net in the closing minutes? Did he not warn Fellani over and over again for a) some of his challenges and b) for arguing back- yet fail to book him until late in the game?

I’m sure Everton fans could probably chip in with some bookable offences that he missed for them them too – so it’s not a complaint of bias here, more a complaint (again) of inconsistency.

When and Everton player went down in the second half, the ref felt it correct to stop the game for him – despite the fact he was standing up. And then not ask him to leave the pitch for treatment – they’re just small things, but refs need to be consistent in these decisions. If he was injusred, yet still standing, make him leave the field for treatment. Is that not how it should work?

Some positives…

- Scott Parker, to me was immense…and I am left scratching my head a little as to why Jenas and co get picked for the England side over him (well, Parker at his best anyway)

- Da Costa seems to me to be brilliant in the air – although not 100% convinced, my opinion of him is growing by the game

- I don’t think we’re far from clicking as a team – and when that happens, I’m confident we’ll make ground on Liverpool

COYI

Sam

There were still the occasional runs into dead ends and the odd instance of just trying to do too much, but across the 90mins he truly stood out. He was taking most direct balls to him down brilliantly, whilst confidently holding it up until there were more players around him, his play on the floor was tight and controlled and his goal was instinctive.

As for Diamanti, his passion and energy is undoubtable and I sense that he is an intelligent player. He does strike me as a little bit of an animal and it worries me that he may be a hot head, but nonetheless the more he climatises to the English game the more impressed with him I am becomming.

—

Just another quick point. I’m working hard and fast on getting a new feature for the West Ham Process developed/designed. I won’t give too much away but it is related to the live streaming page that we all used (and I hope, loved) last year. I’ve tried as best I can not to keep you in the dark on this, but the development of it has been a little slower than I thought so for a while there has honestly not been to much to report.

However, I’m close now and there should be something new coming your way soon

To keep in touch with the developments and when it will all be ready, subscribe to my newsletter by sticking your email in the following box:

IRRONS

Sam

I feel particularly sorry for the handful of Citeh fans who had me shout in their faces when we scored. They were frustratingly arrogant though, and were apparently suffering from some sort of syndrome reserved for clubs with money; that is one that means you fail to see any blatant fouls by your team, and think that because you have money your team can do no wrong. I’m in reference here to the tackle early on Faubert that ripped a hole in his sock, above his ankle…”not a foul” they maintained.

May I also suggest that with great financial power comes more favourable refereeing decisions. I guess we knew that anyway, but it was again made evident last night.

I wouldn’t want to be accused of being bitter again, but frankly I felt we were dealt a grave injustice last night (although it doesn’t make up for the poor poor first half performance, and it’s not an excuse for a loss)

Firstly, can somebody please explain to me why our second goal was disallowed? I’ve seen it over and over, and there is not justifiable reason for it to be chalked out. That goal would have pulled the scored level at 2-2.

Actually, no it wouldn’t have done…

Because, secondly, neither do I see why they should have got the freekick they did…from which they scored their second. Again, I did not see a foul…please do correct me if I’m wrong. The City player went up for a header and missed it. I suppose that is a foul really….when you’ve got money. It wouldn’t have been 2-2 without that freekick, we would have been 2-1 up. Completely different game from that point on…even if our performance didn’t deserve it.

I do fully understand that the way we played, particularly in the first half, was poor. Very poor. And we could’ve been well beat.

It’s such an obvious thing to say, but goals change games. Had our goal stood we would’ve been on a high, I’ve not doubt about it. Our confidence would surely have rocketted and our gameplay changed. We play our best football when playing with confidence and last night we looked drained of it.

It’s not unheard of for teams to go places like United, City, Arsenal and sneak a result with a smash and grab performance. Or grab a goal that was against the run of play…but it’s those goals and those games that change games and ultimately the course of the season.

Our performance didn’t deserve to win the game last night, but nonetheless I left feeling robbed of a result by two poor decisions by the man in the middle.

Of course though, nothing will be said of it. A fuss won’t be made and a refereeing performance won’t be reviewed.

Sam

Noble is in there somewhere!

This has to go down as one of my favourtie blogs to write…obviously not because of it’s quality as I’ve not started yet, but because I’m writing it on a train from Gothenburg to Malmo; following the path of the England U21 team to the final of the European Championships.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been sent by my new employers, Football United, to cover the semi-final and final, which is where I’m heading now. Gothenburg is a fantastic city and as I said in a twitter update from there, God really knew what he was doing when he created Sweden! I just hope Malmo can match it – on both visual and footballing appeal (I could do with it being a little cheaper though, beer budget has rapidly diminished!)

So I thought that as I had a few hours to spare, I could update you all on our boys’ performances in the Semi Final, and my take on whether Noble can lead the U21 to victory on Monday.

Turning Points

Personally I felt that there were three factors that affected the quite incredible turnaround by the Swedish team in the second half. Firstly and most importantly, the substitutions made by both managers had a massive effect on the way the game was flowing. Perhaps I’m a little bias, but I felt that Noble was a hugely dominant character in the middle of the park during the first half. He was pulling strings and getting things done in his usual tenacious way. His link up play with Cattermole was brilliant…yet Pearce took him off. Probably, as per usual, due to exhaustion, but we lost a lot of bite when he went off and particularly looked a whole lot more disjointed. It was however a Swedish substitution that influenced their fortunes…the introduction of the number 15, Labinot Harbuzi. He looked like a real star in the making and revitalised their attacking prowess.

I felt Pearce made a mistake in taking Noble off – perhaps it was to save him for the final? All I know is he did us proud in Gothenburg and I hope to see another top draw performance from him on Monday.

Secondly, the referee was hugely in favour of the homeside…it was laughable I felt at times. He sent one of our players off and booked one for ‘sledging’. He made a point of making sure we took all our freekicks from the exact spot, yet turned a blind eye to the Swedes moving the ball to what seemed anywhere they fancied within a 20yard circle. He also failed to make sure the Swedes were actually ten yards at free kicks…petulant, inconsistent and bias. Had it been a full international I feel people would have raised a few eyebrows, but there you go!

Finally, the fans were a huge factor in the Swedish comeback. Funny lot they were to be honest and they outnumbered us to about 200:1 (plus the England fans were sort of mingled in and scattered about). They would boo at pretty much everything, but the environment they created for their side was impressive – it must have been a daunting atmosphere for our side. They were in all fairness though, particularly tolerable of us England fans jumping about like madmen (on our own) at each of our goals, plus the penalties. How silly we felt when they pegged it back to 3-3!

All things considered it was a privilage to have been at the game, Sweden have been great hosts and I look forward to seeing Noble lift the trophy tomorrow evening!

Will post some more photos of my trip after the final

——–

For the readers of my blog who don’t use NewsNow, Iain Dale and KUMB.com have been running some insightful interviews with Scott Duxburry over the last couple of days…be sure to have a read of the HERE and HERE respectively.

IRONS!

Sam

The BBC are reporting that Neill Warnock’s Crystal Palace side have been deducted a point and fined £35,000 (£20,000 up front) for…wait for it…fielding an ineligible player against…wait for it….Sheffield United.

Ha.

The player in question was Rui Fonte who Warnock played, despite his loan deal from Arsenal having already expired.

Really lovely stuff.

So first of all, after my post the other day about how to write a West Ham article, the following had better turn out to be true. But, I’m putting my neck on the line and reporting what I’ve heard nontheless!

A source today has reported seeing promising Charlton forward, Danny Uchechi, pull up to our Chadwell Heath training ground and start signing autographs for the West Ham fans who were around. Here’s the email I received:

Charlton Youngster Danny Uchechi was at Chadwell Heath training ground this morning. The Nigerian international was picked up from Upton Park stadium in a cab, also in the black cab was financial director Nick Igoe. The cabbie was instructed not to talk to either of the men, but once the player entered the Chadwell Heath area he immediately stopped the cab driver after seeing west ham fans getting some autographs from danny gabbidon, and then wound his window down and signed west ham items such as balls and shirts. He stated he must sign for his fans.

To be honest I didn’t who he was when I saw him this morning, but a Charlton supporter recognized him from when West Ham u18s drew 3-3 with Charlton.

Like I say, I have this on pretty good grounds, but it’s not directly from me – I’m just the messenger! In the meantime, here is a forum thread about him over at Addickted.net

I’m trying to track down some photos of the fella actually signing the autographs which are apparently in existence somewhere, I will post them up here if I can get my hands on them, add a bit of meat to the report and all that!

As promised, here are the photo’s of him signing autographs in the back of the cab:

IRONS

Sam

(Photos are copyright protected, please contact westhamprocess[at]onyahead.com for any inquiries)