West Ham United Blog

West Ham nostalgia

Another classic youtube moment featuring West Ham.  Younger viewers may not remember Steve Potts but I can assure them, he was one of the best centre halves we had.  He was only a little fella but his reading of the game was just superb.  He also had never scored for West Ham, until this one kindly fell in for him.  If you've not guessed it yet, it's the 7-1 home drubbing of Hull City, back in the days of George Parris, Jimmy Quinn, Ian Bishop and many other Hammers favourites.  Enjoy...

West Ham 1 Birmingham City 1 - player rankings

After the hiccup at Wigan last week it appears we are still suffering the effects of a cough at Upton Park.  A spluttering performance with occasional glimpses of the flowing football we are capable of married to long periods of mediocrity and hesitation.

On the positives, I'm delighted that Freddie got his first goal for us and put in a man of the match performance for us.  The defence, Neil aside was fairly solid again.  Negatives are our lack of goal scoring ability and perhaps a creative spark in the middle of the pitch, my how we miss Scott Parker.  I think Clatternburg's red card was a joke but frankly we would not miss Bowyer for 3 matches on his current form, I'd still rather than Noble and Mullins in there.

Which leads to the formation and tactics, I think Curbs made an error in taking Cole when we went 4-4-1-1 - Cole has already proven he is most effective when playing as a lone striker and Ashton is not yet fit enough to slip into that role.  It might be that 451 becomes the formation of chocie for us, as let's face it Camara is simply not good enough.  If that is the case, Cole should be first choice with Ashton on the bench to change it if necessary.  I think we all agreed that if Bellamy was playing, Deano would be more effective but I challenge anyone who thinks that is the case when we play 451?

Anyway, on to the ratings

Green - 6 - almost got the penalty, not much else to do

McCartney - 6 - usual effective self

Upson - 7 - the rock continued his very impressive recent form

Ferdinand - 7 - solid again, could he follow Matty into the England set up soon?

Neil - 5 - caught out for the penatly even if it was a little harsh

Etherington - 7 - lively performance from Mr Etherington

Mullins - 6 - clean performance from Hayden

Bowyer - 5 - pretty por in my view, looks a bit knackered?

Ljungberg - 8 - best creative outlest on the field

Ashton - 6 - I don't think he was as  poor as some fans are suggesting, in fact there were glimpses of his previous in there, think we need a little more patience with him

Cole - 6 - hard working and some nice lay offs

Over Land and Sea? No thanks...

For years we have sang that we would follow the Hammers no matter where they were playing, and now it seems the Premier League want to put that to the test.  A proposal is being examined where an additional Premier League match (the 39th game) would be played between two clubs abroad on a weekend in January.  In simple terms, West Ham can play Blackburn Rovers in Delhi on a Saturday afternoon, to make the sport ‘global’ and to implement this before any other national league does.

For this proposal to come at a time when relationships between players and fans are possibly at their worst illustrates the contempt with which the money men of the Premier League hold the fans – the very same fans who ensure they are money men in the first place.  Alienated by players more interested in cars and girls than giving 100% for their team, the Premier League are now seeking to widen the gap between fan and club as well.  Great idea.

Fans just about keep their heads above water with the cost of matches as it is, with a family trip to an away ground being £100+ trip for most people.  All for 90 minutes of entertainment.  But It does not  even seem to matter whether the fans who go week in week out are prepared to travel to far flung places, as the League seem pretty confident of filling the grounds with locals instead.  For those fans who pride themselves on ‘every game’ however, this is going to be a real stretch.

And what of the games themselves?  Okay, Man Utd v Arsenal is rightly a worldwide experience, but how many locals are going to turn up for Derby v Bolton in Chicago?  And once they see that the Premier League is not all 3-3 draws and end to end action, surely they will soon get bored and move on elsewhere.  This prospect rings especially true when you consider the top clubs will be seeded to play at different venues – so the games that attract the most International interest will still occur in the UK.  Therefore you have to ask, what is the point?

As for the idea that the English League needs to do it before someone else does, that is simply ridiculous.  I’m a marketer, and I don’t spend my company’s marketing budget on sponsoring the monkey zoo in Indonesia, just because one of my rivals might do.  The reason La Liga does not play its games in Ulan Bator is that no one is interested in Gimnastic v Malaga, they just want Barcelona v Real Madrid every week.

I can see an argument for showcasing a clash between the top two clubs or even the FA Cup Final – events they are truly international that can be showcased and act as great ambassadors for the English game.  But taking a game away from all bread and butter fans, messing up timezones of all players, making some travel further than others, opening them up to various security threats and all with the aim of making more money from a sport which has already alienated millions with its ‘them and us’ attitude, well, it’s not right and for the first time it would really pelase me if the fans were actually put first.

Curbs proud of Matthew Upson...

...as indeed the rest of us should be today.  For someone making his first appearance in an England shirt for 3 years, I thought he had an excellent game. 

And Curbs seems pretty happy, he said "He came this time last year and got injured straight away but worked hard over the summer and has played every game. He has now got his just reward because he has been very consistent.  He has got himself extremely fit and he is very professional on and off the pitch. He has been given the opportunity and will do his utmost to stay in there"

I had a text from a Spurs fan telling me "it's only Switzerland", yeah, like he'd be saying that if knackers yard bound Ledley were playing.  It was only Switzerland, but Matty looked comfortable throughout and thoroughly deserves another call up.  I'm also quite gratified it comes as Birmingham City come to visit us, after they begrudgingly sold him to us last season. 

And after David James did his best to lose the game in the final minute, please, please can Robert Green be given his chance?  Nothing to be lost by throwing him in for a friendly.

West Ham v Birmingham preview

Saturday brings the Brummies to Upton Park and after our hiccup at the JJB, this one should be a safe 3 points for the boys in Claret and Blue.  With no midweek game and not exactly a plethora of players on International duty, we are getting close to have a very full and fit squad to choose from and Curbs is going to have his work cut out keeping everyone happy.  3points against Brum would continue to move us away from Spurs and closer to the European pack, so it's pretty important we don't mess up.

I think it's a very tough one to call team wise - frankly my instinct is continue with 451 with Cole to start and to change it either at half time or on 60 minutes to a 442 with Ashton and Bellers getting another run it.  the fact is our worse performance came when things were changed and 451 if used properly can be vert attacking, especially with Matty on the Left and Freddie/Julien on right, Mullins holding and Bowyer and Noble streaming forward to help the attack.  However, I imagine Curbs will go 442 and possibly start with Cole and Bellamy.  I'm not quite convinced he sees Ashton as first choice when fit, we'll get a better idea on Saturday.  Amazing how the defence picks itself these days isn't it?  Anyone agree with me on the 451 or do we not want to see that at home?

Either way, 3 points and a 2-0 victory is my prediction - usual deal, get a free £10 bet (at 7/1 for that one) at Coral, just by clicking the image below.

Come on you Irons!

Wigan 1 West Ham 0

Edmund Burke, the founding father of conservatism once said 'what has stood the test of time is good and should not lightly be cast aside'.  This very thought occured to me yesterday when I saw the line up for our match against Wigan.  Just to declare, I did not get to this game, but from what I have read and seen, if Curbs heeded that quote it might have been slightly different.

Going 442 might have been wise if Bellamy was back in the starters, in fact when he is, it will be a necessity.  Until then, I don't think I'm alone in citing that Ashton and Cole is not a strike pairing that will work particularly well.  We've put in some good performances in our 451 mode, the third City game and Liverpool especially and I don't see whay it was changed for an away trip.  At home maybe, but not away and not without Bellamy partnering the big lads, rather than two big lads who ten to come in deep for their service.

The message boards seen to be full of prats who think Curbs must go as soon as we lose and that we should be a Champions League team.  Let us not forget last season we missed relegation by the skin or our teeth and yes, we have played some bright football and shown potential.  But please, let us not turn into Newcastle United fans, demanding total football and victory no matter what the circumstances.  The lads were clearly tired and it's been a tough few weeks.  We can put this one down to a bad day at the office and if you aren't able to do that, you have not supported the Hammers long enough to know that inconsistency is our middle name.  Having said that, if we don't thrash Birmingham next Saturday, I'll be bloomin livid.

Have a good week.

West Ham v Wigan Preview

Crikey, I’m knocking these out like a mis-timed Luis Boa Morte tackle, but tomorrow is another game and at least a point for the Hammers as we take a trip to our good friends at the JJB Stadium, Wigan Athletic.  The same fixture early in the season was a bit of anti-climax following all the vent and hate we felt for them over the Summer, a 1-1 draw did not seem like the punishment they deserved.

Tomorrow will see a Hammers side playing a different kind of way to our stuttering start in August.  Solano, Bellamy and Gabbidon are in line for a comeback, though I would not expect any of them to start.  There is an argument for LBM to get a game away from home and under less pressure but if Matty is fit, I’d give him a start, with no other changes from the conquerors of Liverpool.  On the bench I’d put Wright, Ashton, Faubert, Solano and Spector.  Spector’s ability to slip in almost anywhere puts him just ahead of Danny G.

As for the score, I’m thinking a 1-1 draw again at the moment.  Wigan aren’t great but Brucey is a decent manager and is starting to get them organised.  A draw won’t be a total disaster in my honest, though memories of our 3-0 hammering last season are still vivid.

Coral will give you 5-1 for the draw with other bets available if you don’t fancy my tips!  They’ll also give you a £10 free bet if you click below.  Up the Hammers!