The next three games against Everton, Portsmouth and Sunderland could show whether this season is going to turn into one of deep worry for West Ham fans. After the last few games, where we have picked up only a single point, there are concerns that we are slipping down the table rather too quickly for comfort. However, there have been signs that the team is slowly coming to terms with the new formation and new style of play introduced by Gianfranco Zola.
The very mention of Everton will send a shiver down the spines of all those who remember the two home matches we played against them last season, especially the Cup game. But we often do very well against them. We will still have a makeshift lineup this afternoon, but Parker is fit again and will come to replace Collison, I imagine. Bellamy and Sears will continue up front because there is no one else available.
Behrami is still out so Neill will play right back with Faubert again reverting to a wide right role.
Sadly I can’t go this afternoon as I’m going to the theatre in Hastings tonight and wouldn’t get there in time. We’re going to see the TV medium Sally Morgan… best leave it there.
West Ham Till I Die 
I think we can if we play like we did against the Gooners we could have a good result today.
My Prediction 2-1 to the Mighty Hammers
It will a shame if parker replaces Collison and not Mullins (despite his goal last week).
This will give us two central defensive midfielders when we need to get players forward.
Thankfully, Cole is still suspended which gives Freddie Sears another chance alongside Bellamy. Given time, this partnership could flourish.
Let us know how sally Morgan performs, Iain, her TV programme was quite impressive.
I predict a narrow win. We played very well against boro last week… for the first hour anyway. All except the finishing…. bit more confidence up front needed.
Faubert really does look much more comfortable pushed up a slot on the right.
Maybe you could ask sally morgan what kind of season we will have, whether we will change hands any point soon and what will be the outcome of the sheff utd case?
Im an Everton fan, and im not looking forward to this. We have gotten some results the past 2 matches – but anyone who watched will know we played shit, and were lucky to get a goal in both matches. Most of our fans are predicting a win for us, and i dont see why, especially with Fellaini out. Im not expecting to get much out of this match.
http://everythingwesthamfc.blogspot.com/ watch the game here maybe say thanks
Completely dominating. 0-1 written all over it. 😦
Absolutely shocking. Looks like pushing Alan Curbishley out will be the defining moment not to mention the biggest mistake of this, our relegation, season. From an increasingly dodgy keeper who is afraid to take command in his area at corners and is hopeless at dealing with crosses, through to a defence that so obviously has no real faith in said keeper and so commit all manner of desperate mistakes; not to mention a midfield where a 20 year old novice is the shining performer in a trio that includes so called quality players who fail miserably in supplying proper service to forwards who are more interested in personal glory first and foremost and thus squander the limited chances they do get.
The words ‘out of his depth’ spring so readily to mind when thinking of Signor Zola.
I expect a few ostriches with their heads buried in the sand to say ‘give it time for the players to adapt’ What? like Spurs adapted within DAYS to Redknapps new broom. Or maybe like Newcastle adapted to Kinnear in a week or so!! Attacking footbal which produces three goals in six matches has a serious flaw somewhere especially when it equates to five games lost and one drawn. Even Curbishleys teams scored more frequently (his last two games at Upton Park produced eight goals). I know who i would prefer in charge.
We need new investment or will go down. Defence is missing McCartney and Ferninand – oh dear – here we go again!!
DON’T BLAME ZOLA…PLAYERS WERE TO BLAME!!! 3 GOALS IN 4 MINUTES, WHATS A COACH SUPPOSED TO DO?
ONE POSITIVE: JACK COLLISON! GOODBYE NOBLE!
Heartbreaking. Always holding my breath in the last 10 minutes. They played so hard and they were creative.
How many times has this exact scenario played out? It’s like groundhogs day
It’s always next week, next week and it never comes.
Good game of football,just the wrong result!
It all fell about in the second half after a really bright first half where we definitely had the upper hand and did some neat passing.
Hope Upson’s injury was not too serious.
Collinson, Collins and to al lesser extend Sears didn’t let us down.
FACT IS WE ARE PLAYING BETTER FOOTBALL, BUT NOT GETTING THE RIGHT RESULTS, RESULTS WILL COME IF WE CONTINUE TO PLAY THE WAY WE ARE. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BLAME ZOLA ARE MISSING THE WHOLE POINT ! WE ARE IN A TRANSITIONAL STAGE, AS WITH ALL CHANGES THERE WILL BE TEETHING PROBS AS SUCH, I WAS A FAN OF CURBS, BUT WE WERE DULL TO WATCH. WE PLAY EXCELLENT FOOTBALL FOR 70 MINS, AND DODGY IN THE LAST 30 MINS ! FITNESS IS THE PROBLEM, THATS WHY ZOLA BOUGHT IN A NEW FITNESS COACH. FITNESS AND STAMINA TAKES TIME TO BUILD. WE JUST NEED TO STAY UP THIS SEASON, THEN NEXT SEASON WE CAN PUSH ON FOR TOP 6 ! THIS SEASON WE ARE IN FOR ONE HELL OF ROLLER COATSER RIDE ! COYI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually can’r remember a game under Curbishley when West ham dominated so much.
Lastword, you must watch a different game to me. Some of the one touch football was a delight. Unfortunately, we only seem to last 70-75 minutes and then fade and this is when teams hit us.
The good thing is that this year’s premiership means most of the teams are beating each other, however, the worry is that we cannot keep a clean sheet or convert our dominance into goals.
This will come.
I will leave a post every week with the same tune until someone begins to listen….there is something deeper going on and it’s all linked to the finanicial crisis and the status of our owner, Zola is just too much of a ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ to say so. If we don’t have any money and can’t add quality to our squad then expect to play out the rest of the season with the same players and in turn face relegation. Silk purse from a sows ear….never! Right now, I’d give all our players handbags!
Dear Iain,
I have supported West Ham all my life. Born in East Ham I have been watching the team for the best part of 30 years. I remember in my youth watching McAvennie and Cottee and Mark Ward and good old Phil Parkes. West Ham have always been that team that you hope one day will surprise you and go and win something. In the 80s of course they did, winning the cup against Arsenal was a magical moment in my life as a West Ham fan. A couple of years ago we came very close to winning against a Liverpool team driven on by their inspirational captain in a final that will go down in history as one of the best. we were unlucky!!
But the reason I write to you is because today, the 8th November 2008, something finally changed inside of me. I finally let go of some silly idea that I have held on to for the majority of my life. I realised that this stupid affiliation to a team that have let me down so many times and made me depressed on more occasions than I care to remember were not part of the experience that I signed up for when I joined this planet. And whilst some would have you believe that it is be all and end all to stay with your team until your dying day, today I concluded that i am tired of the suffering. life is too short. Life is about enjoyment and not about suffering. I am tired of the suffering. West Ham are pretty much a shit team that will never go anywhere. Im tired of my bubbles bursting. The few times I can remember enjoying being a West Ham fan was when Billy Bonds and then Harry Redknapp were at the helm. They were figures that I could identify with. Londoners that I could identify with. Zola, whilst being a great player in his day, is far and removed from the likes of bonds and redknapp.
It is a combination of West Ham’s mediocrity and the current owners and manager that has made me decide, today, to move my allegiance to a team that I enjoy watching of late and who have a manager that West Ham SHOULD have made a move for when Curbishley departed. A team with a history that makes West Ham’s fold into insignificance when compared. The team that I now want to call my own…. is TOTTENHAM.
Harry Redknapp is more in tune with my west ham heart than anything that is left at the club i once loved. icelanders and italians? bellamy and fau.. bert?? where is my
west ham?? it dont exist that is the truth!! the closest we can get to anything at the club that strikes a chord with the area where it sits is …… LEE BOWYER!!! Come on you are having a laugh!!
I dont care anymore. I will follow my heart and mind and go to the Spurs. I am looking forward to watching a type of football west ham fans only dream of… UEFA CUP football under a manager who I respect highly. I only wish he had come to west ham. Harry’s hotspurs not Zola’s zeroes. Fucking waste of space the lot of them.
So there you go, a very public and honest opening of my mind and heart. I have wasted too many years and I only advise all you lot to wake up and smell the coffee. Go and choose a team that will give you something to shout about. Whilst Spurs started badly I have watched them with admiration for a couple of seasons and their thrillin brand of football is what u want when u pay x amount for a ticket. Not this depressing west ham shit.
Best of luck to you all and do open your eyes. It is not written in stone “thall shall support shit all my life”. Stop it for the sake of your existence. Do it today. Change your team and pull yourself out of this depressive state. It is sadistic and brainless.
West ham till i give up and have enough! COME ON YOU SPURS!! LET THE SEASON COMMENCE UNDER HARRY!!
ADIOS ZOLA U TWAT
CHEERS
Gary Clancy – Essex
ps you reprinted someone else’s email the other day. Maybe you can reprint mine as a post.
Best
Gary
Utter joke. One point from six games is unacceptable. Anyone happy to see us lose as long as the football is pleasing on the eye needs serious help. We have reclaimed our title from Spurs as this seasons laughing stock. Zola is indeed the yes man, the grinning, nodding dog bought in to preside over a mass cull. Duxbury has already issued another statement which skilfully deflects any future blame Zolas way, saying it’s the managers choice to reduce the squad. Zola is more than happy to oversee the fire sale, it is after all what he agreed to when signing his contract. Transition? I agree, from a premier league team into a championship one.
ITS SIMPLE BUY 2 STRIKERS IN JAN OR WE GO DOWN!!!!!!! NONE OF OUR FORWARDS ARE FINISHERS,BELLARS IS A WINGER PLAYING UP FRONT,SEARS IS YOUNG,COLES NO FINISHER,HOPE TRISTANS TOLD TO STAY CENTRAL TO GOAL AND LET BELLARS AND SEARS DO THE LEG WORK,
SAME OLD STORY AT WEST HAM ALWAYS A STRIKER PROBLEM….REMEMBER WE HAD TO BUY HARTSON AND KITSON TO SAVE US …….REMEMBER ROEDERS RELIGATION…WE LOST DEFOE DICANIO KANOUTE AND HAD TO PLAY PEARCE UP FRONT THIS TOOK US DOWN.THERES NO GETTING AWAY FROM IT YOU HAVE TO SPEND BIG UP FRONT ITS THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION,,,,STRIKERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AT ANY LEVEL,SO MR CHAIRMAN PLEASE SELL OUR CLUB COZ WE NEED TO SPEND AT LEAST 30MILL UP FRONT.
On the surface it’s looking dire, 1 pt in 6 games is as disastrous as it comes. Should we fret? Is this a relegation season? Is the financial crisis enveloping West Ham playing out on the football pitch? No. No and No. And to those who think Zola is out of his depth I say, ‘no’ too.
We have a young manager who has West Ham playing football the way we like to see it played. We have to back him 100%. He’s been in charge for two months? He has asked the players to play a totally different game to that asked of them by Curbishly. In the long run he will be proved right, we just have to give him and the players the time to get it right and not get on their backs the minute it goes against them.
The ingredients are there, Clarke and Zola have to find the right mix, improve fitness levels, instill concentration on to the back 4 and keep the team playing the passing game. We miss Dean Ashton badly but if Cole and Bellamy can stay fit goals and victory will come.
As always with West Ham it never comes easy – have faith.
We need to close up shop in the last 10-15 mins of a game, the rest looks ok, but why cant we just put game to bed? How hard can it be , fall back, play crap , thump the ball away all men behind the ball if we are ahead with 10 to go?? We need points and I dont give a monkeys how we get them right now. We are never gonna beat really good teams ( the top 6-8) the way we r playing right now, so we must get points from the weaker teams. Boro and Everton were winnable games, Sunderland and Portsmouth are as well. …. COYI…….
Inexperienced manager + no money + pushing experienced manager out the door + selling your best players + club up for sell + Sheffield United fiasco = relegation……..
I said it the moment we appointed Zola. It was always going to end in tears, let’s hope they see the light and sell the club before the window and new owners either give Zola a shed load of cash or get shot of him altogether.
At Premiership level teams will get punished if they don’t concentrate and keep the workrate up for the entire game. Gianfranco and SC’s challenge is to get the team putting in the same standard in the 90th minute as they do in the 2nd. That was the the reason Everton and got the points yesterday. They did – West Ham didn’t. It’s been a the story of many games of late – they’re taking their foot off the gas and conceding goals and games as a result.
More positively there were several good points to yesterday. Parker and Collison were fantastic in the middle of the park. Louis Boa Morte is finally starting to show what he is capable of. Etherington is our super-sub. James Collins is terrific at Centre Back and Herita Ilunga continues to impress at Right Back. As a team the boys created enough chances to win the game and the style of play is what so many Hammers fans complained was missing under Curbs – so happy days in that respect.
Matthew Upson’s injury is bad news for the team. I’m not convinced of Lucas Neill at Centre Half. Of the fit players available Tomka alongside Collins would be my pairing.
Overall I think we’re improving from game to game. The glaring issue is the fitness levels and commitment towards the end of games. If we can get this sorted I reckon we’ll start winning some games with the style that we all expect from West Ham. Steve Clarke is supposedly a hard taskmaster so he should be able to make the necessary improvements.
COYI!!!!
People, we are in serious trouble. It seems clear to me that Zola hasn’t got a clue. If S8pu*s win we are only 1 pint ahead of them. I have a VERY bad feeling about this indeed. We are going to go bust & down. Only West ham could make such a complete balls-up of a foreign owner. I almost agree with Gary from Essex, although, unfortunately, there is too much water under the bridge for me to not support the complete joke that is West Sham. My kids, that’s another story, although NEVER tottscum!
Defenders who can’t defend or keep a clean sheet for love nor money + strikers who can’t score = certain relegation. It’s absolutely nailed on. If we can’t win when we’re supposedly playing well then think how bad we”ll be when we’re playing badly!! The squad is lacking any real depth too, if Upson is now out for a while we’re going to struggle to even play a back four. Everyone loves Collins, but he’s shown real inexperience – he cost us the game last week by pushing Mido on the edge of the box. I honestly believe that we should never have sold McCartney and Ferdinand. Last year we had a solid defence for once and now it’s a shambles. The board may now panic – if we go down the club will go bust!
i fear the club is out off controll from top to bottom.as for that muppet changing to suport the spuds,was that a joke?west ham till i die has a meaning to me and all my mates that suport the mighty west ham utd.and ian,i do remember a while back that swearing was going to be banned? as you pointed out there are kids on here 2.get rid of these stupid imature people and lets start debating how the hel were going to get out of this mess.remember the management do read this blogg so ffs lets come up with something positive !!!
Tony,
Thats exactly what we did do for the last 15 minutes – but it doesn’t work when you only have one capable defender (Collins).
Very strange game – Everton were absolutely abysmal for 75 minutes. West Ham played really well and the goal was a classic. To lose to such a poor team was very disppointing.
Other conclusions
– Faubert is a liabilty at full back and I’m not sure he is worth a place at all – his passing is atrocious.
– Bowyer is a bit of a waste of space – prefer Mullins any day.
– Bellamy is too greedy.
New Spur – are you for real? Maybe I have fallen into your wind-up trap and I should be following the contempt that the other posters seem to hold you in by not rising to it. However, you do sound for real which is almost unbelievable.
Yes, the pain is intense and the fear is hard to bear and yes, there are huge reservations about the direction WE are heading in at the moment. But switch allegiance? And to a club managed by a man who has a track record of buying in just about anyone who will do a job for him, from wherever they come from – don’t kid yourself that somehow ‘arry will look to buy British in some sort of romantic allegiance to good ol blighty!
If you are for real, I say ‘see ya’. I want to be surrounded by people at UP who continue to live, eat, sleep and breathe the club. Judas.
FFS !!!! KEEP THE FAITH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE WILL BE FINE, RATHER HAVE A BAD RUN NOW THAN AT END OF SEASON ! THE WAY WE HAVE PLAYED FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS HAS HARDLY BOUGHT US SUCCESS !? ONE DECENT STRIKER AND WE WILL BE DANGEROUS TO ANY TEAM. ZOLA BOUGHT IN TRISTAN ON THE CHEAP, MAYBE HE WILL BE OUR ANSWER SHORT TERM.
I know i keep harping on but unless we get some steel in our defence,and im talking about defending from the front as well…….we are going to get in a messy battle for survial and i doubt we v got the grit and fight to get out of one!!!!!!
DONT WORRY GUYS IVE JUST WON THE LOTTERY AND GUNNA BUY US A STRIKER OF REAL QUALITY,YOUR SUGGESTIONS ON THIS BLOG PLEASE……your now very rich hammer chris.
You just can’t change to being a Spurs fan… you just can’t. It’s not the nature of supporting a club. You support a club for life. Don’t you? Somebody please say yes.
We have desperate problems. We definately have a voodoo sign over us – its been there since around 2001! We must have disturbed some kind of religious burial ground when we knocked down the old West Stand or something!! Whatever we do goes wrong. We even get taken over by a billionaire who goes bust!
Could never change my support for the club, its in me and it will be there till the day i die but I must say i have felt recently a bit like the club has moved away from me. Its a bit like your best friend has had a personality change! Doesn’t feel right.
I think one of our biggest problems at the moment (apart from the striker situation) is that we have some very basic full back deficencies. Also is Faubert for real? If he is worth £6m I am a dutch mans uncle!
Keep the faith!!!
The worst defensive run by any team in the entire Premier Leagues history, 24 games without a clean sheet. West Hams worst defensive run in 43, yes 43 seasons. And we are stuck with a clueless manager who prefers instead to focus on pretty, dinky, little passing excercises during training while totally neglecting any training in regards of defence. Who prefers to train players to make pretty patterns while running off the ball while neglecting to teach them how to close down properly. A manager that stubbornly focuses on attack when the problems are to do with defending. It surely is time to use our voice and “encourage” the inept and skint chairman to sell up as soon as possible, because if he doesn’t we’ll be down before Easter and the club will be worthless as the parachute payment of TV money we get will all be going to Sheff Utd. So, BG sell up now you mug while you can still make some pocket change from the deal.
I cant believe what Im reading in some of these posts – especially after the last 3 results – and im not being ladidadi or seeing life through rose tinted spectacles but before people start leaping off the top diving board with the doom and gloom I just needed to say this –
I was away last week on a charity cycle ride from Vietnam to Cambodia (long story) for the British Heart Foundation – and in the middle of nowhere – wandered into a bar – and f*ck me – the Everton game has just started – What a blinding Result !
Drawing from the closet Tott “fan” that “came out” in public – supporting your football team means taking the highs with the lows – and yes being a WHU supporter for over 30 years – Ive seen some shocking lows – but its always the highs- for which there are simply shed loads – together with the atmosphere, banter and fiercely passionate supporters that I see at every game, all adds up to me being (and staying) a West Ham United supporter.
Yes I want glory, yes I want club riches and Yes I want some commitment – reality is -I am a realist – not a dreamer – therefore I know we might not get it all.
Even if we ended up in the Rymans league – I could never wander off down the road to follow any other football club – why ?
The lows of our matches against Palermo and being a realist – tells me we do not (for the time being) have much to look forward to on the European front – so Ive forgotten that.
Going back to where I started – even over 5000 miles away – when Collison scored that blinding goal – I screamed an almighty “YES” and woke up half the town – Needless to say the last 15mins left me cold – but Ive been cold before – and I will probably be cold again – but I walked out of that bar with my head high – as a Hammers fan – still.
Zola is still in his infancy as a manager – The results will come – The quality of football is the best now for a long time with room to improve – As for the squad – Clark is also in his infancy with Zola – hes no mug and even if we dont get the money – He will get fitness levels where they need to be to move forward – and stay up (hark at me getting excited about staying up – but come on – weve been there a few times as well – whats different this time ?).
As for this seasons Premiership – there are too many other clubs that will crumble to take the drop before West Ham – Including Tottenham as Harrys luck will not last.
Things are not going West Hams way right now – This will not last – but what will last – come rain or shine – is my continued support for the Claret & Blue !
Newspur’s gone very quiet; hopefully a knee jerk reaction to the pain of Saturday night and like a lover’s tiff where strong words are said now bitterly regrets his words but is just too proud to say so.
No
YES!!! When we grasp victory it’s all the more sweeter. I’m behind Zola and Clark as well. They are playing faster and more creatively in just a few games.. so imagine what could be in the future.
West Ham supporters are the best. We will stick together and laugh in the face of defeat and bask in the sun of our hard won victories
C’MON YOU IRONS!!!!!
Yeah… stick with it guys. Actually, Ryman League wouldn’t be a disaster… think of the money saved on ticket prices, and just imagine the excitement of winning the FA Trophy!
Zola is the latest in a long line of ‘decent enough player but hopeless manager’. He is in fact our very own Ruud ‘sexy football’ Gullit.
Great comment Eric!!