No internet, no team news, nothing. So it’s over to you…
COYI
UPDATE: Team v Portsmouth: Green, Neill, Davenport, Upson, Ilunga, Collison, Noble, Parker, Behrami, Cole, Bellamy.
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Email iain AT iaindale DOT comAbout Iain Dale
I'm a season ticket holder in the Dr Martens Lower and originally come from Saffron Walden in Essex, although I now live in Tunbridge Wells. By day I am a political writer and commentator for various media organisations including the Daily Telegraph, the BBC and Sky News. I am also publisher of the new monthly magazine called TOTAL POLITICS. I want this blog to be a mixture of gossip, humour, reporting and analysis - with the odd rant thrown in too. My other blog is a political one at http://iaindale.blogspot.com and if West Ham Till I Die attracts half as many readers as that, I'll be very happy.Archives
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West Ham Till I Die 
No team news as yet but Collins, Behrami and Parker back to full fitness and travelled with the squad on Christmas Day.
We need a point at least from this game, our away from has been better than our home form so fingers crossed.
Up the Hammers!
Ah… the Iain Dale Has a Hangover Thread.
I don’t drink!
my main concern is are we really selling upson&bellamy as Zola will walk proberbly Clarke too? ive been a hammers fan since the fiftys!!!cant take much more!!!!happy new year Ian & all suffering fans
COYI!!! Hopefully see a commited performance again today and a positive maybe is the fact we are away from home!!!!2 – 0 to the irons bellamy and tristan – would be perfect!!
I fully agree with Bernies comments as i have also been a season ticket holder and keen supporter since the fifties ,lets hope we have a new board in place soon or we will end up like Leeds .Etherington in squad today
Bit of strategy today by the manager , and all three points are obtainable.
Just tell Cole that , he’s not there to score , just to soften up the centre backs. Then let sears and bellamy run at them for the last 30 minutes
Should walk it!
If cole fuffs another chance in front of goal today, he must be given away in january. I’ll actually pick him up from the ground and drive him where ever. I’ll even let him control the music on the drive
I hear that the derisery offer for Bellamy is around £6 million. What a joke. Can’t they come up with anything better than that? It’s gotta be nearer £9 million surely?
Personally I would like him to stay,but if he has to go then let’s get some decent cash in.
Harry is just trying it on at the moment and he thinks we will give in but we must not as we all know Bellamy is top draw and the right price will have to be paid!
Lert’s hope Bellamy bangs in a couple of goals today then we can really hang on for a decent price. I htink we are capable of getting a decent result today so here’s hoping.
“Come on You Irons”
Bellamy, the ever so reliable forward wiith his pathetic strike rate of less than 1 goal every 4 games, will bag 2 goals as he looks to impress spurs and man city. Good performances all round i think, they will all want to impress possible buyers. Bye Bye bellend.
Sorry,not hitting the right buttons today.See last notes. Must be the drink!!! He He
Boring…. the anti cole stuff is so boring. Can’t you jump on another bandwagon? Ask iain nicely i’m sure he’ll start one for you.
I can see how someone like Dowie would defend Cole and insult a player like Bellamy. Each to his own, I suppose?
Pompey weakened today. No Johnson and our midfield looks stronger. One goal could win this, let’s hope it’s not Cole that gets the chance. Bench should be stronger as well.
Spurs to up their offer for Bellers?
Upson put up for sell?
We are interested in a Man U youth player (loan deal)
That’s all I have seen today. Said this before the next 5 games (Portsmouth, Stoke, Newcastle, Fulham & Hull 3 of them games are at home!) decides our future in the Premiership…….
If we cant pick points up against those sort of teams then to be honest we don’t deserve to be in the richest league in the world!
so how was xmas dinner iain?:D
one attacking move, one goal down, Zola out!!
A goal down and my FF team not entered today. That WAS down to a hangover!!!
COME ON YOU IRONS!!!!!! You can beat Portsmouth – you know you can.
Oh Jacky Jacky – Jacky Jacky Jacky Jacky Collison!!!
We are hanging on here,shame we have nothing going forward our defending is strong ROB GREEN is the best keeper we have ever had,simply amazing!!!! he,s got to be the best keeper in the world bar none!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!we are just a strike force away from staying in the prem,lets ditch cole please hes just not good enough,I HAVE A FEELING THIS WILL BE COLES LAST GAME.
cole scores F———kig HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111
GO BELLAMY GO BELLAMY GO BELLAMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON U IRONS!!!!!!!!!
THIS WINE TASTES GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND THE MASH!!!!!!!!!
IRONSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
faubert what a game at right back………………………..all is forgiven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m a Pompey fan who has walked across from Iain’s political site.
Well done. Don’t think 1-4 is a fair reflection but you needed it.
BOA BOA MORTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GIVE THE GUY SOME LOVE!
YOU FAUBERT HATERS! HONESTLY, TOO QUICK TO JUDGE
COLLISON, GREEN, BEHRAMI , BELLAMY SIMPLY AWESOME
Stoke next. Bellamy suspended. I think I will pair Cole and Tristan together in training. I’ll give Dyer a late run out also. What you think guys?
Cole was excellent today. Faubert made a huge difference. Bellamy was in the shop window. Someone tell chris that Jim Standen, Phil Parkes and Ludo are way ahead of Green when it comes to best keeper ever at West Ham. Oh i just did..
Agree Geoff. Some team was gonna get it from us to be honest though…we just needed a bit of luck which we got today. Unfortunately it was pompey on the other end.
You’re a good side but the defence needs tightening. The partnership of Belhadj and Traore on the left is good but I would swap them. Just play Belhadj as the winger and Traore in defence. I think Adams needs to look at that.
Campbell is getting on a bit and Distan is always open to dodgy mistakes.
You got a good management team I think. Should get results before too long….think you should just write off today…had Defoe scored the pen then it may have been a different story.
Pompey, sort some decent shading in your ground on that far side, no-one could see the ball over there. Though the linesmans baseball cap was kinda phunky.
….aaaaaah, doesn’t losing the majority of the time make winning the odd game that much better! A West Ham fans story.
Of course, it’s not something I recommend…especially for the old ticker.
P…Sorry no way!!!I think the main talking point should be faubert how can someone so bad play so well at rightback!! what do you think guys,do we give him another chance instead of carthorse neil…..I’M buzzing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
franny well said! good post,merry christmas.
in shock.bloody bellamy had to score didnt he!!! git,now his value will go up and we can feed bg’s wallet b4 he buggers off.
great result and looking 4wad to watching later.coyi and please please please keep this team together.
awesome second half!!! So pleased for bellamy and cole tbh!!! Even faubert looked a lot lot better today so well done to the whole sqaud!!! dnt think we’ve won on boxing day for a fair few years and def havent beat pompy for a few!!!
COYI!!!!
Naa Chris….Faubert just needs to believe in himself. We will all agree that the guy has talent so we should stick with him and hope with Zola and Clarke, he can show it. Players change/learn a lot with time and mistakes.
As for Neil. He is still useful. He has no pace but is very clever and shows his experience at vital times. His passing forwards is quite brilliant. I think Zola needs to convert him to a center half to negate the effect of his lack of pace. The problem here is that he will not be first choice thus we will have to choose a new captain.
Thanks Chris, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU! AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Where’s “me” gone?
“me Says:
December 26, 2008 at 2:13 pm
one attacking move, one goal down, Zola out!!”
BRILLIANT! NEXT TIME WE’RE A GOAL DOWN, COME ON AND WRITE THE SAME THING! YOU LEGEND!
Calm down chris. History and stats say otherwise regarding Green not even being in our top 5 keepers of all time. Greens good at shots straight at him, thats about it. Talk about going slightly overboard. Next you’ll be saying Noble and Behrami are better than Brooking and Devonshire. Faubert? It’s to do with being dropped, it woke him up a bit, he didn’t like it one bit. Also we were away. The negative undercurrents (fans more interested in booing opposittion players) at Upton Park combined with the morgue like atmosphere is hardly conducive to open creative football. That’s why we are better away, our home support (or lack of) is our biggest handicap. Confidence is a marvelous thing, those last twenty minutes saw us trying all sorts of little moves.
p…. stoke should be a lesson to us all at home.just watched teh mancs and there suport is brilliant.
P…your putting words in my mouth,no way would i ever say noble and behrami compare to brooking and devonshire no chance,but I see something extra special in green,you must of missed some games coz I,ve seen him dive full stretch many times this season,and just to let let you know I never boo home or away..merry christmas…..
Stoke have been top class supporters all season. Watching them at home reminds me how it used to be. Now all i hear at West Ham are crescendos of boos aimed at various opposing players and half hearted attemps at ‘bubbles’. You can always tell it’s half hearted as the ‘fortunes always hiding’ key change bit goes all out of tune and high pitched, where it used to be a consistent deep roar back in the days. Or is it we have more sopranos watching us now?
‘me’ now looks to be a muppet! Perhaps he is yet another who hides behind a stupid pseudonym and is actually a regular contributor?
Anyway – happy Christmas all – a win on boxing day!! It’s been a while.
Today we played counter attack football at its best, if we can do that at home then we will slaughter Stoke. not sure we will or can, dont know why. Hope it dont end up 0-0 or we even lose!! but this , as any ammer knows , is West Ham 🙂
Obvious and futile but Bellamy must stay!!!
Superb! Glad to see Cole get a goal and well happy with the scoreline. Haven’t seen the game yet so won’t comment on the game but from the comments so far it sounds good. Especially considering this could turn out a relegation 6 pointer come the end of the season.
Stoke will come and make it extremely difficult for us on Sunday. It’s not going to be a walk in the park but I reckon we can scrape a result.
Zola and Clarke are gradually getting the team playing the way they want. They are also recognizing the deficiencies in the side and are sorting them out. Let’s all hope they get the time to make good their plans for the team – and when I say time I mean at least a couple of seasons.
Just one other point – if all things were equal then that would’ve been the same scoreline vs Villa.
Even though my lot lost…good luck to you guys for the rest of the sesaon. You deserve a much better place in the table than you’ve got right now.
Well done guys.
mr chairman no one will buy west ham if you sell bellamy,
Cheers Geoff – you and Pompey too.
How about that ,that`s some treat for Christmas nothing else to ask ,well done lads .Two smashing performances,one against Villa which we should have won easely and this ,superb,let`s hope we continue against Stoke ,it`s not gonna be easy and up the table.Off with the predetors in the transfer window .COYI!!!!!
i said earlier today we are capable of getting a decent result and to win 4-1 is just brilliant. Well done to all the lads.
FrannyZola and Goatygav – cheers for the welcome. I’m merely an import from Iain’s political sphere but I think I’ll start lurking over here as well now.
I’ll read regularly but please tolerate the Pompey bloke if I surface just occasionally.
Okay UptonSpark – prediction as to your position in the table at the end of the season? Or points?
I’ve not read the other threads yet so don’t know if this has been suggested, but how about a competition? Nothing – just kudos – to the person who is closest?
P.. dont forget Bobby Ferguson, when he was in the mood there was nobody better.
Great result, in dreamland at the moment……greaaaaaaat!
Hi Geoff;Well,you have certainly taken something on mate as I predicted dead on last year for 10 teams out of the Premiership.
My prediction for West Ham will be that we will NOT be relegated and we will finish in 12th place.
Pompey will also NOT be relegated but it will be close. I think they’ll finish 16th.
Cheers
Nice one, Upton Spark.
As someone new to this blog but knowing that Iain is keen on this sort of prediction thing on his politics one – a poll maybe…a spread bet? Iain could be tempted into a prize perhaps 🙂 I’m going Pompey 7th, you 14th.
As a complete newcomer I’ve no idea what has happened before but if something like this isn’t going on already then it would seem like a bit of fun.
l did say we would thrash em !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great made my Christmas
Firstly, Parkes was the best keeper we have had by a mile, although I would put Green slightly in front of Ludo for 2nd.
As for the game today, just what we needed and a win against Stoke will suddenly looking at Europe instead of relegation! 🙂
Usual plaudits for the brilliant Bellamy (sell him at your peril, WH), Parker, Collison & Green. I do like this midfield of Noble, Collison, Parker & Behrami. Plenty of movement and excellent closing down.
Defence wasn’t as tight today, but made some good last ditch tackles. Pleased that Cole scored, let’s hope he enjoys the next goal he scores a little more.
As I’ve said before, LBM came on and did another good job – he really is a different player this season but the home boo boys all but destroyed him last season.
Finally, have to concede Faubert also played well when introduced. Still not convinced he is a right back, but at least he looked a little bit more like a footballer.
Great result and let’s hope we can do the same against Stoke.
COYI.
The Board could and should end the speculation now. Just come out and state categorically which players they will accept bids for in January! It is thoroughly depressing that a result like today’s is overshadowed by rumours about player departures. When Bellamy cracked in the third, the Sky commentary went on to state this might be his last PL game for the Hammers!!!!
All the speculation seems to stem from the Anti-Hammers propaganda machine that is Sportsmail. They have now stated that other clubs have been notified of Upson’s availability. If that is not true, then it is criminal disinformation. We shall see, but if they do sell it will be nothing short of suicide by the Board. The Hammers fans deserve better than suffering this constant speculation, some honesty is necessary for a change. Let’s hope a change of ownership is in the pipeline and this leads to a more positive phase in the club’s history.
On today’s game I suspected that Portsmouth were there for the taking, now West Ham need to break the good away, bad home result cycle. We need to stop chucking our advantages away! We should follow this up with a good win against Stoke City. That will then set us up for three winnerable matches against Newcastle, Fulham and Hull.
If only our home form had been half as good as our away form over the last few matches, we would be top half now. Never mind, Zola and Clarke seem to be getting it right. Lets hope the Board back them in the January window.
great result, great performance ! and a little bit of luck that we have been missing ! dare i say it, but i think we are turning the corner in the right direction, full credit to zola and clarke ! lets keep it going over the next few games and we should start to climb the table !
COYI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just one question from me.
Does Lucas Neill actually have a brain?
SJ CHANDOS
l look foward to your post, so well written,and always positive !!!!!
Agreed SJ, another one is the Mirror, always looking for negative stories and stirring up trouble.
FWIW – I think the board should release a statement ASAP to the effect that Green, Upson, Parker & Bellamy are not for sale. Obviously, if teams approach us with regards Behrami & Collison, they should be given short shrift as well.
The last thing Zola or the team wants is this uncertainty around the squad.
Last night the BBC (another anti-West Ham organ), stated that West Ham had won 1 in their last 12. They could have said they were unbeaten in their last 4 away games, but that wouldn’t sit well with a “club in turmoil”.
The dour era of Curbishley is slowly becoming a distant memory and the club has much to look forward to under the Zola/Clarke partnership. Let’s hope the board doesn’t undermine this progress in the next month.
THIS SPECULATIONS BUGGING BE ITS EVERYWHERE!!!!There’s onlyone team where bellamy could go and that would be Everton,who else is there?
spurs is a backward step there below us,Man city are hot and cold.
Infact we are just a couple of players short of Europe,and dyers back soon,and LBM showed he can play and deliver.
If these players want success I suggest they stay with us.
Turn on the news and its there again!!!Redknapp and bellamy,this guy must be worth at least 12million now.We must not sell at any cost, if we do its CURTAINS!!!
Can’t believe it. I’ve just got back from visiting the in-laws. What a result to have come in as we ate our Boxing Day lunch and the best bit of all—- their Pompy supporters and were giving it large when they got the first goal. Could have heard a pin drop as we watched Mof D. Well you could have if i had stopped laughing so hard.
COYI. Sometimes supporting WHU just can’t get any better.