tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480784243199648322024-03-21T15:31:07.145-07:00Avid HammerWest Ham United NewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-38434883612305412692018-01-23T02:31:00.002-08:002018-01-23T02:31:31.358-08:00Same Old Problems. <div>
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With a little over a week to go before the January transfer window slams shut, the question that keeps arising is ''when are we going to make some singings?'' </div>
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I'll admit, going into the window, I had high hopes, a sense of expectancy and rejuvenation.</div>
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After all, a new manager would signify an influx of new players - but that appears to have been wishful thinking on my behalf. </div>
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23 days into the window and NO new singings have been acquired. Many have been linked but that's about it. </div>
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I'm not saying that the board are genuinely trying to provoke West Ham fans but their knack for bartering; would give Del Boy Trotter a run for his money. </div>
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With Injury problems mounting up (as per) it has now became a necessity to bring in new faces. </div>
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We have witnessed deal after deal implode, on the basis of pure and utter cheapness. Just pay the wretched fee! </div>
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With a run of very winnable fixtures coming up. Don't get me wrong, nothing is for certain in this league but with only a handful of points separating us from the bottom 3, the next few games remain vital to our club retaining its Premier League status. </div>
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The end of the window quickly approaches and although I haven't given up hope yet, I have a genuine fear that we are going to experience the same old problems. Constant excuses of financial fair play, selling in order to buy and of course ''we have been working day and night. Dg.'' </div>
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Thanks all. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-2258966880723590902016-03-02T12:33:00.001-08:002016-03-02T12:36:12.413-08:00Antonio Puts Hammers 1-0 Up<p dir="ltr">Michael Antonio's emphatic header sees West Ham go into the break with the lead. The ex Nottingham Forest has scored in front of the home fans for the sixth time this season.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With any luck we'll be able to capitalise and score another.<br>
As we all know Tottenham have been somewhat of the comeback kings this season! </p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-83534360768168153012016-03-02T06:16:00.001-08:002016-03-02T06:16:58.156-08:00Leicester' We've got Your Back <p dir="ltr">It wasn't that long ago, when Ravel Morrison was turning Tottenhams defense inside out, on his way to scoring a complete wonder goal. 2 and a half years later and Ravel is now In Italy with Lazio. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Disspointing to think all he could have achieved with us and could you imagine a universe where Morrison and Payet were in the same team? Amazing...</p>
<p dir="ltr">Going into tonight's game; I remain optimistic, even after the 4-1 drumming back in November, I still think this is a highly winnable match! <br>
Things are looking good for both sets of clubs'. We currently sit sixth in the table, while our North London counterparts have dreams of winning the title but can we derail their hopes? </p>
<p dir="ltr">I say we do Leicester a favour tonight and rediscover the form that led us into securing a trio of victories in one season on Spurs.<br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-91225638641233875382016-03-01T09:27:00.001-08:002016-03-01T09:27:11.893-08:00Richard Keys, Would You Kindly Do One.I like to think of myself a fairly open minded individual - but one thing I am guilty of, is my genuine disliking towards Richard Keys.<br />
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The man who rather unwisley has decided to create some kind of agenda with West Ham fans.<br />
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The problem with Dick (see what I did there?) Is that he cannot seem to pull himself away for Big Sams' derriere for long for long enough in order to form his own opinions. If we lose its 'The grass is not always greener' if we win its 'We won, the Sam Allardyce way' some people are just impossible!<br />
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I'm not sure if he is on Big Sams payroll or something but I get the impression that the club will never get the credit it deserves as long as these dinasours are still roaming our decaying planet.<br />
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The year is 2048 and West Ham have just been relegated, Richard Keys is asked to comment....''Never would have happened under Big Sam'' are you starting to get the picture?<br />
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Anyway, I think I'm about done but before I go.<br />
OI Keys, do us a fovor and feel free to jog on, bring Lawrenson with you too!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-42265536484665524372016-03-01T08:54:00.000-08:002016-03-01T08:54:02.685-08:00Billic Has Surpassed Expectations When Slaven Billic was appointed West Ham manager back in June, he was 'greeted' by some scepticism. Following in the foot steps of Sam Allardyce was never going to be easy and despite Big Sam's critiques he has special set of managerial tools in which many try to replicate.<br />
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I'll openly admit, I was one of the skeptics; in regard to Mr Billic. With a move to the Olympic stadium just around the corner, I just wanted a manager who could guarantee safety.<br />
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It's safe to say, Slav has went above and beyond mosts' expectations, and as we sit 6th in the table, talk of Europe has resurfaced.<br />
I vaguely recall at the start of season and last, the so called 'experts' claiming how we would struggle without Allardyce and safety would look bleak.<br />
Instead things have gotten sooo much better!<br />
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This is really an appreciation article for the enigma that is Slaven Billic, a man who was given very little chance yet has completely proven everybody wrong!<br />
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Cheers Slav!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-20662640563673510382015-05-27T14:37:00.000-07:002015-05-27T14:37:08.295-07:00Make No Mistake About It, Sam Will Find A New Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Much has been made about the parting of ways between West Ham and Sam Allardyce - and if some of Sams' old drinking buddies are going to be believed, we are well and truly screwed!<br /><br />Many have said ''be careful what you wish for'' or ''look what happened to Newcastle'' but under that logic we would have been stuck Allardyce until the end of time...<br /><br />Make no mistake about it, Sam did what was asked of him and I for one respect him for that - but going forward he never was the answer.<br />
Back in November, I felt that should; our impressive form continue, it would have been only right that he was at least offered a new deal, so I'm not one of these people that has been against Sam from day one.<br /><br />Their is no doubt in my mind that Sam will have no difficulty finding another club - but the question has to be asked, will the club be a bigger, more stable club than West Ham?<br />In my opinion...No!<br /><br />Sam is perceived, as being the perfect man to come into into a club that is lacking stability and steadying the ship, that is something even the biggest Sam Allardyce haters must agree on?<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-87498135194782394762015-05-18T13:39:00.002-07:002015-05-18T13:39:31.484-07:00Carroll Isn't Going Anywhere <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tottenham had Darren Anderton, Liverpool had Jamie Redknapp and we have Andy Carroll, yes, our very own sick note!<br /><br />No, I'm being harsh, no footballer wants to be injured and to miss large periods of the season due to injury must be demoralising - but football is a harsh sport and it gets to the point where it gets just as frustrating for the fans as it does for the players.<br /><br />On paper, Andy Carroll was a great signing, big, tall, can hold the ball up and bring others into play - but since his £18 million move from Liverpool; it hasn't really worked out. When fit he is most certainly a handful for the opposition defense but keeping him fit for large periods of time seems to be the difficult part.<br /><br />Since joining back in August 2012 (including loan) Andy has has 3 serious injuries that have resulted in the Geordie lad being a long term absence and with the injuries being quite consecutive, you have to worry about his long term future in the game?<br /><br />From day one, I have never been Carroll's biggest fan, for me he can only play one way, route one!<br />We witnessed from his time at Liverpool that the lack of versatility in his game proved pivotal in the reasoning for the club selling him. Now its all well and good playing that kind of football if you are a below average side that are hoping to avoid relegation and just grind out a result - but if your a team on the up; with a move into a 50 thousand capacity stadium on the horizon, you simply need more.<br /><br />With current manager Sam Allardyce looking more and more likely to leave by the day, I wouldn't rate Andy Carroll's chances of automatic first team football, when he returns from injury that is.<br />At the moment he is the golden boy, for Christ's sake, we witnessed the man played out on the wing against Southampton. <br /><br />Speculation is rife that, should Allardyce be relieved of his duties, players like Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll would be soon the follow - but getting (or trying) to get rid of Carroll, will prove far more difficult that any of us expect. <br />Lets think about it, an injury prone striker who at times plays football like his auditioning for the WWE, doesn't sound like the most appealing of prospects now does it? Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-37591575480731084322015-05-17T02:05:00.000-07:002015-05-17T02:05:13.197-07:00We Should Offer Jussi A New Contract<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With current first choice goalkeeper; Adrian really establishing himself between the posts this season, it always looked like it was going to be difficult for ex Bolton and Finland international Jussi Jaaskelainen to get any real game time.<br /><br />Since Joining from Bolton back in 2012, I for one believe that Jaaskelainen has been one of our better, more reliable signings. You have to take into consideration that this was a 37 year old goalkeeper, who at the time was being kept out of the Bolton side by Adam Bogdan, with some even questioning if the ex Finish international should carry on. Well carry on he did - and at times he was magnificent for our lot.<br /><br />
Obviously you'd expect Adrian to still remain as the first choice for the foreseeable future but the role of second choice keeper is still pivotal and rather than searching for a new keeper, spending money and more wages, i think that offering Jussi another year could be the better option.<br /><br />Obviously it's down to the player himself whether he accepts a new deal - and lets face it, at the age of 40 he might decide to call it a day, and c'mon, who could blame him?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-69380995268476325742015-05-16T13:43:00.001-07:002015-05-16T13:43:36.057-07:00Allardyce Can Do No Wrong.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="goog_227133139"></span><span id="goog_227133140"></span>Something that never ceases to amaze me, is the constant backing of our manager Sam Allardyce. No matter what the situation (unless good of course) its never Big Sams fault. Newcastle get relegated after a dire start to the season, courtesy of Allardyce, ''no it wasn't his fault'' Blackburn plummet down, after another poor start to the season , once again ''it wasn't my fault''.<br /><br />It would seem that, no matter how many failures Sam has endured , it's his successes that are often remembered. A very rare thing indeed these days. <br /><br />When I hear it mentioned that a new manager is needed at West Ham, it is often followed by uproar, ''experts'' of the game and even opposition fans citing that if were to get rid of Sam, we'd be sure to down, or at-least be fighting relegation.<br /><br />After quite a remarkable start to the season; its safe to say that 2015 has been dreadful! Last minute goals being conceded, not enough goals being scored - and the football is something that the Flintstones could have picked up with ease. Yet it still doesn't seem to make the slightest of a difference. Despite winning 3, yes THREE games in the whole of 2015, we are still considered very lucky to have Big Sam at the helm.<br /><br />I heard the guys off of Soccer Saturday earlier, saying how they couldn't get their heads round the fact that Sam hasn't been offered a new contract - but I would like to see if Arsenal or Liverpool were in need of a new manager, how close to the top would Sam Allardyce be, to being a replacement for those guys? <br /><br />Not very far I would assume.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-23817480966583536952015-01-07T10:26:00.001-08:002015-01-11T16:49:49.844-08:00Valencia's Miss Means More Than Just The Difference between a Draw and VictoryNormally, a 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison park would be considered a 'good result' for the hammers - but in last nights case in felt very bitter-sweet. It might not have been out best performance but with a matter of seconds to go, conceding a last gasp equalizer is always a kick in the teeth. <br />
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A big talking point was not the result itself but a simplistic chance that went begging, soon after going 1-0 up, front man Enner Valencia had the perfect opportunity to make it 2-0 but missed and was singled out by manager Sam Allardyce in his post match interview, stating that a player of Enner's quality should be putting those type of chances away.<br />
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Although Mr Allardyce certainly has a point, singling out the Ecuadorian star hasn't helped Big Sam's turbulent relationship with the fans, with many feeling that he was wrong to do so.<br />
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t's no surprise, that since his return from injury, Andy Carroll has been preferred upfront in almost every game - and the somewhat 'rare' start that Enner Valencia earned will continue to be a theme as long as Carroll is fit and ready to play. <br />
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My feeling is that Valencia is going to become more of a super sub - and if we are not careful, he could share the same fate as the recently departed Mauro Zarate, while Big Sam is at the realm. It was inevitable that the moment Carroll starting kicking a ball again, that himself and Nolan would once again become prominent figures in the first team, dare I say untouchable?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-76651636765440167702014-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:002014-11-30T11:52:54.755-08:00Cresswell Has Always Been The Solution <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In recent times, to put it bluntly, we have had no luck regarding left backs. <br /><br />Ilunga, McCartney and Rat have all graced the Upton Park faithful; with their antics down the left flank. Both Ilunga and McCartney had moments to be proud of but Rat on the other hand didn't really flourish as we'd expected him to.<br /><br />The biggest problem we had at left back was inconsistency, we didn't expect miracles from the players mentioned but trivial mistakes often proved costly. <br /><br />Now with the signing of Aaron Cresswell from Ipswich in the summer it looks like we have found a real gem. Cresswell has already proven what a talented player he is. I looked at the signing of Aaron as a no brainer, he has attracted interest over the years and it looked inevitable that he would one day be playing football in the Premiership, with or without Ipswich.<br /><br />Since joining, the energetic left back has put in top notch performances and has had many touting him for a England call up and with a void that could do with filling with the departure of Ashley Cole, Aaron could be the ideal replacement?<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-75232764711326225822014-11-26T05:36:00.000-08:002014-11-26T05:36:09.588-08:00We Should Keep Joey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the January transfer market quickly approaching, its expected that a few of the lesser used players will be moved on, or at least, attempted.<br /><br />One of the names put into that category is versatile left back/right back Joey O'Brien. Joey has been a prominent name on the team sheet since joining back in the summer of 2011 on a free transfer.<br /><br />Being one of Sam's ex players at Bolton, it looked as-if Big Sam was doing Joey More of a favour than our club. But over the last couple of seasons, O'Brien has proven to be a sturdy and reliable performer. <br /><br />With the loan signing of Carl Jenkinson and fellow right back Guy Demel, some may say that we could afford to lose the Republic of Ireland international - but I think that it would a mistake to lose him at this moment in time. <br /><br />Since joining on loan from Arsenal, Jenkinson (when fit) has played well and his ability to get forward and deliver accurate balls into the area has been pleasing - but his recent injury troubles and the fact that parent club Arsenal are going through an injury crisis of their own, you'd think that they would be wanting Jenko back. This would suggest that Mr Wenger will not be keen on the idea of losing him on a permanent transfer. <br /><br />So should O'Brien be sacrificed in January, I believe that it would be a big mistake. As I've said with injuries coming in thick and fast at the moment we need to be cautious of the fact that we need players who can fill the void should one get injured - and with O'Brien being able to play on the right and left he is still a valuable member of the squad.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-34961106854281231822014-11-25T14:39:00.000-08:002014-11-25T14:39:00.094-08:00Why The West Ham Board Deserve CreditIn the eyes of many (most of who are not West Ham fans) Sam Allardyce was public enemy number 1 at West Ham and miraculously, after a good start to the season, we now love him and he can do no wrong.<br />
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Well that's not strictly true, don't get me wrong, we'll back the manager when results are going well but what club doesn't? Big Sam deserves the plaudits, no doubting that - but its worth mentioning that the board deserve a lot of credit.<br />
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1) For sticking with Sam during a difficult and mind numbingly tough time of football and lacklustre performances.<br />
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2) For making funds available to the manager, therefore, allowing changes to be made for the better.<br />
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3) The 3rd and final reason. They deserve praise for willing to defy the manager. By this I mean the collective decisions to bring in players like Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho when the manager initially decided against it. A decision that would have been ridiculed if the transfers didn't work out.<br />
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As I mentioned above, Diafra Sakho has been a real revelation upfront and has formed somewhat of a formidable partnership with fellow new boy, Enner Valencia. It's well documented that Sam didn't like the look of Sakho and didn't see the point of wasting funds on the prolific forward - and a deal looked unlikely, until David Sullivan stepped in and made the deal happen - and although it's still early days, its safe to say that the deal has worked out well for both parties.<br />
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These are just a few examples I have mentioned, since taking over, Gold and Sullivan have taken a club on the verge of financial meltdown, to a stable top ten Premier League club with aspirations to move forward into a new stadium and maybe even European football.<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-62440958725306937262014-11-25T09:36:00.001-08:002014-11-25T09:36:30.572-08:00Song Isn't A Long Term Option<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It still surprises me that we were able to sign Alex Song, not because I feel that he is too good for us but rather the inability of our fellow Premier League rivals to acknowledge how good the Cameroon international actually is.<br /><br />I was also surprised that Arsene Wenger didn't go in for his former player, as he would have added some much needed stability into a squad currently lacking a leader.<br /><br />Since joining back in August, Song has been nothing short of inspirational and has proven that despite his underwhelming time at Barcelona, that he is still a quality player. Our current system of play also compliments Alex as-well; as he is a player who can pass the ball with incredible accuracy and hold onto when needs must, rather than smashing it up-field and hoping for the best.<br /><br />One thing that we have to be wary of is the interest his performances will /has attracted.<br />
They haven't went unnoticed and should a big team who could offer him European football come in for him when his loan deal is up, I wouldn't be surprised to see Song move on.<br /><br />Which makes me ask the question, should we be preparing for his departure?<br />We have players who can play in similar type of role to Alex. Such as, Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble but whether or not they could perform to the standard of Song in that type of role in the long term, remains to be seen.<br /><br />It has been speculated for quite some time now that Turkish side Galatasary have been interested in Alex and are preparing a bid.<br /><br />Some may argue that signing Alex on a permanent deal has never entered the equation and that maybe we acted as more of a stepping stone and a platform for him to showcase that he has still got it.<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-23993931669723182732014-11-24T15:01:00.001-08:002014-11-24T15:01:33.270-08:00What Should We Do About Rav?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Questions have been asked about Ravel Morrison for quite some time now. His ability has never been questioned but his attitude has. Back In late September, Ravel joined Championship side Cardiff City on a three month loan deal - and he hasn't lived up to expectations for Russell Slade's side.<br /><br />From being a youth player at Manchester United, to playing in the West Ham first team, Ravel has constantly turned heads with his natural and often effortless raw ability on the football pitch. On the other hand, his personal life has often caused much controversy and many feel that his attitude lets him down. <br /><br />Cardiff are the third team that Ravel has been loaned out to since joining the hammers' back in January of 2012. The other two being Birmingham and Qpr. At Birmingham things were positive and he often showed glimpses of pure class - and on his return its safe to say that his performance against Tottenham on October 3rd earned him many plaudits . Since then he has taken 10 paces back and is now struggling to play first team football with Cardiff - and looks set to return when his loan deal ends in early January. <br /><br />Ravel has now worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce, Harry Redknapp, Lee Clark and now Russell Slade. All 5 of those manager have agreed on one thing, that one thing being that Ravel's footballing ability is not in doubt but his attitude on the other hand...<br /><br />The first three of the managers mentioned, are arguably 3 of the most experienced and respected managers to grace the Premier League in recent years, so if they can't get the best out of him, can anybody? <br />
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With Ravels contract being up in the summer, I really can't see him being offered a new contract - and I can't say I'm too bothered about this. Whereas a year back I would have been somewhat disappointed to see him go.<br /><br />I was one of the people who deluded themselves into believing that a few good performances would see him on the straight and narrow but I was wrong.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-12182594172663724572014-11-24T09:15:00.003-08:002014-11-24T09:15:41.793-08:00Are We Fickle?For so many of us, football is more than just a hobby, it's a passion, the difference between waking up on a Monday morning in a good, upbeat mode for the week ahead, or waking up still reeling from the weekends result - and the copious amounts of alcohol consumed because of the result - although more often than not, it can work both ways regarding the copious amounts of alcohol consumed.<br /><br /><br />
Speaking for myself here, football can bring out every emotion possible...Happiness, sadness, anger and pure and utter torment (sad I know) but so true. As of late, some of my friends (yes I have Friends) have ridiculed the club I love by saying that many of us are 'disloyal' and 'fickle'. These are two words that may apply to some football supporters - but not West Ham fans, if anything we have been to loyal and content in recent years - and have therefore been made to suffer because of it!<br />All we desire is some hard work and passion from the players in return, is that really too much to ask?<br /><br />The only reason I can assume that people have been calling us 'fickle' is because of the treatment towards manager Sam Allardyce, or Big Sam to you and I. It's no secret that our relationship with Sam has been turbulent at the very least - but Sam is a big boy (no pun) and I'm sure he can handle it.<br /><br />A few weeks back I was watching Match of the day, I'm pretty sure it was after the game in which we beat reigning Premier League Champions Manchester City 2-1 at home. During the post match analysis, Ex Newcastle and England front-man, Alan Shearer made a comment along the lines of ''Where are the Sam boo boys now?''<br />Now I can only say this, the Allardyce critics are still there but they are obviously going to support the team while they are playing their hearts out and getting results to back it up. The majority of the Sam out brigade, never wanted him installed as manager in the first place, so I wouldn't necessarily call those fans fickle or turncoats.<br /><br />To surmise I think that football has become a very fickle sport in general, for example. Brendan Rogers was touted as being one of the most exciting young and upcoming managers around, fast forward a few months and he looks set to lose his job if results carry on the way they have been.<br /><br />Does that make Liverpool fans fickle for wanting the best out of their team? No of course not - and it's worth mentioning that its mostly the media who scrutinise the manager and the club, therefore almost brain washing supporters into believing that they are wrong to back the team and manager in a tricky situation. <br /><br />P.s Mr Shearer, where are all the Pardew out boo boys now?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-61430989549780249842014-11-24T07:29:00.002-08:002014-11-24T07:29:25.740-08:00Let Reid Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Singed back in 2010, Kiwi international Winston Reid was completely unknown to many West Ham fans - but in recent times, Reid has proven to be the only good thing to have came out of the dismal reign of Voldermort (aka Avram Grant).<br /><br />As of late, the future of Winston has been thrust into the limelight with various media outlets and even those close to the club, speculating as to where he will be come the summer time. With his contract being up in the summer it's widely expected that Winston will leave the club on a free.<br /><br />In his first season he struggled - and came under some ridicule from a section of fans and came close to being loaned out to Cardiff and with our relegation to the Championship it looked a dead cert that the under performing and underwhelming performances of our club, would see the dead weight, including Reid be offloaded. Although this wasn't the case and he was retained by new manager Sam Allardyce - and he has never looked back since, putting in top notch performances and gaining much interest from Premier League rivals such as Arsenal and Liverpool.<br />
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Our manager was quoted as saying, in an interview with TalkSport that the contractual situation with Reid is purely a 'money thing'. Which indicates that he is holding out for a ludicrous offer in which our club will not be able to realistically meet.<br /><br />As much as we all appreciate Winston Reid's contribution at the back, if he doesn't want to don the claret and blue of West Ham anymore, I say let him go! It's blatantly obvious that he is now running down his contract, with intentions to leave in the summer - and I feel that its time that we prepare for the worst case and most likely scenario. The best case scenario is that Reid will be sold in the January transfer market , the reason I don't put the best case scenario as the player signing a new contract, Is because I really can't see that happening at this moment in time.<br /><br />
Replacements are supposedly being lined up and you can expect many more names to be linked with the void that will inevitably be left when the New Zealand captain departs.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-43170201081686704722014-09-17T03:48:00.003-07:002014-09-17T03:48:37.721-07:00New Boy Mauro Will Struggle <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once dubbed the 'new Maradona' Mauro <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Za</span>rate now finds himself as the number 10 of West Ham United. Now, I love my club but I'm not deluded and its safe to say that the ex Argentina u20 international hasn't exactly lived up to expectations. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since joining in the summer, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Zarate has looked to have settled into the squad, becoming a regular in the first team and for the most part, making a positive impact. Most notably scoring a perfectly struck volley against Crystal Palace, a goal in which the original Maradona would have been proud of. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">One thing that I have noticed about </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Zarate is that he will often fade out of games, for example, against Hull the other night he was non existent for the most part and was subsequently substituted in the second half. It would be irrational to think that any player should carry on with the same intensity from the first minute up until the 90th; as fatigue will start to set in but I see Mauro being sacrificed by Allardyce when Kevin Nolan returns </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Its became a well known fact that Big Sam is a fan of Nolan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">( Understatement of the year I know)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> and the guy basically walks into the side. No matter how poorly he performs, Nolan never seems to get dropped. Unlike Nolan, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Zarate offers the side more pace, energy and class - and don't get me wrong 5 years back, Kevin would have had a right to be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">undroppable </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">but he simply isn't the player he used to be. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With it being reported at the time that Mauro was signed by the board instead of Manager Allardyce I can see him struggling to find first team football with our club and although I am not doubting his ability I can see him being used as an impact player when Nolan returns.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-92118899562582810492014-09-16T13:35:00.000-07:002014-09-16T13:35:01.832-07:00A New Look West HamFor the first time in a while, I genuinely enjoyed our encounter with Hull last night.<br />
The game had everything, great goals, good football and neither team stopped giving it 100%. In recent times it has become a real chore watching the hammers play, even when we win games the often under par performance can take away from the spectacle.<br />
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Initially my thoughts last night were less than positive after Hull went 1-0 up but I remained positive and hoped that we would improve in the second half and thankfully, we did. A moment of class from Enner Valencia shocked everybody within the KC stadium and everybody at home. Up until that point I had heard a lot of good things about Valencia, after all the man is highly thought of in his home country of Ecuador and with goals like that it won't take him long to gain many plaudits in England either.<br />
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Obviously the second goal we gave away was massively disappointing as we were in complete control up until that point, playing good football and having opportunities on goal to go along with it. That was until a poor throw in resulted in an ex hammer Mohamed Diame calmly slotting past Adrian in the West Ham goal, in Mo's defense he was reluctant to celebrate, so the softened the blow a little I guess.<br />
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In didn't take long for us to get level after Sakho's shot was initially save but Allan Mcgregor only for it to come off of his own Defender Curtis Davies for it to go into his own net. Although it counted as a won goal it was nice to see another new boy getting amongst the action and having a positive impact.<br />
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What surprised me was how we were knocking the ball around, it's become a very familiar sight when the ball is in our own half to lump it up field and hope for the best but instead we calmly knocked it around and although it didn't do my blood pressure any good it was a nice alternative to the usual hoof ball. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to get too excited as James Collins still needs to return from injury and no disrespect to ginge but he is the main culprit for hoof ball<br />
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I know it's still early days but I think its possible that we are seeing a new look West Ham side. The new attacking approach that is being endorsed looks set to be working and although we have the difficult fixtures coming up in the form of Liverpool and Manchester United it would be great to see more of the same.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-76792343582722546632014-09-01T14:24:00.001-07:002014-09-01T14:24:31.567-07:00Morgan Amaliftano Deal Looking Close<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A deal for Marseille midfielder Morgan Amaliftano is looking close to completion. The details remain pretty vague at this moment in time as its believed that player himself has been in discussions with current side Marseille regarding canceling his contract.<br />
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Should he get get out of his contract the deal will not necessarily be completed tonight before the end of the transfer window; as the free transfer market will still be open for clubs to negotiate with players who are without a club?<br />
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A couple of weeks back it looked likely that we would sign ex West Brom loanee Amaliftano on a £2 million permanent deal but it didn't materialise. Capped once by the France national team, Morgan natural position is out as a wide midfielder but he can also play as a centre midfielder or attacking mid. <br />
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Although their are still more details to come I would be surprised if we didn't get any updates within the next hour.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-42508940828996524642014-09-01T11:46:00.001-07:002014-09-01T11:46:20.379-07:00Diame Departs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bwd0j1LCYAA2vIx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bwd0j1LCYAA2vIx.jpg" width="320" /></a>As anticipated, Mohamed Diame has left West Ham for fellow Premier League rivals Hull City.<br />
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Speculation has been rife these last couple of days as to where Diame would end up, with it also being reported that Harry Redknapp of Qpr was interested in securing the services of the Senegal international but within the last half an hour it was confirmed that Steve Bruce's Hull signed Mohamed.<br />
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The fee agreed for the player is believed to be £3.5 million and although that is better than nothing I'm sure many fans will be disappointed as Mo made such an impact when he joined West Ham back in the summer of 2012. All in all, Diame made 79 appearances for our club scoring 7 goals in the process but found regular first team action increasingly difficult to come by from the star of last season up until this point. As it stands, Mo only made 1 first team appearance this season, that being a defeat to Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup. <br />
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After the arrival of Alex Song it become inevitable that Diame would leave and in many ways he became surplus to requirements.<br />
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Personally I thinks it's a real shame that Diame has left but it was a necessary move for all parties involved.<br />
If we go back to the first 6 months of Mohamed Diame's West Ham career; you'll see that impact he made was incredibly positive, he wasn't afraid to take on players and he had the ability to inject the pace and urgency that we desperately needed but I feel as if the supposed interest from teams such as Arsenal and Liverpool may have unsettled him a little bit and from that point on his future was always cast into doubt.<br />
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Nevertheless, good luck to Big Mo at Hull and I will leave you with this...<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86UfcpQLtYY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86UfcpQLtYY</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-89035036968894516932014-09-01T03:41:00.002-07:002014-09-01T03:41:48.454-07:00Transfer Deadline DaySo far, Transfer Deadline Day has lived up to expectations with it being confirmed that Radamel Falcao has joined Manchester United on a season long loan deal from Monaco. Over the last couple of weeks it was reported that the Columbian international was close to joining either Manchester City or Real Madrid but in a rather extraordinary move he has choose Man Utd over both.<br />
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Obviously it remains to be seen as to whether or not his move to United will make enough of a difference as they have struggled at the back as-well as the front — but its great to see quality player like Falcao in the Premier League and this will surely guarantee Manchester United a top ten finish...Well probably not, he's not that good! <br />
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Regarding West Ham, things have been quiet so far, with it being confirmed the Micah Richard's will join Italian side Florentina; it looks set to be a quiet deadline day for the hammers.<br />
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Some news regarding an ex West Ham, Jermain Defoe looks set for a return to the Premier League with Leicester, Newcastle and Qpr all interested in brining the England international back to England.<br />
Its believed that Defoe is keen on a return to England after the departure of Head Coach Ryan Nelson, ex Tottenham, Blackburn and Qpr defender Nelson was very influential in brining Jermain to Canada and his departure looks set o be followed by the pacy striker.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-53915218952828734832014-08-31T14:48:00.001-07:002014-08-31T14:48:40.104-07:00Can We Expect A Busy Transfer Deadline Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In just over a hour, the final day of the transfer window will be upon us. Although it's a little known fact that the managers hate it, it never seems to stop them from waiting until the last minute to pay over the odds for players who's value mysteriously go up tenfold. <br />
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In recent years, transfer deadline day has proven to be somewhat underwhelming for the hammers, whether it's the second coming of Yossi Benayoun, or the uninspiring impact of recently retired David Bentley, its safe to say that we haven't had the best of luck when it comes to signing a player who can actually make an impact.<br />
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I'm not expecting much out of tomorrow, as we have already invested relatively heavily in the squad and I suspect that we are running low on wonga and not to mention the whole 'Financial Fair Play Rules' what will inevitably make it hard for the board to spend any more on wages.<br />
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Firstly, it's expected that our recent interest in Micah Richards will continue but the destination of the England and Manchester City right back will be subject of much debate; as it's being reported that ourselves, Newcastle and Sunderland are the 3 main contenders for his signature.<br />
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Micah's career has stalled over the last couple of years and Richards has went from a player that was touted as a long term successor to Gary Neville, to a frequent face on the Man City bench. Don't get me wrong, being a back up in a team that posses so much talent is nothing to be ashamed of but if he wants to force his way back into the England set up he'll need to start regularly playing football again, it's worth noting that injuries has also played a big part of 'demise' — and with the recent acquisition of Carl Jenkinson I wonder if Richards is needed.<br />
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Concerning departures I can only see one. The player in question Mohamed Diame. Both Qpr and Hull have been admirers of the Senegalese man and it has also been reported that Neil Warnock of Crystal Palace is preparing a £3.5 million bid. <br />
With any luck we'll be able to offload Diame, with the signing of Alex Song I think its safe to assume that we have a perfectly adequate replacement should Mohamed leave.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-61846165653439382462014-08-30T12:11:00.001-07:002014-08-30T12:11:15.648-07:00Allardyce Will Never Win Over The Fans, But the Board....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the End of our game against Southampton this afternoon, a familiar sound echoed around Upton Park, that sound was the booing of the home supporters.<br />
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It should come as no real surprise as the performance that the players put it was lackluster, uninspiring and simply not good enough, it doesn't take a genius to tell you that, I'm simply stating the facts.<br />
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I know many West Ham fans that would be thrilled to see 'Big Sam Sacked' on the back of tomorrows newspaper - but in reality that isn't going to happen. The fans have made no secret about there disliking towards Big Sam and I'm sure that will continue for some time yet...<br />
The reasoning for it is still unknown, some say its down to the long ball approach; that many claim Sam endorses, others claim it's his often smug and arrogant attitude. <br />
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Either way the board seem more than happy with Sam as the manager, just look at todays signing Alex Song. Its safe to say that nobody expected us to complete such a deal but it further reiterates Sam ability to get the boards full backing and this is why Sam isn't going anywhere just yet.<br />
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Signing a player like Alex Song is a massive statement of intent, the critics can say what they want but Sam and the board deserve all the credit in the world for pulling off such a coup. If Mr Gold and Mr Sullivan had any element of doubt in their mind about Sam, they wouldn't of sanctioned such a deal. <br />
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At the end of the season I would be very surprised to see Allardyce offered a new deal but weirder things have happened in football.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148078424319964832.post-56571926067032599532014-08-30T08:57:00.001-07:002014-08-30T08:57:39.016-07:00West Ham Vs SouthamptonWest Ham 1-3 Southampton<br />
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Poor performance from the hammers so far, looked very nervy and Southampton look good value for the win. After going 1-0 up you could forgive my fellow West Ham fans for feeling overly optimistic, should be England midfielder Mark Noble scored from long range after his shot took a heavy deflection that dragged it away to Fraser Forster's far post.<br />
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From that point on we have been poor and just before half time after Morgan Schneiderlin calmly slotted past Adrian.<br />
After half time, things went from bad to worse, with Schneiderlin scoring his second of the game. It comes as no surprise that from that point on we looked down and out, failing to create enough clear cut opportunities and soon after Pelle made it 3-1.<br />
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Disappointing game for our lot and I'm sure that Mr Allardyce will blame the defeat on the absence of Captain Marvel Kevin Nolan, so everybody be prepared!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02170707911338953166noreply@blogger.com0