en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/958477 Comments by LindsayWesker http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/09/27/vote-player-performances-v-ipswich/#IDComment200046218 Do these players imagine promotion is going to be handed to them on a plate? Do they imagine all they have to do is turn-up and they will win? Do they imagine the other teams in the Championship are scared or in awe of them? This truly is one of the most difficult leagues in the world. The prize is priceless but, to get out of this quagmire, it's going to take some effort and some decent football. Didn't any of them observe Scott Parker and the amount of effort he put into every game? I despair! And before we sack another manager, let's ask the question: how many brilliant and unemployed managers are out there? And would a truly great manager really come to West Ham? Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:48:11 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/09/27/vote-player-performances-v-ipswich/#IDComment200046218 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/08/28/match-thread-nottingham-forest-v-west-ham/#IDComment187763049 I've been saying it for years and I will continue to say it until somebody listens. West Ham United play better away from home because it's no fun hearing 30,000 people moan and groan for 90 minutes. The home supporters provide no support at all. The away fans travel, sing and have a great time. The home fans have unrealistic expectations and we should play ALL our games away, or play our home games behind closed doors. We have won all three of our away games and NONE of our home games. Somebody at WHU needs to wake up or we will finish mid-table! Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:23:54 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/08/28/match-thread-nottingham-forest-v-west-ham/#IDComment187763049 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/04/16/deluded/#IDComment143499784 The best thing about us going down is that Grant will finally lose his job. I'm married to a black woman, so you can't call me a racist, but I would feel much more comfortable with a British manager. His English is understandable, but it's not really the stuff of stirring team talks. Having said that, the time for a stirring team talk is over. We will get nothing from the next two games and we are going down. C'est la vie! Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:32:10 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/04/16/deluded/#IDComment143499784 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/02/01/credit-where-its-due/#IDComment125373038 Hey Iain! Totally agree with you. Despite their heavy-handed way of doing things, the management at WHU seem to have had a good January transfer window. Sadly, we still have waste of space Benni McCarthy on our books, but that serves us right for buying another player past their sell-by-date (Ian Wright, Freddie Ljungberg etc.) Grant definitely now has the tools to win games. If we can stop teams from scoring goals, we now the forwards to score them. Maybe it's time for Grant to employ the fashionable 'holding midfielder' in front of the back four? What was the point of hiring a 'defensive coach'? We are still conceding goals and, frustratingly, very late goals. Nevertheless, I am mildly optimistic ... although that optimism might disappear again if we lose at Blackpool! Wed, 2 Feb 2011 09:19:42 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/02/01/credit-where-its-due/#IDComment125373038 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/01/01/oh-freddie-freddie/#IDComment119153929 I would totally agree with this report. It was a far from convincing performance. Ben Haim and Gabbidon are not full backs but, for some reason, playing four centre backs seems to work. It truly baffles me because, not only aren't these two full backs, but they've both turned into Ashley Cole and have started bombing up the wing, playing the killer pass. Even Kovac has found his role - ball winner - which allows Scotty to move forward. No, we were not convincing but, for the first time in a long time, we look like a team. Everyone looks as though they are playing their part. We look stronger and more resilient, and able to come back from a goal down. And if Sears can pop up with a few goals, that will help enormously. In a season where Man. Utd. are top of the league without playing well, I hope we can survive without playing well. I'm hoping there will be three teams worse than us. Sun, 2 Jan 2011 12:49:34 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/01/01/oh-freddie-freddie/#IDComment119153929 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/12/26/vote-player-performances-v-fulham-3/#IDComment118149534 Very difficult to judge the players against a poor Fulham side. I thought we were lacking in confidence! Green: made a few key saves but didn't have much to do Ben Haim: not a right back but quite impressed with his distribution Tomkins/Upson: left Hughes totally unmarked for the goal, but bravely got their heads to everything else Gabbidon: not a left back but effective Kovac: broke up play quite well and bravely stopped Fulham from troubling our back four Parker: tireless, as ever, tackling, running with the ball and trying to play the final pass Sears/Stanislas: worked the channels well and provided a valuable outlet Cole/Piquionne: won a high number of aerial battles and took their goals well Fulham were so lacking in desire and creativity, it's unwise to get carried away with West Ham's performance. The same XI should definitely start the next game but Everton will provide a sterner test. No point in getting the bunting out just yet. We are still a long way from safety! Sun, 26 Dec 2010 22:44:44 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/12/26/vote-player-performances-v-fulham-3/#IDComment118149534 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/12/14/a-big-fat-no-to-big-fat-sam/#IDComment115927576 We are already playing a 'long ball' game! If Big Sam arrived, it would make no difference. We are already pumping hopeful high balls up to Cole and Piquionne. If West Ham were committed to great, one-touch passing football, they would have signed more players like Fabregas, Nasri and Arshavin, instead of Kovac, Behrami and Boa Morte. I'm not a fan of Big Sam but his teams grind out results and he's never been in a relegation dogfight. I'm 51 now, been supporting the Hammers for 40-odd years, and all I've ever known are relegation worries or trying to get back into the top tier. Give me mid-table mediocrity. Right now, I'd be happy to just be out of the bottom three! The result against Man Yoo was a fluke, let's not imagine this is a great team. There are lots of guys in there past their sell-by date or just not good enough. No, I don't want Big Sam but it's unlikely he will spoil the immaculate style of footballing we are playing! Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:15:22 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/12/14/a-big-fat-no-to-big-fat-sam/#IDComment115927576 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/12/01/thrashed-but-it-is-apparently-all-about-the-goals-that-man-utd-gave-away/#IDComment113087686 That result has totally done my head in! I am in a state of confusion. I don't know what to think any more. It goes without saying, the most successful club football teams in the world have one thing in common: a level of consistency. They are NOT brilliant one week and crap the next. They might get outplayed but they are not, suddenly, a bad team. As West Ham fans, this is what we have come to expect. Having beating Man Yoo 4-0 in the Carling Cup, would it surprise anyone if we lost to Barnsley in the F.A. Cup? Football fans appreciate effort, and every single player out there showed commitment to the cause and determination (even Kovac), so why can't these guys do that every game? Is it really too much to ask? If we can't build on those two wins, it will be a travesty. If those players think they have finished the job, we are doomed. Whether you are challenging for the title or fighting for survival, the Premiership season is a marathon not a sprint, and these boys have to dig in for a long, hard winter. If we lose at The Stadium Of Light, we will be back to Square One! Nothing less than a point will do. Wed, 1 Dec 2010 09:25:11 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/12/01/thrashed-but-it-is-apparently-all-about-the-goals-that-man-utd-gave-away/#IDComment113087686 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/11/25/is-it-a-matter-of-caring/#IDComment112034563 We can change the manager if you want. In fact, we can change the manager every month, if it makes you feel happier. Everyone wanted to get rid of Zola because they thought HE was the problem. Everyone got excited about Grant because they imagined HE would change things. Now they discover that Zola wasn't the problem. In this kind of situation, what is called for is good, old-fashioned grit and determination. Scotty Parker has it, Mark Noble has it, Billy Bonds had it, Julian Dicks had it. We know what we're talking about. Players that want to win. Players that can make things happen just by the force of their personality. At West Ham, we now have a lot of players who not only don't care about West Ham, or care about winning, they don't even care if they give the ball away! They are more than happy to accept their over-inflated wages, so they can buy another watch, and another car, and another phone. So if you imagine that PDC is the saviour who will lead us into the promised land, think again! Until we get rid of the deadwood and the posers at this club, nothing is going to happen! Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:30:30 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/11/25/is-it-a-matter-of-caring/#IDComment112034563 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/11/23/petrovic-departs/#IDComment111472848 Wigan's danger man is Charles N'Zogbia. A quite exceptional player. Check You Tube for some of his more spectacular goals. It would be okay playing two upfront or even three upfront if our strikers were in-form. Unfortunately, only Piquionne has shown any real skill in that department. I would play one upfront and five in midfield, including at least one player with the simple duty of putting in decent crosses (and I fear that may only be Faubert, at this point!) I would advise our entire back four to keep a very close eye on N'Zogbia and prevent him from getting anywhere near the penalty area because, if he does, he will shoot on sight! Needless to say, if West Ham don't win on Saturday, Grant will be history. (And didn't I see Pardew on TV last night, talking with a lot of passion?) Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:45:18 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/11/23/petrovic-departs/#IDComment111472848 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/11/20/match-thread-liverpool-v-west-ham/#IDComment110886371 An absolutely tepid display! Why have we become a long ball team? And we can't even get that right! Your target man is meant to lay it off to supporting midfielders. Unfortunately, our midfielders couldn't be bothered to support Cole. Although calling Kovac a midfielder is as redundant as calling Ilunga a defender. How do we honestly expect to win anything with everybody's cast-offs (Spector, McCarthy, Boa Morte etc.) I seriously think the kids in the reserves would do better. At least they would be trying hard to make a good impression. Grant may be calm and philosophical but that is not what's needed now. We need the hairdryer of all hairdryers to wake these buggers up! If we can't beat Wigan next week, we might as well prepare for life in the second tier (again!) Sat, 20 Nov 2010 20:16:08 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/11/20/match-thread-liverpool-v-west-ham/#IDComment110886371 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/09/11/match-report-west-ham-1-chelsea-3/#IDComment98248561 I saw the first half live on a Portuguese TV channel in a Portuguese restaurant. Obinna definitely looks a good buy and will score goals. Jacobsen looked effective but two headed goals from Michael Essien tells me that Upson and Ben Haim are just not good enough. As you said, despite a lot of possession, we never really looked like scoring. While Chelsea always looked dangerous going forward, we looked anxious and nervous in the final third. Nevertheless, like you, I saw encouraging signs and, despite being pointless after four games, I remain confident of survival. Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:03:59 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/09/11/match-report-west-ham-1-chelsea-3/#IDComment98248561 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/07/20/transfer-gossip-the-situation-so-far/#IDComment87679400 Pre-season transfer talk is very exciting for the fans but completely de-stabilising for the existing squad members. With every newspaper rumour, every West Ham player wonders where their future lies. This speculation will NOT help their performance is pre-season games. To be honest, I would love to see what Avram Grant does with the existing squad who are not, on paper, bad players. There is now virtually a first XI of internationals. I kept reading comments that Zola was tactically naive. I don't know. Maybe he was? Nevertheless, I am certain this squad can perform better; they just need the right manager. Fortune's always hiding, we know that and, year after year, we reach this point in July feeling optimistic. I'm sad to say, I have that optimistic feeling again. A new manager, a few good signings, a few recovering players and a few pre-season wins have excited me. My prediction is: we will not be involved in a relegation scrap next year and, to be honest, I will be happy with that. My advice to West Ham fans: manage your expectations! Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:40:51 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/07/20/transfer-gossip-the-situation-so-far/#IDComment87679400 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/07/16/48-hours-and-counting/#IDComment87031576 The thing about Grant is that he seems to get the best out of ordinary players. By the end of the season, Portsmouth were playing with more spirit and flair than West Ham. We were so poor, if Portsmouth hadn't been docked points, we would've gone down! Piquionne and Ben Haim might not be that impressive on paper, but they like Grant and will play out of their socks for him. Hodgson was able to work wonders with an ordinary team, and both Stoke and Birmingham had good seasons with average players. Why? The manager. Grant seems calm, thoughtful and philosophical. I have Israeli relatives and that's how they are. They love to converse and they love to learn. The Israelis I know are human beings not hairdryers. Fri, 16 Jul 2010 22:32:39 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/07/16/48-hours-and-counting/#IDComment87031576 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/05/04/mark-noble-renaissance-man/#IDComment72417166 In years to come, people will talk about this season and struggle to truly explain what the hell happened! Noble's form has been indifferent but so has Steven Gerrard's, and he's going on the plane to South Africa! It's all relative. If the team hadn't been in a relegation struggle from virtually the second month, some of these guys might have been able to express themselves. The team could do with a few new faces but you're not going to tell me that - man-for-man - Birmingham or Stoke have better players. Noble's form has been affected by stress, tension and downright misery. He will be better next season. I love Zola but I'm not sentimental, I can't stand another season like that. Just find me a manager that can give me mid-table mediocrity. And there's a story I've heard - can someone confirm true or false? - that the dancing girls are being replaced by dancing robots called The Hammeroids. Tue, 4 May 2010 15:26:33 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/05/04/mark-noble-renaissance-man/#IDComment72417166 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/22/now-do-the-business/#IDComment69657900 West Ham are so lucky there are three teams worse than them! Having said that, Portsmouth and Burnley have distinguished themselves with great results this season (Portsmouth v. Tottenham + Burnley v. Man. Utd.) For us, it has been a season to forget: no cup run, no great goals, just injuries, boardroom shenanigans and lame performances. We are so lucky Hull CIty were unable to raise their game last night. If West Ham don't stay up, they deserve to go down! Having Parker back will be a huge plus on Saturday, but we mustn't be complacent about Wigan. This is a real Jekyl & Hyde team (destroyed by Tottenham, yet victors over Liverpool and Arsenal.) Somebody needs to stay very close to Charles N'Zogbia or he will pop in another spectacular goal! Thu, 22 Apr 2010 09:30:18 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/22/now-do-the-business/#IDComment69657900 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/19/vote-player-performances-v-liverpool/#IDComment68971432 Whether West Ham stay up or not, there will be a lot of changes at the club over Summer. Only Scott Parker and, at times, Mark Noble and Carlton Cole have played with any passion this season. We have too many average players at the club. Good, comptent players can be effective, but only if they play with passion and commitment. Look at Birmingham, look at Wolves and you can even look at relegated Portsmouth! The boys who play for those clubs are proud to be playing for their team. In these times of high unemployment, there are a few West Ham players who are lucky to be employed, let alone get paid such wages! Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:33:25 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/19/vote-player-performances-v-liverpool/#IDComment68971432 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/12/warriors-for-the-working-day-as-anfield-awaits/#IDComment67652847 Great post SJ but a narrow defeat will not preserve our self-belief. I would take a draw now and that's what the team MUST achieve. We need as many points as possible ASAP because: a) we don't how Hull will bounce back, b) we don't know how much confidence Saturday will give Burnley, and c) funny things happen on the last day of the season. Let's not rely on Manchester City being charitable; they are scoring goals for fun at the moment! Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:46:56 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/12/warriors-for-the-working-day-as-anfield-awaits/#IDComment67652847 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/12/player-performance-results-v-everton-sunderland/#IDComment67384403 Not a convincing display but - thanks - I'll take the three points. I would have settled for one at kick-off! If Bent had had his shooting boots on, we would have been buried. Spector was unconvincing as ever. Oh, how we've missed Ilunga! Noble was magnificent, and stepped into Scotty's shoes. Gordon was lucky to stay on the pitch and Cole was unlucky to have been penalised. It was a 50/50 ball!Goalkeepers get FAR too much protection (the same happened with David James on Sunday!) Anything is possible against a lack-lustre Liverpool. Let's see which West Ham turn up! Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:56:03 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/12/player-performance-results-v-everton-sunderland/#IDComment67384403 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/09/making-a-difference-like-tevez-zamora-green-noble-neill/#IDComment66770472 The e-mails from Upton Park have become more frequent. Gold and Sullivan want me to spend more money. If I had it, I would. If I was flush, I'd even buy stupid souvenirs! And, for some reason, Gold and Sullivan want to ensure the ground is full to capacity on Saturday. Why? I'm not sure. Because we all know what will happen. If West Ham go behind, the crowd will start to moan, and we all know what 40,000 West Ham fans moaning sounds like! And, after a while, the louts will start bellowing racist abuse at Carlton Cole! I sometimes wish only the fans that go to away games were allowed into Upton Park. True supporters. Many of the home crowd treat it like a social club. They arrive late, leave before the half time whistle to get a pint in, and leave early to avoid the queue at the train station. My only wish is that - if West Ham do go behind - the fans truly get behind their team and offer some proper support and encouragement. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 10:10:20 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2010/04/09/making-a-difference-like-tevez-zamora-green-noble-neill/#IDComment66770472