West Ham Fans Born to be Claret and Blue

Last Season West Ham were champions at coming back from being down, next season they will be down in the Championship hoping to get back up. OK so there is a mathematical chance that salvation from the drop is still possible despite the 4-0 drubbing by fellow relegation strugglers Charlton at the Valley but realistically most fans will now have accepted the inevitable. Dean Ashton, Lucas Neill and Mathew Upson, three 'world class' players will probably be available for the home game against Tottenham next week, but given the 'car crash' state of affairs at the Boleyn they will most likely have as much influence as a calming injection given to dogs and cats prior to being dispensed from this mortal soil. Effectively the game was over by the 33rd minute when Jerome Thomas scored from 12 yards out to put Charlton 2-0 up, the home side had already gone ahead when Darren Ambrose scored the goal that was waiting to happen on the 24th minute having been put through by Marcus Bent who had repeatedly skinned Paul Konchesky, the game was up by the time Darren Bent crashed the ball in from the edge of the box 5 minutes before the break. The Hammers players trudged off the pitch knowing that their fate had been sealed at least for this match and almost certainly for their season. Carlos Tevez showed a few touches and came close with a free kick but Hammers lacked the bite to take on a Charlton team that were pumped up for the occasion, to be honest the deficit could have been even worse. The second half started with Alan Curbishley's team showing a bit more endeavour, hardly surprising bearing in mind that they had nothing to lose, but despite plenty of huff and puff they could not break down a resolute Addicks defence. With Harewood and Blanco on for Etherington and Cole Hammers pushed for some form of respectability in the final scoreline with efforts from Tevez, Harewood, Benayoun and Davenport all going close but as if to put one of the final nails in the Claret and Blue coffin, Jerome Thomas scored his second and Charlton's fourth with ten minutes remaining. The rest of the match was like attending a funeral that you wanted to escape from but are obligated to stay till the bitter end. We have a team of gamblers drug takers and posers who have been found out, if the previous chairman had not sought to persue his own agenda for becoming super rich and had invested in new players to bolster those who would obviously be 'found out' for their lack of footballing adaptability, perhaps things might have been different, but as things are even wholesale changes won't be enough to turn things round this season, best just to wipe the slate clean and plan for the future. - Ed Post Match Comments: Alan Curbishley: "I'm as devastated as the fans are. We just can't get any lift-off. We created a bit more second half but the game was over by then. "We were disappointed about the first goal although it was well finished and we could never come back from it. (???????) "The question is are we going down with a fight or a whimper. There are 10 games left, lots of points at stake." Alan Pardew: "The performance was good but today the win was all-important no matter how it came. We've set our standards for the rest of the season with this win. It's been a difficult day, a difficult week leading up to it for me because I have a genuine love for West Ham and their fans which will never die." Charlton: Carson, Young, El Karkouri, Diawara, Thatcher, Ambrose, Holland, Song Billong (Faye 85), Thomas, Marcus Bent (Hasselbaink 35), Darren Bent (Zheng 82). Subs Not Used: Randolph, Rommedahl. Booked: El Karkouri, Song Billong, Diawara. Goals: Ambrose 24, Thomas 34, Darren Bent 41, Thomas 80. West Ham: Green, Dailly, Ferdinand, Davenport, Konchesky, Benayoun, Mullins (Newton 72), Quashie, Etherington (Harewood 46), Tevez, Cole (Blanco 59). Subs Not Used: Walker, Pantsil. Booked: Konchesky, Quashie. Att: 27,111 Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).