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West Ham Utd v Aston Villa : Premier League 15:00 Hrs Saturday 10th of May 2008 at the Boleyn Ground |
Will The Z Man Be Hammers SalvationSubmitted by Neville Nixon on 13 February, 2008 - 22:09.
West Ham have one of the best defence records in the Premiership, but scoring goals has been a big problem. Dean Ashton has been very slow in the uptake and Carlton Cole, despite enormous effort has a poor goals to games ratio. Craig Bellamy's perpetual lack of availability and Kieron Dyer's long term lay off has meant that options up front have been extremely limited.
Bobby Zamora's return to fitness could not have come at a better time, his commitment to the club has never been doubted but his ability has! A fit Z Man is a force to be reckoned with and Alan Curbishley would do well to take advantage of having a fresh new player available for him to use.
Lee Bowyer's red card being revoked is another glimmer in the dark tunnel, it rancors that there are't any games for so long, but this season was all about consolidation, the re-building can start next season. - Ed
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just finished watchin the
just finished watchin the liverpool game and when they went back to the studio they asked why do liverpool do well in CL? answer given because anfield is such a scary place to come to!! backs up my point. lets get behind westham and bring back the atmosphere, thats all we can do!!! and the point about the younger fans not be able to sing, the only way they'll learn them is by hearin them on match day!!!
im forever blowin bubbles, coyi
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They do well because they have outrageous luck - Materazzi's must have been one of the lightest sending offs I've ever seen! Liverpool are blessed with huge luck and have been for years.
It is quite unusual to witness the current atmosphere at Upton Park, we are not playing our usual style of football and I agree that it's not pretty to watch. It's weird but the style is very Italian apart from when the ball gets to the front when we loose it more often than not, when we should be at least be shooting for goal instead of witnessing another mistake by our forwards or no link up from midfield. I know what Alan Curbishley is trying to do and it's a pity all of our forwards are either injured, unfit or dont have a brain but it will come eventually and until the forward line is fit, educated on what AC wants and at least three of them fighting for a place then it will continue to be a 1-0 win 1-1 draw or 0-1 loss. I hope the Zman comes on at Fulham and Deano stops sulking and finally turns it on lets hope so?
Good Post, Bondsy! I agree with you. Good observation about the Italian style -- a lot of people tend to forget how 'defense-based' the Italian style is. If we had a player like Kaka, that would change everything. D'Oh, we DID have a player like that -- his name was TEVEZ!!!
i no a manager needs time and support and to be fair were not doing bad baring in mind the idurys weve had but im a season ticket holder and we play terable football most of the time. if we didnt have upson and ferdinand at the heart of the defence we really would be in trouble somthings got to happen because theres no fun in watching west ham at the moment its ether new singings or a new manager for me if theres no improvment. i just dont think curbs can get them playing football hes got them sorted at the back but upfront their a mess also i cant see him signing the right players to do the job,however i hope he does westham4life.
Yeah....those were the days eh? when men played football. Allen got hauled down like a wrestler...yellow card n free kick. He just gets up and gets on with it.
ok well we've complained about the manager and the players.. But i think that they would complain about the atmosphere that has disappeared from up.
lets do our bit and make it the place it use to be.
then our players might have a bit more flair with the famous hammers fans roar behind them.
for those who said they are only goin to away games because theres no atmosphere, what u doin help us bring it back!!!
what those every1 think?????
Irish, I couldn't agree more. The couple of times I have been at UP this season, I have felt embarrassed with the atmosphere, especially when there has been more noise coming from the away support and most of the people around me were just sat there with long faces. When UP is full-on there is no place like it and the atmosphere is bound to inspire players. I know Neill said the team felt like they had left about 10 points out on the field so far this season, well I think the fans could have lifted the team enough to have picked up 5 of those points. I'm not so sure that people realise just how inspiring it can be to hear thousands of fans cheering you on or, conversely, how much the team can be affected by booing from your own supporters. I'm sure people will say the players get paid enough to do their best and give 100% every game but, there is more to it than that. One example is what Nobes said in his last interview about his adrenalin being up and doing things he didn't know he was capable of. That's what an atmosphere can do for you. Our next game is away to Fulham where I am sure our supporters will do us proud, as they always do on the road. Is that why our away form has been better this season? It's possible. So COME ON YOU IRONS! let's make some noise.
Spot on Steve & Irish we really need the sort of noise we had against Man U for the rest of our home games. I know the team needs to inspire but it does seem to go flat so early these days, what up with some of our Younger supporters can't you sing?
Just got a copy of '80 cup final against Arsenal. Just shows you whats happened to the game and the players nowadays...Martin got his face punched in...eye swollen up..yet he picks himself up and gets on with it...O'Leary walking around with one leg working..still he battles on...Devonshire gets trampled on...gets up dusts himself down and is running the line again...as for Bonds...well at 33 or 34 he goes rampaging down the other end in the 80th minute to deliver a cross and he was playing centre back! Players today would just collapse in a heap unable to play on coz they may be bruised tomorrow. Bring back the 80's football! Bring back Billy Bonds!
What about when Paul Allen was clean through and big Willy Young chopped him down and just got a Yellow card
Good post and judging by the fans, that's what supporters should look like too. The recent game that I to was not anything like that. Where has all the Upton Park passion gone?
That is an interesting question. I suppose after last season's bi-polar showing, it was always going to be a bit of a comedown in many ways this time around. The fact that we've been for the last couple of months, about 5pts behind and 5pts above our nearest competitors, hasn't helped. The main problem is as Neville points out our lack of goals. It's hard to get passionate when you're not creating chances. Not blaming Curbs for this too much as obviously some of it's down to lack of fit players and circumstance. However I am sick of seeing youth team players get told they won't make it into the team and sold off (young left back Widdowson, is the latest I was reading). What is Curbs problem with bringing through the youngsters? Are you telling me that Kyle Reid isn't better than Boa Morte? Welcome back Bobby Z!
I know its early, but what do people think about this as a lineup against fulham - the usual back 5, and then a midfield of Freddie(left) Noble (centre) Solano(centre) Faubert (right) with Cole and Fat boy up front? Freddie has been excellent recently and deserves his spot, but with Faubert looking so good in the reserves i think it would be stupid to overlook him. I also think we have a real lack of creativity in centre-mid, and I think Solano could easily fill that role, with his cleverness to unlock a defence. Id love to see Freddie Sears on the bench, as he has been absolutely electric for the youth, and whats the point in having an academy if you dont try out an exciting prospect on form? Especially given that NOT ONE of our strikers can put it in the net!!!
Cole/Zamora I agree with Jump Jump. The Cole/Ashton partnership hasn't gelled. And though I've got nothing against Deano (he's got incredible natural ability), he hasn't proved himself lately. I'm of the belief that those who ARE proving themselves should be given a chance. Cole made the goal against Brums with his flick on to Freddie, so he gets the nod! And Z-man had a hat trick in the reserve match. Let's see Deano do that and he's right back in my starting line-up. I think with Cole, Zamora, Faubert, Ljungberg, Solano and Noble we should be a real threat. Mullins and Spector/Pantsil on the bench in case we need to tighten up at the back. Ashton on the bench in case the strategy fails (but give it a chance!)
i would go with deano up top and play nobby just behind him. normal back 5, freddie (Left) mullins nobel Julian (right) nobby in the hole behind deano. i really think that this could work. i would have zamora cole wright spector bowyer on the bench.
completely off topic i no but have a look at this on the sky sports website http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11685_3157102,00.html
Get Deano to watch this http://www.youtube.com/v/gPjTJwmPF4o&rel=1 see what a real No. 9 looks like!!!!
Good post and judging by the fans, that's what supporters should look like too. The recent game that I to was not anything like that. Where has all the Upton Park passion gone?
Until the z-man is ready and ashton reduces his pie intake in exchange for some locked in training cole must lead the front line.Dispite boa-morte's desperate displays of late he's cole's best partner.Maybe with a little luck boa-morte can turn it!It isn't for a lack of trying!Ljungberg in behind the front two.I do believe a lack of creativity in midfield has caused westham problems but consistent hard work in that area is our only saviour.Maybe one or two summer signings in that area will suffice.
Things are looking good. Z-Man banged in a hat-trick in the reserves with Faubert being instrumental, and Di Canio has just said he hopes to manager West Ham one day AND watch a game in the Bobby Moore Stand before the end of the season. Imagine that! "Excuse me mate" (Edging your way through the fans to your seat) and the guy next to you is Paulo, noshing on a Ginsters pasty. Amazing.
I like to think that this down-time in the league is seeing Deano beasting his training effort - appropriate to his delicacy/preciousness, of course, as I imagine Bobby Z is. Any ideas what the squad is up to, ie, Anton visiting his ol' Gran, etc? (...as we all grin in delicious anticipation of our trip to barnsley's slaughtering field. For our doom-mongers, at least we weren't humiliated out of the Cup like the red-mickeys have been humiliated). Always A Hammer, eh...
does anyone no how i can get hold of mark harris the reading hammers supporters club please email me ?
According to Lucas Neil the season only starts now.No wonder he hasn't been playing to his best stander.He probably thought all the other matches we have palyed this season were FRIENDLY's!.Shows what JET LAG does to you!!
!West Ham Till I Die
COYIrishHammers!
I think it's a good attitude. And I think we're going to see the Neill of last year rallying our troops. He's admitted he's had some awful performances but why dwell on it? All of the performances past are completely irrelevant - a terrible fallacy to use in an argument. We have a chance to replicate that form of last season and I think if we head into our games with that confidence then why can't we emulate that? Bobby's coming back at the perfect time too. Can't wait to see the Z-Man knocking them in again, he was an unsung hero last season!
Did you see Neills interview on WHUTV? He said the players noticed that when we scored to go ahead against Brum there was not the sort of noise that you would have heard last year at UP. How true that is, when you think we started the game well and were playing good stuff when the goal came, why was the atmosphere so drab? I still think the fans could have got us two more points in the game, there was nothing to inspire the players in the second half and the performance reflected that. Anyway, like he says, we have 14 games left, 7 away and 7 at home, lets go for it.
yes but last year we were playing fast attacking football, with a lot of players making runs thats the sort of stuff that helps the fans to hype up and really start to rally. when we sit there in the freezing cold with our heads up every few minutes to see where the balls going, well how are we going to create that sort of noise. Theres nothing that gets me excited upfront with cole, deano and camara and to be honest theres been only two players this season i have been excited to see on the ball ljunberg and belles
Very true, Ljundberg is always trying to create something when he's got the ball, I think Solano is creative too (just, not with his head!) It doesn't look like we will be seeing much of Bellamy this season so we need Freddy and Nobby to be at their best.
Start Z-Man v Fullham. Zamora will have his work cut out for him, but it's worth giving him the chance. Fullham won't be easybeats at Craven Cottage, and with our recent record of helping teams escape the relegation zone, they will be looking forward to us as an opportunity. Hammers need to slam that door firmly on Fullham, and new blood in the forward position might just do the trick. A tough schedule awaits us in March, with three matches in 8 days against Chelsea, Liverpool and the Unmentionable Unmentionables. A win at Fullham is necessary to restore confidence. If Bobby Z is going to be a saviour, the time for action is now.
good point we definately have to change something before heading to fulham. i think give faubert the start and shuffle that midfield around, oh and i would be over the moon if we dropped Neil he has been absolutely awful, when spector has consistently played well and not moaned once he for me deserves that rightback spot.
About Sidwell : the first place I saw this reported was the Mirror. Every other report I've read about it so far seems to come from that source. So how reliable is that? Second, the report says the signing will be made in the summer; so even if the rumour is true, there's a lot that can happen between now and then. As we all know, a lot of promises get broken on both sides of an agreement. Third, I wouldn't be too impressed with signing Sidwell. Now Stephen Appiah, that's another story. I think the other fans are right that if we go for another midfielder, it should be someone with great power, great flair, great creativity -- the operative word being GREAT. The team is solid enough; what we could really use is one or two (preferably two) young superstar players of Christiano Ronaldo quality. One striker and one midfielder, please, Mr Big. Am I dreaming or what?!!!
I don't understand why a club would put a player in the shop window at this time of season. More to the point, why would West Ham, commit to buy someone a few months in advance? What if he got injured? We know as well as any club what an injury could do to a player. No, I find it all a bit hard to believe. Now if you said we had paid MSI 30mil for Tevez, at least that's something I'd LIKE to believe!
HELP !
Can any any one help me ? I promised my lad his first trip the best ground in the world this season. He chose the Blackburn game.
I am an Acadamy member but i didnt know i could only book 1 ticket. I have contacted the club but they wont help and after speaking to the ticket office the chances of getting 2 tickets together when they go on sale on the 26th are slim. He is 6 and i want to try every avenue possible before i break the news to him (also his mum is moaning at me for promising things i cant deliver ! blah blah) if i cant get him to the Blackburn game i will try another. Any Advice ?
C.O.Y.I .West Till i die !
Kev, one of my sons and brother can't make the Blackburn game their season tickets are available if you are still interested. Click on my log-in name and send me an e-mail
Now that is what this site is all about, fellow Hammers looking out for each other, beats all the Bitching, well done WHTID there is a pint waiting for you if you ever come up for one of the North East games.
Cheers Aycliffe, appreciate the sentiment but I'll have to pass on the pint, I'm on a twelve-step programme, thanks anyway
No problem whatsoever mate, 16 years ago this very day 14/02/92 was the last time, by the Grace of God and with the help of the 12 step programme ODAAT
You will be fine getting more than 1 ticket, I am only a club card member but I always manage to get 3 tickets for away games when they go on General sale. Obviously it is a home game and they tend to sell quickly but being an Academy member you should be fine as long as you are quick...good luck! Failing that of course I would recommend taking him to away trip, the atmosphere is always good and we always take a good contingent, my Boys love it.
Thanks Aycliffe Hammer But the club have said that if my son is not a academy member he cant get a ticket on my membership !!! he has been away twice but is now desperate to go to upton park. if anyone has spare tickets i would buy them straight away. thanks
C.O.Y.I
What is the point of signing another midfielder, an average one at that. If he was Ronaldinho or Gerrard then I would understand because we would be improving the team but Sidwell, no-way! waste of more money and he'd probably get injured as soon as we bought him. I've lost count of the injurys we've had and it must have something to do with that dump of a training ground in Chadwell Heath. West Ham have the same fan base as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, so the new stadium and training ground are a priority. Time to move the club forward not "sideways".
If we sign Sidwell, another midfielder, then Curbs has to go.
harsh, i just think we need a techniqual director and very badly, but we dont seem to be publicaly proggresing on the matter if you get my meaning
If we get a director of football, Curbishley will go anyway (well I would anyway) because appointing a DoF is a vote of no confidence in the manager in my view, that's why Robson's left the Blades, boot's on the other foot but it amounts to the same thing
not at all. I just want to point out why we need a techniqual director. Some teams this season have got away with not having a goalscorer upfront one in particular man city. But there midfield going forward is so well ordered and structured that they make hand fulls of oppertunities in the final third. Now our midfield falls to pieces in the final 3rd and our strike force to date has been shiit. This is why we needed a new striker. A techniqual director should be braught in to sort out our attacking tactics and bring in the more talanted, higher profile players, because curbs cant and wont do it end of.
At the moment the only players that will join that will make us any better i am afraid to say will only be moving to us as a stepping stone club.
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