Please, shut your mouth!

As we've said before it would be best for all parts if Sullivan kept his mouth shut for a while. Till the season is over os so. Can't understand why he has to babble in public.

The latest is that the new owner have told the whole world that we are facing Armagedeon if (we drop to CC) and if the players don't take a big cut in wages.

For God's sake: This the day before we are to meet his old club in a (another) really, really important battle. So this verbal attack to his own players is his answer to that??

Demoralising and stupid I would say.... Whining around in public is not the way to act as the Boss taking care of his employees in any case. And certainly not in a football club, with all their fans. As fans we always want to know, we want to have the facts in a more transparent way, but not this! It seems that any paper just have to call Mr Sullivan and out comes the blunders....

I do not even think he can negotiate on-going-contracts. But in any case how wouldn't you react as a senior player? And Zola? After month's of difficulties outside the pitch, I thought that the time now was for the players and manager where they could concentrate on things on the pitch. But no, thanks to Sullivan.

If talk at all: Why doesn't he talk about the possibilities, the great future, the good atmosphere, the young players coming through, how overwhelmed he has been being here, the shirt who we all fight for? Togetherness?

I think Mr Sullivan ought to invest more instead: In a new PR manager.

And a zip for his mouth....

Are the Davids losing the plot already?

Edit: Maybe Mr Sullivan now has understood that he has said to much as he in SSN today (Wed.) actually proclaimed:

"The books are horrendous. There's 100-odd million of debt. This might be the last interview I do this season. We've made the public aware of the situation. We're not going to go over and over it again. It's an enormous challenge. We think we're up for it. It's something that we have to put all our energy into."

Happy if so. And if we can get some points now!

Three points dropped

I´m starting to get fed up with writing about lost points but once again I´ve got to do it. This time we´re loosing away against a team that hasn´t one in 12 games before this one. If we can´t win this one, how can we expect to win any away game during the run in? And at a time when we´re not winning the home games either these are really testing times. We´re starting to eating in to the "winnable" games and are loosing more and more points towards the ones we´ll need to stay clear of relegation.

In January I made a prediction trying to look at "winnable" games during the second half of the season. According to my prediction we´d be safe with 43 points but since we´ve dropped six points until now my predictions see us on 37 points which probably are going to be a really close call in the relegation battle. Now we really need to get some bonus points here and there to climb up the table.

This is the prediction. And you tell me where we´re going to find the bonus points?

(Game: Prediction, Outcome, +/- from the game, +/- overall)

January:
Aston Villa - WHU: 0p, 1p, 1p, 1p
Portsmouth - WHU: 3p, 1p, -2p, -1p
WHU - Blackburn: 3p, 1p, -2p, -3p
Total January: 6p, 3p, -3p, -3p

February:
Burnley - WHU: 3p, 0p, -3p, -6p
WHU - Birmingham: 1p
WHU - Hull: 3p
Manchester United - WHU: 0p
Total February: 7p

March:
WHU - Bolton: 1p
Chelsea - WHU: 0p
Arsenal - WHU: 0p
WHU - Wolverhampton: 3p
WHU - Stoke: 3p
Total March: 7p

April:
Everton - WHU: 0p
WHU - Sunderland: 1p
Liverpool - WHU: 0p
WHU - Wigan: 3p
Total April: 4p

May:
Fulham - WHU: 1p
WHU - Manchester City: 0p
Total May: 1p

(Prediction, +/- according to prediction, pointing towards x amount of points)

Total 2009: 18p
Total 2010: 25p, -6p, 19p
Total 09/10: 43p, -6p, 37p

Bad coaching - hard times ahead!

I'm the hardest Zola fan in history. Like a retarded believer from a small Free church I still think Zola and Clarke will be a good solution for West Ham. But lately a small irritation has set in in my belief, and yesterday - against Burnley - I would say that even if Upson has a role to play here - it was Zola's fault that we did not stand up to fight the way we should be in an important game like this. Few but Cole fought the way they should do in a "war" like this. They were not prepared enough!

And even if we went 442 Cole was once more isolated up front, even if McCarthy was with him. There was an ocean between our two attackers and the midfield, who brimed with caution and fear. Yesterday's game showed that few of our players thought that offensive was the best defence. They waited for Burnley to play their game and they certainly did. I think it's the manager who has to take the blame when the team do not show that they are ready for the fight. When there was a gulf between the midfield and the strikers. When we had an unbalanced midfield (once more) and no width at all (until Stanislas came on).

We can not wait to play until we've conceded a couple of goals. We can not let the opponents decide how the game should develop.

In the end, if you see how the play shaped up, we were not worse than Burnley, and we should at least have had one point with us. But that is not enough, as we now have a huge fight to stay up. We should want to win this game, and it should be seen on the pitch from minute one. The result will, I guess, give us the hard task to win some points from the top four as well. As we need it. Funilly we seem better to do that than take them from lower opponents.

So nothing good yesterday? Well, yes there was. Cole was terrific and the newcomers Mido and Ilan impressed and looked like they will be important contributors to our team. McCarthy and the other two had great chances to score. one of them did while McCarthy went out with an injury. I guess he will be ready for the game on Wednesday though.

Green 6 - You can ask if Green was misplaced at the free-kick which gave Burnley a 2-0-lead but it was a perfect kick. I do not consider it Green's fault and beyond that Q there was no mistakes.

Faubert 5,5 - As opposed to other's he started fighting well and during the game he gave us some relly nice crosses but blinders as well. Fought hard defensivly, lost some won some. Needs to ber more consistent.

Tomkins 6,5 - Another solid game. One dangerous mistake, but covered well and took responsibility look like the senior in the middle of defense nowaydays.

Upson 4,5 - Seemed extremely naive (and foolish) when he lost the ball to Nugent to score. From there there was a high mountain to climb, not only our captain himself but for the whole team. Must do better.

Spector 5,5 - The first half was dreadful and he and Collison gave Burnley a motorway to work on at their flank. In the second half he did much better, helped out and raced a bit forward (Guess he was told to). I still see the American as a good player to have on the bench, hardly anywhere in the starting lineup. Ilunga time on Wednesday?

Noble 5 - Fights for the team and tries to be involved. Tries to find solutions, but: Slow! (have we written it before?). Some bad shots.

Behrami 4,5 - Invisible.

Scott Parker 6 - A unusual uninspiring first half. Stood up much better in the second and was more of his usual self. Which did not help this time.

Collison 5 - Really weak defensively, some good efforts going forward. But he does not give us the width that Stanislas do when he came on. Sorry to say: I would sacrifice him in the silent shape he is right now.

Cole 7 - Our best performer of the day. Still never close to a goal. Too isolated once more so there were few opportunities for him, but - as he had to step down and collect the ball - he did what he could and wanted further down in the field.

McCarthy 6 - They can't do it all from the start. But could - like Cole - hardly impress when he so seldom got the ball. I guess he couldn't believe that his great effort was blocked on the line by Cort. Taken off at halftime, with a slight (?) injury.

Subs:

Mido 7 - This guy did what we hoped for in advance: wanted to show what he can do. And even to selfish (not so strange during the circumstanses) sometimes in his fist game he really made an impression. Was very close to give us a point with a post-shot. When he finds out how this team work he can do a lot more.

Stanislas 6,5 - A moment of fresh air when he came on. The width is there, the speed is there. Should have been given much more time.

Ilan 6,5 - Came on late and scored on his debut. Great. I liked his moves into the box where he was all the time... and with better passes he could have scored even more. Impressed during these few minutes. I would like to see him start soon.

While we were lucky last round, as the other bottom teams lost, there was not the fortune this time. Hull beat Man City for instance. We got to show a strong carachter during the fortcoming games. Birmingham next!

Sullivan - defender of sanity?

Sullivan has been very active ever since the takeover and have, as I see it, so far done a tremendous job presenting the fans with a palatable mix of good and bad news, playing on the fans feelings for the Club in a way that was not possible for the Icelanders or Duckers.
As has been commented on everywhere, Gold&Sullivan has not missed an opportunity to say how bad the Club has was run and how irresponsible money was spent. This does not end with the usual Eggy extravaganza charges, that everyone has been pointing finger at for at least a year and a half. We also get to hear about the huge “wine and dine” account of a board member as well as the rather peculiar example of club telephones. The target group he is aiming at with these statements is clear, he presents all these figures in a “down to earth, common sense, kit shirt” kind of a way, choosing examples we can relate to, giving the fans exactly what we need to get upset with big spending.
Sullivan knows that a crusade on greed and overspending is likely to find support among football fans, many of whom already suffer the consequences of the financial meltdown.
When listening to the BBC interview HERE there are not many things that one can object to, on the contrary, most of it makes perfect sense.

So it’s not really what Sullivan says that I have a problem with. What I do object to is why he says it and the timing of it - his agenda.

After creating this “everything was outrageous” context he gets to talk about getting rid of players we have previously been regarding as instrumental to success, without being immediately branded as a traitor.
So Sullivan finds the support for cuts by presenting them to the fans as threats to our survival, and in a way that’s perfectly fine. During Duckers the fans were lost in the dark and jumped at every little detail made public. What I thoroughly dislike, however, is when he starts a discussion on individual player contracts in public. I’m sure that he would find it quite OK with contracts and transfer figures being “undisclosed” when it serves his purposes so it’s not a new open policy we are witnessing. He feels he needs support for the thought of selling key players in the summer, and also wants to be able to use this acceptance in player contract talks. So he brands some of our most important players as greedy (hardly a way to build team spirit btw) but what gets really revolting is when he goes after players unfortunate to be hurt while playing or training. Signing Dyer was always going to be a gamble and offering him a contract not based on appearances was obviously stupid. But that is not Dyers doing and trying to turn us fans against individual players to put pressure on them in economic matters is just not OK.

Now I feel the need to point out that I am not against G&S as owners, I am certainly not against lowering the wage bill, as most readers of my previous posts can testify. On the contrary, I am really upset about how some teams are being run with the aid of “financial doping” as the “All Party Parliamentary Football Group” called it already a couple of years ago.

All I am saying is that we as fans of West Ham united are an instrument and we are played by a virtuoso.

We need to listen carefully, not only for each note but for what song it turns out to be so we can be upset when we find a good reason to, and not only when Sullivan wants us to be.

Two points dropped at home

In an attempt to look at our survival hopes I tried to make some "until end of season prediction" early in January. To read that post click here. I tried to make the prediction as realistic as possible which means that I have us down to wins at home vs teams on the second half of the table and losses vs teams on the first half of the table away. We´ve dropped some points that should´ve been in the bag but if we manage to follow the prediction I think it´ll be enough for staying clear of the relegation zone.

Things have changed since I made the predictions in January but I won´t change anything. At least our chances to make it now should be slightly better. Unfortunately we lost some points the last two games and I believe it was down to failing to have our strikers fit (and no new strikers) and raring to go. Don´t get me wrong, Nouble did as well as anyone could expect from a 18 year old youngster but we shouldn´t have been in a situation where we have to depend on him during these circumstances. I do think he´s a great prospect and I´m sure his time will come. Sooner rather than later!

We lost another two points during the weekend. Blackburn at home is a game where we should expect to get all of them. The last few years this has been a team we usually beat and knowing their "not to good" away form this was a three pointer. I wasn´t able to watch the game but according to what I´ve read about it we weren´t particularly close to the three points. A weak game from our boys. That won´t do during the coming months.

Thouhg one should have in mind that Blackburn these days are managed by one of our real bogey managers. If I´m not mistaken he´s played us 15 times since becoming manager and only lost three times. One of those were a FA-cup replay which ended up in extra time during our run in to the final vs Liverpool. The goal difference in these games adds up to 10 - 19. His teams really plays a way that doesn´t suit West Ham even though it´s become a bit better since joined Blackburn were he hasn´t managed a win yet. Three straight draws is what he´s managed.

Now, could we afford this drop of points? Well, we´ll still manage but the line we´re walking is getting thinner and thinner. We couldn´t afford to drop many more now...

(Game: Prediction, Outcome, +/- from the game, +/- overall)

January:
WHU - Wolves: 3p (postponed)
Aston Villa - WHU: 0p, 1p, 1p, 1p
Portsmouth - WHU: 3p, 1p, -2p, -1p
WHU - Blackburn: 3p, 1p, -2p, -3p
Total January: 9p (6p), 3p, -3p, -3p (one game postponed)

February:
Burnley - WHU: 3p
WHU - Birmingham: 1p
WHU - Hull: 3p
Manchester United - WHU: 0p
Total February: 7p

March:
WHU - Bolton: 1p
Chelsea - WHU: 0p
Arsenal - WHU: 0p
WHU - Stoke: 3p
Total March: 4p

April:
Everton - WHU: 0p
WHU - Sunderland: 1p
Liverpool - WHU: 0p
WHU - Wigan: 3p
Total April: 4p

May:
Fulham - WHU: 1p
WHU - Manchester City: 0p
Total May: 1p

(Prediction, +/- according to prediction, pointing towards x amount of points)

Total 2009: 18p
Total 2010: 25p, -3p, 22p
Total 09/10: 43p, -3p, 40p

Video proof that Ilan can score

I know next to nothing about our new Brazilian so I did some "youtubing" and sticked my favourits on here if you don't care to go looking yourself.

Many goals but disgraceful soundtrack:


Cream of the crop:


A more realistic view when in claret and blue.
At the right place in the box:

Brilliant transfer window!

This transfer window was all I hoped for (I know stuff can still be anounced, but I nurture a hope for yet another signing rather than fear an important loss..).

Can you believe - with all the talk about firesale and all - that no one seem to be leaving but Quashie!
Not Parker, not Green, not Cole, not Behrami but Quashie!
How about that, quality stays and surplus leaves! This is the first time in 3 windows we actually can say that the squad looks better after the window closes than when it opened.

I had a bit of a dejavue the other day when Zola said that Coles return was "like a massive new signing for us". It had my adrenaline pumping, thinking the McCarthy transfer fell through. Those are the kind of statements we have had "up to here" after the Icelandic banking crash, so I think I'm forgiven for that kneejerk reaction.

We wanted strikers for cover and for Cole to play with. Signing great strikers in January is next to impossible and if you succeed you have more than likely been paying through the nose. We get 2, or even 3 strikers of some quality in (read my doubts about Mido here) out of whom at least one have the potential to be a first team regular. Still the moaners go on about Benni getting too long a contract!
True, we would have been better of if we could have signed a competent right back but this is happy days as far as I am concerned and signals the beginning of the end of our times in the deepest part of the mire.

If we can just get these footballers to perform as a team…

Midon't like it at all!

Beggars can’t be choosers but there are certainly players that we are better off without even if they don’t represent an economic gamble.
If we are to forge a team together, which I see as the most important factor for avoiding the drop, filling the team with players past their best ”desperate to show their worth” is hardly the way.
To have Midoid players, regardless of wage demands, running around frustrated for a chance, is not the kind of thing that usually is good for a team.
What Mido has shown, beyond reasonable doubt, is that even though he has been handed several chances he has not been able to show his worth at the highest level for a long time.

If we are to recruit a player, not automatically being one for the starting XI, make sure he is capable of handling that situation. What we can't affort is a Zola having to spend his energy on solving ego-related squad-problems.

OK Prince H, I couldnt wait with my comment on the Mido rumour :)

But I do like the fact that McCarthy is finally officially ours

A 100 strikers?

Ilan and McCarthy (NOW CONFIRMED!) seems to be the two strikers that are bound for Upton Park, still there is a couple of hours left of this transfer window and still there are plenty of rumours regarding West Ham. Why shouldn't it be? According to reports we are after Keane, Mido (CONFIRMED) , McDonald, Maoulida and the Italian striker Cacia. Maybe even more.... How many strikers do we need alongside Cole???

Less talk's regarding the right back many asked for. Tottenham's Alan Hutton seems to be going to Sunderland and I guess noone will hurt Julien Faubert in his hard times (his mother passed away a few days ago, still he opted to play the game against Blackburn) so I guess we will tay what we have in that position. I can see Spence as a backup. (according to Daily mail we've made a late loanmove for Onuoha)

Then we have not of course mentioned the winger Bentley. But I guess there will be no business with Tottenham at all. And I do not mind.

But if we will not be the first to give you the news, we will sure give our comments as soon as we know what G&S:s money have brought us this time..... A few hours left.

0-0 against Blackburn. A sleepy wake-up-call?

Wasn't this the game that was supposed to be the "new start"?

It certainly did not look so at all and therefore I'm very disappointed. Like a wake-up-call, but contrary as we did not show up. More yawns than shots today....

So; Where was the fight and the heart? Well, we could see it in Carlton Cole's face when he came on, but that was far too late.

The first half was the most scrappy from a West Ham side since we lost to Tottenham as we played without teamspirit and team effort. The midfielders who should captain the ship couldn''t find each other and even less find our youngster Nouble, all too alone at the top.

We acted a bit cowardly at home at Upton Park. Where was the push??? And why did we lack it? The last fifteen minutes of the game was the first time we looked to score, but so did Blackburn. Even more.

Two scrappy sides but we were the scrappier. And maybe happier then, as Blackburn was better (but far from good) during the 90 minutes. At least they had a couple of good efforts from corners and free-kicks. But we did also keep the sheet cleen...

Green 6 - Did not look happy after the game although he had another Zero and a couple of good saves. I can understand him. But Blackburn were too poor for him to be able to show his best, even if the save from Olsson was great. We know, Samba was there, but Green hardly ruled his box the way we are hoping for.

Faubert 4,5 - Had hard times as RB today. Ran, but mostly of no use. Some stupid challenges gave Blackburn free kicks in dangerous positions. Took also a very stupid shot. He may be nervous to lose his place in the first team as the transfer window is open still. And after a performance like this he should do it. Hardly from any other in our team right now though...

Edit: On Sunday morning I read that Faubert came back to this game to play just hours after he went to France where his mother just passed away. I am very sorry to hear this and of course it may have affected him during the game as well. If it was an act of heroism I do not know, I think that absense in cases like this of course is forgiven. And I guess most of us feel that way. But if you want to play like Collison and now Faubert is certainly strong. Respect!

Tomkins 6 - A good game until Roberts with an easy flick showed that Tomkins still is a newcomer. One of those that has the big heart.

Upson 6,5 - Covered well. But: As a captain he needs to push the team more when he sees that nothing happens.

Spector 5,5 - Decent but thin.'

Diamanti 5 - We need his passing ability. But as long as his passes and shots from distance are not of the same quality as when the dead ball situations we can hardly use his energy. Do want much, but did not show enough today.

Behrami 6 - Well, this guy showed heart and ran like a rabbit on speed. But creativity lacks sometimes. As today.

Kovac 6 - I thought he played well today too as the ancor from midfield. Subbed.

Noble 5,5 - As good as he was against Pompey as bad he was today. No, not really, but he was disappointing with nearly all of his passes was bounded for an opponent. Lacked quality but showed heart.

Collison 5 - For long periods I forgot he was on the field. But I can understand that Zola kept him on as we have to keep somone to lead the way from midfield.

Nouble 5 - His most silent game so far, but you can not blame him as he was far too alone up there (despite good runs and growing confidence), and had no help when he took control of the ball and tried to control it like Cole. Was happy that Zola kept him on the field when he put on Carlton, as I wanted to see him together with Cole. But the partnership never showed as they played too far from each other in those 18 minutes thay had together. It will be better times for him.

Subs:

Carlton Cole 7 - Got 30 minutes today and as soon as he put his shoes on the field he made difference for the team. Not as a scorer, but he lifted us and our guests backs all of a sudden looked like Mickey Mouses when he gets afraid in the cartoons.

Scott Parker 5,5 - Good to see him back but apart from a lovely run and a ball into the box, that noone picked up, he was not able to make any difference in those 20'.

Freddie Sears 5 - Nice to see him on the field too. Guess Zola want to lift him by doin so, and he actually affected the game a bit playing closer to Cole and related on speed.

So just because we have a new regime, we will not start to play world class football by automatic. After G&S took over most fans started to think that we may end up somewhere in the middle of the table. But looking at this game, we will have to fight in the bottom still. I hope the guys show up against Burnley. Cause we can play so much better. As a team!

Best player today? It's hard to pick anyone. But this morning my 9 year old son Aron did four of his teams five goals. I guess it must be him.

At least (and last) the other teams around us failed to win as well.... and our bench today looked pretty impressive, did it not, with Ilunga, Parker and Cole all to pick.

On an Eidur hunt?

Just when we thought things had calmed down we found these guys searching for Eidur at the hotel.

Or are they just looking for the party with John Terry?

Or may I be wrong, can it be a still from the new film "Get him to the Greek" by Judd Apatow that once more sets off the marvelous actor within Russel Brand?

Photo: Glen Wilson/Universal.

A glimse of the dark side

It's always interesting to se what the selling side says about a player that is on his way.
I was looking for the Blackburn take on Bennis work ethics and found THIS post on the Blackburn area of Vital Football. I think the comments are at least as interesting and will probably show us what a West Ham forum discussion will look like in some time IF Benni gets the light of day at West Ham.

This isn't lazy journalism, it can't be, I'm no journalist!

Btw, take a look at the tottenham blogs and forums and see that they are as bewildered as we are over the Eidur soap.

Work permit issue - brilliant!

"It's close to him finally becoming a West Ham player. It's a work permit situation - that's the only hiccup and that should be resolved by Sunday."

Sunday, how about that for a fortunate timing!

Sam Allardyce has a unique insight in the workload of the UK Border Agency, especially the Benni application, I’m pleased to hear.

Where does he get it all?

Anything goes?

There are aspects of business and sports that I will always have a hard time stomaching. Basically it boils down to - anything you can get away with you get away with.

The Eidur hijack doesn't brake any laws or written rules but right now I feel it's worse than a few things that does.

Harry and Eidur may talk all week about how no deal was done and that no formal agreement is broken, or whatever, but we all know this is as lame as when Maradona talked about the "Hand of God" or Henri said he may have touched the ball but "wasn't aware of doing it".
Unfortunately neither Harry nor Eidur will lose any sleep over it.
Harry has made a career of screwing people, but I was hoping that there were values not counted in £ that still applied in Eidurs life - don't ask me why I was so naive.

I wish I could say something inspiring to lift the hopes of myself, and maybe some reader, but at the moment my limbic system has taken control over major parts of my brain much like the Talebans of Afganistan.
It hopes that Harry will wake up one day to find that his eyelids finally goes all in and refuses to open their regular 3/52 of an inch. The final "good luck" greeting on a theatre also spring to my medievally inspired areas, whereas the conspiratorily inclined part of my brain tries to find Eggy involved in some way, but surely no?
I wish we had a cup game with them coming up!

OK, so he was offered a longer contract at White Hart Lane, one that made more footballing sense to him, not forcing him to find a new (last?) club in the summer. And we did put him on hold while we chased a famous Hamburg striker, but how on earth can that matter today?
I'm hurt! (but at least I'm not a ManC supporter)

One time too much Eidur

I know that Icelanders are very angry at the Capitalits - two of the most important was BG and his son – who fooled the whole population in Iceland into it's mess and the way many went bankrupt. But has not Eidur Gudjohnsen (maybe angry at BG still?) fooled us one time too much as well? We've tried to buy him like twelve times now. Many times have been quite close. It's seemed.

This time (if reports are correct, who knows?) he has done a medical and came to Upton Park to do buisiness. Everyone thought this was sorted. Then Harry (who else) called in the dying minutes/late night, and all of a sudden Eidur seems to have changed his mind. Again.

I do not expect footballers of today to wear a badge with pride and back that special team of theirs. That was old times. They play were they see the best opportunities for themselves. At least many of them. Therefore it may not be so important, how this affair ends. It may be more of importance that Eidur - by just negotiating with Harry after his medical here - not seems to be a man of his words, not a man to trust and who is just there for the money. I am not so certain he would do our team any good. At all. He hardly seems to be the saviour with a big heart. (and he is no goalscorer! by the way) Can he prove me wrong??

Another thing is; he would probably be a bench warmer at The lane. But that's another story....

Do I look embittered? Nah, I just wait for a more bold move from g&s!