Upton Park, East London
West Ham Utd. 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0
Our first three points of the season, and a game that saw us move up one position from the bottom of the table. West Ham was magnificent, against a very strong Spurs team that, in its defence, has a few injury problems in its defence, if you excuse the pun. In a moment of lucidity, I suggested that perhaps West Ham fielded a second-string team against Sunderland, and that that might rather have down the manager’s homework for him and became the first-string team, as Victor Obinna and Frédéric Piquionne again started, the latter scoring the only goal with a well-placed header in the 29th minute. Mark Noble played as we knew he could bit have not seen for many months, and in our defence, I believe we have a new star in the guise of Portuguese player Manuel da Costa. A 1-0 lead, though, is always tenuous, so we Hammers fans went through the usual rollercoaster of emotions before the final whistle came to our great relief.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Carling Cup, Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Sunderland 1 West Ham Utd. 2
A win. Stop the press! Actually, again, West Ham took the lead, and it was refreshing to see that two new players, midfielder Nigerian Victor Obinna and striker Frédéric Piquionne, were the ones to score the goals. More importantly, it was the first time West Ham has won an away game in one day shy of 400 days, since August 14, 2009. The players now talk of renewed confidence, and it is notable how this quality disappears when a team is doing badly, however good individual players are in skill and professionalism. I was sunning myself in the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada, which I heartily recommend, as its beaches are not straight and boring, but in small, gorgeous coves and there also is a stunning interior of rainforest.
Sunderland 1 West Ham Utd. 2
A win. Stop the press! Actually, again, West Ham took the lead, and it was refreshing to see that two new players, midfielder Nigerian Victor Obinna and striker Frédéric Piquionne, were the ones to score the goals. More importantly, it was the first time West Ham has won an away game in one day shy of 400 days, since August 14, 2009. The players now talk of renewed confidence, and it is notable how this quality disappears when a team is doing badly, however good individual players are in skill and professionalism. I was sunning myself in the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada, which I heartily recommend, as its beaches are not straight and boring, but in small, gorgeous coves and there also is a stunning interior of rainforest.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
English Premiership, Saturday, September 18, 2010
Britannia Stadium, Stoke
Stoke City 1 West Ham Utd. 1
Hurrah. I was back in New York for this one, and we actually led for 10 minutes, that man again, Scott Parker bundling in our goal from all of two yards—but we did not care. Robert Green, who you might remember had that howler against the USA in the World Cup, produced a dazzling save to keep up in the game, although every time he touches the ball it is as if the commentator wants him to fail, just for something to say on air. Green always looks miserable, which might be half the problem, as then these same commentators can say he has the look of a defeated man and other clichés. But that said, there is now one point on the board, although not surprisingly, we sit rock bottom of the division.
Stoke City 1 West Ham Utd. 1
Hurrah. I was back in New York for this one, and we actually led for 10 minutes, that man again, Scott Parker bundling in our goal from all of two yards—but we did not care. Robert Green, who you might remember had that howler against the USA in the World Cup, produced a dazzling save to keep up in the game, although every time he touches the ball it is as if the commentator wants him to fail, just for something to say on air. Green always looks miserable, which might be half the problem, as then these same commentators can say he has the look of a defeated man and other clichés. But that said, there is now one point on the board, although not surprisingly, we sit rock bottom of the division.
Monday, September 13, 2010
English Premiership, Saturday, September 11, 2010
Upton Park, East London
West Ham Utd. 1 Chelsea 3
Okay, let’s just get this over with, shall me. Again, I heard we played some decent footy, but Chelsea and Chelsea, and what can one do. So, that—if you’re not paying attention—is four games, no wins, no draws (at least in the Premiership), four losses, no points, two goals for, 12 goals against, goal difference of minus 10. So distraught was I, and I am in London this week, that I went south to the beautiful White Cliffs of Beachey Head and new South Downs National Park. Beachey Head is our Golden Gate Bridge, that is, our number-one suicide spot, and a full team of police and chaplains stand ready to aid the distraught. I have no wish to make a joke of that in relation to West Ham’s chronic start, so I shall not. Our walk ended in the picture-perfect village of East dean, which has a triangular village green, the cottage where the fictional Sherlock Holmes fictitiously retired (although I always thought he fell off a Swiss waterfall while fighting his nemesis Dr. Moriarty, but I could be wrong) and a thatched-roof pub called the Tiger’s Head that sells a beer brewed a mile away called Legless Rambler.
West Ham Utd. 1 Chelsea 3
Okay, let’s just get this over with, shall me. Again, I heard we played some decent footy, but Chelsea and Chelsea, and what can one do. So, that—if you’re not paying attention—is four games, no wins, no draws (at least in the Premiership), four losses, no points, two goals for, 12 goals against, goal difference of minus 10. So distraught was I, and I am in London this week, that I went south to the beautiful White Cliffs of Beachey Head and new South Downs National Park. Beachey Head is our Golden Gate Bridge, that is, our number-one suicide spot, and a full team of police and chaplains stand ready to aid the distraught. I have no wish to make a joke of that in relation to West Ham’s chronic start, so I shall not. Our walk ended in the picture-perfect village of East dean, which has a triangular village green, the cottage where the fictional Sherlock Holmes fictitiously retired (although I always thought he fell off a Swiss waterfall while fighting his nemesis Dr. Moriarty, but I could be wrong) and a thatched-roof pub called the Tiger’s Head that sells a beer brewed a mile away called Legless Rambler.
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