Upton Park, East London
West Ham Utd. 3 Stoke City 1
What is it with Kenwyne Jones? When I had him in my Fantasy League team, he does sod all, but when he plays against West Ham, he scores. The way the goal was given away is a little worrisome, again from a simple corner, thus there being—Jones—an unmarked man, or one that effortlessly leaves his marker. I was steadying myself for a cup exit, when after 84 minutes (and it has to be said, 50 minutes of West Ham pressure), Scott Parker, our Captain Marvel, headed in the equaliser. In the 30 minutes of extra time, we apparently dominated, and the win to the last eight of the competition was secured. I was a little worried (why is it, I even worry about victories?) that we again won in a cup game but fail to do so in the league, especially noting our manager Avram Grant's recent success in both these areas, but watching the goals on some very grainy footage, I must say that very few teams would not have allowed those goals to not have been scored, and excellent skill led up to both. Certainly, Mark Noble's run, dink, penalty-box jiggery and cut-back pass would have won any game, so there is hope, and Obinna scored a well-placed goal with two minutes remaining, so let's hope that gives him some confidence, too. There's always hope.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
English Premiership, Saturday, October 23, 2010
Upton Park, East London
West Ham Utd. 1 Newcastle Utd. 2
It has been a long time since I saw the Hammers playing so abjectly, and you might be excused for thinking that I might have a lot of previous games to choose from. We started well. I saw the initial team sheet and was immediately in buoyant mood, seeing strikers Carlton Cole and Frédéric Piquionne up front, supported by striker Victor Obinna right behind, and it seemed a masterstroke when after 11 minutes the latter slid the ball across the face of goal for the latter to guide it home at full stretch. It was a well-taken goal, and Cole's first for the club since the invention of the Rubik's cube, seemingly. Then, things went—to use the footballing cliché—pear-shaped. To say we turned off, would be akin to saying that the hen party had high hopes but the stripper turned out to be Iain Dowie. Not a nice thought. Not a nice last 80 minutes. Newcastle controlled nearly everything in midfield, despite Valon Behrami's best efforts, and Piquionne limped off with a bruised shin that kept him out of the next game. Obinna is a great footballer, but he seems unable to hit a barn door at two paces. West Ham remain at the bottom of the division.
West Ham Utd. 1 Newcastle Utd. 2
It has been a long time since I saw the Hammers playing so abjectly, and you might be excused for thinking that I might have a lot of previous games to choose from. We started well. I saw the initial team sheet and was immediately in buoyant mood, seeing strikers Carlton Cole and Frédéric Piquionne up front, supported by striker Victor Obinna right behind, and it seemed a masterstroke when after 11 minutes the latter slid the ball across the face of goal for the latter to guide it home at full stretch. It was a well-taken goal, and Cole's first for the club since the invention of the Rubik's cube, seemingly. Then, things went—to use the footballing cliché—pear-shaped. To say we turned off, would be akin to saying that the hen party had high hopes but the stripper turned out to be Iain Dowie. Not a nice thought. Not a nice last 80 minutes. Newcastle controlled nearly everything in midfield, despite Valon Behrami's best efforts, and Piquionne limped off with a bruised shin that kept him out of the next game. Obinna is a great footballer, but he seems unable to hit a barn door at two paces. West Ham remain at the bottom of the division.
Monday, October 18, 2010
English Premiership, Saturday, October 16, 2010
Molineaux, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 West Ham Utd. 1
Five games now without a loss, but again…well, you can see, and we sit rooted at the bottom of the division. That said, two wins could take us half way up the table, and only Chelsea looks as though it is coasting things this season. Again, West Ham went 1-0 down, and some people might blame Rob Green for punching the ball out; he might have had no choice, but the ball landed right on the foot of a Wolves play, who still had to do well to control it into the net. Our equaliser (I am getting bored writing that and also changing the “z” to a “s,” after the automatic spelling-“corrector” on my computer changes it back) was from the penalty spot, Mark Noble blasting the ball home—it was a penalty, I think, although other referees might have waved play on. We came close to winning on two occasions, a warrior of a shot from Frédéric Piquionne that shook the cross bar after another Luis Boa Morte threaded pass and a one-two between Israeli player Tal Ben Haim (I never thought I’d write the words “”Ben Haim played excellently” but he did, happily surprising me) and Piquionne that ended in a perfectly good goal that the referee, who had no clear view, stated had hit the striker’s arm. It did not. In other words, we were robbed. The last time West Ham won away from its ground was 14 months ago, at Wolves, something that clearly has to change. - Terance B.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 West Ham Utd. 1
Five games now without a loss, but again…well, you can see, and we sit rooted at the bottom of the division. That said, two wins could take us half way up the table, and only Chelsea looks as though it is coasting things this season. Again, West Ham went 1-0 down, and some people might blame Rob Green for punching the ball out; he might have had no choice, but the ball landed right on the foot of a Wolves play, who still had to do well to control it into the net. Our equaliser (I am getting bored writing that and also changing the “z” to a “s,” after the automatic spelling-“corrector” on my computer changes it back) was from the penalty spot, Mark Noble blasting the ball home—it was a penalty, I think, although other referees might have waved play on. We came close to winning on two occasions, a warrior of a shot from Frédéric Piquionne that shook the cross bar after another Luis Boa Morte threaded pass and a one-two between Israeli player Tal Ben Haim (I never thought I’d write the words “”Ben Haim played excellently” but he did, happily surprising me) and Piquionne that ended in a perfectly good goal that the referee, who had no clear view, stated had hit the striker’s arm. It did not. In other words, we were robbed. The last time West Ham won away from its ground was 14 months ago, at Wolves, something that clearly has to change. - Terance B.
English Premiership, Saturday, October 2, 2010
Upton Park, East London
West Ham Utd. 1 Fulham 1
West Ham continues on their unbeaten run, but one point is merely one point, evidently not three. This game was a commentators’ dream, for it matched American striker Clint Dempsey against English goalkeeper Rob Green for the first time since Green’s colossal mistake in the World Cup, which gave Dempsey a “goal” and the USA an equaliser. Dempsey scored in this game, too, but it was superb, where his former goal was incredibly fortunate. West Ham played the second half as it did not the first and equalised after a few minutes of the restart with a superb goal that came from a Luis Boa Morte threaded pass and a wonderful cross from Victor Obinna that curled away from the Fulham goalie’s outstretched hand and landed on the forehead of Frédéric Piquionne. Later on, Green saved superbly from Dempsey, which means we hope he has put his demons behind him. A point at home is two points dropped, but there are visible signs of improvement. - Terry B.
West Ham Utd. 1 Fulham 1
West Ham continues on their unbeaten run, but one point is merely one point, evidently not three. This game was a commentators’ dream, for it matched American striker Clint Dempsey against English goalkeeper Rob Green for the first time since Green’s colossal mistake in the World Cup, which gave Dempsey a “goal” and the USA an equaliser. Dempsey scored in this game, too, but it was superb, where his former goal was incredibly fortunate. West Ham played the second half as it did not the first and equalised after a few minutes of the restart with a superb goal that came from a Luis Boa Morte threaded pass and a wonderful cross from Victor Obinna that curled away from the Fulham goalie’s outstretched hand and landed on the forehead of Frédéric Piquionne. Later on, Green saved superbly from Dempsey, which means we hope he has put his demons behind him. A point at home is two points dropped, but there are visible signs of improvement. - Terry B.
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