International Break, March 22, 2011

Sorry for the lack of an email last week, but there was no West Ham game and I was cavorting around Martha’s Vineyard (Massachusetts, for those with no idea or interest). England beat Wales 0-2, which was no surprise, but what happened after we went up by two after 14 minutes. No one else wanted to score? James Tompkins played in the U21 squad that beat Iceland 2-1, and then ex-Hammer Stuart “Pyscho” Pearce went ballistic, shouting that he should be allowed to play the likes of Jack Wilshire and Andy Carroll, cognisant of the fact but perhaps not wanting to voice it, that these players’ managers are always non-English. So’s his boss, but there you go.
No Hammers had much to do in the international break, although another ex-Hammer 9and one many of you wished we kept), James Collins looked like he was playing Sunday-league football in the Wales-England game. He was all over the back legs of Ashley Young to give us the first goal, a penalty, which he could hardly complain of; and then he was hopelessly slow and dimwitted in his positioning to allow Darren Bent the second.

Tottenham Hotspur 0 West Ham Utd. 0 (English Premiership), Saturday, March 19, 2010.
This was an exceptional performance by the Hammers, and I thought it was going to mirror the 0-1 victory against Arsenal at the Emirates, almost four years to the day in which I write. For those of you who watched that game through interlocking fingers, Arsenal had 2,761 shots on target; West Ham had one, and we won. Spurs came out all-systems-go, and West Ham was kept often in defence very well. Our midfield was nonexistent, at least in midfield, but everyone did their bit at the back, and Rob Green and the four defenders were all immense. And we could have nicked it. Carlton Cole is lacking confidence and should have rounded Heurelho Gomes with only him to beat; and Demba Ba had a great shot well saved by the Portuguese shot-stopper.
Man of the Match—Wayne Bridge Experience does count wonders when playing the big teams (are we all okay with calling Spurs a big time?), and Bridge was superb throughout. Spurs posed a threat down the two wings, but that threat was met adequately by Lars Jacobsen and Bridge.