A GENERAL THREAD FOR HAMMERS FANS

This topic contains 419 replies, has 29 voices, and was last updated by  hurstthegreat 7 years, 1 month ago.

Viewing 20 posts - 361 through 380 (of 420 total)
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  • #1237701

    HarryHammer
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    Mal, Thanks for that. I think there is also going to be some movement close to my seats. I will take the seat numbers from you on Sunday. Hopefully they get can moved. We are not having much luck with injuries and rather than play Byram at left back I would prefer to use Ogbonna and bring in Reid if fit or Oxford in a centre back role. Ogbonna played left back for Juventus so for me is the logical choice. The big debate is going to be whether the out of form duo of Noble and Kouyate play. I think Obiang deserves a run of games, Nortveit is improving and Fernandes despite a few wayward passes looked good against Accrington. I think this summer’s transfer business might turn out to be our worst yet. None of the signing excited me and the squad looked much stronger last season. I would even take Emmineke ahead of Zaza and Calleri. Moses is no world beater but for me is better than Ferghouli and Tore. The irony with our bus load of strikers is that Sakho with his brain engaged is still better than any of them. He surely must regret now the way he has conducted himself. I do like Fletcher though. If he toughens up he might become a special player for us. I can’t say I am confident about getting anything on Sunday but surely we have to improve. I just can’t get excited about going to the Running Track. I agree with Bonzo. It’s not a football stadium. Had to laugh at Cass Pennant comment that it’s all tatoo’s and popcorn. About sums it up. When you go there you almost feel unwelcome. The whole Stratford/Westfield experience leaves me cold. They start really knocking down the Boleyn next week. I still can’t believe it’s happening. It should have been made a listed building! I am getting like Victor Meldrew.

    #1241736

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
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    Was anyone expecting the season to be this bad? Harry, Mal, we’re going to be ok and get out of this right?

    #1241754

    metaxa
    Participant
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    Bad result fella’s. The players didn’t do the fans or the manager justice today. Is it the new stadium, the coaching or quality of the squad? I know it hurts but I come in peace for some honest discussion!

    #1241907
    foxyfoxes
    foxyfoxes
    Participant
    • :

    I said this last season, but I compared Payet as similar to Mahrez. Mahrez for us is someone who will do absolutely sweet FA for 88 mins of a match and then go and produce something absolutely spectacular for 2 mins and win us a game. I think Payet was like that for you guys last year. Every time I watched you guys played he was mostly anonymous. I also don’t think much of either player’s work rates. I wouldn’t have lost too much sleep had we cashed in last season on Mahrez and I don’t think it would have been too bad for you guys too with Payet. Instead we lost the equivalent of three onfield players in Kante, which I was devastated about. I think your team needs a few more grafters to solidify things

    #1242063

    HarryHammer
    Participant
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    There must be a problem in the dressing room. I don’t think you can underestimate the effect of selling Tompkins. He was the ‘John Moncur’ of the dressing room. Made people laugh but gave everything on the pitch. Putting his head in when it really mattered. How many times did you see him with a bandage around his head or having stitches in a wound on the touch-line. How we could with some of that now. I have said it before but we don’t look fit or strong enough. Our preseason was poor and if you go into competitive football without the fitness you inevitably get injuries. Losing Cresswell and his energy has been a disaster. Not prioritising the signing of a right back has to be down to Bilko and his fixation on Antonio playing there. Our signings constitute a bus load of freebies, loans and panic buys. We were stronger last season. Had we kept Tompkins, just signed a quality right back and bought a striker we would have been better off. When you look at the rubbish we have signed this summer they make Song, Moses and Emmineke look world beaters. How we could do with them now. I believe there is a problem in the dressing room. There are rumblings that last season’s achievers don’t rate the new boys. Feghouli keeps mouthing off but does nothing on the pitch. The useless Zaza thinks he is the new Dicanio. Calleri the new Tevez? I don’t think so. And Oxford can’t even get a game. Burke gets shipped out to Wigan to join a relegation battle. You can see it on the pitch. They are not playing for each other or as a team. It’s the same with the fans in the stadium. The hardcore have been diluted with new boys who with respect behave like they are in a cinema. I just can’t get into it. If this is the future God help us. I won’t be going next season. It will be away games only for me. Sadly I think Bilko knows exactly what the problem is but seems unable to sort it. If we don’t stop the rot over the next three games I think we have had it. Sullivan is responsible for our recruitment and Brady for the mess inside the stadium. This is not even typical West Ham because it’s not West Ham any more. I don’t know what it is now.

    #1242084

    MarkyMark40
    Participant
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    My tax contributions that went towards the new stadium is starting to look like money well spent now!

    #1242534

    Big Mal
    Participant
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    Since when did a Spud make any tax contributions? I must admit Harry I am not enjoying it either. It was boy’s 16th birthday yesterday and we booked a table for lunch at Jamie Oliver’s in the Westfield before the game. As we were in line for a table a woman behind us said to my son you are not meant to be in here. Even the waitress was hardly welcoming. We did not make a big scene because it’s not worth even reacting but it is just another example of where it’s all going wrong. We don’t belong there. We are not wanted and the stadium is not fit for purpose. I really fear now for the future of WHU. it just seems that everything is going wrong. On the field we look relegation certainties at present. We need Cresswell and Carroll back urgently to stand any chance. Noble knows what the problem is but won’t say. Slav knows too. Sullivan has been sold some pups and he needs to hold his hand up. You need to spend 50m to stand still in this league. The big clubs bring on a 30m substitute we bring on a special offer from Aldi. We are not even close now to being a top 10 club. The January window won’t solve anything because no-one decent will want to come. It will be more journeyman loans. G & S don’t have the money to even maintain this club never mind take it forward. They should cash in their chips and enjoy their profit now because they are going to be remembered not for saving WHU from the Icelandics but for selling our home and destroying our club. The franchise, brand, call it what you like will live on but the heart and soul of WHU has been sold off for their financial gain. We might as well get it over with and sell to a Chinese consortium now because ultimately that’s where its heading. Personally I can live with Championship football. It’s more honest and the away games are great days out. Who needs the Premiership? And who needs the London Stadium? Anyone for AFC West Ham? There will be calls for it soon.

    #1242798

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
    • :

    Youre right Mal, its all going wrong at once. I think deep down those of us that had been going to the Boleyn for many years realized that this OS stadium was never going to cut it but we began to believe a little in the propaganda being spouted. Despite what we were told, it is not a football stadium, it doesn’t look like one and it doesn’t sound like one. Its a neutral ground with a few shiny bells and whistles, but with no character, history or soul. Its the main reason most of the other Olympic stadiums around the world are sitting empty and derelict….because they fit no other purpose than what they were specifically built for. I admit I was taken in, they persuaded me that it was in the best interests of the club and I went along with it despite my history at the Boleyn being from the mid 60’s until I moved to the USA in 1993. 2-3 games a year from then on and the old ground still held its magic even though I couldn’t attend like I used to when as a kid I stood on the on North Bank. We should have dome what Liverpool did, its still Anfield and the Boleyn could still have been the Boleyn. Even if we couldn’t have developed the old stand is the revenue difference between 35,000 and 55,000 worth the pain, especially when tickets are being sold cheaply and I keep reading that not even West Ham fans are buying them. Most of the revenue is now from TV and merchandise, not bums on seats, and especially if they are not West Ham bums on seats. John Champion who was commentating on Sundays game did a pre game bit on TV over here where he said other fans are buying tickets because they are cheaper at West Ham than their own clubs, its the only way they can watch Premiership football and they are even turning up in their own clubs shirts? If thats right what an absolute disgrace. This club was built as a family club and a close knit local core of supporters, it doesn’t seem that way anymore.

    #1242927

    Big Mal
    Participant
    • :

    Hurstie, Inevitably big stadiums and ticket availability attract neutrals. If you go to Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Emirates you will see crowds of tourists in attendance. I don’t have a problem with that. If I was in the States I would up for going to a NFL game, basketball, NHL etc for the match day experience. The Premiership is a big pull and visitors/ neutrals enjoy it. Whatever the motivation was to move from the Boleyn it was a huge mistake. It’s ripped the heart and soul out of the club. It’s not our West Ham anymore and as Harry said it’s just not West Ham. I am sure a lot the fans who bought into the propaganda really believed the new stadium would propel us into the Champions League. Even a 500m transfer budget cannot guarantee you that. I don’t think we over achieved last season. We probably blew the best chance we will ever have with defeats against Swansea and Stoke. Unfortunately we are stuck with this excuse of a football stadium for 100 years. Daniel Levy was right. It should have been demolished. Throwing hundreds of millions into a compromise was madness. Seb Coe has a lot to answer for. We are a fish out if water now. Most WHU fans are uncomfortable with the stadium now they have experienced it. Maybe if we were winning games it would be different but somehow I doubt it. I have lived In Forest Gate all my life. Harry lives off the Barking Road 5 minutes walk away. Maybe we are too old to change. If my Old Dad was still around he would have been devestated by what’s happened to his football club. Just changing the club badge would have set him off. It’s too many changes and not for the better. Sullivan, Gold and Brady have sold our history.

    #1292022

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
    • :

    Well if we thought that was bad, heaven help us when the Mancs and a Spurs come to us, or we get drawn against Millwall in the FA cup God forbid.
    Too bad a brilliant result and performance got overshadowed by all that nonsense.

    #1297011

    HarryHammer
    Participant
    • :

    Hurstie, I reckon everyone else has turned their toes up. Just you and me left! I made the pilgrimage to Goodison Park more in hope than expectation. At least I have got Lukaku and Barclay in my dream team. You can’t win football matches if you can’t score goals. Our strikers are like a box of Swan Vestas with the red tips cut off. Antonio ran around like the some-one in a Icredible Hulk fancy dress costume. Unfortunatley Everton had the real Incredible Hulk. The goals we conceded were shockers least said about them the better. I knew we had it as soon as Bilko took Obiang off. Lanzini should not have been taken off either. I am getting a bit worried about Bilko. He’s becoming a bit ‘One Trick’ when we are are chasing a game. It does not matter how many strikers you send on if they are not good enough. We are not creating enough either for me. Can we have the Payet back that we sent to the Euros? I knew in the summer that we were going to struggle. We have signed a bus load of players that would not get into a Championship side. The Spivs tried to do it on the cheap and we are paying the price. We have seven or eight decent players. The rest are all sub standard. I don’t like three at the back even when it works! If we carry on with it we won’t win many more games in my opinion. I can’t believe that are hopes are still based upon Brown Ale and the Moody Sakho returning from injury. It’s going to be interesting to see if Ahew starts against Stoke. I think he has to but surely not as the main striker. I have heard good reports about the kid Martinez and maybe we will see him soon. We need a goal scorer. We need a right back and a more effective Mark Noble because on current form he should be starting games. I hope you are reading this Hurstie or I am talking to myself! It’s back to the Running Track on Saturday for the next instalment of how to destroy a football club. Brady is considering getting Don King to promote the fights at the London Stadium. There will soon be more demand for the fights than the football. Oh Happy Days.-

    #1298853

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
    • :

    I’m reading it H! Where is everyone, even Big Mal has given up the ghost? Disco posted one line a couple of months ago, assuming it was the same disco..and not a word since.
    Its a sad state of affairs, and when the local bobby says it can’t be policed because its an athletic stadium and not a football stadium you know its trouble.
    We were promised a 20 goal a season striker and we got dross. Neither Ayew, Fletcher, Callieri or ZaZa look capable of 5 goals a season let alone 20! AC would be a big help but how can you rely on him, the bugger can’t stay fit for more than a couple of games at a time. If we stay near the bottom or worse, Payet and Lanzini will be off in a heartbeat and then what? Antonio’s doing his best but the poor sod will soon have played every outfield position bar center half! Stoke are bang in form, we better be at the races right from the off this week or another loss will be coming our way.

    #1306014

    HarryHammer
    Participant
    • :

    Hurstie, what a dire match. The Stokies turned up without their best two players and should have been there for the taking but we offered nothing in the first half. I don’t like this three lumps at the back set up. It limits your attacking options and you need better centre midfield players than Noble and Obiang for it to be effective. We are not moving the ball quick enough and the movement when we are in possession is just not good enough at this level. A lot of fans are now getting on Payet and Lanzini’s back but they can’t be expected to do it every game. None of our fit strikers seem able to play the Lone Ranger role. Watching the little fat baldie yesterday had me questioning Bilko at half time. His selection smacked of desperation, a final throw of the dice from a manager who has run out of ideas. I have never been a fan of Adrian. I used to call him Cocoa the Clown and yesterday he deserved the name but in fairness he has made some terrific saves. I prefer a Steady Eddie goalkeeper. I think defenders do too. I am not really surprised that we are struggling. I was never impressed by our summer shopping. I don’t know who is to blame but we are much weaker than last season. The move to the Running Track could not have gone worse than it has and it almost feels to many of us that Brady has instigated a cleansing of the old school fans and we are not wanted any more. We have a run of tough away games ahead of us and Bilko will be praying that Brown Ale and Sakho are ready to feature if we are going to be competitive in these games. I need beer!

    #1307130

    Big Mal
    Participant
    • :

    Harry, Hughes made a comment about the pitch being slow after the game. Playing three at the back can be effective but as you rightly say your centre mids have to be better than ours. I think the system suits Obiang better than Noble and a partnership with Kouyate might be more effective. We are missing Kouyate driving runs. Noble can’t do that. With Noble missing the Spuds game through suspension we might have seen them together but with Reid injured it looks like Obiang will partner Edmilson or Nordveit unless Slav changes the system. i would like to see us start with two up front against the Spuds but on current form it’s difficult to pick a team that would inspire much confidence. Ahew is a better player than we saw on Saturday and I have feeling Slav will tinker with the midfield with either Payet or Lanzini missing out against the Spuds. The lack of movement and finding space is making it difficult for both Payet and Lanzini to contribute or get into goal scoring positions. Antonio is like ‘Roy of the Rovers’ playing almost every position at present and looked very frustrated at times against Stoke. I can’t wait for Carroll to return. He would have punished Stoke for sure. I can’t see Slav dropping Adrian. Overall he still just about edges Randolph. I was talking to some Stoke fans after the game and they were disappointed with the draw blaming Hughes for being too cautious and not going for the win.

    #1307646

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
    • :

    What a dire game of football from both sides. Adrian looked shaky every time the ball came near him and he’s position for their goal was comical! I’d be inclined to put Randolph in, he seems less likely to have a rush of blood. A difficult set of fixtures coming up now, lets hope we can pick up some points or the table will make miserable reading come Christmas. I can’t believe that so much, seems to have gone so wrong, so soon. What with AC being chased by robbers on bikes and the general mess with the stadium, you could’nt make this stuff up!

    #1409410

    Mark Boots
    Participant
    • :

    The very fact that I am the first person to post in 2 months speaks volumes about this page, our team, and our club right now. Don’t see much light at the end of this season.

    #1410019

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
    • :

    Mark, for a while it was just me, Mal and Harry, then me and Harry, then just me. When THEY give up the ghost you know something is seriously wrong. I flew over for the FA cup against City, my first time at the new stadium. What a waste of time and money. 800 UKP for the airfare plus car hire and a night in a hotel before I went up to King’s Lynn to see the old folks for a couple of days. I have seen some pathetic performances Over the past 50 years but that one is right up there. The stadium is soulless and at times you could hear a pin drop. The City fans were having a party but even their noise seemed muted. And as for my seat…..talk about needing a pair of binoculars! It’s not the West Ham I knew. I think everyone is too distraught about what is happening to bother posting

    #1412692

    HarryHammer
    Participant
    • :

    Happy New Year Everyone. Well it is for me now that the Monster in Law has gone home after Xmas. I am not looking forward to the phone bill after all those calls from me to the Samaritans. Even the dog moved in next door for some peace and quiet. Hurstie whatever you do whilst you are in town don’t go anyway near the Boleyn. It’s heartbreaking. I pass it almost every day and like a bomb has hit Green Street. It was a fantastic stadium and it’s gone forever. All this toffee from the Spivs about the debt. They could have paid it back in two years with the TV money if they wanted. Meanwhile they are raking it in with their pay day loan rates on their directors loans. Love the club? Love the money you mean. Now that we are not seen as fans anymore and just classified as Hillmans why should we care? I have given up on the Running Track. It’s away games only for me now and hopefully AFC West Ham one day. Keep smiling.

    #1413814

    hurstthegreat
    Participant
    • :

    I thought about going past it to have a look H, glad I didnt now.

    #1414081

    Big Mal
    Participant
    • :

    What all this then? I have been looking in on Teamtalk from time to time seen no posts and thought it was game over. You have started something now Mark! Harry, no-one can believe you have missed the last two matches. You might as well see the season out with your tickets. I have come to the conclusion that although the stadium has many issues most are fixable and whilst it will never compare with the Boleyn we just have to learn to like it. I think the fact that Slav is still in charge tells you where the blame lies for most of the summer signings. He obviously has to take some responsibility for not signing a right back due to his Antonio fixation. I believe this has been the main cause of our struggles. The three centre backs experiment cost us Kouyate from the midfield and Noble’s form has in my opinion been affected by Payet being a shadow of last season. Ogbonna seems slow and clumsy and Reidy is having to play like Superman to compensate but he can’t be everywhere. The players don’t look fit enough to me either and seem knackered on the hour mark. Factor in a shocking pre-season and injuries to first choice starters and the picture builds. I don’t think Ahew is a bad player but he is not the player we saw playing for the Swans and seems to have completely lost his pace and edge to his game. It’s good to see Carroll fit but we are not playing to his strengths so he might just as well revert to being an impact substitute. Without Sakho no-one is making the runs behind the defenders for Payet and Lanzini to exploit. Slav has to take some blame for this and set his team up better. I am a big fan of Snodgrass but offering just 3m for him is an insult to Hull. They want 9m and personally i would pay because if he goes to Palace we will regret it. As for Hogan it’s a gamble but I have no problem signing Championship players. Half our squad currently are not good enough to even play in the Championship. I know we are all unhappy with the season to date but it is fixable and a top 10 finish is still possible. The Premiership is all about money and what you invest in your squad determines roughly where you finish. So let’s stop beating ourselves up. G&S will eventually take the money and run. As Harry has often reminded me. It’s the a West Ham roller coaster ride and we love it really! See you in pub before the Palace and you can tell me all about Mother-in-law. No point sulking.

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