Olympic Stadium Reservation Centre Appointment (Includes transfers)

Image sourced from whufc.com

Firstly, welcome to the club Sam Byram! A young, English right-back who hasn't cost us the rumoured £12 million that Carl Jenkinson may cost if we wanted to sign him permanently. I was listening to TalkSport on Saturday morning and Jon Richardson, a Leeds fan I think, was saying that it would be an injustice if Byram joins a Premier League club and is then left on the bench. I for one would really like to see Byram join the bench on Saturday in the place of Jenkinson. Purely because of Jenkinson's form this season compared to last. I would also love for the lad to come into the team when required and really nail the position down just like Cresswell has. Aaron has been a fantastic addition, he also came from a Championship side & left plenty of supporters wondering whether he would be able to make the step up to the Premier League swiftly enough. Well for me, Cresswell is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Image sourced from ssportsng.com

David Sullivan has also said on Sky Sports News that there is a slight possibility of a striker joining within the next 7 days who is playing in a "very strange league". Now, the initial rumoured player was Gignac who has previously played for Marseille and is currently playing in Mexico. Initial findings are that since 2005, he has averaged around a goal every three games. This is better than what we've been used to in recent years with the likes of Carlton Cole & injury problems causing long lay-offs for Sakho, Carroll and Valencia.


New rumours today have surfaced that we are now looking at Emmanuel Emenike (above) for a loan deal. Emenike has currently score 4 goals in 7 games so far in the United Arab Emirates but it doesn't seem like he's enjoying his time there too much. Could he be a repeat of Manuel Lanzini? He's only 28 & could even prove to be a bargain if a deal is struck sensibly!

Image sourced from whufc.com

Now, a topic incredibly close to my heart.

When I first heard that the move to the Olympic Stadium was a possibility, it just felt like the move was going so fast & without any consultation with what the supporters wanted. There are some supporters who have backed this move from the start, but personally? I'm in that section of fans who signed the petition opposing the move and I even considered not renewing my season ticket for next season out of spite towards the owners (not that they would care any less than they already seem to). Don't get me wrong, the owners have done fantastic things for the club! Our debt seems to be going down, we're back in the Premier League securely, for now, and we've attracted a talented manager who in turn, is attracting fantastic players! But for me, the move to the Olympic Stadium has been a 100% money-making move by them. 

I was upset, hurt and disappointed. I have grown up and where football was involved, I was never supporting any team other than West Ham. My first season ticket was in the 2002/03 season and growning up, my father has held my hand whilst walking to the ground along Green Street, held me high above the crowd when we've scored and now we're all that much older and now I'm the one looking down on him, the passion and enjoyment of seeing the back of the net ripple or the excitement of walking towards the ground hasn't changed one bit. He's completely unable to hold me above everyone else now, so the celebration has turned into a mutual hug. One that, from me, is silently saying "thank you for showing me the magic that this club, this football stadium has to offer". So naturally I've dreamed of having a son of my own & showing him the same wonders. Watching his excitement as he walks through the turnstiles for the first time, seeing him cheer when his favourite player's name is called out on the teamsheet & holding him high above when we score! Of course I can still do all those things if I'm lucky enough to have a son. What I can't do, is walk him down Green Street and stop at one of the stalls which have been there for years to buy him his first scarf or badge, I can't (eventually) take him into The Boleyn, where I have so many great memories, I can't ever take him around the ground and tell him about those memories and why? Because by the time I have a child, it'll all now be flats. 

All those magical moments I've experienced at Upton Park and many more for those who have been going for many more than my 14 years. Who knows if we'll ever experience another night like the 2nd leg of the Play-Offs against Ipswich? I don't even remember seeing the goals going in. What I do remember, very fondly, is tumbling down the steps in the Dr Marten's lower (my seat is on an aisle) with the hundreds of jubilant grown men, TWICE! I also remember the celebrations after the game and the echoing of "IRONS" as we walked back up Green Street and headed towards the tube station. I still say, even today, almost 12 years on, that night was one of the best in my life so far. 

Image sourced from gettyimages.co.uk

Having these memories which allow you to look back with a smile and that little tingle down the back of your neck, that is something really special. So when the owners just pick up the club and move them from their home of over 100 years is heartbreaking.

I have been avoiding thinking about the move, but surely enough, all the season ticket holders are booking their meetings at the Reservation Centre in Stratford and ordering their tickets for next season. With this has come a lot of rumours, and I really do mean a lot! The rumours that I heard upset me almost as much as the move itself. Season ticket holders around my father and I had attended their appointment and subsequently ordered their new season tickets in our new 'home', after speaking to them, I had been informed that there were only 'decent' seats left in the Upper Tiers. As a season ticket holder in the 'Betway' Lower Tier I was utterly disappointed and immediately came to the conclusion that I would attend next season at the Olympic Stadium and that would be it, I will be able to see the last at Upton Park and the first at the Olympic Stadium and then that's me satisfied.

The reality of the situation is completely the opposite. The club have been relatively smart about the seating plans, even though thousands on the priority list still won't get the chance to see in the new era, but that's only due to too many people signing up. After being so worried about my appointment in Stratford & genuinely not caring about any part of the manager's speech about what the ground will be able to attract or what technology the stadium will have to show off, I also didn't even want to listen to the promo video that they put on offer to sell the stadium even more. I went in there just not caring about where I'm going to be sat because I've been told I'll end up being in the Upper Tier if I want a good seat. Well, I can't write about how they've organised the seating, if anything went back to the club I'm sure I'd be in trouble for it. But if anyone reading is yet to visit the Reservation Centre, please, if you're going to go there believing anything, please believe that the club have thought about us fans, they have tried to cater for everybody's needs and preferences & even though I was completely uninterested before my appointment, I'm not feeling too bad about my new seat. I'd even go as far as stating that I'm actually a little excited. There are still a few tears to be shed between now and the start of next season though, that's for sure!

Midfield Lessons. Newcastle Away.

Image sourced from The Daily Mail

There was one man who stole the show on Saturday afternoon, the good part? He's an English, holding midfield player. The bad? He was on Newcastle's side and not ours.

£12 million when they signed a player who hadn't exactly shone for Swansea when he'd played so far this season was laughable in my opinion, I thought that was such a smart piece of business, but if Shelvey can produce performances like he did on Saturday then Newcastle have seemingly found the man who will kick-start their survival this season. And who knows, the way this season has been so far they may even finish in the top 8 or 9 if they carry on!

We let ourselves down in the first half. It was just like the Bournemouth first half and how many others have started to believe that we may now be a second half side? Early in the season we had scored some important goals in the first half! Maybe that's just a little bit of frustration there, but I really didn't see that spark in the side at any point in the 90 minutes on Saturday! Is Payet still not match fit? He was dragged too deep into our own half far too often for my liking. Antonio looked like he had the drive, but nothing up in front of him, Valencia looked like he kept dodging challenges with the fear of catching another knock, Kouyate was absent for the majority of the game, Noble's passing was poorer than poor & Ogbonna looked nervous from the first minute.

Ogbonna's situation is a funny one, at times, he has looked like the strongest and most comfortable defender on the field & at others, he has seemed like he wouldn't look out of place down the local park on a Sunday morning! I hope his form returns for the visit of Manchester City this weekend as with Aguero and Silva both looking like they are returning to form, I will be worrying if the team play like they did at Newcastle again!

The game at St James' park though was purely a display of which set of players wanted the points more and unfortunately for us supporters, it wasn't the boys in claret and blue. Tactically, I did think that Billic could've selected the team a little better. Jelavic to me seems to be a confidence player, any time he has put a decent scoring run together, he has been playing like he believes he deserves to be on the pitch. Those performances earned him a move to Everton who, at the time, were big contenders for a top 4 or 5 spot in the Premier League. He scored his first goal for the club against Wolves, came on in place of Andy Carroll against Bournemouth and looked hungry to get stuck in! I thought he put in a great shift against Bournemouth. So then Billic, the man who brought him to the club, decides to leave the guy on the bench and play with what was effectively, a front three who didn't push forward enough. Jelavic showed exactly how hungry he was to get stuck in, he scored within 5 minutes of being on the field. I thought Kouyate was a tad unfortunate not to score in either half too, but there we go, some games are just not meant to be and this was one of them. I must also point out a grievance I have from this game. The way Moses fell in the penalty area when it was clear that there was no foul, why did he then continue to roll around on the floor as if he'd just broken his leg? Newcastle went on the counter attack and could've made it 3-1. They didn't, but that's not the point. If he'd stayed on his feet, or at least not been play acting, he could've helped track back and then if and when we win the ball back, he then is there as an outlet to help an attack! Maybe that's the amateur footballer in me thinking that way, anyway, on to the next one!

Image sourced from standard.co.uk

Manchester City at home, I would take a draw in this one. City have found their shooting boots against Crystal Palace & I really hope our performance at Newcastle isn't the start of another poor spell of games and another string of draws! But in this instance, if we're going to perform to a level which is below what we've been used to this season, I think we'll be lucky to snatch a draw!

I did think that we would beat Newcastle on Saturday so I'm not even going to offer my opinion in the build up to the City game this weekend! I'm just hoping that we all have a reason to be walking away from the ground with positive vibes.

Thanks to all reading, COYI!

Well hello 2016!

Welcome back to everyone who has visited my page in the recent months, also welcome to those who are new readers. I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas & a very Happy New Year to you all!

The Christmas period was as usual, an extremely manic time for us all. Fixtures-wise, I thought the team did extremely well & made every single one of us proud to say "I'm West Ham".

Since my last post we have played 4 Premier League games & 1 game in the 'Emirates' F.A Cup (why they just couldn't leave it alone I have no idea). Of those 5 games, we have won 4 and drawn 1, completed the league double over Liverpool & also turned the game on it's head and managing to win after going behind against Southampton and Bournemouth. I have a major issue in understanding how Aston Villa managed to snatch a point from us, though watching the game, they looked like the team who were going to win in 90 minutes! It was horrific viewing, sloppy mistakes & a depleted squad. It's clear that when we are missing both Lanzini and Payet, we look like a mid-table boring side. Yes, we still show glimpses of playing good football, but that was also seen under Allardyce! We would show little snippets of what the players were actually capable of, but when we need that little creative spark, that little bit of something extra, something out of the ordinary to create attacking chances? It's missing when these two aren't available.

Image sourced from PremierLeague.com

This point was clearly proven to be almost right in our game at home to Southampton. The first half was a dreadful performance. We lacked composure, confidence and any sort of knowledge of how to play football to a level that only 2 months ago had everyone sitting up to take notice of us as a team! I have to mention Shane Long too, what a player. He's never set the world alight, but he is a striker who will run for the cause, put himself about & give defenders a horrendous time during the 90 minutes! I have always rated him as a player & he was always a player I thought could do a job for us instead of the lumbering Carlton Cole. But, what has happened cannot be changed, we have suffered for long enough with the likes of Cole (who I truly believe really cares about the club, but really has never been a striker of Premier League quality) and we have come out the other side and as it stands, we may even be starting our permanent climb towards the top 6 or 7! I know that at the moment we are sitting in 5th spot, but there is a long, long way to go yet! Back to the game and the two substitutions which changed the game were made at half time. Zaraté, who has been very hit and miss recently since his performance against Chelsea, was taken off for Andy Carroll & Lanzini was thrown on in place of Song, who again is showing some very different performances to those that we are used to. These two substitutions changed the game and swung it in our favour, the creativity and flair provided by Lanzini & also now the ability to swing a ball into the box with Carroll waiting eagerly. Our first goal was a credit to Antonio's determination to drive into the box and if the situation was replayed a hundred times, the ball would never end up looping the goalkeeper in the way that it did, but that was the lucky break we really needed! After five consecutive draws, the team needed to push on & attack with purpose, and that they did! The game never looked like ending in a draw in all honesty & with a fantastic delivery into the box from Valencia, a poor attempt to control the ball from Carroll, an unfortunate miss from Antonio, the ball came back off the crossbar and the way Carroll managed to turn the ball home from where he was, well, that's what the big guy is best at! 2-1, turnaround complete, draw specialist label lost. Hopefully anyway!

Image sourced from The Telegraph

Only 5 days after that magnificent turnaround, Liverpool roll into town to play their final ever game at Upton Park. With Carroll scoring on his return, Antonio looking increasingly impressive and Lanzini returning to the squad, we were set for a great game & a fantastic chance to complete the double over a team we hadn't done so in over 50 years. And the double we did, we didn't even sneak in the result! We outclassed Liverpool. Dominated the game and never looked in any danger of losing, let alone conceding! Their forwards were dreadful! Now when was the last time any of us actually walked into the ground and fully expected to win the game? Well, a few times this season actually, but what a lovely feeling to have, right?

The Liverpool game was yet another outstanding performance from Antonio. Grabbing the first goal, yes the tackle at the other end of the pitch was a foul, but for him to run almost 100 yards up the field to follow the attack showed his character perfectly. The finish? Well, absolutely brilliant to leap above Clyne & the ball went in like a bullet! The cross to him from Valencia wasn't half bad either to be honest! The stage was also set for Mr Andy Carroll, the only one time I remember Carroll playing against a former team was the game when he played for Liverpool against Newcastle, he had a shocker and the only real thing that sticks in my mind was the pathetic attempt of a dive to try and win a penalty. But this game was completely different. Lanzini was running the show up until he has to leave the field with yet another injury that could be keeping him out for 2 months! This possibly may not affect us as much as it would've done if Payet hadn't returned so soon and the likes of Antonio and Valencia were not playing as well as they have been! But the former Liverpool man was the guy to make the headlines, he looked like he was really up for staying in a side which are playing well, grinding out a result when needed & creeping up the table without many people making a huge deal of it. What a header it was to score our second of the game! As soon as the ball left the, sometimes, iffy right boot of Mark Noble the words "great ball" actually left my mouth. Only to be greeted milliseconds later by the roar of the crowd! 2-0, game over, league double complete & a lifetime curse against Liverpool has been defeated! Oh, and the return of Dimitri Payet! What a tactical decision from Billic to send him down the touchline to warm up only around 10 minutes into the game. I think that was purely tactical in order to get the crowd going... And didn't it work a treat! I've got you sussed Mr Billic, but I like your style.

Image sourced from bbc.co.uk

The third home game in a row, The F.A. Cup. Wolves at home. Surely a goal fest with players on form, defence looking solid and the whole team gelled and playing as a unit once again. That was the complete opposite to how the afternoon played out & due to my poor timing when coming to buy my tickets for the game, my seat was 4 or 5 rows from the back of the Betway Stand Upper Tier. As I have mentioned previously, my season ticket is in 'chav corner' and I love it there, I have always preferred to be closer to the pitch & more importantly, the ground! But the lack of options remaining when buying my ticket meant that the seat was the first element to put a downer on the afternoon.

I would like to shout out all those who may be reading and actually sit in the upper tiers on a regular basis. I salute you for your continued support because for me, I wouldn't attend even half the games in the season if my ticket was up there! I really did dislike it up there. But, there we go, I managed to see the game and I am grateful for the fact that I have not missed a game this season when there are people who can't even make it to any games!

Anyway, the game? Wow, what a dull & slightly worrying affair! I was genuinely bored by half-time. The introduction of Payet and Carroll changed the game, as anyone could predict that it would! I think the lower league players are more used to 'getting stuck in' than those in the Premier League, which meant that Payet wasn't allowed the usual space that he is able to find himself in. But Carroll's physical attributes were perfect for the game, his assist through to Jelavic was probably more luck than judgement, especially the way he failed to control the ball in the first place! But, we managed to scrape a win & we went into the hat for the next round. Isn't it just typical that we will possibly face Liverpool? The team we have managed to beat twice in the season for the first time in over 50 years have another chance to get one over on us. Having taken 6 points from them & an aggregate scoreline of 5-0 in our favour, you just know that if we need to go back to Anfield, our dreams of a trip to Wembley this year will be as good as over. But that's just my thoughts on it, ever the pessimist! 

Now, our trip to the South Coast. On our current form we should've surely been favourites for a win? Well apparently not. All the bookies had Bournemouth as the favourites for the match with them also being on a relatively decent run, only one defeat in their last 8 Premier League games and that was to the leaders Arsenal! But personally, I did wonder if the bookies knew something that us, as fans, didn't. With the form of Carroll and Antonio, Valencia returning to fitness and the returns of Winston Reid and Dimitri Payet, I had no doubt that we would come away from Dean Court with all three points.

This optimism and belief was mirrored by the team in the first 11 or so minutes. But then yet another injury forced off our newly reformed Andy Carroll. When will this guy catch a break for us? Every time he seems to be returning and playing well & looking like he could even break into the England squad, he is lumbered with more bad luck and this time, another 6 weeks out according to reports! And just how the loss of one player can impact on a team the way it did was simply incredible. I can understand when it's a player like Payet or Lanzini who really do create so many chances and offer so much to the team, but this was Carroll! The guy gives an option and yes, he made a fantastic run with the ball which lead to his injury, but the creative players were all still on the pitch, all of our defenders were still fit and intact. Why was the game turned on it's head as much as it was when we lost Andy? Well, whatever happened to the lads out there, it cost us the first goal and should've been more! But we managed to keep it down to the 1 goal at half time & I really would like to be a fly on the wall in the West Ham dressing room at half time, they seem to come out like a different team every single time! Billic has a great tactical approach to the games, but is it him or Julian Dicks who is the motivator in situations like this? I'd love to see, but I feel we won't ever find out. Whatever was said seemed to work wonders. The second half showed the flair and creativity of the team and what we really are capable of. Antonio is fast becoming a favourite of mine purely down to his dedication to the cause! He still has things to learn in my opinion, but he is still only 25 and in his first season in the Premier League. I did like Valencia from the moment he joined too, he is another unfortunate player who has shown glimpses of what he is capable of but has then suffered injury after injury. Hopefully these injuries will become less common with the move to Rush Green! What an amazing free-kick to set up the turnaround! Payet is, quite simply, MAGIC! 

Image sourced from footballnewshound.com

I've been lucky enough to see Paolo Di Canio and Carlos Tevez play, but for me, Payet has the potential to overtake both of them! Don't get me wrong, I love those guys for what they did for our club, but as a striker, Paolo didn't really do the business on such a regular basis as maybe he should've done? And when Tevez arrived, I actually preferred the look of Mascherano from the way he started his (very short) West Ham career! But he still did the business and scored very important goals to help us stay in the Premier League. Payet has the talent, he seems to have the passion and relationship with the fans that both of these previous two had, and he's only been here since June! Tevez didn't even score his first goal until March! Imagine for a moment, West Ham win the F.A. Cup this year or even qualify for Europa League, maybe even finish 4th (as mad as that seems, but just look at how mad the season has been so far), Payet would've contributed so much more than both of these two previously. Again, this doesn't mean that I still don't idolise the others, I'd still love the opportunity to meet with them and have a chat about West Ham! 

Our second goal against Bournemouth was, again, magic from Dimitri! The manner in how we won the throw was very fortunate, but the way he managed to skip past two defenders and lay the ball on a plate for Valencia to score was amazing. And about time for Valencia to score too, first goal since Febuary 2015 I believe and the second was a bit of a peach too! The 'keeper didn't have a clue where the ball was going, but unfortunately the result doesn't happen often enough. How many times have we seen Valencia rocket the ball into the wall or almost into the upper tier? Too many! I must say, our set piece/corner delivery has improved massively! Coincidence? Not at all, it's because we've had Lanzini & Payet taking them! Oh, and how important has the big man at the back been for us this season? I think his performances this season have gone way under the radar of a lot of the media and for me, that's fine, because we don't have any other club sniffing around him (even though I think our days of selling have passed). Take a bow, James Collins. Such a rock at the back who will put any limb on the line just for West Ham United, he's surely not far off cult hero status? Well, for now I'll just enjoy his massive performances! 

The only thing to annoy me about the game? The fact that Bournemouth scored. I never bet on West Ham, but I did lay a massive stake of a whole £1 on the below. What a shame! Thanks Harry Arter.

Thanks to everyone who has returned to read after the very quiet Chrismas period, I have been just as busy as the Premier League fixtures unfortunately so I'm sorry it's so long!

Newcastle away tomorrow and a chance to break a club record & remain unbeaten for 9 games. I would love a win because I was one of those who made the incredibly long trip in May for Big Sam's last game. What a shambles that was! They did just put 3 past Manchester United too, but I do think that our defence is actually better! Would Sam still use the term 'deluded? Oh well. For those making the trip up north, have fun, but also keep safe in the horrific weather! I'm having to miss this journey this year.

Leave a comment if you enjoyed this entry, YouTube channel to come soon I hope so I will hopefully be able to reach out to more of you. Thanks to you all reading this! Page views have increased massively since my first two posts so I really do appreciate everyone who takes the time out to read! Until next time, COYI!

Draw Specialists. Swansea away.

Image sourced from ITV.com

So another draw means another point! That, I think, is the silver lining to be taken from the weekend. That and the fact that it's another week over and done with without being able to use the players that we have unfortunately lost due to our horrific injury luck.

The dark cloud of the situation? Well, where to begin?

I have enjoyed Bilic's management so far, he's a sensible manager, but I fear that too much of the Allardyce mentality has crept back into the minds of the players who played under him last season. You can see from the behaviour and gestures from the touchline that Bilic wants his team to play a pressing & attacking game. The extravagant waving of the arms in a forward direction would've been mirroring what every one of us fans were thinking during the game. Why were our entire team sitting so deep & inviting Swansea to play? The way West Ham played in the first 25-30 minutes of the game was as if we'd been walking out to play against Barcelona or something! That's what the players made it look like anyway. After roughly 30 minutes of the game, SkySports mentioned the fact that we had only 60-something passes of the ball... Swansea had around 300! The possession suggests that this fact continued throughout the game. 

Watching the game really did feel like watching an 'Allardyce West Ham'. Yes, there were the good aspects but on the whole, it was boring. And the longer the game continued, the more and more likely we felt that in the typical 'West Ham way', we would concede and lose the game 1-0. That's what I suggested to my friends while watching anyway. 

The starting line-up did confuse me too. Why? Why start Nikica Jelavic up front, on his own? Jelavic had a great spell playing at Everton, and I will admit that I did wonder why a team like Everton who were, at the time, trying to break into the top 4 bought a striker from the Scottish league. The Scottish league is typically seen by English fans as a lower standard than the Premier League and in my opinion, rightly so. I would like to say that I enjoyed watching the games played in that league, but in all honesty, I only ever went out of my way to watch one game. The Old Firm. So typically Jelavic was seen as a player who should be looked at by a Championship side but, to his credit, he worked hard and looked like a player who could really make a difference in the Premier League with Everton. For a a short time anyway. So once Jelavic had completed his spiral in England, he managed to work his way to Hull where he still was struggling to make an impact, even in the Championship! So when Slaven Bilic made him a West Ham player in the summer, personally, I felt as if we had taken a huge step backwards after making the wise decision to not re-sign Carlton Cole, again! Jelavic looks to me as the type of player who would work best in a front two pairing with the likes of a Jermaine Defoe type player. But on his own? He didn't look like he could even out-muscle Defoe. I would've rathered Bilic play Valencia as a wide player of the front three with Zaraté in the middle and Antonio on the other side. The three would undoubtedly swap around just like they did when we had Moses, Lanzini and Payet playing behind Sakho, but unfortunately I don't think they'd be as effective. But then again, what's to say they wouldn't be? But we won't find out any time soon as the game seems to change far too much from what we saw in the beginning of the season when either Carroll or Jelavic are on the field.

Set pieces. Again. Zaraté, as much as I rate him as a player, cannot take a decent set piece. Any corner I can remember seeing from Zaraté didn't make it past either the first man, or the edge of the 6-yard box! Valencia too. And what was with those two corners that he looked like he'd taken a shot towards the front post? Both corners in the space of 90 seconds, wasted. More practice needed back at Rush Green I think!

Image sourced from Fox Sports

My final complaint about the game was the substitution which brought on Carl Jenkinson. Bilic made the correct decision to leave Jenkinson out of the game against Stoke and we played well in that game with Tomkins at right-back again. This weekend he didn't look as solid or comfortable, but still we didn't concede. But to bring him on with such a short time left in the game when he could've brought on the likes of Reece Oxford to get him back into the swing of things after being run ragged in the game against Leicester, or even Josh Cullen to set him up on his way to the big stage (if previous reports on him are to be believed, he is sure to be something special). But Bilic's decision to bring on Jenkinson just frustrated me personally. And his first contribution to the game? Making a pathetic excuse of a tackle and earning the game's first yellow card. And then to pick the ball up and start arguing with the Swansea player, Taylor I think it was, was just ridiculous. He's a player out of form, low on confidence and whatever it takes to get him back to the player he was last season needs to be done!

Moaning out of the way and all in all, it was a point. We're sitting 8th position going into Christmas Day, not the dizzy heights we were enjoying last season, but it's solid and we've been missing some key influential players for several games now. And we're also still only 4 points off 4th place! Tottenham won't keep playing well for too long and Manchester United, if they don't sack Van Gaal, will be there for the taking when they come to Upton Park for the final time and I would love to see a repeat of 'that' 4-0 cup win against them under the lights!

Next up, Aston Villa on Boxing Day. Another team who are definitely there for the taking & I think that our boys will make us proud and return to winning ways to keep our Christmas celebrations going for a few days longer. My prediction was a mile off this weekend, so for Boxing Day I'm hoping for an away win, we have the players to overpower the worst side I've ever seen in the Premier League, even with the injuries! But saying that, we'll lose in typical fashion. But I'm going to stay optimistic. 0-3 to the Cockney Boys!

Thank you all for reading! Leave some feedback & share the link with your friends, family, colleagues, any West Ham fan you know!

Gritty Stoke City

Image sourced from the Independent

Well, there are 0-0's and there are 0-0's. The difference? Saturday's game was completely different to the 0-0 draws I have seen at the Boleyn before now & was actually rather entertaining! The unfortunate part of the game for us was when we all eventually realised that Butland was not in the mood to be beaten. If this lad takes the No. 1 shirt from Joe Hart for this summer's European Championships, I really wouldn't be surprised, but I also wouldn't be too unhappy! Personally, I'm not a great fan of Hart. It's the way his personality comes across & I think he looks incredibly arrogant. Anyway, I'm straying from the point.

And a point is all we could've hoped for really before the game started, wasn't it? Stoke in the previous game had not only beaten Man City, they embarrassed them! Watching Stoke play in that game was a pleasure, and there's not many times anyone can say that about Stoke City. There's a typical scowl on the face of anyone who isn't a Stoke fan whenever they have to mention the club's name. This is probably because of the stereotyping that 90% of us are guilty of, but these are different times for the team now they've stepped out of the 'dirty, hoof-ball, Tony Pulis' shadow. Quite the same can be said for both of our teams actually, as a 0-0 draw last season under Big Sam would've been nothing like our game at the weekend.

Bilic showed some sense on Saturday too, he dropped Carl Jenkinson. Now this isn't a personal hate vendetta towards the lad at all, I just think he needs to be shown that he's not an instant 1st team starter every week just because his parent club is Arsenal. We could have any top player on loan at our club & if they're not playing well, it doesn't matter who they are or where they come from, they need to know it's not an automatic selection. What has made Bilic's next decision even harder? The fact that any game James Tomkins has filled in at right-back, you'd think he's a natural full back! Yes, okay his positioning sometimes isn't perfect, but for a centre-back who has played as well as he has done consistently (in my opinion) this season, he's done exactly what is asked of a player when they pull on the claret and blue shirt and that is to give everything you have for West Ham for however long you're on the pitch. In my opinion, I wouldn't let Jenkinson back into the team for our game at Swansea. I would allow Tomkins the right to continue in the side at right-back until he eventually does have a bad game, although the problem then would be, what if Tomkins gets fed up of not being able to play in his own position? That's just another headache for Slaven to have if that specific situation does occur, we're just here to cheer the boys when they're doing well & enjoy watching.

Image sourced from 90min.com

And that's exactly what I did on Saturday, enjoyed the game! Yes, okay it was only 0-0. No, we didn't score from any of the 24 attempts on goal, 10 of those were on target though by the way! Another game where we have also been awarded a host of corners, 11 in fact, but since the loss of Dimitri Payet I have not seen a decent corner delivery! Noble seemed to have lost the privilege of taking set pieces as soon as Dimitri arrived, and even on Saturday the duty seemed to have been taken over by Mauro Zaraté. But wow, how can a professional footballer not seem to be able to beat the first man when taking a corner?

I'm not a great footballer myself, but come on, even I can take a decent corner!

Way off the mark to compare a Saturday morning park game to a Premier League clash, but the poor deliveries from corners has always been a pet hate for me. As has the development of 1-footed footballers, but again, that's for discussion another day.

Back to the game on Saturday and what a performance by Michail Antonio! I thought the lad was going to be a forgotten figure of the summer's transfer dealings due to the success of the likes of Payet, Moses and Lanzini, but as Antonio's luck (and ours as a club) would have it, all three are now missing and Saturday was his time to really shine. He did come on rather early in the game at Old Trafford and by all accounts, played very well!

Image sourced from Zimbio

My stand out player of the game though, Mauro Zaraté. His set piece delivery for the entirety of the game was utterly dreadful, but take that away and he was our star of the show. I previously mentioned in my first post that I had hoped that Mauro would be the man Slaven turns to in Payet's absence and he has done just that! Zaraté has started all games since being on the bench away to Tottenham, the game in which I honestly blame Bilic's team selection, but that's in the past. Although unlike Payet, Mauro has had little consistency in the last 3 games. His outstanding goal and performance against West Brom has everyone wondering why the hell Big Sam didn't want the guy around the team. Then away to Man Utd & the chance to score from around 8 yards to create history for the team... Wide! And then on Saturday he was on the rampage again, his skills and technique are up there with some of the best in the league when he's on form. Any dangerous attack from West Ham at the weekend came through Zaraté but unfortunately for us all, Stoke had an in-form Jack Butland between the sticks.

This weekend? Swansea City away. They have just sacked Gary Monk, too soon in my opinion, but then again that was my opinion when our new board at the time sacked Alan Pardew! Swansea are struggling to win and we are on a run that's neither good or bad, it's alright. Because we're not losing. Personally, I'm happy with the last couple of games and I think that we're really back on the right tracks and will only get stronger with the return of our injured players. Oh, and we really need Victor Moses to start performing again too. Doesn't it seem that everyone picks their performances up a little whenever Payet is playing? We really could do with him being back from injury soon! 

Prediction? 2-1 away win. These clean sheets can't last forever can they?


Thank you to those of you who are reading & please leave some comments with your views! I am trying to update regularly but working two jobs at the moment gets in the way a little! Shame we have to work, right? Anyway, thank you again & COYI!

We need to talk about Carl.

Image sourced from The Evening Standard

Carl Jenkinson in his first season on loan at West Ham was an instant hit. We have been crying out for two decent wide defenders for as long as I can remember, yes we had the likes of Sebastien Schemmel, Thomas Repka, Glen Johnson & Chris Powell who, despite his advancing years, was a solid left back and still played his part in some important games for West Ham. We have had some solid players at right and left back, but it seems that the pairing we managed in the 2014-15 season was our first season where we could look at the team sheet and not worry about which centre-back our manager was going to try out at right back this week. We had two solid wing-backs, but the best thing about the pair? They could both attack high up the pitch and cause the opposition trouble with their fantastic crossing abilities. Yes, both of them!

Now, I will admit, I did state towards the end of last season that in the summer, I would've personally made more effort to sign Carl Jenkinson on a permanent deal than bothering with Alex Song. Yes, I said that, and I'm deeply sorry.

Image sourced from The Daily Mail

Song is a funny player too, though. His performances when he first joined the club were nothing short of brilliant. He could keep possession of the ball when in situations you'd think it wasn't possible, he had an eye for a killer ball through to our on-running wingers, strikers or even our new wide defensive duo. Every single player on the field looked a better player when they had Song lining up with them, whether that was something they had worked on in training or if it was just a mental thing, it doesn't matter because lets face it, it worked a treat! But after the Christmas break of 2014, Alex Song didn't return as the same player. After Christmas and New Year Song looked completely uninterested, lazy & could barely complete a pass accurately over 20 yards, let alone the 40/50 yard ones he was pinging directly into a teammate's path only a few months previous. So on the performances over the whole season, I admitted that I would've preferred Jenkinson over Song due to the consistency over the duration of a whole season.

So you could imagine my disappointment on the 14th July 2015 when we did manage to re-sign Carl Jenkinson, on loan. On loan for another season? Arsene, you're not going to play the lad so why not cash in now? Wenger had managed to pull off quite a tactical piece of business with this deal as we're paying a £2 million loan fee for Jenkinson. Why not slap another £8-10 million on top and keep him permanently, I thought. Well, how my statement from the previous season came back to bite me, and it didn't take Carl very long to prove me wrong either. He couldn't play in the game against Arsenal, so even though Tomkins had an outstanding game at right back, Jenkinson was put straight back into the team versus Leicester, the game in which he finished in goal. The problem with Carl started here, he didn't have a poor game, nor did he stand out, the problem with Carl all began in our next home game against Bournemouth. Yes, yes, yes, I know what most will think when remembering this game. "It was Cresswell who gifted them two goals!". And people remembering that will be correct, I think both wing-backs had a shocker in this game, but the difference? Cresswell put the game behind him immediately and has ever since continued to look like the progressing young left back we signed in the summer of 2014. But my grievance with this game was Jenkinson's performance, firstly making a schoolboy mistake in sliding in front of Marc Pugh to gift Bournemouth a 1 on 1 chance with Darren Randolph (who looked shaky the entire game to say the least) which of course, Pugh tucked away in front of the away supporters to put Bournemouth 3-2 up. But my biggest issue with Carl in this game, and it haunts me still, is the way he was the main blaming point for Bournemouth's 4th and as it ended, winning goal. The ball was a hoof from the Bournemouth defence up towards the 'chav corner' end of the stadium (I stand in this part too, so no offence intended), I vaguely remember the ball bouncing twice, but after the first bounce I had wondered why Jenkinson hadn't just seen the ball into the stands & for the time being, safety. Then the danger is realised when the ball is about to bounce for the second time, Max Gradel is like a greyhound out of the trap chasing the ball which should've been a lost cause for Bournemouth. Oh no, how wrong we were. The ball didn't manage to reach the floor before Jenkinson failed to return the ball to the original direction it had just been sent from & Gradel was in like a flash to nick the ball and get in behind. Jenkinson stood no chance in covering for his own mistake, but still managed to get back and ultimately foul Gradel to give Bournemouth a penalty and a chance to go 4-2 up in their first, and last game at Upton Park. Carl was sent off, Bournemouth scored and we got another goal late on, but this was the start of Jenkinson's stuttering season so far.

Image sourced from the Mirror

Jenkinson returned against Newcastle after Ogbonna was forced off with an injury, he also started the game away at Man City which was a fantastic day for everybody, but ever since that day he has looked incredibly shaky and is currently blowing very hot and cold. The trouble I have with Jenkinson is the way that he looks like such a different player from last season. Why does he instantly look to go backwards and stop any kind of attack? Under Bilic and not Allardyce, you'd think that the encouragement would be there for the full-backs to continue an attack and play the ball sideways or forwards. Yes, there is possession to play for, and possession means goals. Or so thought the likes of Swansea and Arsenal. I'm sorry, but that's not West Ham, we've never been a typically boring side who end the game with the most possession. And for me, that's exactly what watching the likes of Swansea or Arsenal is like, or even Manchester United more recently, boring!

Jenkinson's forward passing this year has been poor and aimless. His crossing has been non existent too! Okay, he only managed two assists last season, and I guess he's weighed in with that same amount of goals this time around, but we managed to see a lot more of his accurate crossing last season. All I think I've seen from the lad so far is a run to the byline and fail to whip the ball in! He was, in my opinion, the worst player on the pitch in the dreadful game against Tottenham and didn't really improve a great deal in the game at home to West Brom. Whether or not he was injured prior to the game against Man Utd, he started on the bench and only came on with a few minutes to go in a defensive move made by Bilic, coming on for Mauro Zaraté. 

The lad showed everybody what he's capable of last season, he was even called up to the Under 21's summer tournament (maybe just because he's an Arsenal player?). He looks lost, and not even the shadow of himself from last season under Big Sam. Is he lacking confidence? Does he not want to be at the club? Or is he just having 'one of those patches'? Whatever it is, I for one would love to see the Carl Jenkinson from last season return.


Guys & girls; if you have any comments to make, if you agree with my opinions or completely think the opposite? Leave a comment, tell me what you think. Also, any feedback anyone has on any tips or techniques for blogging? Any suggestions in which way I could improve on my writing? Again, leave a comment & let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading!

Played 15: Won 6. Drawn 5. Lost 4.

December 8th 2015, points gained? 23.

Now where do we start? Positives? Negatives? Well, let's look at the fixture list and remember how it looked on 17th June 2015. Remember the sinking feeling as a West Ham fan when all eager in anticipation for the new season, a new start, a new manager, new optimism... All to be greeted with the first three away games of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.

Personally, on the morning of the fixtures release for the 2015/16 season, I can't be alone in looking at the newly released list and wondering how many points we would be able to accumulate from the home games, the 'easy' games.

How wrong. How very wrong. The Europa League saw us disappear in a puff of smoke as if by magic. It was so quick and left us all in a slight daze, we all had the same questions. The main one... Why? Great question at the time. Although, looking back now I think the way we allowed ourselves to leave the competition was a smart piece of tactical play by our new 'fan's choice' manager, Slaven Bilic. 

Image sourced from The Telegraph

The Europa League Qualifying rounds are hardly worth mentioning anymore, but they did give the squad a solid pre-season. The squad had a great chance to prove who was worthy & who, pretty much, didn't stand a chance. Players used in the pre-season such as Joey O'Brien and Elliott Lee have seen minimal first team action at all this season due to the high calibre of personnel available to Bilic. It's hard to see if Lee will ever crack the first team, he has also recently joined Blackpool on loan, again playing in League Two (the division he failed to make an impact upon last season) and O'Brien is simply an Allardyce last resort in dire times of need (thankfully, not experienced yet in this season). Reece Burke left to gain some valuable first team experience with League One side Bradford City and Diego Poyet attracted the attention of Championship Side, Milton Keynes Dons. The 'dead wood' was also removed between the final day of the 14/15 season and the end of the transfer window; Carlton Cole, Kevin Nolan, Modibo Maiga, Guy Demel and Matthew Jarvis (on loan to Norwich City, but at least he can't keep moaning about lack of chances). Matthew Jarvis is an exceptional case, but I will cover that soon. 

Into the squad came; Angelo Ogbonna, Stephen Hendrie (finally), Pedro Obiang, Victor Moses, Manuel Lanzini and of course, the marquee signing of the summer, Mr Dimitri Payet. Some very smart business conducted by Davids Gold & Sullivan, Slaven Bilic and the rest of the backroom staff who made the transfers possible. Alex Song & Carl Jenkinson also arrived back at the club where they spent the 14/15 season on loan. Carl Jenkinson is another curious case which will be covered another day, but how can a player look so impressive in one season and then look the complete opposite the next? Again, a discussion to be had another time.

So, August 8th 2015, Saturday has finally arrived and football, is back. Of course West Ham fans are still kept waiting for the inevitable first day humiliation away at the Emirates Stadium due to Sky Sports fixture interference. Arsenal have only brought in one player thus far, but what a player to bring in, Petr Cech, the Chelsea 'keeper made the trip across London and had given Arsenal fans hope of 'the extra 12 points a season' he would 'guarantee'. They were also still hoping for the one huge piece of business from Arsene Wenger, a striker (they're still waiting).

The opening day results didn't throw out too many shocks or surprises; Manchester United and City both won, Sunderland are still useless, Liverpool won and Swansea are still proving difficult to beat by holding Chelsea to a 2-2 draw.

Fast forward to the 9th August, match day has arrived for the loyal Claret and Blue Army. Turning up in the thousands that is now an expected scene at away games for West Ham, the sea of away supporters entered the turnstiles, not expecting a win, but hoping the lads could come away with a 'sneaky' 0-0 or 1-1 draw. Far from it, lads, far from it. A 2-0 win and we're in dreamland after the first weekend. Home defeats to Bournemouth and Leicester were a tough pill to swallow, and then we come to our game at Anfield. The usual "50-odd years" comments about how long it has been since we won a game there. 1963 to be exact, 52 years. And what a day for the away side once again, West Ham were underway within just 5 minutes, Manuel Lanzini pressing the defender into a mistake, not giving up on the cause (I find it hard to believe that a team playing under Sam Allardyce & fielding players such as Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole would've given that much commitment) scored on the 3 minute mark to set the boys on their way to a well deserved 3-0 away win to wipe the slate clean at Anfield. Lets hope we don't have to wait that long for the next one now they're playing so much better under Jurgen Klopp!

Image sourced from The Daily Star

Winning ways were fully resumed at Upton Park for the next game, a hopeless Newcastle side held us to only 2-0, but what a night under the lights. Attacking, end to end football, the best chances falling to, and being taken, by West Ham. It's as if Dimitri Payet's excellence and class was made to be exhibited on nights like this, using the floodlights as his own personal spotlight to showcase exactly what an incredible player he is.

Next? Manchester City. Now, Manchester City are a club with incredible supporters, yes they have gained the extra 'fans' due to the increasing success of the club, but prior to the money, they were very much a club like our own. The fans wouldn't ever have much to enjoy, though they still continued to offer their fantastic support to the team, home and away. West Ham hadn't ever beaten City at the Etihad in the Premier League, we all remember that special night in the FA Cup when Dean Ashton scored 'that goal' to send us to the semi-final! But still no win in the Premier League and only a little under 2 years since the horrific 6-0 League Cup 'surrender', there we were again, a new West Ham. Lining up in this season's all-navy third kit, they newly crowned 'away day specialists' did us proud once again, taking the lead away from home yet again, a stunning Victor Moses drive from over 20 yards out, beat Joe Hart and found the bottom right-hand corner. Diafra Sakho scored once again to secure the three points and ensure that Kevin De Bruyne's strike counted for nothing, West Ham had done it away from home once again, 2-1 and sitting pretty in the Premier League table.

In the following weeks, we struggled to maintain the winning form that we'd started to become accustomed to and couldn't beat Norwich at home, nor Sunderland away, both games ending 2-2 and quite frustratingly so. At least we have what we asked for; 'The West Ham way' is up and running once again! Beating the teams dominating in the league and then struggling to beat the teams around or below us in the table.

Crystal Palace away and Chelsea at home were much more like the team we had started to see in the beginning of the season. A magnificent display from Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini at Palace & the whole team's committed performance at home to Chelsea made up for the two dithering draws.

Image sourced from squawka.com

Watford away? Let's forget that one. Andy Carroll, please don't EVER attempt a Cruyff turn in your own 18 yard box again! Everton at the Boleyn next. Lukaku again. How will we ever stop this man from scoring against us? Seven goals in his last seven games and he doesn't look like stopping! Never mind, we didn't lose, which I was expecting and Lanzini's goal was possibly the best of the season so far. Tottenham away is also another day worth forgetting. What a miserable birthday I had this year! But again, Lanzini is still at it, another goal, very well taken at that, but unfortunately counted for nothing other than his own record.

November coming to an end and we face West Brom at Upton Park. Arriving at the ground remembering the shambolic performance we gave in the FA Cup at the Hawthorns last season under Allardyce, what a horrible day that was. But we're a different team now, I thought. We've got a better manager now, I thought. Well, the first half was brilliantly crafted football, slick passing, ambitious attempts at goal and only one goal to shout about at the break. But what a goal it was! "Upper 90's" is the phrase I've heard before now and that's exactly where Mauro Zaraté curled this free kick, opposite side to Lanzini's wonderfully placed effort against Everton, but equally out of any goalkeeper's reach, even the best goalkeeper in the world would've struggled to stop either goal from hitting the back of the net! But, as the 'West Ham way' has well and truly returned to grace us in the final season at the Boleyn, the boys made it difficult for themselves in the second half. Of course a team managed by Tony Pulis were never going to be planning calmly in the dressing room at half time over a cuppa! Their first half performance was well below par, so the second half was bound to be all West Brom. As predicted, they piled on the pressure & Ricky Lambert's shot was turned in very unfortunately by Winston Reid's arm it seemed. But again, at least we didn't lose, and we have stopped the rot for the second time in the same month, but still no win.

Image sourced from the BBC

Manchester United away was on the agenda last weekend. West Ham were aiming to become the first side in the Premier League to beat Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United away all in the same season. Man Utd haven't been looking like the team they should be, Van Gaal has boarded up the home goal, but they also aren't scoring and 'superstar' Wayne Rooney hasn't looked the player who was supposedly being looked at by Europe's top teams not so long ago. Lots of great chances fell to both sides who, on another day, would've put them all away and the game would've ended at any scoreline. As lady luck would have it, we were fortunate enough that the home side couldn't hit a barn door. Lucky really as our strikers were looking like they had the same sort of luck!

We face Stoke at home on Saturday. Not a team we would like to be facing with our injury list now boasting; Payet, Lanzini, Moses & Sakho. Three players who would be in the starting line-up immediately if they were fit. Stoke also made Manchester City look stupid in the early kick off last weekend, so if they fancy turning on the style again, be prepared to see a very 'Allardyce-looking' West Ham. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm quite worried about this game. I really do rate Zaraté, and as soon as the duration of the Payet injury was announced, I was immediately hopeful that Zaraté would be the man Bilic chose to cover for him. I just fear that Payet's consistency was all too much to take for the fans because we don't really have any other player who has 100% performances week in, week out. Okay, maybe Lanzini, but he's now on the injury table for SIX WEEKS!! Wow, how's your luck West Ham? Just beginning to look like a side ready to crack the top 6 and really make a go for it and then we lose 4 influential players.

Prove me wrong, West Ham. Please go out there and hit a few past Stoke and bring them back down to earth with a bump! Also, the atmosphere at home to West Brom was diabolical! This isn't the Upton Park I have grown to love, it's down to us, the fans to make this final season special! 

Prediction? Bore draw. 0-0.   Prove me wrong boys, please.




This entry was very long, purely because it was something I have been wanting to do, but never did because I thought nobody other than myself would be interested. But I shall be continuing the blog & offering my opinions on the games, the club, transfers, and possibly other topics depending how many people read this. Let me know what you think if you've found my blog & what you think I could add or do differently, your feedback will be appreciated! Also, let me know where you're reading from! Will be nice to know how far across the globe I can reach! Also, a possible YouTube channel to come... Depending on the success of the blog.

Thanks for reading! #COYI