Greece is the word. Well I can't spell Panathinaikos! Half time in our third friendly of the season and we are a goal ahead, courtesy of a free kick drilled home by our free transfer German. This is the first real test of Avram's new look team and, so far, they are passing with flying colours! Let's hope they can keep it up! Are you watching Zola?
Interesting team. Back four of Tomkins, Da Costa, Gabbidon and Ilunga, so no sign yet of Green or Upson. Parker is back in midfield with Der Hammer and Noble. Then Faubert and Boa are working the flanks and Cole is up front on his own. Stech is in goal. There will be changes and we may end up losing as a result, but 1-0 up against the Greek champions after 45 minutes is distinctly promising! The decision to start Cole also suggests that Avram wants to keep him!
Second half and more interesting selection decisions. Diamanti is playing wide on left and Dyer is now playing right back! Now, a right side pairing of Dyer and Faubert would scare a few full backs! Boa is now in centre midfield with Tomkins back in a centre back role.
Now Avram's taking the piss! Sears is on for Faubert, Stanislas for Boa, Daprela for Ilunga and McCarthy for Cole. If we lose from here it will be no surprise but as far as I'm concerned, this is now a kick about! 1-0 away from home against a team playing in the Champions League who have just beaten Wolfsburg 3-1! Tell me, anybody think we would have done that under Zola? (Apart from Stani of course!)
20 comments:
You did quite well with the spelling this time HF! Perfect! But from now on you can refer to Panathinaikos as most commentators do for short as "Pana".
I am really excited by our guy Hitz! So far he seems to be the creative player we lacked ever since Benajudas left for Liverpool.
Make no mistake. This is a good Pana team that have been playing good balanced football. This is a good test for us if we can see it out with another win (and even better if we can keep a clean sheet).
just heard Dharmish shath the football agent say on sky sports news. that remy should be having a medical at west ham on monday. and also caraglio the argentina forward is also goner be having a medical on monday and hes goner cost around 5 million pound. FROM WAYNE THE HAPPY HAMMER
Gotta say I'm happy with Gullivan..!
And Grant has some pretty radical formation tactical ideas which is great, and if that wasn't enough we're buying decent (if not cheap) players in the transfer market, a few decent strikers and it's going to be a very exciting year...
Also its great to have a winning pre-season, rather than usual losses and rhetoric 'its only for fitness purposes winning doesn't matter'....
Hi there Chris, been a while! How you keeping?
Hey fanno, im fine been real busy with work - hope youre well!
where are collison and hines? they injured?
Yes. Collison is out until January and Hines until September. More kids brought on, Fry, Spence and Montano - and we are still winning! This winning run is getting exciting!
Well done! The next big test is Deportivo at home. Keep it going and make winning a habit! It is interesting that Grant has used Dyer as right full back. I hope it was a successful experiment.
Evidently Dyer played at right back when he was at Newcastle. I didn't know that. Can imagine him being a good attacking right back if he can stay injury free
No John - sorry mate try as I may, I can't imagine Dyer remaining injury free... that was a joke wasn't it?
Yes 20.41 unfortunately a sick joke
Was a great match. Hammers played concentrated and showed excellent ambition. It was just like they worked in their training sessions each day. Greeny, Upson, Specs and Behrami were on the bench because of their World Cup involvememt. Although The latter one seemed to be injured.
Was a great week for the team and one of the best weeks in my life. Greets to Scotty and Avram.
I have read on a Greek site that Noblias the Manager of Panathinaikos who is targeting the acquisition of Gallas and reportedly our own Da Costa that apparrently despite being very impressed by Da Costa, Pana will not be making a bid for him if their attempts to sign Gallas fail.
That can only be good news for West Ham as I rate Da Costa to be one of our best defenders. We really can't afford the likes of him to leave now. Another one who showed promise is Daprela by the way. We must build our defence by keeping both Da Costa and Daprela. Panathinaikos can have Spector by the way our international with the USA!
interesting HF!
here is a quote
"Interesting team. Back four of Tomkins, Da Costa, Upson and Ilunga, so no sign yet of Green or Upson. Parker is back in midfield with Der Hammer and Noble."
How can Upson be on the pitch one time and completely gone the other time?
unless that,s his brother who is also a centre back and is right footed.
Hopefully there will be a partnership of Upson and Upson this season :D
or performance wise (like last season) Downson :D
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let,s hope they win the remaining three matches and the team must be full of confidence going ito the premiership!
Oops, I have corrected. Only excuse is that I was in a state of shock because Gabbidon was on the pitch for 3 games in a row.
Quite shocking isn,t it
zi can,t see Gabbidon starting 3 games in a row in the premiership this season!
If we buy a couple of defenders then I do,nt see it happening
I would rather give the young ones the chance to prove themselves
Wow! A whole post and not one mention of Zola!....Oh, missed that.
Deary me, hasn't your early Zola optimism taught you anything HF?
You shouldn't have corrected that Upson/Gabbidon error HF, it's probably given Sav a heart-attack.
Gabs and DaCosta to Start!
My early optimism re Zola was because I liked the guy. I don't like Grant. But I think he is a much better manager!
Why have Gabs next to Da Costa and destroy a positive with a negative Stani? I excuse honest HF mistakes about Gabbidon. I know he doesn't mean it. I am very worried however because a certain American "defender" is still around.
Upson's not American! :)
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