Yes we came back from the dead, yes we scored three in 45 minutes and salvaged a point. But that point is not enough. Today completed a sequence of games that HAD to yield 7 points minimum. A return of 4 is inadequate, insufficient and inept.
The first half today brought back memories of the opening game of the season at Villa. It was a repeat of our showing at Newcastle. It echoed our performance at Liverpool. How can a team look so disorganised, so dispirited, so deflated and so dispassionate at KICK OFF? Why is it that, time and time again, this bunch of players look as if the game has come five days too early for them, as if they haven't had time to wake up, freshen up and get their heads together? Why do we hand the initiative to the opposition time and time and time again?
I didn't see the second half. I couldn't watch. Perhaps that is the secret. Perhaps I really do put the mockers on them. Perhaps it is the shadow of Fanno, a cloud I cast that smothers the ability of the players to perform. Perhaps. But there must be more logical explanations.
One, is that West Brom cracked under the strain, tripped over themselves when we scored early in the second half and became consumed in the same fever of self doubt that besets us when an opponent makes our net bulge. Noble had a hand in all three of our goals so deserves some credit; that should shut up his sternest critic for a few minutes at least! Ba looks the part, if he can stay fit! Cole scored, a minor miracle in itself!
But how are we going to survive with a defence like this? A defence that ships three goals in 45 minutes against West Bromwich Albion? Can you imagine what will happen when we travel to Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham? How will we keep out Man Utd at Upton Park? The games are running out, that's why drawing today and losing last week simply were not an option.
We are going down.
But we have a lovely shiny new stadium, so why does it matter?
22 comments:
Get a grip and stop knee jerking (and any other jerking). most teams around us got a point, we got a point - not much has changed. Three point and we're out of the bottom three. There is going to be a lot of ups and downs before this season is out (oh vicar!).
You are so negative.
he is negative to the point of sickness....
He is realistic. Fancy us against Liverpool?
HF, I believe we are going down but not because of one draw at WBA. I believe we are going down because our team isn't good enough on any level.
But look at this season all around. Did you fancy Wolves over MU? Or Chelsea? There have been results this year that stagger the imagination. So while on form I don't like our chances, there is no way to predict this.
We are a tiny bit better today than yesterday table-wise.
I don't think it will happen, but it can. Today doesn't change either opinion.
To be fair, at halftime I was hoping they'd run up a cricket score with the nutty idea they would sack Grant and someone would give us a boost.
I am not suggesting for one minute that it is all down to today's result, I am saying that today's game was the coffin nail that closed the lid tight.
More nails will be driven home before the season ends but the last slither of daylight disappeared today.
We are now in the coffin, in darkness.
We can hear the voices outside, we can feel the movement as the coffin as it is lifted onto the pall bearers shoulders and carried out to the waiting hearse, we can feel the agony of the slow drive to our final destination, we can hear the final commital, "Ashes to ashes", we can feel the gravitational pull as we are eased down into the gaping hole, we can hear the scrape of the shovels, feel the first trickle of dirt, then the thud and the clump of the shovelled sods.
But kick and scream as much as we like, thump at the roof of the coffin with clenched fists, claw in the darkness until our fingers bleed, there is no escape. RIP West Ham United.
For Christ sake get out of this depression HF. We are not talking about moving next year. At worst there are still three years for the club to go down, and come back with a determined, physically fit squad of players who want to win for the West Ham fans. By then hopefully the debts will have been cleared, and I think there will be money available for good players.
While I still don't agree, I do love your dramatic additions. And I'm not knocking you for it. Despite being from this side of the pond, I truly feel all of the same pain.
The coffin is absolutely not closed. Its bad, no doubt. But not over.
And I'm a true pessimist.
Utter rubbish HF! We are not down just yet.
History shows that we can get results against the likes of Liverpool if the mood of the team is right.
Granted todays first half was one of the worst displays we have ever witnessed, given the opposition. But despite everything, despite our ineptitude throughout the season, and some bad luck with injuries, we could still pull it off and stay up. It would be undeserved, but it is still 50:50 in my book, surprisingly possible even now.
And as for your comments about the OS, are you sure you are not a pissed off Spurs fan?
Funny b*st*rd. I love it.
"We are down" Is that as in the Royal we? a la Maggie Thatcher? because I am not down, nor do I believe are the Hammers, well not until the fat lady sings at the end of the season.
If you're feeling a little depressed then may I suggest anti-depressants?
HF that Demba Ba scored a brace and led the fight back - can you imagine how good he'll be when his knee is better? Mmmmwwaaaahhhaaaahhhhaaaaaaaa
HF,
You havent mentioned Grant's name in the last two posts. How can that be? Would it have been the same if it was Zola?
Why didnt we show up in the first half? Why have we not improved from the first day of the season? You say "How can a team look so disorganised, so dispirited, so deflated and so dispassionate at KICK OFF?", but still no mention of Grant? 1 point out of not a possible 6, but a probable 6. We could have been 15th had we taken the last two games.
Despite our poor run, we have still been in touch with the others because they have been so poor. We had many opportunities to sack this guy and bring in someone to save us but time after time they did nothing. If he is not removed before our next game then I will be amazed.
"Noble had a hand in all three of our goals so deserves some credit; that should shut up his sternest critic for a few minutes at least!" You didnt see the second half but have the the audacity to say that? Had he not surrendered the initiative and put the team in deep sh*t for Broms first goal then we probably wouldnt have had to come back.
As for the defence; Grant bought Reid for £4m. Someone somewhere must be laughing their head off.
Look, enough's enough now. You've got your soap box. You're committed to this blog, I'll give you that, but saying "we're down" after this game, this comeback and with 3 points separating us from safety and with it all to play for is a disgrace. You're not a true fan, you're a sorry little pessimist, a reactionary martyr.
I think it's despicable when fans leave the ground early to get an easy tube home and call themselves fans, I think it's as dishonourable for fans to not ally themselves with the team at difficult moments. We were SHOCKING in the first half. Embarrassingly so. Carlton said as much in his BBC interview, but they fought back. That counts for something. For someone who gives so much time to perpetuating himself as the voice of reason, I think you are a disgrace to West Ham fans and football in general to publish an article (in the loosest possible sense since it is a subjective diatribe rather than disciplined appraisal) called "Too little (you spelt it wrong by the way and I've noticed you being a bloated pedant to other comments in the past surrounding grammar and spelling so I'd assume you would double check your f-ing headline), Too Late -We Are Down!"
You're a disgrace. If we go down (by no means a certainty, and with the team needed our support, positivity and allegiance at times just like this) then you, and the other nay-sayers, can take responsibility for the wave of negativity that caused the self fulfilling prophecy.
It's easy to support a team when they're doing well, and cowardly and pathetic to crucify them when they're not.
Is the team performing how I want to see them perform...not even nearly. Am I going to be critical of bad performances...definitely. Am I going to openly concede defeat with a quarter of the season left...no, because I'm a sane-minded, passionate fan who knows what it means to back their team in the gravest hour. You are a disgrace. Hang your head in shame and maybe use that inflated sense of self worth to breed some hope, positivity and encouragement for our club instead of being the grim reaper. You utter fool.
RIP West Ham. You are an absolute disgrace to football kind. Pessimistic prick. Melodramatic goon.
Player manager: Scott Parker
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/9396005.stm
1933, history may show we can get results against the likes of Liverpool but it also shows that we can lose to the likes of Stoke at home. Today was another two points thrown away. As the second half showed, West Brom were there for the taking. But being the dozy, useless bastards that this bunch are, we decided not to show up uutil half time!
2109, your anger would be more appropriately directed at the team. The first half performance was a total disgrace. As was the pathetic performance against Birmingham last Sunday. To suggest that we will go down because of my attitude is absurd. Grant is positive after every game and what good is that doing us? Get your head out of your arse and face up to reality. We are losing our ground, our history, our heritage and whilst Sullivan and Gold fiddle, West Ham burns.
Stani, do you really think Grant will be sacked? While I hope so, I cannot see it at all. Especially after the comeback. If we had lost 5-0 or something I would have expected it, but this guy is Teflon. Its astounding, actually.
He's staying. Sucks, but true.
"the nay-sayers, can take responsibility for the wave of negativity that caused the self fulfilling prophecy.
It's easy to support a team when they're doing well, and cowardly and pathetic to crucify them when they're not"
A cracking post Sir, I doff my hat to you!
Dave,
Probably not mate. They'll try to patch it like they always do by bringing in another coach. They do the same thing with player signings. But patches don't fix the problem as we've seen.
history is history,it doesnt just disappear cos we move,or go down ,going down is part of our heritage as is only being able to afford mediocre defenders like reid who are still learning the game.
I thimk we have just as much chance of staying up as the other poor cousins around us ,if hitz is a hit and tompkins can stay fit and ba and co can fire a few in ,no way is it over,have some faith tying all the things happening at the club together into one depressing diatribe is just bringing yourself down hf..we have been here before but as it goes I am hopeful that the players are taking responsibility for themselves and are fighting when they really could roll over,Ba looked properly stoked getting the equalizer
come on you Irons
21.23, Stani, it really does say a thousand words about Grant doesnt it. What exactly was Grant doing in the dressing room while Scotty, who not even deemed influential enough to be our captain, was giving the team their motivational half time talk?
This is the motivation that we have been lacking all season.
Grants post match interview was interesting. He was "Happy with the performance"....again!!! Yeah, great comeback and all but if we were not so useless in the forst half it wouldnt have been needed would it?
Unfortunately we are stuck with the resident undertaker until the end of the season however if the D's take notice of this, hopefully they will see that these players respond to motivation and address this in time for next year.
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