Some would have you believe that Noble is the cause of all our troubles. It's nothing to do with Zola apparently. Grant is to blame, but only in equal measure with Noble it seems. Nor are tactics to blame, and Parker wasn't at fault at all, nor was Behrami allegedly. The entire midfield unit has misfired for two seasons and a bit now entirely because of Mark Noble.
In fact, it was even Noble's fault when Noble didn't play! Remember when we lost 6 games in a row under Zola and plummeted towards relegation? Noble only played in one of those games. Remember the draw at Everton and the victories over Sunderland and Wigan that effectively kept us up? Noble played in all three games. And last season, remember that vital defeat at Wigan and the pathetic home draw against Blackburn? Noble missed both of those with injury. Oh and Noble played in the 3-1 victory over Liverpool and the 3-0 win over Stoke and the 0-0 draw at Tottenham and of course took the corner that saw Piquionne head home the winner against Spurs at Upton Park. Noble also played in the 0-0 draw at Stoke, the 2-1 victory in the League Cup at Sunderland, the 3-1 victory over Stoke in the League Cup, the draw at Wolves, the narrow 1-0 defeat at Arsenal (Faubert's fault we lost), the 2-0 victory over Wolves, the 2-2 draw at Everton, the FA Cup victories against Forest, Barnsley and Burnley, the 3-1 away win against Blackpool and set up ALL 3 second half goals in the 3-3 fight back against West Brom.
Incredibly, given Noble is the problem, the only games we won last season when Noble WASN'T in the team were when we beat Wigan, somewhat fortunately, at home, when we went to Craven Cottage and harvested our usual three points despite being played off the park for 75% of the game (only Zola has lost a game against Fulham since 1963!) and when we thumped Man United's reserves 4-0 in the League Cup! Amazing.
And who triggered our revival in Zola's first season? Noble with that late, late penalty against Liverpool.
Shit, it is all so simple you wonder why Zola couldn't spot that Noble was the problem and why Grant kept him as a fixture in his team. Crikey, it does make you wonder too why Curbishley brought him into the side and kept him there! And why he was capped 18 times for England at U21 level, wearing the captain's armband. All these managers blind to the utter incompetence of the guy! And the biggest mystery of all is how we achieved the Great Escape with Noble in the team.
So why is Noble selected exactly? Because he is an East End hero apparently and good with the PR. Yet Zola picked him, even though he favoured Italian speakers according to Ilan - and Noble doesn't strike me as the bilingual type!
And now Allardyce has rocked up and Noble is an ever present under him. That's Sam Allardyce, the guy who is worried sick about what the fans think, the guy who simply does what he is told and picks players because the Chairmen say that it is important for PR. You know that Sam Allardyce. Self effacing, timid, unsure of his own mind...
People ask what Noble offers. Watch the tape of that 5-1 victory over Burnley. Watch the second half against West Brom. What Noble offers is a passing range that Parker and Behrami could never aspire to. And that is why Allardyce wants him at the hub of the team. Because Noble can go long with accuracy.
So now Noble is being remodelled for the second time in his career. He started as a tricky wide player but Pardew saw he lacked the pace for that role and beefed him up and pointed him towards a more combative central role. Curbishley saw his potential and made him a key member of the Great Escape team. We all remember that pass to Tevez against Bolton surely? Zola, idiot that he was, asked Noble to play on the right and left of midfield and undermined the kid's confidence. Last season he was rehabilitated but played alongside Parker in a poor team.
Doctor Evil sees Noble as the holding midfielder. He is the fourth West Ham manager in a row to regard Noble as a first choice player. Kid yourself that he is selected for PR purposes if you will. Maybe Zola would have done that. Maybe Grant. But Curbishley and Allardyce? Let's get real can we?
I'll be interested to know the statistics about how many times Noble lost possession and how many of these we conceded a goal from the resulting counter attack.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how many mistimed tackles by Noble either led to a free kick or a penalty and how many of these ended with the ball at the back of our net.
We can go on and on about statistics like these. They don't prove anything. We already know what Noble is good for ... and the many things he is not.
We can't afford to play dice with promotion. Picking Noble is a big risk when we finally have a full squad that can take us there the first time of asking.
The stats may be inconvenient Sav but you can't escape them. But West Ham DID escape relegation TWICE with Noble in the team for the crucial end of season games and went down when he was absent. But he is the problem!
ReplyDeleteSo you finally agree that Zola is better than Grant.
ReplyDeleteCome of it HF. The things I mention relate to what Noble has been doing as a player not whether the team won or not. We might win a game, like for a example the match against Portsmouth and Noble would still be guilty for 2 out of the 3 goals we conceded!
But we win more games when he plays than when he doesn't. Why is Allardyce picking him exactly? Why did Curbishley pick him?
ReplyDeleteI have NOT admitted Zola was better than Grant. Zola was lucky - Noble was available for the crucial end of season games! Grant was robbed of our two time saviour!
You are very funny when you are cornered!
ReplyDeleteDid it ever occur to you that maybe we win despite the less than average contribution of Noble or because simply the rest of the team was very good or the opposition was very bad, or because he played more often than not and so on and so forth.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, whether we win more games with Noble in the team than those occasions when he is not playing is a very unreliable statistic. But this is rather typical. I have come to expect this type of biased reasoning from you HF.
The truth is plain to see. Noble is a very average player with nothing special and a few rather annoying habits like losing the ball and committing unecessary fouls. What other statistic do you need?
Apparently Noble gets an easy ride for being a West Ham boy! Off who exactly?!
ReplyDeleteIt's also hilarious that West Ham fans see the free kicks Noble gives away, but the fact Parker gave away a lot more tends to slip their minds! The things you learn!
Noble has not given away loads of free kicks and penalties though sav and he loses the ball alot less then some of the players we have and had. You point out in a a game where everybody plays bad you point out Noble and blame him. Ive never heard you blame any other player and you just have a thing against Noble
ReplyDeleteThen give me the stats to counter it Sav. How about the stat that 4 consecutive managers have made him a first choice selection? Please explain why Allardyce is picking him? Does he give a flying fcuk about PR? If you are right and we win despite Noble, why do we lose more often without him? Was he a passenger when we won all those games with him in the side? Shit the rest of the team must have been bloody good! Strange that they lot so many games over the season then! And the season before! And strange that we were doomed to relegation in the GREAT Escape season UNTIL Noble came into the team.
ReplyDeleteYou live in a parallel universe mate!
I live in a parallel universe when I point out the truth? I did not use any biased and dubious statistics to make my point. I used plain facts.
ReplyDeleteJust count how many times in a game Noble loses or misplaces the ball, how many bad tackles he makes and how tentative he is in defending and there you have it. I have nothing against the guy. I would be happy if a genuine home grown player actually deserves to be a starter in the team. But I don't think Noble's game cuts it. Not when we have so many more alternatives in our squad.
And for your information I have not picked just on Noble. I was dead against the likes of Spector and Gabbidon and even Dyer to mention just a few. Do you know how many games we won with Spector in the team by the way? I guess quite a lot. Does this make him a good player? Surely not.
You would guess wrong. I'll come back with the Spector stats when I am not watching Crash on TV.
ReplyDeleteSpector fact number 1, he played in all six of those consecutive defeats under Zola. He did play in the Everton draw and, if you remember was to blame for both goals.
ReplyDeleteLat season the only Premiership victory he featured in was at home to Liverpool when he came on as a sub.
Want to correct yourself Sav?
The Spector stats show what happens when you try to carry a player! The Noble stats show what happens when you lose an important player! Facts rather than anecdotes, they are a proper bitch aint they mate?
ReplyDeleteI bet he also played in most of the very few wins we had that season. A fact which you conveniently choose to ovelook. This discussion is really futile. I rest my case.
ReplyDelete19:59 - I wouldn't call it funny - it's just plain embarrassing
ReplyDeleteYou're doing it again when you answer with three posts on the spin - that's weird.
ReplyDeleteYou rest your case Sav because you are wrong!
ReplyDeleteThis is a proper sh*t blog that just seems to be set up so the author can have a couple of people to talk to.
ReplyDeleteAs a real West Ham fan, this place is a true embarrassment. But at least I am not the one responsible for it. Whoever is really should be ashamed of their effort. Truly poor.
What dreadful grammar. Where did you go to school?
ReplyDeleteUsing 'and' after a comma? Incorrect use of 'so' at the start of a sentence.
You half-witted baboon.
Nigel Quashie's better than both of you.
ReplyDeleteSo there.
Sorry lads, was at footy....
ReplyDeleteHow can you write so much but say so little HF? You're bloody turning into Chandos!
After all that, the interesting thing is, it's still not clear what he's good at. You use one penalty...a penalty!!!!, and one corner to try to justify what he brings to our team? How many games has this guy played? How many corners has he taken? The fact that you clearly recall that one assist proves in itself that they are few and far between.
"I don't think any of us believe he is a future England player now"..no, but you did before didn't you? A climb down which will no doubt continue as you still think he is better than he actually is.
The manner in which fans go on about him, you'd think he was the best thing our academy had produced. But you've hardly heard of him being linked to any club or seen a club after him like they do to upcoming talents. Why? Because there's no talent there.
"Remember when we lost 6 games in a row under Zola and plummeted towards relegation? Noble only played in one of those games." You answer your own terribly weak argument here, straight after making it, by telling us that even in the one game he did play, we still lost, hence this stat is irrelevant because Noble's not made a difference. Why do you damage your argument with such garbage HF?
Your U21 point is crap. Any of the guys with any talent in the U21s have moved on and are in and around the seniors. Where is Noble? Has he been in a senior squad? Has even been close to be being picked? Even mentioned? Why, if he is so good? Why, if he was the captain at U21? Point to the apparent strength of the England first choice midfield if you will, but why has he not even been in a squad? Even flipping Henderson has a cap for goodness ' sake!
Completely with you Sav. HF is doing his usual fishing for comments and I am loosing a lot of respect for this blog. On the slim chance that what you have written is you're genuine opinion I'll throw in my two quids worth. The first thing I would like to point out is that you can not sight him playing centre midfield for and captaining England U-21 as some sort of achievment. The reason he was captain is because he was one of the oldest in the squad and the reason he could play in the midfield for them is because english centre midfielders are so bereft of any technical ability or knowledge of the game (asside from the Arsenal young lads and McCeachran) so any CM with any talent at all is going to be callled the next Scholes and is easily going to get in the U-21 team . Did you see the midfield at this summers euros? The only good team they played was spain and they got absolutely schooled on how to keep possesion in midfield. And don't forget that was with a 20 million pound centre midfielder in the english ranks.
ReplyDeleteThe second point I would like to pick up on is ''he can go long with accuracy'' lol. Typical thing someone who doesn't know anything about football or playing in centre midfield would judge a centre midfielder on. If that is the best facet of his game then maybe he should think about playing fly half in rugby instead. He will become a national hero. The next Jonny Wilkinson. You said yourself he is a bulky lad. Seems to be the logical next step in his career.
Best blog in a while Fanno,witty,sarcastic & also true...good stuff.
ReplyDelete(God that hurt me to say that,more than you'll ever know...)
Jonny Hammer
Really Johntan? I'm not comparing Noble to Beckham, Hoddle, Currie and co, not to mention Bobby Moore, but they could all "go long with accuracy" so should they have all stuck to rugby? The ability to put the ball into a forward's stride from 40 yards away is a fantastic skill and one that is beyond the likes of Parker and Behrami, who play "stabbed" passes over shortish distances.
ReplyDeleteStani, how about you try to explain the win ratio with Noble in the team compared to when he is out of the team? You are right, Noble did play in the last of those games in the nightmare run. It was his first game back after injury and where did Zola play him? Wide on the left! We lost 1-0. Check out the results when he didn't play!
What does Noble offer? The ability to pass long and vision. He plays with his head up and tries to spring defence into attack by PASSING the ball. Parker and Behrami always tried to run with it. Can he pass as well as Diamanti? No. Does he stay in the game more than Diamanti? Yes. That's why Zola preferred him to the Italian on the left!
And Stani, why is Allardyce picking him? Please explain.
ReplyDeleteCheers Johnny. It is a bit quiet at the moment so finding subjects isn't easy.
ReplyDelete23.55 You can use "so" at the start of a sentence you fool. Placing a connective at the start of a sentence is used for stylistic reasons. Check out Dickens:
"Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail.
Please note the use of "but" at the start of the sentence midway through that extract.
And then:
Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnised it with an undoubted bargain.
Please note the use of "and" at the start of a sentence in the extract above.
Now note:
Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, `No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!'
But what did Scrooge care! It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call `nuts' to Scrooge.
Note how Dickens starts a paragraph with "But".
But what of "so"? Try:
However, beef and Old Cheeseman are two different things. So is beer. It was Old Cheeseman I meant to tell about; not the manner in which our fellows get their constitutions destroyed for the sake of profit.
Didn't you read Dickens at school? Where were you educated? In an Essex sink school perhaps?
Diops not fit yet,Collison really seems to be struggling and Lansbury is still finding his feet.NONE OF THAT IS A COMPLIMENT TO NOBLE. As pointed out mant,many times above. Slow,illdisciplined,no goal threat (unless you count being a penalty kick taker)and no versatility. YES "he's one of us"! YES "he will run (albeit slowly) till he drops"! YES he might even be a slight asset in a league where "huff and puff" and possibly aggression is key, but as for "is Mark Noble a good midfielder" then I think he has proved over a long period of time that the obvious answer is no. Interesting to note that when Arsenal were looking to replace a central midfielder recently they didnt come knocking. Surely that was what they were crying out for to replace Fabregas HF? A player with all the attributes you say Noble has. Did they beat a a path to his door? No they went for a player that HAS THESE QUALITIES unlike our Marky boy. Everton come beating a path to his door when to replace Arteta? Think you know the answer. OF COURSE you might sight the reason that the deal was done very "11th hour" but if Everton had genuinely wanted him they would have set the wheels in motion. IF you honestly believe they (or anybody else) thinks hes Prem class I am prepared to wager £100 (for any charity you name) that they or any other Prem team wont come in for him in the Jan transfer window! The sad truth is that he started out in his early career as alooking like ahuge prospect and sadly hasnt fulfilled it 9not for the want of trying on his behalf though). An honest Pro. But a poor one quality wise.
ReplyDeleteI'm not comparing Noble to Fabregas! Anyway, Wenger wouldn't buy him, he's English! I presume you accept that Parker isn't all that on the basis that Wenger didn't bid for him either!
ReplyDeleteAh! Dickens ...yes! You remind me well of days gone by HF. I always took great pleasure in having a Dickens Cider.
ReplyDeleteI think there was nothing better than starting off the day with a Dickens Cider. Though, I have to say that her inside much preferred a Dickens Cider of an evening.
LOL Very good!
ReplyDeletewhy has Parker come in to the equasion?! Is the topic not about "how good Noble is"? Not "how good is Parker"? Just for the record you could argue that Parker has actually joined a team that is superior to Arsenals (yes they are in the Champs League but every indication is that that run will stop in the coming seasons)!! Trying to change the subject when you fall behind in a debate is fast becoming the norm for you.....you must be getting pretty used to it by now though. In typical fashion you have totally ignored the offer of the bet as per when theres AN ACTUAL QUESTION TO BE FACED!!! Run rabbit,run rabbit,run,run,run!!!!!
ReplyDeletesav 1
ReplyDeletehf 0
Noble reminds me a bit of Geoff Pike. Not appreciated by the fans but the team played better with him in it and the other players held him in high esteem.
ReplyDeleteAs to the problem of playing both Nolan and Baldock; how about Taylor switching to left back. Against a team like Peterborough we would almost line up 3-4-1-2?
Agree Marty. But not sure about width on left if Baldock and Nolan are included. Who plays on left of mid if Taylor is at full back?
ReplyDeleteCollisson. Although surely against Peterborough Taylor will be able to push on sufficiently to effectively be left wing?
ReplyDeleteIf Demel can play anywhere across the back four perhaps he could play centre back and cover the left back position when Taylor is caught upfield.
Wow, 34 comments. That must give you around 20 readers. Oh, hang on, 13 of the comments were you replying to yourself.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think no one really bothers reading or commenting on the pap you churn out?
HF,
ReplyDeleteHow many times does Noble put the ball into the forward's stride from 40 yards away? You're going on about it as if he does it all the time, but he doesn't or we'd witness it. Once again, searching for something.
Which win ratio? Are you talking about the 7 games we've played in the Championship or the last two seasons in the Premiership in which we've consistently struggled, a period which has funnily enough coincided with Noble being a regular in the side.
Why are we talking about Diamanti? Noble stays in the game? Are you kidding me?!?! If you're talking about his stupid fouls, then yes, you're right, he does them every so often to stay in the game.
I can forgive Allardyce for picking him for now. Our previous managers were obviously wrong for picking him in my opinion and this goes without saying. Obviously if I'm critical of a player, I don't think the manager should be picking him and thus is making a mistake in my opinion.
Allardyce has just come in, but if Noble is a regular fixture in our side with the squad we have by the end of this season then Allardyce will be wrong too (in my opinion)
At the moment he could be picking him for a number of reasons. Had they been football ones, I would have seen them and listed then to you here. In fact, had they been football ones, you would have given them to me yourself. The one corner, one penalty and one forty yard pass don't add up to much.
If I had to guess why he was picking him then it's probably a mix of him being a West Ham boy. This influences manager as this type of player is viewed as a) Caring more and b) Able to stir up the passion in the crowd. The other aspect is that he's been a regular fixture under previous managers so Allardyce currently probably thinks there must be something about him (he will realise there is not). The final reason is that Noble is the ultimate PR machine. Interview to be done, he's there. Something to be promoted, he's there. Injured and got an away game that weekend, he'll still travel. I bet he's tapping bums and doing high fives in training too, just to get into the managers thoughts that this guy really cares. Pam leaves his Wrigleys in the office, worry not, Nobes is already half away there getting it for him.
Derren Brown eat your heart out! Mark Noble is the master of persuasion and subliminal suggestion. You know how Steve McClaren managed to con his way into the England job? Noble does this to get into our side. It's a brilliant talent, but it's not football.
It's a mystery 1223, perhaps you can answer it as you keep returning here. Odd the way this site ALWAYS features so high on the News Now Boards. Even in the top 10 on the QPR Board as we speak. Sort of verifies the hit count which is now climbing towards one and a quarter million. All those non readers! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteStani, nonsense. There's no way Allardyce is trusting to the judgement of previous managers and picking Noble because he is a West Ham boy. If that is true, why is he leaving out Collison and Sears?
ReplyDeleteAs it happens, I do see Noblle play effective long passes in just about every game he plays. They don't always result in goals but he plays them. He is also very good at switching play, moving the ball out wide to left or right after the attack has been focused on the previous flank.
Where do you get the idea that we started to struggle when Noble came into the team? He has started117 league games, only 50 of which have been over the last two seasons. We weren't struggling when he was in the team in the previous 67 games. In fact, his arrival in the team coincided with the Great Escape and a surge in our win ratio and the revival under Zola in our first season coincided with the return to fitness of Noble. When he was injured, we struggled under Zola!
Get your facts right mate, then you would have more credibility!
Actually, I think 12.33 has a point HF.
ReplyDeleteEven you, as blind to your own deficiencies as you are, can see that next to no one comments on your articles and there is never really any true debate on this site (your own fault by insisting on 'moderating' (censoring) every comment - that kills any chance of real debate).
If we take your hit counter (time for that to go HF, it is 2011 after all) at face value, then yes, you would seem to have a fairly well read site. However, 2 things suggest very strongly that that is a fabrication.
1. You receive next to no comments. For a blog site, that is the true indication of your popularity. For example, your good friend Mr Dales site had over 80 comments on the match thread last week by half time. That's over 80 comments, in less than 2 hours and none of them written by him. Using your own logic of most people not leaving comments, just reading the articles, and folding in the number of comments he does receive, his blog must be read by 10's of millions. Which it isn't. Nor is yours, by any stretch.
2. A quick look at Alexa shows that your site is rated so unpopular that it doesn't even register any stats in their system.
Why don't you lose the moderation? Don't use the 'google told me to put in because of spam porn' lie. I also run several blogspot blogs, among other sites (on totally different subjects to this), which receive many more comments and readers than this place and have never had such a problem or warning from google. If you're trying to suggest that google don't have the know how to block spam, well....
Lose the moderation, encourage debate by doing so and take it on the chin when people don't agree with you or prove you wrong.
Honestly, you and your blog come across incredibly childish, amateurish and arrogant as it stands which, I can assure you, puts any potential readers off returning or taking you seriously. That's a shame as you seem to enjoy writing and with a few tweaks (and maybe a change of platform from blogspot to something more appropriate) this could be a popular and successful place.
I hope you are big enough to take all that as it was meant.
HF,
ReplyDeleteI didn't say Pam was, I said if I had to guess, because quite frankly, it's a bloody mystery to me how the guy gets in the team. Collison and Sears came after him.
Your second paragraph there is something every footballer pretty much does. It's basic stuff which you're highlighting as a special talent of Noble....it's because he has no real special talents.
Did I say we started to struggle when Noble came in the team? The win ratio was your argument. I'm merely saying that if that is the case that Noble increases our win ratio, why is it that we've had two of the worst seasons in our history in a period where Noble was supposed to have been getting better and better?
I have no issues with credibility here HF! Me get my facts right? You take off your rose tinted glasses, get over your pride and watch the rational judgement come back to you.
So Stephen, link across so we can see your blogs, it would be interesting. Last time I checked, the stats on Alexa suggested the site was doing very well thank you very much! How do you explain the high position on the News Now boards and the prominence of the site on google searches? Odd that. If you run google blogspots, why don't you have a google blogspot ID when you post on here? Odd that too.
ReplyDeleteHow much spam do you get hitting through? My filter picks up about 15 each day, and misses 4 or 5, some of which are for finance and some for porn.
Dale's site has a more sophisticated comments section. The majority of blogs I visit get very few comments actually.
I take seriously your comments but would take them more seriously if you backed them up with evidence of you blogspot ID.
Question, why do you keep returning?
Hello HF,
ReplyDeleteFirstly, and without disrespect, I would not post links to my blogs or sites on here as I would not want the association. There, said it, and hopefully without too much offence. Further to that, I have nothing to prove to you and feel no need to.
Secondly, I'd go and run your url through Alexa this morning. You do not register on their traffic stats at all.
Thirdly, I don't get any spam as I use a Captcha system to stop any bots at the front door. I'm interested to know what your blogspot spam filter is called that is catching 15 pieces a day? And if you have a successful filter, you can turn the moderation off???
Forth-ly, you must only read very unpopular blogs for you not to be seeing many comments. Perhaps your opinion is skewed because of this. Most of the blogs and websites I publish and maintain are in the climate science realm and it is uncommon not to receive several hundred comments on each article posted.
Fifth-ly, think about moving from blogspot, it is very limiting. There are far better platforms out there these days with far more features.
Sixth-ly, try to think about the tone of your writing and responses to what few comments you do receive.
Seventh-ly, why do I keep returning? How do you know I do? These are the first 2 comments I have left on your site for over a year. The only previous comments I left you were so rude to in your response it taught me it wasn't worth commenting on your articles at all. When I return, it's to see how it shouldn't be done.
Sorry.
All the best.
I have to disagree with you on a number of points Stephen. Just got to take my mum to the market so will respond in a bit
ReplyDeleteHi Stani,
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to reading your points but will not be responding to them. I've already had 50% of my posts on this article censored by the author so I don't see the point in making any more.
It's clear that HF cannot cope on a level playing field. Shame, as I was only trying to help.
LOL What are you talking about? Unless you have used the F word or the C word, or linked to porn, none of your posts have been censored. Exposed as a fraud sir, exposed as a fraud. The Alexa ranking shows the site climbing by the way.
ReplyDeleteLets try again then. By the way, name calling shows you up more than me.
ReplyDeleteHello HF,
Firstly, and without disrespect, I would not post links to my blogs or sites on here as I would not want the association. There, said it, and hopefully without too much offence. Further to that, I have nothing to prove to you and feel no need to.
Secondly, I'd go and run your url through Alexa this morning. You do not register on their traffic stats at all.
Thirdly, I don't get any spam as I use a Captcha system to stop any bots at the front door. I'm interested to know what your blogspot spam filter is called that is catching 15 pieces a day? And if you have a successful filter, you can turn the moderation off???
Forth-ly, you must only read very unpopular blogs for you not to be seeing many comments. Perhaps your opinion is skewed because of this. Most of the blogs and websites I publish and maintain are in the climate science realm and it is uncommon not to receive several hundred comments on each article posted.
Fifth-ly, think about moving from blogspot, it is very limiting. There are far better platforms out there these days with far more features.
Sixth-ly, try to think about the tone of your writing and responses to what few comments you do receive.
Seventh-ly, why do I keep returning? How do you know I do? These are the first 2 comments I have left on your site for over a year. The only previous comments I left you were so rude to in your response it taught me it wasn't worth commenting on your articles at all. When I return, it's to see how it shouldn't be done.
Sorry.
All the best.
Sorry Stephen, both of your last two comments went to SPAM for some reason, as can be seen by them straddling my response. I honestly do not censor unless the posts are foully abusive or link to porn.
ReplyDeleteApologies for my reply. You were right to be suspicious given your reply was sitting in the SPAM box.
No problems. I'll look forward to yours and Stani responses. However, I've just had a bike built for me which I must go and collect. Until later.
ReplyDeleteFirst replies for over 12 months? You have a good memory! You remember me explaining the notice I received about the need for moderation to block the porn spam. That was in the last 12 months!
ReplyDeleteI thought you said you used Blogspot? Now you are dissing it. I'm happy enough with the platform.
You can't have done your Alexa search correctly. Try again.
My SPAM filter is the blogspot supplied filter.
Sorry HF but you are wrong. It wasn't within the last 12 months, not that it matters.
ReplyDeleteYou rank so low that the only stats Alexa keeps is your overall ranking. No traffic trend data is collected as you'll be able to tell if you try to use any of the graphs.
I use blogspot amongst many other platforms. Blogspot was one of the first which is why my older sites are still on there. I would not and have not created any new sites on blogspot for a long long time, it's been left behind by so many other platforms.
Now, I really must be off.
You agree that Alexa shows traffic growing? No need to link to your sites, just share which ones you run. I would be interested as somebody who believes global warming is a state sponsored con.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, as things stand at 1529, this site is number 1 and 2 for most hits on the News Now All Sources West Ham board, and number 1 on the QPR board. How has that happened if there is no traffic Stephen? The target audience is limited, I accept, but the site seems to be cllaiming more than its fair share of that traffic!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, where do you stand on the Noble debate Stephen?
ReplyDelete15:11 no one ever linked to port you cretin - the only reason you moderate is because you like to censor.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Stephen is so quick to criticise this blog but refuses to disclose the blogs that he runs for our opinions. Ha ha ha ha. Me thinks someone might be jealous of someone elses success . . .
ReplyDeletewhat is it with noble scoring penalties that win us games?
ReplyDeleteHi Stephen,
ReplyDeleteI disagree there is no true debate here. We've gone deep into issues on here that you wouldn't find on most West Ham blogs, and that is no exaggeration. There may not be any kind of 'flow' to the debate on this site, but there is definitely debate, far more so than on Dale's blog in my opinion. Not only more debate but a freer debate, where those of opposing views are not ganged up on and banned. Now the flow issue is obviously because if the moderation.
Only HF knows if he needs to keep the moderation facility on as turning it off would obviously be conducive to a flowing debate. We have discussed this in the past and I have even offered to moderate for him during the day, but he doesn't seem to trust me. I've even told him to get a newer phone that would allow him to visit blogspot via the net or through an app and allow him to allow comments through when he's away from his laptop.
I am certain that turning off the moderation would boost the number of comments. Yet a huge number of comments on a blog do not indicate how good the blog is. Personally, when I see a comments section full of comments, it's off-putting. You don't feel like getting involved as you've not been there from the beginning of the debate thus have not taken in the whole argument. Therefore a blog with few comments is much more preferrale to me, personally.
I did also suggest he move over to wordpress but being the technophobe he is, he wouldn't.
Now regarding Dale....
The comments on his match thread are pretty pointless to be honest in terms of valuing a blog post by the number of comments it receives. They're generally short opinions or expressions during a game that fans like to give out and hardly involve extended debate.....
As for real articles, well Dale hardly bothers to post any. When he does, they are unremarkable and lack insight or any form of wit and imagination. He also makes remarkable blunders which leave you wondering if he actually is a football fan. Two such examples were his recent attack on Diop, calling him a thug for some unexplained reason. I was glad to see his followers pull him up on that. Then there was the one referring to David Bentley as Darren Bentley. HF, you were on holiday at the time.
ReplyDeleteHe's brought Chandos in who just writes lines and lines of dross, and both are as thin skinned and allergic to criticism as one another. If you were to offer such criticism as you have done here on Dale's blog, you would first get hounded by his cronies, one of whom would go inform Dale via mail because Dale hardly read the comments, and then Dale would turn up threatening to ban you.
Dale also doesn't make any effort to converse with those that contribute to his blog by way of comments. Yes he's a busy man, but that is no excuse for not posting an odd comment here and there. He only seems to do so when he wants to threaten to ban someone as I have said above. You may say there are too many comments to respond to them all, but he doesn't have to respond to them all.
And the dozens of comments they receive on their posts are not because their articles bring about debate. It is just a result of the fact that Dale is in the public eye, is known to be a West Ham fan who has a blog, so people tend to congregate there. Most of them, though certainly not all, are hardly the brightest of things anyway.
Dale also advertises on his site so has another motive to promote his site. Using his work links, he's able to reach further than someone like HF is. My point is that this reach is not because of the quality of his writing.
Dale and Chandos' articles do not come close to HF's. HF has his flaws and times he can be a right cnut, but he's an admirable cnut in some ways.
Ah Stani, and I love you too!
ReplyDelete...and as you can see Stephen, some comments do slip through moderation
ReplyDeleteHaha. Mark Noble scored this afternoon. What were the chances of that?
ReplyDelete