This weekend may well go down as one of the blackest in the history of the club. True we fought back to draw the game, but the team selection, tactics and performance in the first half said everything that needs to be said about Allardyce. And the second half showed even more because it illustrated perfectly what I and others have been saying for ages, that our struggles are down to the caution and negativity of the manager. Go for it in this division and the opposition fold. But going for it isn't a concept Allardyce understands.
Meanwhile, Reading and Southampton continued on their merry ways, attacking the opposition and taking them apart. Contrast Southampton's performance when a goal ahead against Doncaster with ours. One wasn't enough for the Saints was it? And were they ever troubled, was the result ever any doubt? Look at the happy fans in the New Dell and the Madjeski, and compare the smiles of their fans with the furrowed brows of ours. THERE is the perfect example of how the players inspire the fans! You give the fans something to cheer about!
And as we slip further behind in the promotion race, Sullivan and Gold submit the new bid to turn us from owner occupiers of a heritage home into tenants in a soulless bowl. And if we miss out on promotion this season and miss out again next, tell me, what's it going to be like watching Championship football through binoculars in the Olympic Stadium?
The club my father raised me to support and that I raised my son to support is dying before our very eyes. The "football" that Allardyce insists upon is alien to everything our club stands for and soon the stadium will be alien too. In time, the real fans, the Lyall and Greenwood generation, will die out, leaving behind the "Green Street" inspired morons. And, of course Sullivan and Gold, will go to the great Dildo Land in the sky too, sooner rather than later in all probability. And what will remain then? I shudder to think. But without a stadium to call our own, what's to stop somebody simply closing down "the franchise" or moving it to Milton Keynes?
This makes me very sad. Please keep the club at The Boleyn. Please play attractive football and inspire the support. Please don't let me even ponder leaving West Ham.
ReplyDeleteNever before have read such drivel - get outside and take in some fresh air.
ReplyDeleteI believe the man we should have hired from the beginning was Hughton. He's a player's coach and is largely underestimated. I still dont understand why Barrera is in spain. The championship was a perfect place to find out whether or not this kid was a bust. HF you always talk about the problems out wide on both sides. Vaz Te (for now) and Barrera on the other could have truly been dangerous.
ReplyDeleteTo be faie he isn't pulling up saplings in Spain. One goal from 18 starts. I still think we were sent over s lookalike from Taco Bell!
ReplyDeleteAs for amanager, I repeatedly called for the return of Pardew and look what he is doing at Newcastle!
ReplyDeleteI think think Pards was top draw and still is, but Vera Drakes wages could tip us over the edge...
ReplyDeleteI think we have reached a point in the season now where fans feelings are beginning to boil over.Most were willing to give ALLARDYCE the benefit of allowing time to prove himself ,we were prepared to gag it, and put up with the monotonous negative tactics for a top two position in the league.But now the results are not going our way and we have dropped out the automatic promotion places,and all but sealed our fate in the play-offs,the voice of discontent is growing louder.What topped it off for me was the lineup he put out on Saturday against BURNLEY,defensively reasonably sound(so it seemed), but as an attacking threat completely clueless.This scenario has repeated itself through much of the season,and I sensed it was only out of desperation he changed the shape,and the personnal second half against BURNLEY to a 4-4-2 that secured a point for the side.Lets just wait and see what team he puts out on Tuesday against PETERBORO',see if he has learnt anything.I think this will be a turning point for many fans.
ReplyDeleteNo thanks. I don't think Pardew is the answer for West Ham. If I remember correctly, he was the manager who thought Marcherano and Tevez weren't fit to play for West Ham!!! He kept Mascerano on the bench for most of his time with us until Benitez grabbed him. Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteSouthampton play their football at St Mary's Stadium about a hundred yards from the church of St Mary's where the club was founded in 1885 by a group of Christian men.
ReplyDeleteMillwall play at the New Den Saints play at St Mary's. If you can't get simple facts right how cane we believe what else you may have to say.
Culdesac.
ReplyDeletePardew, O'neil, even Hughton, yes. To his credit, Allardyce stabilized the club after the commotion of relegation, and brought enthusiasm in the first half of the competition.
Unfortunately, if the ends justify the means, it seems the dream is over. Direct promotion will not happen if we continue to play the way we have been for the last two months, and several players are clearly in a lack of confidence patch. Perhaps they too have had enough of Allardyce's (bad) manners ?
Cul de sac
ReplyDeleteAs for the olympic stadium, I beleive it is a gross error to move there. Look what happened to Espanyol Barcelona after the Olympics there in 92... They left Sarria, a great location in the heart of the city, to exile themselves in the... Olympic stadium. Result ? The team stagnated and even went down into second division. No crowd, no spirit. Everybody hated going there to play.
Don't make the same mistake in London !
Cul de sac..
ReplyDeleteMy mistake, Espanyol was not relegated, but it did almost happen on two occasions, back to back, earning the right to stay in first division on the very last day of the competition.
2138, you need to check your Southampton history. I used to watch games at The Dell, the old stadium and have watched West Ham twice now at the St Mary's Stadium or The New Dell as many term it. I used to live in Clovelly Road, off St Mary's Road when a student at Southampton University so know the area rather well thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteNever heard St Mary's Stadium called the New Dell.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting actually. I've found just one link on the internet calling it The New Dell. Seems it doesn't have the currency I thought it had. Maybe it dates back to the move, when there was talk of it taking a sponsor's name. Back then, I'm sure there was a body of fans who referred to it as The New Dell, and that's how I've always termed it. Having lived in the St Mary's area when it was the Southampton red light district, the name St Mary's makes it sound like a whore house to me!
ReplyDeleteAs bad as it sounds, a few times this season I've felt a bit like this. I remember when Derby went 2 up inside 20 minutes, I remember saying to my friend, 'in fact I hope they win 7-0, so everyone will see how tactically inept Allardyce is.' When Ipswich went 3-1, in my head I was hoping for more. I said to my friend on the weekend, when Burnley scored their second, 'we'll probably come back and draw, but in a sense I;d rather not. Is a point worth giving Allardyce the satisfaction of saying 'we played well' or 'his subs changed the game?' I guess a point is a point, but in simple terms, fcuk off Allardyce.
ReplyDeletere; St Mary's stadium : Mick Channon termed the (then) new ground "The New Delhi" when it was built - because it was in an area of high Indian population.
ReplyDeleteWhen the move to St Mary's took place, because the Stadium was close to a district with a large Asian population, some wags had christened it the New Delhi. But it hasn't stuck
ReplyDeletemust admit it wasn't that long ago you boys where 5 points clear at the top and could not see us catching you!
ReplyDeletewhat was the story with Pardew at your place, why was he sacked? He left our place under a cloud to do with non footballing matters and I heard somthing similar happened at yours, any ideas?