Southampton deserve to go up. They have been superb all season playing the game the way it should be played. Adkins has done a brilliant job, and there is more than a slice of irony involved in a team put together by Pardew topping us in the table. Lallana and Lambert are a class act and will grace the Prem, and Sharp was an astute signing in January - far more astute than Maynard!
Meanwhile, Reading have put together the most amazing run ever since they thumped us 3-0 back in early December. McDermott, like Adkins, has done a brilliant job, keeping the players' feet on the ground and their brains focused. Like Southampton, Reading have played to their strengths and, despite losing Long in August, McDermott has produced a team that has forgotten how to lose - or draw for that matter! And Roberts was an astute signing in January. Far more astute than Maynard!
What a contrast with Allardyce. He has displayed an obnoxious arrogance all season, refusing to see that the team were playing appallingly even when scraping 1-0 victories, and hailing ultra negative displays, like the one at Brighton, as examples of tactical brilliance. Time and again we were "unlucky" after dominating the game. Time and again we deserved to win games we ended up drawing - according to Allardyce and his blinkered backers. It was all bollocks.
Allardyce told us he knew the facts and his supporters told us the table doesn't lie. Well I know the facts and I agree that over a full season, the table doesn't lie. Take a look at the table now guys and see for yourself the great Allardyce lie.
But anyway, well done to Southampton and Reading. Allardyce handed it to you on a plate but you helped yourselves superbly! Good luck in the Prem, unless we go up hanging on to your coat tails!
15 comments:
Cardiff and Blackpool we can both beat. Really worried about Brum. Maybe we'll actually do something positive and win the playoffs, but i doubt it.
I think this is just about the most generous blog ever by a fan in this situation. I'm a Saints fan and we love the Hammers and would much rather you guys went up than Reading, not a real club. And we're not sure of goinjg up yet ourselves anyway so we'll all see... But Allardyce is an evil, greedy, self-serving, arrogant, deeply unpleasant man who plays shit football and to that extent I really agree with you. Still good luck to WH but Sam? Forget it. Ian W
We need to avoid Birmingham completely in my opinion, hopefully someone else does them over 'cos I don't think we could over two legs and I don't think we could at Wembley. Hull or 'Boro at Wembley are my picks, we could easily outplay both of those teams on our day and we do not want Cardiff at Wembley because eventually they're gonna get some luck at Wembley and win for once!!!!
We'll win the playoffs it's the master plan as written by Terence Brown and now advisor to Gollivan
Saints fan here. I agree with the author. I remember West Ham being a great footballing side. It is a shame now. I saw us lose on friday at home to Reading and I was proud of the team. We played some great football. - a bit like the West Ham of old. But your teams your team isn't it? We can't change.
the thing i think is that West Ham fans would rather play the right way and lose than play only the wrong way. Start from basics and work up, not resort to statistics only. That's why we (Saints fan) are delirious coz this is the football of the keegan/channon era which resulted in us ending second one year (to Liverpool of course...), but still not a bad claim! Evening all by the way. N.
Off the top of my head 5 of the starting team were signined by Pardew. Hardly his team!!!
Don't agree with this article at all. Congratulating Reading and Southampton is beyond me. People moan about West Ham playing 'long ball'. Its Reading (to Roberts) and Southampton (to Lambert) that have lumped the ball long all season. Ive been to every game this seaon including the one at Brighton, which WAS an example of tactical brilliance. Finally we have a proper manager and a team that works hard and for each other. Ok we have failed to score and finish games on a few occassions, but we have no god given right to walk away with this league. We have to remember we are in the second tier of english football, we are not very good !
I would much rather see a West Ham side go and dig out 1-0 wins than a side like Zolas and Grants that I knew would get beaten without any fight every week.
We all pay our money so were all entitled to our opinion, I just don't like the negativity, it does nothing to help the club we all love.
Well said HF. If only we'd taken one of our chances to bring Pardew back to the club, we wouldn't be here in the first place.
Reading fan here, thanks for the congratulations. West Ham can make it through the playoffs. 80 points is normally enough for promotion but you guys need to be a bit less negative towards your own team in the playoffs. Playing lovely football is what everyone wants but playing in the prem is the only thing that matters. As for iswhite10 a bit of education for you, Reading are the second oldest league club and now the oldest club in the Premier league plus we pumped you 3-1 at your own cabbage patch, not bad for a pretend club. Good luck the Hammers!
Not sure you want to play like southampton.. "lump it to lambert"
thats all they have got. I hope we see you in the prem with us next year. but you guys need di canio.
Reading till i die...
Cocksure, obnoxious, egotist. (Allardyce, not you HF)
We simply will not cope in the pressure of the playoffs. All the other sides have players that may not be as talented, but are much cleverer, cunning and mentally tough. The manager has instilled a weak, uncertain mindset in our players. Together with his tactical ineptitude, it means we struggle in games, especially in games where we need to change the flow eg coming back from behind or seeing out a game. This doesnt bode well for what will be needed in the playoffs.
iswhite10 17 April 2012 23:44
Hammersfan is usually generous to any team.... excluding West Ham.
Cheers for your comments regarding Saints but, The team was not souly created by pardew. Adkins signed Chaplow for 50k , Hooiveld, Sharp, De ridder, Lee.Lallana was a youth product. You are going great guns this season and lets face it no one wants to be another Leicester do they!! Blowing money with no reward.
Just saw Noble's assist for Bristol's goal. Class act.
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