Thank God we beat West Brom. Had that game been lost or even drawn, I would make us amongst the favourites to join the Hula Hoops of QPR and Reading in the Championship next season. But that victory has given the division a false look from a West Ham fan's point of view. We sit in middle table, but we sit on a very narrow perch and there is a massive ravine beneath us.
To be fair, we didn't look like a team haunted by fears of relegation last Saturday. Collins and Reid were immense at the back, and the three goals we scored were all out of the top drawer. I have been a long standing defender of Tomkins and Noble, but their replacements Collins and O'Neill were hugely instrumental in our victory, figuring in all three goals between them. The other stand out player was, of course, Andy Carroll who, frighteningly, is unavailable for today's game at Liverpool.
This round of fixtures is fraught with danger. Even when we are playing well, we get thumped at Liverpool, with 3-0 being a par score. Suarez is on form, Liverpool are buzzing, they need the points, so it looks a banker home game. Keeping the score down may, in fact, be the best we can hope for. And goal difference may yet be a crucial factor.
Our season probably now comes down to three games - all at home against Wigan, Newcastle and Reading. Win all three and we will be in mid table. Win one and draw one and we will be safe. Lose three and draw one and we will probably go down. Lose all four and God help us!
Look at the remaining fixtures for the likes of Newcastle, Norwich, Wigan and Villa, and there are lots of winnable games. Only Sunderland have a nightmare fixture list, and who knows how the Il Duce factor will play out? If he can spare time from draining the marshes, getting the trains to run on time and invading Albania, he may just fire Sunderland into a temporary revival.
Redknapp is aiming at 37 points to sound realistic, but 37 points won't be enough. My money is now on 40 for survival, and that is beyond both QPR and Reading. With Samba losing his beat and the fans turning on the 100k a week man - and 'Arry criticising him for moving himself up front into the bargain - it looks like Redknapp exhausted his miracles when he won that tax evasion trial. You can only buy so many favours from the Devil once you have pledged your soul it seems.
Interestingly, with everybody singing Allardyce's praises, we are still 6 points shy of the points total achieved by the reviled Roeder in the season we went down. And that 42 points total should be a warning to anybody feeling too complacent in the bottom half of the table. Jol said he "thinks" Fulham are ok with 39 points and we still need one more win to get there!
I make you right in that we need a few more points before we are safe. Can’t see any coming at Liverpool tomorrow a place where we haven’t won since goals from Hurst and Peters back in 1963. I think we will be ok though as our home form all season has been good and even the games we lost we could have so easily picked up at least a point.
ReplyDeleteI am making the journey down for the Newcastle game and I hope it will be done and dusted by then but maybe not for my Geordie mates!!
BTW don’t credit Roeder with us reaching 42 points I would put that more down to a certain Trevor Brooking!
Hi Rev, hope you and yours are well. Heard from Del at all? Is he just bored with the Org? If you speak, wish him well from me.
ReplyDeleteHF, you are usually a Doomsday kind of guy. I'm used to that. But many of the "winnable" games for the teams beneath us in the table are against each other. So only one can get maximum points. With that in mind, it's hard to see two of the teams from 12th to 18th passing us. To back that up, just look at the bookmakers. Some wont even post odds on us going down. Those that do have it around 50-1. This is their livelihood so I'm going with their analysys over yours. No offense. And on form, wouldn't you be more concerned for Stoke and Norwich? They are both dropping like a stone.
ReplyDeleteWe are meant to be pessimists supporting WHU. But I think you're stretching it here.
We play Liverpool on Sunday HF.
ReplyDeleteDid you see O'Neill's corner for Carroll's header? Did you see the technique for his goal? Noble can never do that in his life.
There was also this article whilst you was away, about Noble being amongst the worst corner takers in the league. So lets have enough of those stats you and others keep presenting telling us how apparently good the guy is, and start watching the game.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2301018/Hazard-Van-Persie-Cazorla-Mata-worst-corner-takers-Why-Chelsea-worst-team.html
Yes I realise that now Stani. Still in the mountains but now back on internet as we have headed south and my mobile stick can now pick up a signal.
ReplyDeleteThe O'Neil corner was remarkably similar to the one delivered by Noble when Carroll scored wasn't it? The goal was down to poor marking and Carroll's run and leap. I could have knockeed over the corner!
O'Neil's goal was superb, no taking that away from him, but even Parker scored the odd gem in a West Ham shirt. When was the last time O'Neil scored at Upton Park? He was in a Miserableboro shirt!
Dave, you are far too reckless. Villa's win against Stoke shows the danger, and Norwich nearly beat Swansea. Meanwhile, Southampton are already above us. I could play out a whole series of results that could see us end up in the bottom three if we don't pick up four points, and the fact that teams in the bottom half play each us makes that more likely, not less likely. Of course we should get 4 points, but we are talking West Ham, and when you have supported the club for as long as I have, you will understand my caution. The Villa result was a disaster today. Stoke will end up on 39 or 40 points so their defeat has not helped our cause one jot.
If you can get 50/1 on us getting relegated then I'm having £20 on it tomorrow! I'm not confident simply because if Carroll were to get injured for the run in we would be in serious trouble
ReplyDeleteNegative prick
ReplyDeleteSurprised your mobile stick ever picked up a signal at all, HF.
ReplyDeleteBut anyway...
No that corner wasnt similar to Noble's! But I'd expect you to say that because you just don't see what makes a good delivery.
Parker's were hit and hope, HF. Nothing to do with technique.
Stoke or Sunderland for the last place to go down with Quarter Pounder Rubbish & the buiscit boys were safe as for Saints they weren't that great y/day made themselves look good playing a poor Reading side who look like a team already down as for today can see QPR getting a point against Wigan
ReplyDeleteRick with a silent p
ReplyDeleteYour a hard man not brave enough to put your name so whose the prick you mug put your name & where your from & were have it you tosser
ReplyDelete'Who's the prick, you mug'? Obviously not me if I'm the mug, or tosser? (dumb shit) anyways, in answer to your question, it's you. You are most definatley the prick. Rick the prick. Rick, rick, the little prick. Come and see me if you like. My address is number 1, your a prick road, prick town, prickfordshire, PR1 1CK
DeleteHey 21-52 whose the one with a silent p now you tosser come on have it anywhere you want if your not a hammer your just a typical hot air prick also get on your own sites as us hammers back our mouths up with actions not hide behind a pc or mobile so come on down I'm looking forward to busting you wide open
ReplyDeleteU sad pathetic little prick,how old are u? Does mummy know you're on her computer? Now go to sleep-school in the morning!
ReplyDeleteHey editor how come you aint took the comments off 21-52 as he's got nothing to say about football
ReplyDeleteAnd u lot say Leeds fans are easy to wind up!hahahaha
ReplyDelete