West Bromwich Albion 3 West Ham Utd 2 (13/09/08)

[humppis]

(the less talked about the other debut today for us the better)

Shame - some of di Michele's youtube goals back in the day were crackers. hope he's not completely past it now

Michele was just typical italian, running before learning to walk, and trying to be oh-so-flashy instead of doing nothing to mention about.

We'll just see when he starts falling down and waving his hands on every opportunity.

[jacko]

Keen bottled it with the subs. Cole was playing well so he didn't want to bring him off...whereas he had brought on Di Michale as a sub and didn't want to take him off.

I thought cole played well but it was really selfish of him not to pass to LBM when he would have been clean through. I think west brom are ***** and dead certs for going down...don't know what that says about us. we need gabbidon back cos davenport is a liability.

[PrinceH]

Al'right I should not speak today as I've only seen the golas on a telly.
But maybe we should be happy when our players don't get call ups to the National team.
Cause Upson was really weak at at least two crucial situations. At the first goal he just stood daydreaming in an unforgivable manner and for the third he was a bit unlucky, but still, good players don't get unlucky in those positions!
The second goal - the penalty - should never been given, but Green should know that gettin so close to someones feet, can upset anyone... So not the best for the England nationals then. (Again).


Edit: Strange teamselection. Strange not to let Bellamy play at least 20 min (instead of Ethers). If he can't make 20 he should not even be on the bench. Strange to rest Faubert.

[kthammer]

[/quote]

Michele was just typical italian, running before learning to walk, and trying to be oh-so-flashy instead of doing nothing to mention about.

We'll just see when he starts falling down and waving his hands on every opportunity.[/quote]

how insightful - let's dismiss someone making his debut in a foreign league...terrrific.

[wewe100]

Ive just got back from the game and the only thing i can say is the second half performance was shocking and the atmosphere in the second half was almost as bad. Ive just been reading through some of the comments on here about Carlton Cole and i have to say i am shocked, myself and the west ham fans at the game today were shocked by how lazy he was, he didnt seem to give a **** and couldnt be bothered to close men down, he was even doing west brom`s defence work in the end. Dont get me started on Di Michele either, dreadful, tried to be a bit flash but he ended up just being a flash in the pan, hope he adapts more but he looked really terrible, Parker was just as bad, he should try taking the ball forward more.

I did meet Mike Lee, Peter Grant and Scott Duxbury before the game though, Grant and Lee came across as nice blokes but Duxbury was too busy speaking on the phone

[jacko]

i'm pretty sure there must still be question marks over bellamy's fitness because that game was ripe for him today. He would have ripped them to shreds.

[saludo de carlitos]

I'm not too bothered about today. It all starts for me on monday. A bright new future. I've also been convinced we are in desperate need of steve clarke too. So i'm sorry steve. You are needed. Come on you irons.

[Memorial Ground]

I'm not too bothered about today. It all starts for me on monday. A bright new future. I've also been convinced we are in desperate need of steve clarke too. So i'm sorry steve. You are needed. Come on you irons.

Yeah, same. Our season starts with Zola, and even then we're gonna need to let him bed in (which I hope the board realise can take years). As much as I hate to say it, this season could also be about stability, what with fixing Eggy's mess and sorting the management out.

If we win next week I think spirits will really be raised. Although there's still a very real possibility of losing (as is always the case with West Ham) there is also the possibility of us absolutely slaughtering them. Bellamy will be right up for it and hopefully Noble can carry on with what I saw today (which was only the first half).

Here's to a good first half today, and a good result next week.

And Derby are beating SU.

[Sambono5]

Same old, same old. Nothing to see here West Ham of old performance. Now lets hope Newcastle are as abject next week as they were today. Cant be bothered to be doom and gloom to be honest, just does my head in. We'll see how we do next week but results like this have happened a fair bit this season. I'm not sh*tting myself as yet. Alfie thanks for providing some amusement! 'Everyone was absolute sh*te!

Owen hat-trick it is then?

[hammer1975]

we concede 3 goals and loads of chances against a team that hasn't scored in open play so people look for a scapegoat = criticise davenport. I'll admit that he wasn't as good as in the homes this season but from where I was sitting Upson had more of a 'mare, should have done better with two of their goals, wasn't in the opposition box helping to create one of our goals and wasn't one of the two fullbacks that (1) let the west brom player have too much space to cross (Ilunga) or (2) got caught out of position all day long (Neill).

Cole was crap as soon as the west brom defense decided to let him win the first ball and then take it off him after his poor second touch. Someone earlier mentioned that his decision making is poor -

Although the three teams that came up are favourites for relegation I think we have a false level of comfort. Not once since the premier league started have the same teams that came up been the ones that have gone down. If one of stoke, west brom or hull have a bit of luck I can really see us going down - fulham, boro, sunderland, bolton, wigan all look better than last season. blackburn, newcastle and us look in trouble.

[prophet:marginal]

Our season starts (again) next Saturday.

The sooner the leaks in our defence are seen to, the better, but I'm not holding my breath.

Alternatively, that's only one game in five where we've failed to score (2 in 5 where we haven't scored twice).

Rumours of relegation (above) are a little wide of the mark, Shirley.

[clarke]

Our season starts (again) next Saturday.

The sooner the leaks in our defence are seen to, the better, but I'm not holding my breath.

Alternatively, that's only one game in five where we've failed to score (2 in 5 where we haven't scored twice).

Rumours of relegation (above) are a little wide of the mark, Shirley.

Definately. The performance today wasn't great (2nd half), but on another day we would have been 4-2 up on the hour mark imo.

[grammarhammer]

Well, we've got the West Ham of old back so everyone should be happy now. We beat a half decent team 4-1 then lose a 5 goal thriller to the bottom team, just like the good old days. I have to say, having watched it on Jerky Justin, that I thought our passing through the middle and movement off the ball was excellent. Worrying lack of composure at the back, though. At 2-1 up, we were well on top then they got a very dubious penalty which put them back in it. Could just as easily have gone 3-1 up then they would never have come back. It goes that way sometimes. That's 10 goals in 2 games, just as it should be for West Ham fans ... and we have no idea whether we'll thump Newcastle out of sight next week (quite likely), or let them thump us out of sight (also likely), or slog out a dreadful, boring 0-0 draw (just as likely). That's how it should be for West Ham fans. It's what you've all been pining for over the last year

[Post Horn Gallop]

Havent seen the match yet,waiting for highlights tonight. Was at a restaurant (superb, try it Grahams on the Green Writtle). They have Italian waiters who I discuss a bit of footy with, I asked about Di Michael regrettably the verdict was "he's average and past it, thats why they got rid,never played for a top Italian league team." Hope they're wrong.

[Hambrosia Stu]

At least the Curbishley bashers will be happy - got what they wanted, exciting game (if quality not great). Personally, I'd rather have the 3 points

Sick and tired of hearing how hard Cole tries etc. etc. He's a striker, for f***sake, but can't score - enough said.

Hoping Noble will benefit from playing under Zola, altho not sure Zola can do much with our defence since the board so generously let Sunderland have Ferdinand and McCartney.
di Michele sounded very poor on the radio.

Spot on!

The crux of the biscuit as far as I see it

[Bubbles & Squeaks 77]

Ive just got back from the game and the only thing i can say is the second half performance was shocking and the atmosphere in the second half was almost as bad. Ive just been reading through some of the comments on here about Carlton Cole and i have to say i am shocked, myself and the west ham fans at the game today were shocked by how lazy he was, he didnt seem to give a sh*t and couldnt be bothered to close men down, he was even doing west brom`s defence work in the end. Dont get me started on Di Michele either, dreadful, tried to be a bit flash but he ended up just being a flash in the pan, hope he adapts more but he looked really terrible, Parker was just as bad, he should try taking the ball forward more.

Just got back home myself and I must say I can't disagree with any of that. Di Michele was absolutely **** and Ilunga at left back was no better.
At the end of the day though, I think we should put this game down to experience.
Fair play to the West Brom fans. They sang their hearts out. Most amusing chant though was when they sang to us "You've only got one song!" to which we replied "You've only got one point!"

But now thanks to us, they've got 4!

[SenzaPaura]

we concede 3 goals and loads of chances against a team that hasn't scored in open play so people look for a scapegoat = criticise davenport. I'll admit that he wasn't as good as in the homes this season but from where I was sitting Upson had more of a 'mare, should have done better with two of their goals, wasn't in the opposition box helping to create one of our goals and wasn't one of the two fullbacks that (1) let the west brom player have too much space to cross (Ilunga) or (2) got caught out of position all day long (Neill).

Cole was crap as soon as the west brom defense decided to let him win the first ball and then take it off him after his poor second touch. Someone earlier mentioned that his decision making is poor -

Although the three teams that came up are favourites for relegation I think we have a false level of comfort. Not once since the premier league started have the same teams that came up been the ones that have gone down. If one of stoke, west brom or hull have a bit of luck I can really see us going down - fulham, boro, sunderland, bolton, wigan all look better than last season. blackburn, newcastle and us look in trouble.

Wasn't Ilunga in a two against one situation? He couldn't exactly close Valero down because that would have opened up the whole flank yet further.

[JonG86]

Spot on!

The crux of the biscuit as far as I see it

How so?

We have replaced one of them already with an almost like for like player (although Ilunga looks like he has more pace) and the other we had to sell as he was going to lose value after refusing to sign a new contract.

How have people not caught onto this yet?

[kosherhammer]

This will put a smile on your faces.

Kevin Keen's post match interview on skysports, the last few comments made me laugh.

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,12606_4140807,00.html

[Heysel76]

This will put a smile on your faces.

Kevin Keen's post match interview on skysports, the last few comments made me laugh.

http://www.skysports.com/video/clips/0,23791,12606_4140807,00.html

Cheers for that, you didn't mention the X certificate, just sat & watched that with my 9 year old Son