FAC4: Hartlepool 0 West Ham Utd 2 (24/01/09)

[davids cross]

All that you can ask in games like this is that you come through either by hook or crook. It's a hiding to nothing, the penalty was very fortunate and it took all the pressure off. At 1-0 it could have been a harder second half. Job done and we move on......well done boys.

[Nutmeg]

All that you can ask in games like this is that you come through either by hook or crook. It's a hiding to nothing, the penalty was very fortunate and it took all the pressure off. At 1-0 it could have been a harder second half. Job done and we move on......well done boys.

Completely agree... and that you come through with no injuries.

We did both, so I am very happy.

[prophet:marginal]

All this carping about the handball being outside the box.

I reckon the ref compromised, because the player could have been sent off, if the (deliberate) handball had been adjudged to have prevented a goal-scoring opportunity.

A lot is also being made of Cole's fouls on the keeper. I think the high foot was worse, because, if you watch carefully the first incident, the defender uses his arms to push Cole in the side, when he has only one foot on the floor. This unbalances Cole when he is legitimately going for the ball. If the defender hadn't pushed Cole, he may have made clean contact with the ball and scored.

All a storm in a tea-cup.

A fully deserved victory.

[The Sherriff]

was a pleasure to go a proper old english lower tier football ground again, being in the premiership you sort of forget what its like to go to these places from time to time. great laugh and the locals were accomadating.

always good to see the FA cup affinity still living strong in west ham .... unlike some of our other top flight counterparts

[Countryboy]

Remind me again why you were so anti-Curbs? :lol:

You couldn't make it up. Only at WHU :lol:

Because I don't remember too may times when we did a good job, played passages of excellent passing football, then closed out the game so easily we were stringing passes together for fun by the end.

Because Curbs never, even during the Great Escape gave me the feeling Zola has from Day One: ie that he knew what he wanted, AND how to get it, AND could deliver on it.

I always accepted that IF Curbishley had ever got his ideal first team on the field last season we'd have been more than half-decent. But he never, ever did. And I'm sorry, but that wasn't bad luck. You don't have an injury crisis that begins when you arrive, lasts your entire time in the job and eases off the moment you've gone without there being a connection between it and you.

My position on Curbishley was and remains that he was a mediocrity. Not the worst manager in the world. Not a bad man. Not someone I ever hated. Just very, very average and totally uninspiring. He never once made me want to cheer for him. And Zola does make me want to cheer. He's just a much more sophisticated football man, with a much broader frame of reference. Plus, he's got a million times more charisma. Oh, and we're finally playing decent football on a regular basis.

Zola is a star. Curbishley was, is, and always will be strictly supporting cast.

[speculator]

The highlight for me was the ref getting hit by an inflatable monkey whilst trying to break up the ruck when Carlton got the come on from the keeper. Funniest thing I've seen in a long while.

[speculator]

Did anyone sample the Strongarm Trophy Bitter?

Was the best pint I've ever had inside a football ground. If you could put their beer with Norwich City's food you would have a winner.

[aaronhammer]

The highlight for me was the ref getting hit by an inflatable monkey whilst trying to break up the ruck when Carlton got the come on from the keeper. Funniest thing I've seen in a long while.

yep that was good, how did it end up on the top of the net after that though?

Also the hot dog thrown onto the pitch when we scored the first was quite funny

[Fionn]

Any highlights lads?

[Pop Robson]

Was the best pint I've ever had inside a football ground. If you could put their beer with Norwich City's food you would have a winner.

:cry: Never managed to get in a pub selling it and never bothered in the ground, didn't expect them to sell it.

[dicanio10]

Don’t often get the chance to see West Ham in the flesh due to living in Aberdeen but when the draw was made pairing us with Hartlepool I had the possibility of going due to my old man having a contact on the board at Hartlepool. Went to the game on a corporate gig and had a superb time despite not being able to wear claret & blue.

On seeing the team live for the first time in a few years I can see that the core of the team is pretty strong with only a few players needing to be shipped out namely LBM & Faubert. The pick of the players that played on Saturday were Ilunga, Collins & Parker who all strolled thru the match. Collison & Tomkins have great potential and Carlton Cole was surprisingly good considering the abuse he receives on this forum.

The main reason for this post is that after the game I was able to wander around in the ground and met the majority of the Hammers players as they left to get on the coach. They have restored my faith in the modern footballer as they chatted to fans of Hartlepool & fellow hammers, signed autographs and posed for photos. Zola was full of the joys and stood for a good 15 mins speaking to the fans and posing for photos. Cole got ambushed by a few drunken hammers and stood with them getting his photo taken. All in all they seem like a decent bunch of lads.

Spoke to a Hartlepool official who had a fully signed WHU shirt who commented that he was very impressed by the players and managements attitude as they “had no airs and graces” and spent a lot of time with kids both before and after the game signing shirts and programmes etc. Zola even signed a Chelski top for the guys mate!

Well done WHUFC for a job well done both on and off the park. Only problem they had on the day was sitting waiting on the bus for over 30 mins for LBM to do his doping test. Typical, spend half an hour on the park not being able to pass the ball and a further hour after it not being able to pass water. Pointless test in his case anyway as everybody already knows he couldn’t possibly be using performance enhancing drugs and he is a dope!

COYI

[speculator]

Good post mate. I once went all the way up to Stonehaven in a car so I know its a fair trip for you.

Just proves that even the authorities think Long Booed Man is on drugs.

[johnu175]

Having travelled up to Hartlepool for the match on Saturday I have been labouring ever since under the delusion that we came away 2-0 winners. However, this was clearly yet another senior moment because I have just visited the West Ham online box office and am being offered the opportunity to purchase my season ticket seat for the replay on 4 February for £20 + 50p booking fee.

[rendog2]

Having travelled up to Hartlepool for the match on Saturday I have been labouring ever since under the delusion that we came away 2-0 winners. However, this was clearly yet another senior moment because I have just visited the West Ham online box office and am being offered the opportunity to purchase my season ticket seat for the replay on 4 February for £20 + 50p booking fee.

:lol:

[upton girlie]

Hartlepool United FC
FA Cup Match
Event Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Kick Off: 19:45

Choose seats:

Shall I book the tickets and turn up? :shock:

[prophet:marginal]

Shall I book the tickets and turn up? :shock:

If you were there in a scarf on saturday, Up-girl, I saw you.
If you weren't, I didn't