West Ham Utd 2 Middlesbrough 1 (23/10/05)

[SL]

A very good performance after last week's defeat. Repka had an excellent match, Matty seemed to pace himself a lot better . . . and the Bobby/Teddy switch-round also was successful.

Bobby had a very good 60+ minutes . . . he was winning more headers than usual and his movement and passing was good . . . and this meant that Marlon didn't get isolated at all.

Nevertheless, the substition of Bobby by Sheringham was fair enough at the time and it looked inspired when we scored straight away . . . this is the best way to use Teddy IMO. He can still exploit spaces in the opposition's defence towards the end of a game when legs are tiring and the game is getting more stretched. Well done Pards.

My MOM was Danny Gabbidon . . . a faultless performance from where I was sitting . . . what a fabulous acquisition.

100% agree

[The Skerrit]

From that BBC Report:

The pace of Zamora and Harewood asked plenty of questions of Boro's defence but the visitors played some neat football through midfield

When the **** did they do that, then? I can barely remember them stringing five or six passes together. They were **** all afternoon.

[The Skerrit]

just got back

outstanding performance given what's gone before. reo-coker, benayoun, konchesky and gabbidon stood out but anton was immense. especially after his early booking.

have to say, pardew got it right again although didn't look anywhere near an own goal to me.

benayoun's first-half display was a real highlight and i look forward to the day he plays through the middle, although im happy with him where he is at the moment because no one can pick him up.

well played pards.

Never mind. we had a goal ruled out thanks to a linesman at Highbury a few years back when a Kanoute effort was not given. The ball then was CLEARLY over but not by the twit with the flag.
It'll help make up for that miscarriage of justice.

Let us not forget as well, that Chesterfield would have appeared in the 1997 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, had they not had a perfectly good goal against Middlesbrough disallowed...

Swings and Roundabouts.....

[Herts Iron]

Let us not forget as well, that Chesterfield would have appeared in the 1997 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, had they not had a perfectly good goal against Middlesbrough disallowed...

Swings and Roundabouts.....

Exactly. **** happens in football, deal with it.

[Joe C]

just got back

outstanding performance given what's gone before. reo-coker, benayoun, konchesky and gabbidon stood out but anton was immense. especially after his early booking.

How did Repka play?

fairly composed....got into a couple of good positions for crosses into the box

must give matty and marlon credit too...non-stop effort and running comes easily to neither but they gave their all. marlon, in particular, played a selfish role all game and led the line well. i think we have to get used to the idea that matty aint gonna play 90 minutes too often but he gives us invaluable width.

You must have been watching a different Etherington to me mate. Worst palyer on the pitch in claret and blue by a country mile

[hornsey]

who cares if it was over the line or not?

we were by far the better team and we have been on the recieving end of some real dodgy decesions this season; Konchesky at Newcastle,penalties against Arse.etc....

**** em,the corner that they scored from looked like a dodgy call anyway.

2-1 to the cockney boooyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyssssssssssssss!!!

[dmyeo66]

We won and thats all that matters at the moment. Teddy said on sky sports news that it didnt go in by a mile but hey you gotta take them.

[Amsterhammer]

The Amsterdam posse thought that Ethers was pretty much *****, that Bobby had a really good game, and that Konch, Anton and Gabbers are the biz.

Tom had a decent game too, thank ****.

Clearly an 'inspired' substitution - well done Pards.

Finally - please Mr. Pardew, find some way to play Yossi centrally behind the strikers where he can be the playmaker. Build the team around him if you must. Yossi has a better footballing brain than the rest of them put together.

[daniel]

I saw the highlight just now, and I have to say West Ham played better football than Boro for sure.
A deserved win.
The radio feed did not do West Ham justice.
AH, I agree, Yossi has to have a free role, and play behind the striker, his dribbles against the Boro defence were amazing, and so were his passes.

[mattandbenny]

just look up the fixture in December,
very tough

only 2 home games and 5 away games.

But if you look at the away games, we should be able to get a good few points. 4 of the away games are Birmingham, Blackburn, Portsmouth and Everton.

[Huffers]

I feel that Etherington was quality today, like he used to look

[Doubting Tomas]

OK, I'm biased, but I thought Repka had another shocker.

It only looked like Yossi could score in the first half as Zamora was poor and Harewood little better. When Teddy came on it was a different story which just goes to show that we really do need a decent striker.

Gabbidon and Ferdinand v.good.

I was sat fairly in line with the borough goal and I didn't think it went over.

Those who saw it on telly....did it ???

[KFC Kirky]

[quote="Doubting Tomas"]OK, I'm biased, but I thought Repka had another shocker.
quote]

you're off your rocker. I thought he was one of the best players on the pitch.

[Amsterhammer]

Those who saw it on telly....did it ???

No, the ball wasn't even half-way over the line.

When did we last get such a 'gift?'

[Doubting Tomas]

OK, I'm biased, but I thought Repka had another shocker.
quote]

you're off your rocker. I thought he was one of the best players on the pitch.

this is strange............all I saw was mistimed tackles and misplaced passes.

[Doubting Tomas]

Those who saw it on telly....did it ???

No, the ball wasn't even half-way over the line.

When did we last get such a 'gift?'

Well it was definately time we got a bit of luck, particularly as the ref wouldn't give us anything in the first half.

I just hope it doesn't hasten the introduction of technology.

[If only....]

OK, I'm biased, but I thought Repka had another shocker.
quote]

you're off your rocker. I thought he was one of the best players on the pitch.

this is strange............all I saw was mistimed tackles and misplaced passes.

Repka was vastly better than against Sunderland and Man City. He was so poor in those games I would have dropped him but credit to Pards as he was fine today.

Etherington was also much better but still not the full ticket over 90 mins.

Mullins was another who had a solid game.

I was impressed with Harewood. Lacked end product i.e. goals but worked hard throughout and had some very good wide right runs.

Overall a good team performance that should have seen us win by two clear goals.

First win at Anfield since 1963 anyone? I will be there but much more in hope than expectation....

[bonehead]

I feel that Etherington was quality today, like he used to look

I thought he looked like he always has looked......he did a couple of good things, but generally when he received the ball he didn't look like he wanted it.....and he also bottled it again on a number of occasions......notably right at the end of the first half when the ball was rolling across the penalty spot and he failed to act when he was the closest west ham player.....and again when he got injured in the second half, as he bottled out of a challenge

if I was Pardew I would look to be replacing him. his body language is all wrong. I am sure he will do a few good things here and there......but based on his contributions so far, if he is still in the starting line up in two years time then I doubt we'll have progressed much

for me Boro were the worst team we've played so far......pleased with the result but we made hard work of it and at times did some very silly things that would have been punished against better quality opposition

nice to see Sheringham play the role that's been crying out for him.......coming on from the bench to add a bit of quality when required......although funnily enough, today's fairly pedestrian game pace-wise probably would've suited him better from the start anyway

[Marky]

Etherington played better today but he still gives the ball away too much for me I would have him on the bech for Liverpool. sheringhams is a good sub but lets not start him.
I am convinced we need to play much tighter away and have a more robust look to our team

[stockwell pete]

this is strange............all I saw was mistimed tackles and misplaced passes.

DT, can't you get nuffink right? Tommy had a really good game . . . some of his passing and crossing was excellent.