The summer months, I find as a football fan, are intolerably boring.
After last week's game against Chelsea, the nature of some of our fans' chants aimed at John Terry and Frank Lampard made the back pages, it would seem. The general consensus in the media seems to be varied- from 'the chants overstepped the mark'; to 'the chants are evil and those responsible should be banned from Upton Park for life.' Indeed, PFA Chairman Gordon Taylor claimed that such chants 'were not too far removed from the bad old days of the 1980s.'
It's one that surely all of us must have asked ourselves over the past few months; would we have stayed up if Pardew had been given another chance?
As Carlos Tevez looks set to move to Manchester United, a new striker has announced his arrival in E13.
As the transfer market approaches fever pitch with clubs seemingly signing anyone who isn't screwed down (eg Wigan signing Titus Bramble), it is crucial that teams hang on to their best players whilst raiding other clubs for their best assets.
A new dawn for West Ham United under Gianfranco Zola started this afternoon with a win over managerless Newcastle United, thanks to two goals and an assist for home debutant David Di Michele, on loan from Torino. Luis Boa Morte missed an excellent chance at the end, but ultimately, this was a performance of which Zola would have been proud of in his playing days. Now West Ham manager, he told the BBC, ''I'm very proud of the players.'' Let the good times roll...
United travelled up to Manchester for this late afternoon kick off with more hope than optimism, for traditionally away trips to City have not been profitable for the Irons, with only two wins at Maine Road or The City of Manchester Stadium since 1993. The second win came as recently as March 2006, when a Dean Ashton brace saw West Ham through to the FA Cup semi-finals via a 2-1 victory.
The Hammers kicked off the new campaign today with no fewer than nine players out of action. Not quite a makeshift XI, nor down to 'the bare bones', but certainly an under-strength West Ham side that took the field this afternoon.
Two Uniteds met today, though God help anyone who should refer to the hosts today as simply 'United' on KUMB.com’s forum!
The Hammers went into this game fearing the worst after their half-baked performance which nearly ended in disaster against Derby County the previous week, coupled with Newcastle's recent upturn in form, notably thrashing Tottenham 4-1 at White Hart Lane a couple of weeks ago and beating local rivals Sunderland 2-0 the previous Sunday.
After a week which could only be described as disastrous, West Ham had to get a result here today to regain some credibility and stability in the Premier League, if not to maintain a somewhat optimistic push for Europe.
As I ticked off the 14th club in the Premiership and Football League’s groundhopper's list I gazed around before I entered the stadium to get a more accurate view of Birmingham as a city. Walking from Whitton station, the old man and I had passed three brothels, four sex shops, countless run-down bookies and greasy takeaways. 'Not as nice as Greenwich then?' was the comment from pater. 'Not even as nice as Millwall,' I murmured back.
